Runners up: Mitski: Laurel Hell, FKA Twigs: Caprisongs, Charli XCX: Crash, Angel Olsen: Big TIme, Soccer Mommy: Sometimes, Forever, Sudan Archives: Natural Brown Prom Queen

10. Beatopia: Beabadoobee

This bright bubblegum pop album was a love-at-first listen album. Complete with slow and moving ballads to fun bubbly tracks, this album was just all around a good time. With emotion filled ballads and pop-rock jams, what’s not to love?

9. And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow: Weyes Blood

After hearing her 2019 album Titanic Rising, and immediately falling in love with it, Weyes Blood’s next album was one of my most anticipated albums. Grappling with grief is a common theme in her albums, yet this one seems more hopeful that at least in the next life things will be better.

8. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers: Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar has made multiple spectacular albums with To Pimp a Butterfly, good kid, m.A.A.d city, and DAMN. thus proving himself as an exceptional lyricist and overall artist. While this album wasn’t on the level of To Pimp a Butterfly per se, it was definitely an incredible release.

7. Blue Rev: Alvvays

This album seems to bring out every emotion, and you just can’t help but love it. Because it continuously mentions small events in such a deeply emotional way, it gives off a comforting vibe. This is for sure an album I will revisit again and again.

6. Fossora: Björk

This album was invigorating to listen to, as I find most Björk albums to be. Björk is never shy about experimentation, which is very clear through all of her releases, yet she continues to pull everything together into such a stunning experience. While trying to understand love and loss, Björk throws everything on the table with this album.

5. Motomami: Rosalía

This was by far one of the most thrilling records of this year. Complete with bachata, flamenco, bolero, and dembow techniques, this album is chaotic in the best way possible. Rosalía continues to showcase her talent and push the boundaries with this release.

4. God Save the Animals:  Alex G

Alex G continues to shock with his sublime songwriting through this record. Although this is a gracefully produced album, the lyrics manage to hit so deep in a shockingly familiar way. This album includes some of the most poetic lyricism this year.

3. Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You: Big Thief

An album with 20 songs is typically not ideal for most, but this album just makes it work. Combining all of the sounds of Big Thief into an hour and twenty minutes of spectacular music, this album was the breath of fresh air I needed in 2022.

2. Un Verano Sin Ti: Bad Bunny

It is sadly rare to see such a huge global pop star release incredible music, but Bad Bunny does it with this album. Again combining many different sounds using reggaeton, EDM, dembow, and more to create this innovative record. He uses both humor and sharp social commentary to complete this electrifying release.

1. Renaissance: Beyoncé

With R&B melodies and glistening falsettos, and electric rhythms, Beyoncé pays homage to her queer Black predecessors sometimes citing her contemporaries throughout the record. In Renaissance, Beyoncé reminds us of how it feels to feel good. Although everything seems crazy and out of control in the world, this album just shoots joy and exuberance into your veins when you listen to it.