The cutoff date this year was December 14th, 2022. Any single with an accompanying music video released after this date is eligible for the 2023 Top 40 countdown. As always, eligible songs for this list NEED TO HAVE A MUSIC VIDEO RELEASED BETWEEN mid-December 2021 and mid-December 2022 (Apologies to Beyonce', "Simulation Swarm" by Big Thief and Kate Bush).
Here were the nine hardest songs for me to cut out from the Top 40 this go-round...
Countdown Contenders
Ethel Cain - American Teenager
Fontaines D.C. - I Love You
Kaytranada ft. Anderson. Paak - Twin Flame
Let's Eat Grandma - Levitation
Oliver Sim - Fruit
Rosalía - Chicken Teriyaki
Steve Lacy ft. Foushee' - Sunshine
Spoon - Wild
Young The Giant - American Bollywood
Here is a link to a playlist of 100 or so other songs that were at one point in consideration for this countdown (TW: Kanye West & Win Butler added prior to antisemitic ramblings and sexual harassment accusations. I'm more willing to accept Arcade Fire back into my playlists with time because the band is more than just the shitty lead singer but, it will be a minute.)
I had an incredible time listening to Rosalía's Motomami in 2022, so much so that I added it to my CD collection and it is the only non-English/non-instrumental album in my worryingly growing bookcase full of discs. "Saoko" is not only the perfect introduction to that chaotic and charming album but, it is the perfect way to kick off this countdown as it might just be the best first track off of any album from this year. As is standard with all of Rosalía's music videos, the imagery provided for this track is stunning with biker chicks galore and directorial choices synced up to be as wild as the beat changes themselves. Containing an interpolation of Puerto Rican legends Wisin and Daddy Yankee's "Saoco", The song is a summary of all the influence that went into Motomami and is the first Spanish song to ever make my end of the year chart in a close tiebreaker over the catchier yet less meaningful "Chicken Teriyaki" as "Saoko" is a celebration of Rosalía's transformation both personal and musical across many genres as she fully realized her potential this year with album #3.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The quick piano break in the middle of the song that is in no way hinted at.
Listen, I wasn't the most in tune with whatever was going on in the UK in the mid-aughts as I am somewhere between baby millennial and geriatric gen z (which is the wildest phrase to refer to yourself as) so, I missed out on the Arctic Monkeys early stuff and mostly just got hit with the poppier/soulful sounds transferring across the Atlantic at the time. This year, I finally went back and heard the entirety of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, Alex Turner and crew's 2006 debut album and guess what? That shit fucking pops off and is one of my favorite "classic" albums I dug into the annals of music history to find this year. With that said, I miss their old sound and despite respecting the lounge sound they've gone for over the past two albums, I'll still miss songs like "When The Sun Goes Down" or 2013's "Do I Wanna Know?". This year's The Car was certainly an improvement and clicked for me way more than Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino and the lead single from that album is the best thing they've done in nine years. The piano crashes through at the beginning with a thrice-repeated chord that immediately commands the listener's attention and then the track turns almost hypnotic with it's slow, repetitive pacing behind Turner romanticizing a doomed relationship. It's the best James Bond track of 2022 that has nothing to do with the 2021 or any upcoming James Bond film.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: Again with the piano that wakes you up on an otherwise relaxed song.
With songs like "All About That Bass" beating people over the heads with obnoxious vocals and cringe-inducing rap verses, there hasn't been much of a push for a song that talks about body positivity in a while. "Grapefruit" takes the smarter route of describing the sad relationship Tove Lo had with her body in previous years before the Swedish singer says she struggled with bulimia. More known for career-defining bops like "Habits (Stay High)", Tove Lo does more self-reflection now in her mid-thirties on the things she would have done differently had she been able to realize how much happier she seems now. "Grapefruit" might be a hard listen as it is strictly a song about an eating disorder and over-managing one's weight but it is probably the most personal this excellent pop songwriter has ever delivered through her own performance.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "What I see is not me"
The way that The War on Drugs have changed how I listen to music is noticeable because a song and band this relatively anonymous (lowest amount of views for any of these Top 40 songs's music videos) would have barely registered on my radar a decade ago. Instead, I was recommended this band via Steven Hyden on he and Ian Cohen's Indiecast podcast and yeah, this song is a nice semi-throwback indie rocker that everybody's out of touch dads will probably also enjoy. The summer-y break-up track "Almost Automatic" is one of many songs off of Good Looks' debut album Bummer Year that shows a clear understanding of empathy towards it's characters, where both parties are at fault for the crumbling relationship. Those 13,000+ viewers on this music video will increase as this band should blow up in the coming years.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The guitar solo at two minutes in.
One of those indescribable tracks that I'm going to try to summarize anyway since that's sort of the whole purpose of this countdown, to spread awareness of cool newer music outside of just "Here's 40 songs and links to them. 2022 was good sometimes. Ok, bye." "Glasgow" is an experimental pop song featuring a harp, multiple jumps in the instrumentals and some of the finest singing on the UK duo's debut album, I Love You Jennifer B. Lead singer Georgia Ellery may not be the focal point of Black Country, New Road's critical acclaim these past two years but with multi-instrumentalist Taylor Skye, Ellery is given room to shine here for her side-project band called Jockstrap. I didn't know what to expect going into listening to a band with that name and now, I don't know what to expect next but I can't wait either way.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The triumphant crescendo of instruments swirling in, building off the initial chorus.
It was awesome to hear King Push hop on Pharrell beats again this year as Williams seems to have regained momentum behind the scenes with his presence all over Pusha T's It's Almost Dry and the "Cash In, Cash Out" loose track featuring 21 Savage and Tyler, The Creator. At 45, Pusha T has somehow not slowed down as he is still of the era of quality over quantity when it comes to major releases. "Call My Bluff" is the same type of intimidating coke-god bars that he's been dropping for twenty-plus years and yet, with ultra specific bars like "Buffalo shrimp at Mahi Mah's, coke deals upstairs at the Ramada", Push continues to sound fresher than most other rappers that were at his level in the early aughts. I don't pretend to know what his future is going to be like after stepping away from G.O.O.D. Music but I'm sure he'll land on his feet a whole lot quicker than anybody else still associated with the label.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Wake your ass up where you rest, on time like an Amazon truck."
It's odd that in today's landscape of music, there are still bands that manage to go under many publications' radar and Momma is not a band I had heard of until very recently. This band is the US response to Wet Leg, fairly monotone lead singing over inspired 90's era grunge rock. Now out of college, Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten still wear their Breeders influence on their sleeves, harmonizing on the fun "Rockstar". If Momma were ever to star in a mockumentary about their time as a band, this song would make for a perfect theme as it tells a story (that's totally made up by the way) of how they've had to change the roster of the band members over the year, finding replacements at bars just because they're so determined to "get what I want". The actual drummer Zach CapittiFenton just happened to be friends with the other two growing up and in reality, they've had the same lineup since their formation. It shows that these three are still friends, having the time of their lives as they ascend to higher places on the lead single from their third album, Household Name.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "The barback is our singer, the last one quit the band, a real heavy drinker, he karaokes Rocket Man"
There's been a real lack of toxic "sadboi" music made by guys that should know better on my countdowns as of late (see: no Post Malone, very little Drake, no Juice WRLD), especially considering just how influential those artists have clearly been on the next generation. Racking up #1 hits after #1 albums repeatedly doesn't guarantee any spots on my end of year lists but, it certainly says that a whole of somebodies out there are listening and that's likely to translate into copycat artists and inspirations for generations to come. Glaive's music is way more fun and interesting to me than the artists that seem to have sneaked their way into his writing style. Glaive is far more sarcastic with his extremely bitter "sadboi" tracks and "Minnesota..." is a cross between hyperpop with minor pop-punk fused into that banger of a chorus. The 17-year old's music is getting a bit more mainstream as he's made appearances at The Kid Laroi shows and on one Machine Gun Kelly song. Glaive's voice ages and cracks all over on this track, creating a very raw and personal feel to an otherwise kind of humorous song where he quickly jumps from just passing time, hanging out with a girl into "I might just fucking kill you". As far as toxic music is concerned, I'd put this somewhere below "We Cry Together" by Kendrick Lamar but above "Lucid Dreams" by Juice WRLD on the toxicity scale.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: Telling a girl's family that she just up and moved to Minnesota randomly when you actually murdered her seems like a just banal enough explanation that I suppose it's believable?
Jungle is undefeated when it comes to music videos and they deserve more recognition for the collective troupe of dancers that they've used for every song and loose track they've released the past few years. The neo soul duo are making their third separate appearance on a year-end list of mine (2014 & 2021 being the others) as the production team of Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland have made their grooviest tunes to date here. The ultra-rare double single music video that features both the upbeat frantic pace of "Good Times" and the warmer, ultimately superior funk of "Problemz", there's very little separating these two songs from one another besides the color gradient in the music video. These two simply do not miss with each release and their first loose-y tracks that I can recall had me thinking they can just reserve a spot somewhere from 30-40 on this countdown for years to come as they don't change up their songs too much but, they fine tune them more carefully over time.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: That vocal loop being repeatedly abruptly cut off in the background of "Problemz" somehow never gets tiresome.
So yeah, I really like the new Momma record. Whereas "Rockstar" is a nice introduction to a band that has been lurking in the shadows the past few years, "Speeding 72" is a certified banger from the group that now opens for Snail Mail, Wet Leg and Surf Curse. Songs about putting "the pedal to the metal" used to be all the rage for rock bands from the Sixties until right around the grunge era. "Speeding 72" reminds me of Grouplove's "Tongue Tied" in its carefree, night out on the town that we'll never forget vibes. The song fits in almost any type of pop-rock playlist and appeals to many without overstaying it's welcome at just under four minutes in an era where so many songs stick to a crisp 2:30 and shoot for the stars with 5+ minute epics. An instant classic in the indie rock scene from 2022.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: Referencing Pavement's "Gold Soundz".
Possibly the only song outside of #7 (patience child, we'll get there in due time) on this countdown to see major success on pop radio stations, "Bad Habit" was a monumental breakthrough in the career of Steve Lacy. In retrospect, I don't think the former The Internet band member totally wishes he blew up the way he has. In the most egregious example of the Tik Tok-ification of modern music to hit my countdown, "Bad Habit" might not have ended up on this list had it not been shoved down my throat by everyone complaining about how fans only knew the line "I wish I knew you wanted me" because of 15-second clips on THE social media app of 2022. Every few years the indie/alternative scene has a true breakthrough classic from seemingly out of nowhere and historically speaking, those have always broken through in novel manors. Take "Take On Me" by a-ha for example, that 1985 song has influenced so many hits over the years ("Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd, "As It Was" by Harry Styles, "Feel This Moment" by Pitbull & Christina Aguilera) and I'm not convinced anybody would have ever heard it had it not been for it's legendarily artistic music video. "Bad Habit" is similarly a great song that is being exposed to the next generation through unexpected means (though, this time out of the artist's control) and I'm here for any inspiration it may have for whatever comes with the next wave of musicians looking to recreate this very DIY-sound.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: It really is one of the catchiest choruses of 2022.
After a surprise EP with Kenny Beats (Unlocked) that dropped in early 2020, I thought Denzel Curry was three-for-three on his last three albums/EPs but, was still waiting for his smash hit to highlight any sets he performed in the future that would get the crowd bumping more than 2018's "Clout Cobain". Late in January, the dust cleared and in walked "Walkin", the lead single from Curry's Melt My Eyez See Your Future album that is ranking on every publication's Best Albums of the Year list. Inspired by western movies, "Walkin" touches on the day-to-day struggle of grinding to make ends meet through any means necessary. Living and dying under capitalism has seemingly made it's way to the mainstream as a topic more dire and worthy of discussion than any previous time in my life in the post-pandemic (which is still going on) world of the 2020's. Curry may have been snubbed by the Grammy committee but hopefully, the southern Florida rapper can take solace in knowing he at least cracked everybody else's lists including mine.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The way he reemphasizes the bleakness of his surroundings ("Dirty, filthy, rotten") for whatever reason reminds me of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma.
The times where a country artist comes across my radar and left any sort of meaningful impression are few and far between. Typically, I favor a folksier artist with alternative country roots that leans back into their roots as time passes (see: Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, etc.) but that is not the case with 26-year old Bryan. In a year chock full of double albums, Bryan's debut album American Heartbreak saw the Oklahoma native drop THIRTY FOUR (spelled out just so I could emphasize how fucking crazy that is in all caps) tracks on a TRIPLE-album. Two hours worth of country music might sound exhausting but unlike the bro-ification of the mainstream hits for the genre, there are some hard hitters on this guy's setlist. "From Austin" is a tale as old as time of a relationship that both partners seemingly want to outlive the hard times but ultimately, the narrator had to leave Austin, Texas to further his career while she stayed and found another match willing to go on through life anew in the city she always wanted to live and die in.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Everyone I've ever loved has leaved here or died" explaining that Bryan has no desire to stick around their hometown.
Landing a spot in a Taco Bell ad is perfectly fitting for the coolest live band in action in 2022. Technically released in 2021 off the band's debut LP Glow On, "Holiday" didn't have an attached visual aspect until the jumpcut-heavy music video was released in early fall of this year. As the band started gaining recognition for the energy exhibited by their fans during concert performances, the tremendous notoriety lead singer Brendan Yates and company received last year carried a bit more into the mainstream this year, propelling the band to make more content and co-signs along the way. "Holiday" is a true head-banger that punk rock hasn't needed so much as the rock stations have been begging for these past twenty years since Jane's Addiction went out of style.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The "I can never feel the cold" refrain sure would be a nice superpower if true this time of year.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' fifth studio album seemed to be focused on two things, restating their claim as one of the best rock bands around following an extended absence and perhaps climate change? While the exact meaning behind "Burning" is unknown (maybe they're treating it as a synonym for yearning? more research is needed), the purpose of it on Cool It Down is clear. They were trying to recreate the magic of 2009's "Heads Will Roll" both with a simpler, catchier chorus that sounds straight out of a horror movie and a darker themed, creepy music video to accompany the song. "Burning" succeeds by bringing the additional aspect of a string section that makes the second single from their first work in nine years sound like something you'd hear soundtracking a car chase in an old 1970's action film.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The tambourine thumping alongside "Whatcha gonna do when you get to the water?"
I nearly forgot to include this song after an arduous process that I should probably ease off from a little bit in 2023. Sophia Allison AKA: Soccer Mommy has been a massive name on the indie rock scene for a few years now and "Shotgun" is her best song to date. While she did stick to her garage rock sound on her third album Sometimes, Forever, Allison received help in updating her songs to sound separate from her past work by enlisting in the help of Daniel Lopatin AKA: Oneohtrix Point Never. As a result, we have her most interesting work thus far in her career. The lead single showcases what a gifted songwriter Allison is with descriptive lyrics highlighting her favorite parts of her partner in a budding relationship. It's probably the most feel-good Soccer Mommy song in her repertoire.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The Oneohtrix Point Never spinning synth at the end of the chorus.
Speaking of feel-good songs, The 1975's Being Funny In A Foreign Language has plenty of optimistic sounding tracks relative to Matty Healy and the gang's previous four albums. "Happiness" almost plays out as a direct opposite to "Frail State Of Mind" as the song's narrator is truly, madly, deeply in love (shout out to 90s band Savage Garden) to the point where he's certain he won't love again whether this relationship is in it for the long haul or just a passing fascination on his intensely emotional journey. Oh, and the song is just a total bop that The 1975 have become experts at making with just enough modern glitches and sound bites to sound modern alongside a chorus that could have survived pop radio in any era. It's also the band's best music video to date.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: My, my, my, oh.
We knew that Low's thirteenth studio album, 2021's I Can Wait was a breaking point in the band's career as they lost a band member and were only recording as a duo for the first time. Behind the scenes, vocalist and drummer Mimi Parker had been battling ovarian cancer and this would also be the final record made between the distinct vocal duo of the since-deceased Parker and her husband, Alan Sparhawk. This band has endured thirty years on the alternative rock scene and with their thirteenth album somehow being their finest to date... if this is the end for the band all together, then what a fantastic note to go out on. "I Can Wait" is so spare and cold with a warbling electric guitar and the couple's vocal harmonizing and nothing else to really add to that vacant, cold vibe the track was looking to sound like. In retrospect, this is a very haunting song produced by super-producer B.J. Burton that was clearly written with Parker's diagnosis in mind as it reads like a couple bargaining with the unknown future they had at the time of recording. It might just be the saddest song on this list that sounded dope as hell when I first heard it and has ultimately done a complete 180 for what I feel when listening to it now.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "If I could trade... I would trade... I would give you a break, help you carry the weight"
On a more fun note, the debut LP from Wet Leg went about as successfully as one could have predicted coming off of 2021's #34 song "Chaise Longue". The English duo are nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, they were shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and they get the #22 spot on my end-of-year countdown thanks to the world's longest scream. Who says practice doesn't pay off? This song is pure amusement with the narrator putting down her ex who doesn't seem to have any prospects whatsoever while Wet Leg is about to become THE breakthrough indie rock band of 2022 so uh.... yeah, it's a good thing she dropped that loser and I'm sure his mum will hear this track and feel seen.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "And when you're getting blazed, spooning mayonnaise"? What is this dude's deal? Was he on College Gameday's set recently?
Yes, this song sounds like Soul Asylum's 1993 one-hit wonder "Runaway Train" but, is that really a bad thing? There's just enough difference between the two songs (Alex G screaming out of nowhere and the imperfections sprinkled throughout the song making it sound like a live recording at times) and it's been 29 years that I think this is more in the clear than the interpolations of Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy" that we get every five years (looking at you, Taylor Swift AND Drake). Alex G is only 29 but has put in the work and his ninth studio album, God Save The Animals might just be his crown jewel up to this point. "Runner" is the closest he's gotten to a breakthrough single as he's performed it for the late night shows and picked up more attention than any of his previous work. The song is quite possibly an ode to a drug dealer that Alex respects as someone he can open up to without fear of judgement considering the trust a drug dealer naturally has to have with their clientele. It's a folksy tune with darker undertones as friendships become more distant in modern times with people around Alex's age opting for families and work over just bro-ing around.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The frustrated "YOW!" Alex lets out early on keeping the listener on their toes throughout though it never really reappears.
The second half of my Top 40 starts with a bang. Practically a spoken word tune, this UK post-punk outfit's debut album may have been a #2 on the charts overseas but through word of mouth, The Overload somehow made it's way to my ears after the late January release garnered some acclaim. For most of the year, I thought that "Rich" would be the song to secure a spot on my countdown but it had also been since early Spring that I had revisited the album in full until one day I walked into the nearest record store and immediately recognized this song being played and stunned Father Todd by naming the band off the top of the dome. If there's any takeaway from this story, it's that as of the week of Thanksgiving, KAOS record store in Stevens Point has/had this album and I highly recommend it. "100% Endurance" caps off the band's debut with a reflection on the rest of the record's seriousness by basically summarizing that "Hey, it's not that important. We're all gonna die eventually" in simplest terms. It may be a pretty pessimistic way of seeing things but, that's sort of this band's whole deal and it's not like they're snarkily pointing their fingers at the listener, instead choosing to reflect.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The narrator pisses himself overnight and is not afraid to admit not remembering it.
I have no earthly clue why Abel decided to go with a "Monster Mash" style vocalization for the first real, post-Jim Carrey intro track but I'm eternally grateful for the first true curveball in his discography since I don't know... "The Hills"? Granted, it's still close to pop perfection but it's never a bad idea to keep your sound fresh. Dawn FM was another instant classic in the Toronto born singer's discography and "Gasoline" might just be the highlight from his most complete-sounding album of his five released to date. The true purgatorial dance party theme of the album is really nailed home on this track as The Weeknd is fully about that life as his lover is the only thing keeping himself from partying to the point of no return.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: Anytime the deeper voiced Weeknd makes a cameo.
There's not enough modern artists that showcase themselves playing classical instruments. The only popular example I could name prior to 2022 was Lizzo flaunting her flautist expertise any time she possibly could. A few years removed from 2019's Athena, I had honestly forgotten all about Sudan Archives after "Come Meh Way" made my top 100 played songs of 2017 on Spotify. The use of the violin in that song was super cool and yet somehow, I had never considered that Brittney Denise Parks AKA: Sudan Archives was the violinist on every song of hers. "Selfish Soul" is akin to "I Am Not My Hair" by India. Arie in it's celebration of self-confidence as a potential anthem for women everywhere. The booming bass behind the higher violin playing and vocals that sound as if they're being recorded in an abandoned tunnel (in a good way) make this song sound like a playground chant, thus spawning it's outdoorsy, celebratory, Summery video.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Hope he still loves me if he knows that this weave is gettin' old, the extension that I had to offer, He said "Baby, don't you bother", but when it's gone just don't act surprised"
One of the more fun and oddly underrated bands of the past five years, Viagra Boys somehow took the creativity and vibe of their 2020 Welfare Jazz album and multiplied it tenfold on 2022's Cave World, a concept album about abandoning modern culture and returning to caveman times. "Punk Rock Loser" only really fits the narrative on that incredible album in its sarcastic stupidity. This song is drunk as hell and I can't think of a song with a cooler, carefree vibe than this in the rock genre that came out this year. Sometimes, things need to be a bit less serious and I definitely looked to this song as a light and escape the same way that many went to The Black Eyed Peas (of all people) in the late-00's post-recession but instead of dancing, I've just succumbed to playing it day-by-day, shrugging my shoulders and staying cool when shit gets weird.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "I don't go to parties where folks get dressed up, I go to the function just to fuck shit up".
Thanks to theneedledrop (Anthony Fantano) on Youtube, I found out about these guys by seeing that yellow flannel in the teaser for his review on Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul's Topical Dancer, realizing that meant a high grade for the album, following his advice and checking it out for myself. It was certainly a choice for me to dig into this Belgian dance duo's first full LP together and let me tell you, there are some acquired tastes on that album but among it all, "This Is Not A Cliche" (translated to English) stands tall as a truly magnificent dance track. Laced in sarcasm, this song is chock full of cliches heard all across club music like "I'm gonna make you feel real nice" and "I throw my hands up in the air and wave them like I just don't care". If it weren't so ridiculously on the nose from a lyrical standpoint, it might be nauseating but that beat could save even the least charismatic of voices, which Adigéry does not have to worry about.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: That grainy, looped guitar sample played by Pupul sounds insanely crisp.
A real Billboard/country radio smash hit, Bryan's second single to chart on this countdown tugs at the heartstrings even harder than #28's "From Austin". Nominated for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, this song draws the connection between the orange hue of a fading sunset meaning that the day is not done yet but is nearing it's conclusion directly to the clearly fading romance that has little to no shot of working out but dammit, Zach Bryan is still going to try to keep it alive no matter the odds. Inspired by a poem the country singer wrote, this one just sounds exactly how it should as a desperation call that is toxic yet admirable. It's no wonder how this song made it to #12 on the Billboard charts with this country's easier embrace of country music compared to my own.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "But when you place your head between my collar and jaw, I don't know much but there's no weight at all".
I literally tweeted "no idea what to do with the new Caroline Polachek song" two weeks ago. Well, time has passed and I know it's a bit of a bold call but I think this is THE Caroline Polachek song to this point in her still young solo career. The first thirty seconds of "Welcome To My Island" showcases the signature oo-ing, ahh-ing and high notes that we've come to associate with the former Chairlift lead singer. The accompanying music video triggered a connection I didn't feel was fully deserved until this point but, she's our modern day Kate Bush. Everything about Polachek's music and singing ability SHOULD make her a modern day star but, there's just enough quirkiness along with the "acquired taste" label that she lingers in the underground to the extent that there even is an underground anymore in the social media era. Of the four singles released from her upcoming 2023 album, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, this one stood out and keeps me giddy for what else will follow with THIS as the opening track.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The sheer manic energy thrown into her borderline shrieking high notes at the beginning.
Also known as the "Swang on" song, "Kody Blu 31" is the highlight on an album full of many from J.I.D.'s third studio album The Forever Story. The best part of this song is that on album filled to the brim with star-studded cameos (Ari Lennox, Ravyn Lenae, 21 Savage), JID does it all by himself here. He raps (which we already knew he was stellar at), he sings (pretty damn well too) and it features many more personal tales of JID's life growing up. The rough times and character building that he has gone through in his 32 years has led to many bouts of frustration and clashes over minor things but now with the ability to reflect, he realizes what the more important things are in life and tells himself to keep "swangin'" on.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The choir joining JID on the chorus.
Last year's debut album from this English post-rock outfit was admirable and got a "B" grade from me but, just didn't click for me the way it did for most. In all fairness, I don't think anybody knew they'd immediately follow it up with an Album of the Year contender on virtually every publication's end of year lists. Ants From Up There showcased a band that I thought was more Joy Division turning into Arcade Fire seemingly overnight with it's seven-member ensemble. Unfortunately, this is apparently the last album for lead singer Isaac Wood, who left the band the week of the album's release. If that is the case, he leaves behind a hell of a legacy as one of the most unique voices in music in the 2020s that reminds me (in terms of his length of time in the band) of Ian Curtis. This song is unlike anything else on this countdown as Wood compares many different things to the Concorde airplane that ceased flight in 2003. An absolute unknown to me until the introduction of this song into my life.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The building up of the horns in the chorus is epic.
Another truly unique band, Dehd are a Chicago-based trio that have apparently been around for 5+ years. This year's Blue Skies was their first exposure to me and they're already four albums deep so, I have some research listening to do. "Bad Love" is a surf rock bop that I am using to manifest those Summer vibes back into fashion here in the winter-y midwest. This song fits as a natural hit in pretty much any decade since the 1960s as it's part B-52's, part Beach Boys but with a totally unique vocal performance delivered by Emily Kempf. The scratchiest vocals are sometimes the best and a staple in the history of rock music as some of our most acclaimed artists are well renowned for their vocal imperfections (see: Tom Waits, Cyndi Lauper, literally Isaac Wood from the previous song)
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The stuttering r-r-r-redemption sticks out as an oddity that makes this track more memorable than it otherwise would have been.
Rarely does an R&B song this sexy sound so... genuine? Everybody owns at least one hoodie and yet somehow, I think this is the first song I've ever heard about them? Like... not even a commercial jingle for Old Navy or some hokey tune trying to sound relevant. Often exchanged in the early stages of a relationship, it's really weird to me what a void there was in the market for a song like this. Ari Lennox (born Courtney Shenade Salter) has won me and many others over with her first two albums on the Dreamville label (the same label that JID is signed to). Age/Sex/Location, the second of those two LPs came out this year and along with lead single "Pressure", "Hoodie" is the catchiest, smoothest and most sensually sung record in R&B this year. I'm glad she was the first to my knowledge to embrace the layer of clothing protecting me the most during this Winter's extreme cold spell.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Dreaming of how you taste, underneath your North Face". Did North Face pay for that sponsorship or nah?
It wouldn't be a countdown of mine without a ten-minute epoch by a nearly forgotten alternative band from the 2000s. Veteran Canadian band Metric makes their return after ten years off my countdown with their sixth ever entry, "Doomscroller". The act of repeatedly sifting through one's timeline and seeing a mixture of posts with the only takeaways being that of the negative news stories has become a phenomenon since the mid-2010s. Granted, the song is a tad late to the party as far as doom-and-gloom dystopian rock songs about the decay in civility across society via social media apps and sounds a bit "BACK IN MY DAY..." but Emily Haines did her best to add on some hopeful, triumphant feeling to the other band members' concoction thus crafting a ten-minute masterpiece that sees the 24-year old band sound fresher than they have since 2009's Fantasies (my personal favorite from them). I don't know that they ever recapture their youth like this ever again but, it's so refreshing to see a band so underrated recreate themselves like this on their eighth album.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The bridge gets the blood flowing, it's a banger for sure.
Drenched in nostalgia, "This Is A Photograph" goes the extra length to describe all of the emotions that come flowing back to someone as they look at a still image. Though never explicitly described, the listener is left to assume that Kevin Morby isn't just talking about a photo dump on the internet either but, a real live photo album from his childhood. Born in 1988, Morby's parents were probably big proponents of the disposable camera era and this song gives credit to the dying art that is the photo album. The alternative singer/songwriter's uniquely dry delivery is admittedly an acquired taste but, there's no denying that this is THE standout track from his career so far seven albums deep.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Got a glimmer in his eye, seems to say This is what I'll miss after I die."
The song I heard the most in 2022 and rarely through choice, there's no denying that "As It Was", the lead single from the former One Direction member Harry Styles' third album was the biggest song of 2022 despite the two-year old "Heat Waves" from Glass Animals somehow still being popular enough to get the year-end #1 on Billboard. Inspired by late 00's indie pop, Styles sneaks in a pretty emotional song under all the glitz and glamour provided by this song's synth-heavy beat that seems straight out of the same book as The Weeknd's 2020 world-dominating hit "Blinding Lights". As highly publicized as the behind-the-scenes drama of his relationship with director/actress Olivia Wilde was on and off the set of Don't Worry Darling, it's surprising how few people realize this song is about change in everyday life and how easily that could be applied to A. Harry's own experience as a child of divorce and B. Olivia Wilde's children now growing up after her own highly publicized divorce. There's a connection there that we'll never fully understand but once I realized what the song was going for, I never let it bother me that it was one of maybe three popular songs that I was hearing constantly against my will as public radio stations seem to have misplaced their shuffle buttons over 2022. It deserves the success and acclaim it has garnered, rare for a song that pops off as largely as "As It Was" has.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Leave America, two kids follow her, I don't wanna talk about the way that it was"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs' first song in nine years arrived on the scene like a freight train. Amazingly the lone song on this year's countdown to have a featured artist (somehow Perfume Genius's first ever cameo), "Spitting Off The Edge Of The World" is a political song about climate change and the defiance that much of the younger generation has to have in the face of this world-altering issue being ignored by politicians that can easily afford to ignore and shield themselves from this issue (think Ted Cruz taking a trip to Cancun last year when most of Texas lost power due to a severe cold front). The band's fifth album is called Cool It Down, again likely a call to combat climate change in any way, shape or form. I knew Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase would still be cool in 2022 when indie sleaze had a mini-resurgence but, I had no idea they'd still be making music that sounds this fresh and relevant to the scene as one of the faces of rock music now and forever. Put them in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when their time comes.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "Cowards" is a pretty damn strong attention grabber of a word to deliver at the very start of your comeback single. Karen O is the best.
Matty Healy just can't help himself sometimes. Even with assistance on production from Jack Antonoff of working with every pop star under the sun fame (Does anybody even love the post-debut Bleachers' albums enough to refer to Antonoff as "of Bleachers fame" anymore?), this song is lyrically bumpy and awkward in loud The 1975 fashion. Featuring backing vocals from 2021 star Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast, the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Being Funny In A Foreign Language turned out to be the right choice as the album shifted in a more restrained yet still experimental instrumental direction. This was a bold choice that let the songwriting stick out on beautiful songs like opener "The 1975" and closer "When We Are Together". The lyrics to "Part Of The Band" stick out as brutally honest, creative, weird as hell and borderline nauseating in a true rollercoaster of a listening experience that only a band this finely tuned can pull off. It sounds like a mixture of Bon Iver, Bleachers and The 1975 carelessly thrown into a soup just because the chef felt like they'd run out of ideas that day and bam! a new recipe for the cookbook is on the table.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: "I know some vaccinista tote bag chic baristas, sitting in east on their communista keisters, writing about their ejaculations". What the fuck was that?
In seemingly their most honest, vulnerably sincere song to date, The 1975 crafted the perfect wedding song in "All I Need To Hear". The concept for the track started with member George Daniel challenging lead Matty Healy to write a song that sounds like a cover and goddammit, the mad lad accomplished just that. How was this not already the best Ed Sheeran song from his earliest works? or a country song the likes of Willie Nelson could've coasted on, touring into his late eighties thanks to it's sentiment and simplicity? Forget the flash of "Happiness", the attention-grabby creative writing class that is "Part Of The Band", THIS is the best song off Being Funny In A Foreign Language. (SPOILER FOR A FUTURE POST) This might not have been my favorite album of the year but, they are the only band/artist to appear on this countdown three times.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: Audiences can tell it was recorded in one take when Healy can clearly be heard queueing Daniel to "do the hihats now".
As opposed to the #4 track, this song was THE breakup song of 2022. Joji's third entry in countdown history has him down BAD as he outwardly moves on from an ex-lover and has the healthy appearance of starting a new relationship. Internally, the internet phenomena once known as "Filthy Frank" is going through a toxic day-to-day life of remembering his ex fondly through his present day partnership. It's a tragic angle to take on a common song topic, one that is perfectly captured and emphasized by Joji's morose singing. This is Joji's biggest song to date as it was Billboard's 52nd song on their end-of-year Hot 100 as the amount of people relating to the message and feeling the gloom-and-doom of this song was higher than most of the emotions felt for the 51 songs that ranked ahead of it.
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: The multiple layers of Joji vocals harmonizing on the chorus.
I have no explanation for why this wasn't a smash hit. Leading up to her 2019 debut album Heard It In A Past Life, it seemed like Maggie Rogers was getting unnecessarily shoved down the public's throat via high-profile performances and guest appearances. As it turned out, the album she released was a pretty solid debut but nothing stood out enough for her to enjoy the fruits of all that press coverage. Now, she's won me and many others over but where's the coverage? Is the David Byrne cameo in this music video enough to make her seem too underground for mainstream coverage? Does the music industry really suck that much at making pop stars anymore? This easily should have been as big as "As It Was" with it's upbeat pop-rock sensibilities that screamed "Summer Anthem" the first time I heard it and every time sense. Nothing else on her second album Surrender quite stands out like this but, Rogers is headed on the right track with improved production to add to her already high songwriting capabilities. This could have been the #1 song of 2022 if I cut the list down to "Top 40 Songs That Were Accompanied By or Are Slated To Be On The Original Pressing Of An Album", instead...
Most Memorable Lyric/Moment: When I hear chopped vocals turned into a beat that is catchy at the very beginning of a track, I know it's going to be an absolute banger.
#1 songs of year's past
2006. P!nk "Stupid Girls"
2007. Amy Winehouse "Rehab"
2008. Kanye West ft. Dwele & Connie Mitchell "Flashing Lights"
2009. Santigold "L.E.S. Artistes"
2010. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Skeletons"
2011. Adele "Someone Like You"
2012. Santigold "The Keepers"
2013. Arcade Fire "Afterlife"
2014. St. Vincent "Birth In Reverse"
2015. Courtney Barnett "Depreston"
2006. P!nk "Stupid Girls"
2007. Amy Winehouse "Rehab"
2008. Kanye West ft. Dwele & Connie Mitchell "Flashing Lights"
2009. Santigold "L.E.S. Artistes"
2010. Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Skeletons"
2011. Adele "Someone Like You"
2012. Santigold "The Keepers"
2013. Arcade Fire "Afterlife"
2014. St. Vincent "Birth In Reverse"
2015. Courtney Barnett "Depreston"
2021. Alt-J "Get Better"
The #1 Song of 2022
Part of me thinks that this song just does not work without the music video but fuck it, this is my list and my rules. I've used "shitty music video" as a tiebreaker before and with "That's What I Am" as a solid #1B, I'm taking the far more lyrically astute "The Heart Part 5" by Kendrick Lamar as #1. Nominated for Record and Song and Music Video of the Year at the Grammys (along with Best Rap Song and Performance for a clean FIVE nominations for this ONE song), "The Heart Part 5" is all about the human condition. Every single one of life's experiences leads down a different path which in turn creates a multitude of perspectives. In the video and song here, Lamar chooses six famous black men with wildly different life experiences and stories, deepfakes their faces onto his own for a verse or two and raps from their perspectives. The thought that went into this is fucking ludicrous and the execution of it is immaculate as literally the only Pulitzer Winning rapper in history is capable of accomplishing this brilliance with such elegance. Here's a rundown of the personalities and how they are used...
O.J. Simpson: doing things "for the culture" is a sly way of referencing how O.J. was seen as part of black culture "in a bullet-proof rover" but never when he was calling games or acting, this was explored further in-depth in Ezra Edleman's excellent ten-hour 2016 docu-series OJ:Made In America.
Kanye West (prior to his antisemitic rants of late 2022): Kendrick gives a nod to how many people had taken advantage of Ye behind his back over the years before and likely after his bipolar diagnosis in 2016.
Jussie Smollett: The Empire actor who faked a hate crime in 2019. Lamar says "The streets got me fucked up, y'all can miss me, I wanna represent for us" as Smollett's motives behind his beating hoax were likely a case of him trying to somehow further his career and become a martyr for the movements of the moment, something he obviously failed.
Will Smith: "Hurt people hurt people" was essentially Smith's original defense for slapping Chris Rock at this year's Oscars Ceremony when the comedian took a dig at the actor's wife.
Kobe Bryant: I nearly teared up when I saw the late NBA Hall of Famer speaking through Kendrick and reflecting on all the accomplishments he fought to earn in life, whether it was his five rings or his own Oscar post-basketball.
Nipsey Hussle: He saved the strongest, longest and most devastating for last. Speaking as Nipsey to his family, his murderer and his fans was the moment this song locked down the #1 spot on my countdown. "Reflectin' on my life and what I done, Paid dues, made rules, change outta love, Them same views made schools change curriculums, but didn't change me starin' down the barrel of the gun." That's history right there.
The entirety of Kendrick Lamar's Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers album is about his perspectives shifting as he gets older, whether that be about a trans aunt, his relationship with sex or whether or not he wants the title of "King" Kendrick anymore. It's therapeutic, filled with bangers and somehow... this was just a loose track (until it was added to the album on streaming) sampling Marvin Gaye as part of a now five-part series of songs released prior to each of his albums. We might need somebody from the next era to step up to the throne eventually but for now, King Kendrick stands tall with the first rap song to get a #1 from me in 14 years.
Here is the Spotify playlist for my Top 40 Songs of 2022 (ft. 41 songs!)
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| Thank you for reading and tune in next week for my Top Albums of 2022! |
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