Best Music of 2022... So Far

For nine weeks, the soundtrack to Disney's Encanto (2021) was number one on the Billboard charts. It featured music inspired by Latin American countries and performed by artists of Latin American descent, including Colombian pop star, Maluma. If you're curious about Maluma, check out his work with Jennifer Lopez on Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Speaking of which, Puerto Rican pop star, Bad Bunny also topped the charts with his album Un Verano Sin Ti, which is only the second, all Spanish-language album to be number-one on the Billboard 200. As of July 9, Bad Bunny rode high for three, non-consecutive weeks.

The only other new album to top the charts for more than one week this year was Harry's House by Harry Styles. It's his third, studio album. According to Metacritic, Harry's House is also his most critically-acclaimed album to date. It had the best-selling first week of any other album this year. Styles' lead single "As It Was" was number-one on the Hot 100 chart for seven weeks, which was more time than "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto.

Styles' song though doesn't come close to Adele's "Easy on Me," which topped the charts for 10 weeks. It was released last year, but Adele managed to dominate the charts early this year. The only other standouts were Glass Animals with their song "Heat Waves" and Jack Harlow with his song "First Class." Another musician of note is the rapper known as Future who had the number-one song and the number-one album in the same week, that of May 14, with his song "Wait for U" featuring consistent chart-topper, Drake, along with Future's album I Never Liked You.

Best Folk / Country

DREAMLAND by Amos Lee
FLOATING ON A DREAM by Avi Kaplan
FREEWHEELIN' WOMAN by Jewel
DRAGON NEW WARM MOUNTAIN I BELIEVE IN YOU by Big Thief
CHLOË AND THE NEXT 20TH CENTURY by Father John Misty
CODY SIMPSON by Cody Simpson

Best Rock / Alternative

THE JOSH RAMSAY SHOW by Josh Ramsay
THE DREAM by Alt-J
LUCIFER ON THE SOFA by Spoon
ECHOES & COCOONS by Brandon Boyd
WHO CARES? by Rex Orange County
RIBBON AROUND THE BOMB by Blossoms

Best Pop / Electronic

MARRY ME (Soundtrack) by Jennifer Lopez & Maluma
IN REAL LIFE by Mandy Moore
IVORY by Omar Apollo
ARKHON by Zola Jesus
SECOND NATURE by Lucius
GOLD RUSH KID by George Ezra
GETAWAY [EP] by Orion Sun

Best R&B / Soul

LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE by Emeli Sandé
CANDYDRIP by Lucky Daye
BLUE WATER ROAD by Kehlani
HETEROSEXUALITY by Shamir
THREE DIMENSIONS DEEP by Amber Mark
GOOD MORNING GORGEOUS by Mary J. Blige
THE ALIEN COAST by St. Paul and the Broken Bones
THE VERSIONS by Neneh Cherry

Best Rap / Hip Hop

FEW GOOD THINGS by Saba
BLACK RADIO III by Robert Glasper
DRILL MUSIC IN ZION by Lupe Fiasco
DIGITAL ROSES DON'T DIE by Big K.R.I.T.
IT'S NOT SO BAD by Kyle Thomas Harvey (SuperDuperKyle)
ON TO BETTER THINGS by Iann Dior
ZHIGEIST by Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow
TWELVE CARAT TOOTHACHE by Post Malone

Best Individual Song From Non-Listed Album

"Break My Soul" by Beyoncé
"The Forever Now" by Mandy Moore ['This Is Us']
"Hate To Be Lame" by Lizzy McAlpine f/ FINNEAS
"Mirror" by Kendrick Lamar
"B-Side" by Khruangbin & Leon Bridges
"Satellite" by Harry Styles
"Black Gold" by Bartees Strange
"Intimacy" and "Crave" by Years & Years
"Love Overgrown" by Raveena
"I'm Not Crying You're Crying" by Spector
"Baptize" by J Holiday
"New Moon" by MØ
"Can't Have My Dog" by Drake White