After some editing, here is a playlist of my top 100 choices for the best songs of last year. It was an interesting year for music as the world slowly (or in some places quickly) attempted to go back to some kind of normal.

Three artists from last year’s selections make a return appearance with new work- Madison Cunningham; Black Country, New Road; and Rico Nasty- who took the energy up a notch on a Fred Again.. club banger.

Alt-J, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Built to Spill and Nina Nastasia, returned with new work. Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead reunited to form a new band- The Smile.

It felt impossible not to love the energy of F.N.F (Let’s Go), GloRilla and HitKidd’s single lady anthem, or Flo Milli’s self celebration Conceited.

The playlist is a little more California-centric than others out there, which makes itself especially obvious in selections by J. Rocc, Erin Rae, and The Moonjacks.

As always the playlist leans heavily toward indie bands, however there are also some R&B songs included- like potential future classics from artists Jacob Banks, Lee Fields, and Lady Wray.

Songs about economic worries, creative struggles, grief, and, of course, love songs are in every year’s playlist and this year is no exception.

There were a lot of songs to love in 2022, hopefully this list introduces you to a few more.