The 50 Best Songs of 2022

In 2022, it was normal to listen to weird music. The biggest albums from Drake, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift all featured their megastars messing around in genres and styles that didn’t use to scream mainstream pop. Indie artists like Oneohtrix Point Never were producing for Super Bowl performers—and the music sounded exactly the same as when they were confined to smelly basements. Obama put Ethel Cain on his annual playlist. More than ever before, it was socially acceptable to be a Bladee fan.

Everyone’s ears bent toward the weird. Finally. Maybe it’s the cold efficiency of microtargeted algorithms. Maybe it’s the fallout from a global pause on live concerts. Whatever the reason, we’re into it. The regular world is so topsy-turvy that our favorite songs might as well be too.

Because Certified Trapper rules. Jenny Hval deserves recognition. So does Vitesse X, and VR SEX, and all of the wild-genius artists featured here. It’s a weird list. In no particular order, it’s VICE’s 50 best songs of 2022.

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1. Vitesse X - Us Ephemeral
2. Asake - Peace Be Unto You (PBUY)
3. 454 - TALES FROM THE HOOD
4. Two Shell - home
5. julie - through your window
6. Nia Archives - Baianá
7. Fontaines D.C. - Jackie Down The Line
8. Fugitive - Hell's Half Acre
9. Zahsosaa; D STURDY; Dj Crazy - Shake Dhat
10. KAM-BU - ETON MESS
11. Japanese Heart Software - Passenger
12. Snow Strippers - Know My Name
13. Certified Trapper - When I Sneeze
14. piri; Tommy Villiers; piri & tommy - unlock it
15. Jenny Hval - American Coffee
16. Upchuck - Sense Yourself
17. Soft Kill - Press Play
18. The Range - Bicameral
19. Ecco2k; Bladee - Amygdala
20. GloRilla; Hitkidd - F.N.F. (Let's Go)
21. The Weeknd - Gasoline
22. Viagra Boys - Ain’t No Thief
23. Bandmanrill; NLE Choppa - BOUNCIN' (feat. NLE Choppa)
24. Doechii - Bitch I'm Nice
25. Charlotte de Witte - Universal Consciousness
26. SASAMI - Say It
27. Spirit Adrift - Sorcerer's Fate
28. Eartheater - Mitosis
29. Cold Gawd - Gin
30. Angel Olsen - Big Time
31. Ame - Solution
32. VR SEX - Victim Or Vixen
33. Iceage - Pull Up
34. Wicca Phase Springs Eternal; Holy Mountain - Vocal Trance Playlist
35. ROSALÍA - HENTAI
36. BandGang Lonnie Bands Up - Lenny Mode
37. Lil Silva; Skiifall - What If?
38. Jockstrap - Greatest Hits
39. Plains; Waxahatchee; Jess Williamson - Hurricane
40. Wizkid; Skepta; Naira Marley - Wow (feat. Skepta & Naira Marley)
41. Ice Spice - Munch (Feelin’ U)
42. Cloakroom - Lost Meaning
43. Alex G - Runner
44. Tomberlin - tap
45. BabyDrill - 32 Freestyle
46. Ethel Cain - American Teenager
47. High Vis - Shame
48. MILLY - Talking Secret
49. HiTech; Milf Melly; King Milo - Big Prism
50. Jack Harlow - First Class