Another year over!

 

So, having got to the end of The Guardian's Top 50 albums of 2022, what have I learned?  

Me?  Learning something?!?  Never!  All in all, I enjoyed the list and thought it was better than last year's offering - it introduced me to 41 new albums which is well down from the 48 last year, but this is mostly because I've been writing up the album charts for the year.  Which suggests the list is surprisingly commercial this year - and this is certainly true towards the top.

Best 10

I've gone for a top 10 again this year - I'd actually listened to four of them before, with three of the others being from artists I knew about and three were completely new.

#49 : Dirt Femme - Tove Lo
#43 : Autofiction - Suede
#34 : Topical Dancer - Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul
#30 : Muna - Muna
#29 : Two Ribbons - Lets Eat Grandma
#25 : Blue Rev - Alvvays
#23 : Preacher's Daughter - Ethel Cain
#16 : Cool It Down - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
#8 : Wet Leg - Wet Leg
#4 : Crash - Charli XCX

Once again, it's nearly all female vocalists for me - only Brett and the boys stop a clean sweep and the women were also well represented on the overall list, appearing on 27 of the 50 albums.  Of those I knew, I think I would have picked Muna or Wet Leg as my #1 - of those I didn't know, I think Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ethel Cain, Alvvays or Charlotte & Bolis are in with a chance but would need more listens - those last two are certainly in with a good shout with them both being very enjoyable and completely unknown artists (to me).

I don't object to any of The Guardian's top three (Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd), but they all strike me as "good" albums constructed to appeal to the critics as much as to the people that will be listening to them - but if you liked them then I'm more than happy for you!  And Beyoncé was definitely a lot of the critics pick for album of the year - she was there or thereabouts in most of the lists, but it just feels to carefully constructed to impress for me.

Worst 5

As with last year a "Worst 5" doesn't feel appropriate - very few of these albums are what I'd actually describe as bad.  But I'll make an exception for Soul Glo's Diaspora Problems which was just bloody awful.

Potential Omissions

Looking at various other end of year lists and dredging up a personal like from the past year, I've come up with 

And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow - Weyes Blood (I was surprised not to see this one)
Ants From Up There - Black Country, New Road (a big hit with the critics)
Hold The GIrl - Rina Sawayama (I really liked this)
A Sault album (there were only five of them!)
The Tipping Point - Tears For Fears (I checked this out after several recommendations - I liked it but it was never going to make this list!)
Sometimes Forever - Soccer Mommy (I didn't think was as good as her previous)
Born Pink - Blackpink (I didn't love this, but it was better than many on the list)
Lucifer On The Sofa - Spoon (not my thing, but plenty liked it)

And with that, we come to the end - see you in another 11 months for the best of 2023!  I've made a start on The Guardian's TV and film best of 2022 lists and I've made the decision to start back on the album charts in 2006 - I know there was at least one marvellous delivery that year, namely our eldest.

Thank you to everyone for reading and for your comments - I'm always interested in other people's opinions.  Happy New Year - see you on the next list!

#1 - Well, everyone else loves it
#50/49 (2023) - Fine, but inessential