18) SZA’s SOS
Release Date: December 9
Runtime: 67:51
Tracks: 23
Genre: R&B/Pop
After five years and six months to the day, our queen of Rhythm & Pain has returned! Armed with an amazing team of writers and producers including Babyface, Benny Blanco, Lizzo, Bjork, Jay Versace, Still Woozy, Darkchild, and more, SOS is sonically pleasing for its nearly 70min duration - even if at some points repetitive or underwhelming. Lyrically and vocally, SZA remains at the top of her game and beyond many of her peers, reminding us she's one of the OGs of cursive singing - or SZA-ese as some endearingly call it. Her 90s/00s references are still on point, even incorporating Julia Styles and Save the Last Dance. (Imagine SZA dropping a music video mimicking the final choreo; it'd be legendary.) SOS is primarily an R&B album, but after her feature from Phoebe Bridgers, she channels her inner Willow and gives us a couple punk rock tracks. I wish the production and vocals were a little more angsty, but I applaud her for experimenting. For all the albums weak moments, the strength of the rest of the tracks allows this project to soar past others.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Kill Bill
Gone Girl
17) Kenny Beats’ Louie
Release Date: August 31
Runtime: 32:54
Tracks: 17
Genre: Instrumental/Hip-Hop
I'm not even gonna front, for the better part of a decade, I thought Kenny Beats was black. Turns out he's just some white guy from Connecticut, but man, can he flip the fuck out of a soul sample. A known rap producer and collaborator with the likes of Denzel Curry, Rico Nasty, Vince Staples, and more, Kenny finally takes the time to bless us with his first solo project: Louie. The album takes its name from his mother's nickname for him. Kenneth Charles Blume III then takes us on a whimsical journey through his family's history as he plays beat after beat with short interludes from his father. While mostly instrumental, there are some lyrical moments from slowthai, JPEGmafia, Remi Wolf, and Thundercat. See if you can spot them and others as you listen, as they're all unlisted in the track listing. With no song lasting more than 160 seconds, Louie is a fun casual album that'll leave you floating on air.
Breakout Single:
Hold My Head
Standout Tracks:
Family Tree
Last Words
16) Ari Lennox' age/sex/location
Release Date: September 9
Runtime: 41:23
Tracks: 12
Genre: R&B/Neo-Soul
Welcome to the chatroom; ready to get sexy on 'em? Well that's too damn bad. Ari isn't looking for love from you; she's finding it within herself. Tired of dating apps not believing it's actually her and wasting her time on men that don't deserve her, Ari Lennox' sophomore album is a journey of reflection and acceptance. Yes, all at the same time of trying to woe you. She still gets cold at night, dammit. age/sex/location lives on the thin line of respecting yourself and throwing your kitty kat on the stage to see who's willing to pay for it. When the top bid is $4.92, you reel that thang back in, cry, ask "why me, lord?", reassess, rebuild, and throw it back out there again! Let's not forget, Ari's full, raspy alto is unique in this era of whisper singers. With features from Chloe, Summer Walker, and Lucky Daye, this is an R&B album for the 21st century honoring our AIM and chatroom roots.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Outside
15) Rex Orange County’s Who Cares?
Release Date: March 11
Runtime: 34:51
Tracks: 11
Genre: Alternative/Pop/Singer-Songwriter
I don't know if you know this, but I love blue-eyed soul - well, in this case, brown-eyed soul - and my favorite dorky lad from Britain based in California has finally returned with his fourth album (sophomore if you count his self-released albums as mixtapes). Rex croons his way back into our hearts with Who Cares?, an album of reflection and declarations of love. The story progresses thematically track by track as he falls deeper and deeper in love, or perhaps lust, until he is eventually let down. He wallows for a song before reaching the title track of the album, which in a way is a sort of self-care, pick-yourself-up-and try-again anthem. Along with wonderful piano driven production, Rex' humming abilities flourish on the album, second only to Kid Cudi's. Ever the optimistic, Rex continues to be a light in the singer-songwriter community I look forward to hearing every time.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
If You Want It
14) Charli XCX’ Crash
Release Date: March 18
Runtime: 33:46
Tracks: 12
Genre: Dance-Pop/Synth-Pop
You know I love a pop moment, and Miss XCX filled my prescription this year. Her voice is angelic yet flippant. Her beats catchy and diverse, perfect for transforming into an earworm. And her features from Caroline Polechek, Christine and the Queens, and Rina Sawayama feel very female empowerment without having to spell it out through the lyrics. So what is Crash about? Fusion. Sonically, this album balances 70s, 80s and 90s influence with the hyper-pop sound Charli is usually known for, combining them into delicious new sounds. Her breakout single "Beg for You" does this perfectly by sampling Petra Marklund's "Cry for You" and transforming it for a new age. Charli's lyrics are also interesting and inviting, begging you to sing along with her. So pick your favorite song, figure out some silly choreography with a friend, and get ready to shut the bar down with your next karaoke performance.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Lightning
Yuck
13) Smino’s Luv 4 Rent
Release Date: October 28
Runtime: 50:59
Tracks: 15
Genre: Hip-Hop/Neo-Soul
Partnering with Motown through his own independent label Zero Fatigue, Smino brings us his third album Luv 4 Rent. As the title suggests, the project is about love and all the positives and negatives that come with it. How secure it can feel; how fleeting it can be. It feels weird to call it this, but Luv 4 Rent is like hip-hop easy listening. And I don't mean that as a diss. Smino's flow and beat selection are smooth. They do all the work for you, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the record. Rather you indulge in zee weed or not, you'll only feel relaxed or jiggy while listening. Guest appearances from J Cole, Doechii, Lucky Daye, and Ravyn Lenae add soothing vocals while Zero Fatigue producer Monte Booker handles a majority of the album's sound. Play this record for a chill day drive or an introspective smoke session as the moon illuminates the room.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Ole Ass Kendrick
Pudgy [feat Lil Uzi Vert]
12) Wet Leg’s Self Titled
Release Date: April 8
Runtime: 36:47
Tracks: 12
Genre: Indie Rock/Pop-Punk
Have you ever heard someone sing sarcastically? Somehow Rhian Teasdale accomplishes this effortlessly. Joining forces with Hester Chambers after ten years of friendship to form Wet Leg in 2019, the British duo have been writing, singing, and strumming together to create some of your new favorite rock songs. While they can play soft and dainty, a decent portion of their self-titled debut features them riffing heavily on guitars, each string a satisfying scream of frustration relieved. Rhian's vocals are defiant, with lyrics about not wanting to leave the house or listen to someone else's bullshit as everything seems like such a task. There's no room for silly love songs, only musings about relationships past. Also, no one else has made a chaise lounge seem this appealing since that one Value City Furniture commercial. Listen to this album with your middle fingers at the ready position.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Piece of Shit
11) Freddie Gibbs’ $oul $old $eparately
Release Date: September 30
Runtime: 46:05
Tracks: 15
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
You wanna talk bars, n***a? You wanna talk flow, n***a?! Look no further than Freddie Gibbs, or as I call him: the Big Boss Rabbit. His fifth solo album, Freddie's no stranger to artistry. He sets the scene for $oul $old $eparately as a hotel stay as he lays low from multiple factors and people in his life, occasionally ending tracks with voicemail messages from comedians trying to live up the Vegas lifestyle. He raps about the typical things: money, drugs, bitches, men wishing to end his life, but his delivery is so technical yet effortless. His flow over beats from The Alchemist, Kaytranada, DJ Paul, James Blake, and Madlib are the envy of the rap community. The variety of producers and sounds make this an easy listen. Pair that with features Offset, Rick Ross, Pusha T, and more and you've got a royal flush. Freddie may have seen this album as a gamble, but the payout is all 777s for this rap god.
Breakout Single:
Too Much [feat Moneybagg Yo]Standout Tracks:
Feel No Pain [feat Anderson .Paak & Raekwon]
10) Shygirl’s Nymph
Release Date: September 30
Runtime: 32:31
Tracks: 12
Genre: Pop/Club-Pop/Grime
Ya'll ready to get experimentalllll? Hailing from South East London, it's rapper-singer-songwriter-DJ Shygirl. Don't you just love a multi-hyphenate? Getting props and recognition from the likes of Sophie and Rihanna, Shygirl finally brings us her first album. With themes of love, sex, and liberation, what makes this album special is its array of sounds. Nymph is not restricted by genres, easily jumping from hyper-pop to rap to drum'n'bass to trap. Songs like "Coochie (a bedtime story)" sound like a waiting room in a Sega Dreamcast video game without dating itself. Shygirl's vocals are simple yet melodic as they rock you into a safe space of psychedelic exploration - a Grenadian enchantress guiding you safely through a magical, melting forest to the sickest rave woodland creatures could muster up on short notice. Now doesn't that sound like fun?
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Heaven
9) Durand Bernarr’s Wanderlust
Release Date: September 23
Runtime: 47:06
Tracks: 12
Genre: Soul/R&B
Your favorite vocalist (you just don't know it yet) released his sophomore album this year, and it's as divine as his first. Erykah Badu's favorite former-backup singer Durand Bernarr is back with Wanderlust. As expected he brings his usual humor, wit, and extensive vocal range and theatrics for our enjoyment. In the opening track, he sets his boundaries, yet in the following track, he invites suitors to walk all over him. The next song then proceeds to tells us how he likes his partners to be a "lil bit" ugly, for self esteem and confidence sake. Can't have too many people tryna holler at you. Is he serious? Is he jesting? Most likely a "lil bit" of both, speaking from his personal experiences, growth, and hopeful trajectory. Wanderlust is followed by relatable song after another, even featuring a track wishing to go back to those carefree childish days. Add this great content to Durand's phenomenal vocals and quality production (which is at times sounds gospratic [of the gospel]) and even the most fallen angels will have no choice but to jump and rejoice in fellowship.
Breakout Single:
Lil Bit [feat Metta]
Standout Tracks:
Mango Butter
Vacancy [feat Just Liv]
8) JID’s The Forever Story
Release Date: August 26
Runtime: 59:06
Tracks: 15
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Never did I ever expect JID's name to be pronounced as one word, but that's my fault for thinking capitalizing meant abbreviation. That aside, this n***a spittin', your honor. Hailing from the J Cole school of Dreamville, JID brings us his third solo album. Fans of the Biased list may recognize him from Spillage Village's album two years ago. Serving as a direct sequel to his debut album The Never Story, The Forever Story feels eternal while reminding me of my favorite rap albums from the 00s. Through diverse production and a colorful cast of featured artists, like Earthgang, Ari Lennox, Lil Wayne, and more, JID tells the stories of the black American experience and all its multitudes. He moves from exceptionally lyrical tracks to uplifting anthems to braggadocious bangers. Though I've heard him rap before, JID earns this year's "Favorite New Rapper" award. Hey, if the Grammy's can do it, so can I.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Can't Punk Me [feat Earthgang]
7) Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Release Date: May 13
Runtime: 78:37
Tracks: 19
Genre: Hip-Hop
Fans of the Biased list know (readers join aloud) "Wacko loves to give Kendrick a hard time." I honestly can't help it. He's so gotdamn good, I can't help but hold him to a higher standard than other rappers in his field. That said, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is a wonderfully thematic and structured album. The soul, jazz, and trap samples are on point and all the features are exactly where they need to be. Using a step team comes off more as Kendrick soft shoeing around conversational therapy. The only way he knows how to reflect on his life, his childhood, is through song. Through Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Kendrick lets us in more than he ever has before, perhaps his most personal album yet. It's interesting that he uses Kodak Black's narration as a through line through the first half of the album, yet somehow it works. And "We Cry Together" featuring Taylor Paige is sure to become a stable as an urban duet audition piece in the years that come. "Auntie Diaries" is a little misguided, but well intentioned - a true look on gender theory through the lens of a cis-het black men. Maybe this is why I still give him shit.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Father Time [feat Sampha]
6) FKA twigs’ CAPRISONGS
Release Date: January 14
Runtime: 48:10
Tracks: 17
Genre: Avant-Pop/Indie
We've finally reached one of our zodiac inspired projects. Released towards the end of Capricorn season and technically classified as a mixtape, Caprisongs features many spoken interludes that perfectly introduce the track following. Each one is either conversational or directly addressing a fictional FKA twigs as she navigates her life through star charts. Taking influences from grime, afrobeat, and pop, El Guincho and twigs lead production on the album. To achieve a true sad boy/girl/enby aesthetic, The Weeknd, Shygirl, Jorja Smith, and Daniel Caesar also lend their talents. FKA twigs' voice is dainty and precious as her lyrics rattle around in your head for days. Caprisongs is an emotional experience, urging you to turn on your LED strip lights and slowly twirl like the old Lana Del Rey. Honestly, watch a few FKA dance tutorials to learn how to pole dance like she did, and you'll truly appreciate what she has to offer.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
oh my love
careless [feat Daniel Caesar]
5) Brockhampton’s The Family
Release Date: November 17
Runtime: 35:24
Tracks: 17
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop
Admittedly, this album won't be for everyone, but that's why it's MY Biased list. I've been a fan of Brockhampton since they hit the scene with their trio of Saturation albums/mixtapes and quickly became one of the strangest and most unique boybands of the 21st century. After perils and being silent the better part of 2022, Kevin Abstract returned with Bearface and select members of the production side of BH to drop The Family. The seventh and penultimate album from the collective is a send-off, as Kevin raps most of the album alone - occasionally distorting his voice - with some vocal backing from Bearface. Throughout the album, we listen to Kevin tell us this album is half contractual obligation/half apology and accepting his part in the group's disbanding. The lyrics are sobering yet relatable for anyone that's had a fallen out with a friend, wishing they could go back and do things differently. With soul samples and catchy beats, The Family will have you mourning one of the wackiest yet endearing groups of all time.
(Oddly enough, the group's last album TM was released the day after featuring all of Brockhampton, but it didn't hit me like this one did. I guess I was just a fan of Kevin the whole time.)
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
All That
37th
4) The Weeknd’s Dawn FM
Release Date: Jan 7
Runtime: 51:49
Tracks: 16
Genre: Dance-pop/Synth-pop
Finally, the cocaine-flavored Weeknd that I knew from his mixtape days has returned! From my first listen in January, I knew Dawn FM would rank highly. It ruled the Winter months of 2022, making the chill feel exceptionally frosty. With his fifth studio album, the Weeknd transports us back to the 80s as he experiences his journey through purgatory - narrated by Jim Carrey the disc jockey. The first half of the album details his last living moments desperately trying to rekindle love before it's snatched away from him by death. The latter half, the Weeknd grieves his life, his mistakes, and the woman he loved moving on before he finally reaches the abyss waiting for him. Dawn FM clearly has my vote for Concept Album of the Year. With funky 80s-like rifts and synths that ring modern, The Weeknd has found a sound befitting him that doesn't seem overly manufactured or produced. Thanks, OPN and Max Martin.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Don't Break My Heart
3) Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti
Release Date: May 6
Runtime: 81:53
Tracks: 23
Genre: Reggaeton/Indie Pop
Pon tu puto dedo en el aire durante las tres veces seguidas de artista global del año y su golpe absoluto de un álbum! Google Translate aside, Benito aka Bad Bunny dunked his whole sexy ass on his fourth studio album and it shows. Clearly the Album of the Summer, Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You) is filled to the brim with bangers and danceable tracks. You don't have to understand what he's saying to know that it's sexy AF. You can feel it in his tone and delivery, using his voice as the hottest instrument to come off the island of Puerto Rico. With influences from reggae, bomba, bachata, merengue, dancehall, disco, trap, techno, and more, this album has sounds for everyone. The variety and pacing allows this album to be played seamlessly from start to finish. My only critique is that the album could be a little shorter in this ADHD world, and there's a last track fake out with "Me Fui de Vacaciones" that gets me every time. Personal gripes aside, if you're one of the few people on the planet who haven't listened to this album, fix that.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
El Apagón
Orto Atardecer [feat The Marias]
2) Steve Lacy’s Gemini Rights
Release Date: July 15
Runtime: 34:57
Tracks: 10
Genre: R&B/Funk
Gemini Season is in effect! I mean, Gemini Rights! The zodiac strikes again as Steve Lacy reps our shared sign to demonstrate what passionate and great lovers we are. Or maybe we're destructive? It all depends on your perspective. Hailing from The Internet (band), this Compton native released his sophomore solo album to the pleasure of our ears. Learning from his first project, Lacy has refined his sound and given us groovy sounds that are nostalgic but fully his own as he strums and sings. Borrowing elements from funk, indie rock, and jazz, Gemini Rights is a lesson in duality and ambiguity. While it's a lesson in processing a breakup, Lacy also invites you to attach whatever meaning you'd like to his music. This doesn't mean it's a nonsensical album, but rather worldly without coming off as mainstream and pop-y. A proud bisexual, Lacy does well to un-erase his clan and present himself to the world: a phenomenal singer, musician, and producer. Prepare yourself for the greatest jam session of all time.
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Helmet
1) Beyoncé's Renaissance
Release Date: July 29
Runtime: 62:14
Tracks: 16
Genre: Dance/House/R&B/Pop
Gurl, don't even act surprised. The critics all agree, Beyoncé shut it down this year! Literally, check all the big sites. Vulture, NPR, the New York Times, Rolling Stone, even Pitchfork with their hating ass. The Renaissance is undeniable. Not even sorry about it.
Born out of the COVID-quarantine era, Beyoncé decreed that the people needed something to uplift them, to give them hope, to dance to, and to unbreak their souls! With the help of countless producers including Hit-Boy, No I.D., and The-Dream, Beyoncé channeled disco, house music, ballroom culture, and modern hip-hop to deliver an album focused on escapism, hedonism, and self-expression. With samples and interpolations from T.S. Madison, ballroom icons Kevin Aviance & Kevin Jz Prodigy, Big Freedia, and mainstream icons like Grace Jones and Right Said Fred, this is easily Beyoncé's cuntiest - I mean gayest - album ever. And we all live for it. She borrowed and appreciated without appropriating. We stan an ally and an icon.
Renaissance is mixed and mastered perfectly, playing like a pre-recorded DJ mix. It's easy to get lost for an hour as the album plays seamlessly. Excusing the ballad interruption that is "Plastic Off the Sofa," Beyoncé's seventh album is a dance party from start to finish. I can attest to this because I've been in the club when they've played more than half the album in one night. It felt like being transported to what I imagine Studio 54 was like. And with "Virgo's Groove," she channels into this year's zodiac theme as well! Drawing from aspects of black life throughout the album, Beyoncé snatches the "Blackest Album of the Year" award and her third top spot on my Biased list. Listen I hold her to a high standard, too. She just surpasses herself each and every time. When will your fav ever compare?
Breakout Single:
Standout Tracks:
Alien Superstar
Church Girl
America Has a Problem
Phew, well that's another one in the books. Another great year for music of all kinds. Hopefully next year I'm surprised with more rock and alternative albums, not that I had any problem with hip-hop and R&B returning as my most played genres.
So, will I continue these lists? Maybe. I'm considering a preliminary monthly format next year to keep you all more current and up to date opposed to waiting until the end of the year to overload you with music. But we'll see how my time and schedule work next year. In the meantime, tell me some of your favorite albums from this year. You know I love new bops. Til next year, my friends and associates.
Oh, don't forget, you can check out my back catalog
And of course, a playlist of this year's picks can be found below.
Word