Best Music 🎶 of 2022!

Been still making my way through some re-listens, and although I thought maybe I didn’t come back to Big Thief enough…what an album! It still is so good. Also Beyoncé Jesus that album just gets better over time. I made a massive playlist as I do every year of all my favorite songs from the year and wound up being just over 18 hours. That’s the longest one I’ve ever made at year’s end. I think 2022 was uh incredible.
 
Matt M said:
I always find some things from this list to check out. Thanks

Here's a playlist of almost all of these records -
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Thanks for this, It’s probably my favorite year end list for discovering new, off my radar music. I have spent most the morning sifting through their list and have already found a dozen songs or so albums that are excellent.

This one in particular reminded me of a an N&G fave from a couple years ago Albaster DePlume Cy & Lee I know @nolalady and @avecigrec amongst more than a few others would likely really enjoy it. Bummer there is no vinyl (and even the cassette is sold out) but still a good one to listen to digitally when in that kind of mood.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
Thanks for this, It’s probably my favorite year end list for discovering new, off my radar music. I have spent most the morning sifting through their list and have already found a dozen songs r so albums that are excellent.

This one in particular reminded me of a an N&G fave from a couple years ago Albaster DePlume Cy & Lee I know @nolalady and @avecigrec amongst more than a few others would likely really enjoy it. Bummer there is no vinyl (and even the cassette is sold out) but still a good one to listen to digitally when in that kind of mood.
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Agreed. I listened while driving down to Salem and back for the kid's volleyball tourney yesterday (they won!) and it was kinda the perfect mix. Actually forwarded a few records and the playlist to a friend that I knew they would be interested in too.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
Thanks for this, It’s probably my favorite year end list for discovering new, off my radar music. I have spent most the morning sifting through their list and have already found a dozen songs or so albums that are excellent.

This one in particular reminded me of a an N&G fave from a couple years ago Albaster DePlume Cy & Lee I know @nolalady and @avecigrec amongst more than a few others would likely really enjoy it. Bummer there is no vinyl (and even the cassette is sold out) but still a good one to listen to digitally when in that kind of mood.
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@Rip_City See, I knew I would forget a few DePlume fans.
 
can someone sell me on why this Alvvays album is finding it's way into the top 5 or so of so many of these end-of-year lists? like...I think it's good, so don't get me wrong...but not to see it kinda universally ahead of peer-genre-ish albums from Yumi Zouma, Jenny Hval, Cate LeBon, all of which I find far more compelling, kinda throws me. I know all of these are subjective lists, but the composite of subjectivity seems to have this Alvvays album as special, and I'm wondering what it is I'm missing.

no matter, throw in Nilüfer Yanya, Sharon van Etten, Soccer Mommy, Mitski, Wet Leg, Horsegirl, Lumenette et al and it's been a hell of a year for the female-driven, dreamy, ethereal pop album that's for sure.
 
cbl said:
can someone sell me on why this Alvvays album is finding it's way into the top 5 or so of so many of these end-of-year lists? like...I think it's good, so don't get me wrong...but not to see it kinda universally ahead of peer-genre-ish albums from Yumi Zouma, Jenny Hval, Cate LeBon, all of which I find far more compelling, kinda throws me. I know all of these are subjective lists, but the composite of subjectivity seems to have this Alvvays album as special, and I'm wondering what it is I'm missing.

no matter, throw in Nilüfer Yanya, Sharon van Etten, Soccer Mommy, Mitski, Wet Leg, Horsegirl, Lumenette et al and it's been a hell of a year for the female-driven, dreamy, ethereal pop album that's for sure.
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I'm not sure what makes it so special except that I like it a lot and think it's their best album yet! That said, it didn't grab me right away, it took several listens before it clicked and now it's one of my faves of 2022! Do I like it before than Jenny Hval or Cate Le Bon, or even Nilüfer Yanya, like you mentioned, probably not but it's still a great album that deserves all the recognition it's getting 😉
 
cbl said:
can someone sell me on why this Alvvays album is finding it's way into the top 5 or so of so many of these end-of-year lists? like...I think it's good, so don't get me wrong...but not to see it kinda universally ahead of peer-genre-ish albums from Yumi Zouma, Jenny Hval, Cate LeBon, all of which I find far more compelling, kinda throws me. I know all of these are subjective lists, but the composite of subjectivity seems to have this Alvvays album as special, and I'm wondering what it is I'm missing.

no matter, throw in Nilüfer Yanya, Sharon van Etten, Soccer Mommy, Mitski, Wet Leg, Horsegirl, Lumenette et al and it's been a hell of a year for the female-driven, dreamy, ethereal pop album that's for sure.
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Alvvays have alvvays had the attention of indie rock spheres and their music has alvvays been pretty accessible. Compared to the other bands you mentioned who I also love a lot, they make pretty straightforward indie rock with guitars, bass, drums, vocals. It's catchy, the songwriting is simple but good. The same can be said for Yumi Zoumi (who I also love btw and they're #2 on my personal AOTY list behind Alvvays), Soccer Mommy, Wet Leg, etc.

They also, I think, marketed and promoted the album well, getting really good critical acclaim off the bat helped. People are enamored with Molly Rankin in the same way that they are Phoebe Bridgers, Michelle from Japanese Breakfast, etc. She's the IT girl in indie rock right now, even though her online persona is relatively unknown and subdued. That mystery makes them and her more enchanting and appealing.

The album itself is very good so the praise is not unfounded. But I do agree with you about it being the "flag bearer" for indie rock. If there's all these other albums that were good, where were they? Places like Stereogum, Paste Magazine, Under the Radar, etc all will focus much more on Indie Rock. Pitchfork and the like cover every genre under the sun, so it seems more stark that Alvvays are up top and then much further down the list you have some of their indie rock contemporaries.
 
cbl said:
Wet Leg, Horsegirl
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cbl said:
dreamy, ethereal pop
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Not to go off topic and while I don’t necessarily disagree with your larger point I did want to interject while both these albums are excellent, I would not use these adjectives to describe either. Wet Leg is is Post Punk with a bit of a poppier sensibility and Horsegirl have more in common with Blonde Redhead and Sonic Youth than Alvvays.
 
TenderLovingKiller® said:
Not to go off topic and while I don’t necessarily disagree with your larger point I did want to interject while both these albums are excellent, I would not use these adjectives to describe either. Wet Leg is is Post Punk with a bit of a poppier sensibility and Horsegirl have more in common with Blonde Redhead and Sonic Youth than Alvvays.
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That's because some of the members of the band assisted with the project!
 
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