While I wasn't as excited for it this year (with a reasonable amount of new music I was OK with, but very little I loved), I have finished my 11th annual year-end playlist. My lack of excitement shows: while the lists had been expanding in years past to well over 40 songs, this year's ended up at just 27. It has more guitar-driven rock than most of the previous 10, and plenty of folk- and country-influenced stuff; but less pop, and no R&B or rap at all (I think for the first time).
My rules were the same as always: one song per artist, and trying to balance best/favorite with a good running order to make for an enjoyable listen. That means, as usual, there are fun little games and puzzles throughout that group songs by style, by subject matter, by lyrics, or even associations of the artists.
Without further ado,
this is my 2022 playlist (as found on Spotify). The separations are for rough groupings, a la "sides," but without real length constraints thanks to the playlist format.
(Track No. Song / Artist / Album)
1. Please, Louise / Sally Seltmann / Early Moon
2. Expert in a Dying Field / The Beths / Expert in a Dying Field
3. (Everything but) Her Love / Father John Misty / Chloe and the Next 20th Century
4. You've Got a Habit of Leaving / David Bowie / Toy
5. Farewell, OK / Elvis Costello & the Imposters / The Boy Named If
6. Someone Else's Cafe / Doomscroller Tries to Relax / Dawes / Misadventures of Doomscroller
7. The Worst is Done / Weyes Blood / And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow
8. Sidelines / Bruce Hornsby w/ Ezra Koenig and Blake Mills / 'Flicted
9. Lost Track / HAIM / Lost Track (single)
10. Paulette, Pt. 1 (No Cocaine Blues) / Herman Dune / The Portable Herman Dune, Vol. 1
11. Certainty / Big Thief / Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In Your
12. Hold Out For Love / James Yorkston, Nina Person & the Second-Hand Orchestra / The Great White Sea Eagle
13. Falling Apart (Right Now) / Wilco / Cruel Country
14. When You're Gone / The Milk Carton Kids / When You're Gone (single)
15. Taking Me Back (Gently) / Jack White / Entering Heaven Alive
16. Bongo's Lament / Kamikaze Palm Tree / Mint Chip
17. You Will Never Work in Television Again / The Smile / You Will Never Work in Television Again (single)
18. Honey / Romero / Turn It On!
19. Yards/Garden / Kate Bollinger / Look at it in the Light
20. Downtown Area Blues / Kiwi Jr / Chopper
21. All Power Must Remain Hidden / Wilder Maker / Male Models
22. Wasted On You / Andy Shauf / Norm
23. The End of Time / Night Shop / Forever Night
24. All the Good Times / Angel Olsen / Big Time
25. Do it for Your Country / Belle & Sebastian / A Bit of Previous
26. Bleed Out / The Mountain Goats / Bleed Out
27. 100% Endurance / Yard Act / The Overload