BEST 2022 SONGS
+ Playlist
Best of 2022
🎙️ The best music of 2022 | 52 songs and their stories
Bizarrap | Quevedo: BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52
Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli | The Greatest Gift
The Bocelli family unites for the first time on a Christmas album with three voices, that of Andrea Bocelli, his 24-year-old son Matteo Bocelli and his 10-year-old daughter Virginia Bocelli, in what is the first album for the little girl, ‘A Family Christmas‘.
As well as wonderful versions of Christmas classics, we find ‘The Greatest Gift‘, a brand new track that sounds like angels 👼 in which we are invited to celebrate Christmas as a family in the Bocelli home.
Dylan | No Romeo
TikTok is giving many new artists the chance to make a name for themselves. This is the case of young British artist Dylan, whose EP ‘No Romeo‘ has become very popular on the social network. Dylan tells us:
This EP is about navigating all forms of love and the brutal consequences of falling for someone. I wrote these songs to empower myself through the process of letting someone in, and their inevitable exit from my life.
Its best track, the eponymous ‘No Romeo‘, is a female anthem for brokenhearted women 💔
SIPHO. | ARMS
SIPHO, a British songwriter of Zimbabwean origin, stands out for a voice capable of the most epic bass sounds and impossible highs.
In 2022 he has started to get noticed thanks to his EP ‘She Might Bleed‘, but his new song “Arms” is even more remarkable. The song refers to the blurred line between love and lust, to the anxiety of seeking strong emotions without the patience to wait for what might come next.
SIPHO’s youth and what he can do with his talent and voice is astounding.
Sonny Tennet | Riptide
Young Briton Sonny Tennet has been performing in clubs in the Newcastle area (UK) since the age of 14. After several EPs, in 2022, at the age of 23, he has released several singles throughout the year, including ‘Riptide‘.
The track tells the story of Sonny’s relationship with his father. His father had a drinking problem 🥃 and it ruined his relationship with him. No matter how hard Sonny tried to fix it, it only got worse and nowadays he doesn’t think there is a solution to it anymore. Sonny decided to express that feeling in the beautiful ‘Riptide’.
5 Seconds of Summer | COMPLETE MESS
The Australian band that was called to be One Direction‘s replacement, after 11 years of career, has matured. On their new album 5SOS5 they sought to create a more enveloping and expansive sound, and they have succeeded!
The lead single, ‘COMPLETE MESS‘, tells us about the complex and chaotic nature of love relationships.
By the way, the title of the song comes from a t-shirt 👕 that lead singer Luke Hemmings used to wear very often.
Saint Harison | Why didn't you Call???
Nita Strauss ft. David Draiman | Dead Inside
This week we turn up the energy with Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss and Disturbed singer David Draiman.
Nita is one of the best guitarists in the world, as well as a fitness lover 💪. She has her own fitness course ‘Body Shred Fitness Challenge‘.
David and Nita have been friends for a long time, so the moment she sent him the track, he agreed to be part of Nita’s first track to be released with a singer.
David’s powerful vocals and Nita’s guitar prowess, plus a forceful lyric against the lies that poison us, make ‘Dead Inside‘ one of the best Hard Rock tracks of 2022.
John Gibbons ft. Lyra | Edge of Seventeen
John Gibbons and LYRA are both Irish, he, a DJ since he was 15, is an emerging name in world dance music, she, a songwriter and singer, is also looking for her place on the international scene with a series of exciting singles.
The dance track in question, ‘Edge of Seventeen‘, is a cover of the famous Stevie Nicks song of the same name released in the 80s, which talks about teenage love with its ‘white winged dove singing a song‘.
Litus | Pájaros de Desván
Who is Litus? A Spanish singer who hasn’t let go of his guitar since he picked it up at the age of 12. Playing in multiple bands and releasing 7 albums of his own.
What is the name of Litus’ latest album? Chadanaca
What is Pájaros de Desván (Birds of the Attic)? A song from Litus’ latest album, which thrills from the first note.
What does Pájaros de Desván mean? In Litus’ own words:
Pájaros de Desván are the unfulfilled dreams. They always come when you stop chasing them.
Queen | Face It Alone
‘Face it alone’ is the first unreleased Queen song featuring Freddie Mercury since 2014, when they rescued three new tracks.
The song, intimate and delicate, was recorded in 1989 as part of the album ‘The Miracle‘, although it was eventually discarded and forgotten by the band, Queen’s archive team found it recently, serving as the introduction to the re-release of the album.
The track is about having to face life on your own, something Freddie often felt.
Noah Cyrus | I Just Want A Lover
Can you think of a better way to make a debut in music than with this great song? That’s right, the daughter of the legendary Billy Ray Cyrus, and sister of star Miley Cyrus, has just released her first full-length album ‘The Hardest Part’.
To present it, she has chosen a song that talks about looking for someone who really loves her among so many lies and falsehoods. You only have to look at the beginning of the song to discover that Noah Cyrus doesn’t mince words:
In the United Hate of America the hearts are just as broken as the nation.
The more I listen to it, the more I like it… now it’s your turn 😍
Paolo Nutini | Through The Echoes
The Scottish Paolo Nutini has made us wait 8 years for the release of his 4th and long awaited album, ‘Last Night in The Bittersweet‘.
In ‘Through the echoes‘, Paolo shows that time has not changed him, he still has an exceptional voice, and continues to compose love songs with delicacy and simplicity.
I can’t help it, it dismantles me every time he shouts ‘through the echoes‘, don’t you feel the same? Without a doubt it’s one of the best songs of 2022.
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha | I'm Good (Blue)
David Guetta and Bebe Rexha are old acquaintances, Hey Mama, Say My Name or Family are some of their collaborations. In 2017 they teamed up to breathe new life into Eiffel 65’s late 90s smash hit Blue. Bebe wrote new lyrics and David updated the music creating ‘I’m Good (Blue)‘. The funny thing is that they didn’t release the track until 2022, immediately going viral. For those of us who love the original song, it’s time to get nostalgic, and for those of you who are discovering the track new, welcome!, you’ll never be able to get it out of your head again 😂
Yungblud | Emperor
Young British rock star, Yungblud, has pulled out of his sleeve a song he wrote when he was 17 years old, which he describes as follows:
It was just an outburst of unfiltered energy that I knew would have its moment one day
Emperor is a rush of tension, a new youth anthem that his fans scream like crazy when they pack his concerts.
Faouzia | RIP, Love
Faouzia, mixes the Arabic rhythms of the place where she was born, Morocco, with the most powerful Pop of the country where she grew up, Canada. The result is a smash hit called ‘R.I.P. Love‘. The song is intentionally tragic, like most Arabic lyrics, which are very much in tune with the music. In it she says goodbye to love and the guy she was with, to make way for another. With two EPs on the market, Stripped and CITIZENS, Faouzia is a new international pop star.
Luan Santana, Luísa Sonza | CORAÇÃO CIGANO
Luan Santana is a Brazilian singer of pop and sertaneja music (the typical music of his country) who places all his songs in the Top 5. As part of his new album ‘Luan City’, he teamed up with fellow Brazilian Luísa Sonza for this ‘CORAÇÃO CIGANO (Gypsy Heart)’, which as they themselves have explained, is inspired by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s ‘Señorita’. Its hot, sensual and romantic rhythm is fantastic.
JVKE | Golden Hour
JVKE has amassed over 26 billion views of his music on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram – amazing! When you listen to ‘Golden Hour‘ you will surely understand. Beyond its unquestionable quality, it has something different from most music made by 21 year olds like him. To compose the song JVKE was inspired by Franz Liszt, a composer from the 1800s. Golden Hour, captures the emotion you feel when you see something beautiful, it’s a pause in that feeling.
Rina Sawayama | Hold the Girl
This Japanese-born Brit is set to become a big pop star. She has it all, youth, talent and a different musical touch, mixing 2000’s Pop and R&B with today’s music. Her 2nd album, called ‘Hold the Girl‘, is going to be a smash hit in its own right.
Keith Urban | Nightfalls
A country-pop song perfect for summer, in which Aussie Keith Urban celebrates breaking up with his girl after a hard time. They have music and beer and will love each other from nightfall to sunrise – is there a better way to enjoy summer nights 🌅?
Rosalía | Despechá
Rosalía is incredible, not only because she is musically unique (Despechá is a mix of merengue, bachata and reggaeton), but also because she is unparalleled in terms of marketing. She managed to make her song ‘Despechá‘ go viral by singing bits and pieces at her concerts and posting her dance on TikTok, even before releasing the track. Now we have ‘Despechá‘ in full, and we know what it means, that of an empowered girl, who is disappointed after her love affair and goes out partying to forget everything by dancing ‘de lao a lao, y a otro lao (from side to side, and the other side)‘. Without a doubt, the song of the summer 2022 ☀️
Guasones | La vida es así
Guasones is an Argentine rock band that has been making great music since 1992. This is evidenced by their 9 albums. The latest one, ‘El huracán, vol. 9‘, includes a great single, ‘La vida es así (This is Life)‘. The song invites us to live now, to leave the bad vibes behind and enjoy it to the fullest, because you only live once. By the way, many people compare the rock of Guasones with that of the Rolling Stones 🎸, what do you think?
Lauren Spencer-Smith | Fingers Crossed
Born in 2003 in Vancouver, Canada, Lauren Spencer-Smith passed through the American Idol music competition in 2020 without much fanfare, but that didn’t stop her from going viral on TikTok shortly afterwards with a demo of a song. What song made Lauren Spencer-Smith famous? None other than ‘Fingers Crossed‘. Released in 2022, it has over 23 million plays on the social network, and it’s no wonder considering Lauren’s beautiful voice. Incidentally, Fingers Crossed is a ballad about heartbreak and how your partner cheated on you by saying “I love you“ 💔
MisterWives | Where Do We Go From Here?
New York indie pop band MisterWives return with new creative freedom and vulnerability that resonates with anyone who listens. So it is with ‘Where do we go from here‘, which in the band’s own words:
It’s what happens when trust is broken and rather than running from the anger, fear and jealousy that comes with that, we made a 4 minute soundtrack for those complex and uncomfortable emotions.
Tove Lo | True Romance
Sweden’s Tove Lo presents, as part of her 5th album, ‘DIRT FEMME’, an introspective track inspired by and titled after the classic film ‘True Romance‘. As intended, Tove Lo wrote something dramatic in just 3 days. As she explains the song is:
Destructive love at its best and worst.
Moncrieff | Warm
Moncrieff grew up as a normal child in a small town in Ireland, until his brother and sister died suddenly in his teens. This plunged him into a darkness that only music could cure. Since then he has expressed himself through song. As in ‘Warm‘, his first song dedicated to love, which he explains:
This song is about being that person, and that rare moment in life when you find that person that truly sees you for you, your imperfections, flaws and scars as well as your good traits and loves you for them.
Celestal, Cecilia Krull | Out In Style (Dancing Mix)
Celestal is a French DJ who made a name for himself as a ghost producer remixing The Black Eyed Peas, Kylie Minogue or Shakira, among others. His electro-pop sound focuses on catchy melodies, strong vocals and emotionally rich lyrics. His new project “Out In Style“, together with indie artist Cecilia Krull, famous for her Money Heist song ‘My Life Is Going On‘, is a perfect combination, made even better in this remix:
Purple Disco Machine, Sophie and the Giants | In The Dark
German DJ Tino Schmidt, known as Purple Disco Machine, was delighted with his first collaboration with British indie band Sophie and The Giants, on the megahit ‘Hypnotized‘. To present their new album ‘Exotica Deluxe’, he asked them for help in the elaboration of a track that talks about failed relationships, the marvellous and eighties ‘In The Dark‘.
Kasabian | SCRIPTVURE
After a turbulent few years in which the band’s leader, Tom Meighan, was expelled for his conviction for assaulting his girlfriend. Serge Pizzorno took over as songwriter and leader of Kasabian, resulting in their new album ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria‘. SCRIPTVURE, is undoubtedly the best track on the album. Kasabian explains it like this:
Scriptvre is about changing the version of the story you’re telling yourself. It’s about rewriting the script you created yourself.
Kany García ft. Alejandro Sanz | Muero
Puerto Rican artist Kany García has just released her new album ‘El Amor Que Merecemos (The love we deserve)‘. She wanted to include in it something she had been dreaming about for a long time, a duet with Alejandro Sanz. Alejandro has supported Kany’s career on several occasions. This time it couldn’t be any different, especially when Sanz heard the song. Like us, he fell in love with this beautiful ballad about loving someone in silence.
Red Leather | THE ONLY TIME IT RAINS IN HOLLYWOOD
Who is Red Leather? An artist from Reno, Nevada (USA), who recently overcame his drug addiction and moved to Los Angeles in search of a chance in music. He dresses in red leather, hence his name, and wears a hat that hides his identity. He went viral doing covers on TikTok. How many songs has Red Leather released? His first single was released in May 2022 under the name ‘The only time it rains in Hollywood’. What is Red Leather’s ‘The only time it rains in Hollywood’ about? The song is a heartbreaking portrayal of the lives of homeless people living on Hollywood Boulevard, a place where Red Leather himself has played many times to get some money.
Residente | This is not America
Saying ‘Residente‘ is saying rap with a social message. In this magnificent ‘This is not America‘, he complements Childish Gambino’s famous track ‘This is America‘, which criticises racism and the use of guns in the United States. In this case, Residente attacks those who consider that America is only the USA, because as the song states:
América es desde Tierra del Fuego hasta Canadá (America is from Tierra del Fuego to Canada) 🌎
Against the Current | Wildfire
If you are a video games lover, into League of Legends, and above all, if you like good rock, you’re going to love ‘Wildfire‘. Composed to promote the European championship of the game, the new track of the American band is energy, fire and soul. By the way, Against the Current already made it big in esports with their hit Legends Never Die 🎮
KAROL G | Provenza
Who is Karol G? A Colombian girl born in 1991 whose real name is Carolina Giraldo, although everyone knows her as ‘La Bichota’ and who is number 1 worldwide with her reggaeton. What is Provenza? Apart from being the song of the moment, it’s a neighbourhood (sector) of Medellín, Colombia, which Karol G sings about with a melody that is simply fantastic.
22Bullets & Tia Ray (ft. KSHMR) | It isn't me
When so much talent comes together, the result can only be the Dance song of the year 2022, ‘It isn’t me’. On one side we have the Thai DJ of the moment, 22Bullets, he is joined by the most influential Chinese singer, Tia Ray, and if that wasn’t enough, KSHMR, the American DJ of Indian origin who has been releasing hit after hit for years, produces the track. There’s only one thing left to do… dance!
Thomas Rhett, Katy Perry | Where we started
Thomas Rhett had no idea that Katy Perry would say yes when he sent her “Where we started“, inviting her to sing a duet. But Katy, like any of us, totally identified with the song’s message, “falling in love is scary, but if you look at everything you’ve been through in your life, you know you’re ready“.
Fredi Leis | 9000 heridas
When a song is written from the heart, you can feel it, can’t you? Every time Fredi sings “tengo 9000 heridas por dejarnos y querernos (I’ve got 9000 wounds for breaking up while we love each other)” it makes my hair stand on end 🥺 He told us himself:
The song is composed and recorded in a pure and visceral way. A guitar and an imperfect voice carried away by the moment.
Sofi Tukker feat. Mahmut Orhan | Forgive Me
Sofi Tukker is a musical duo based in Florida formed by Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. As an appetizer of their 2nd album ‘Wet Tennis‘ they have joined forces with one of their favorite artists, Mahmut Orhan, whose string arrangement, besides being beautiful, evokes the traditional music of their homeland, Turkey. ‘Forgive Me’ is about forgiving yourself for the worst thing you’ve ever done, and forgiving another for the harm they caused you, which is the ultimate surrender. It’s about loving someone so much that you will let them hate you if that’s what they need to do to move on, and hoping that one day, the person will come to forgiveness on their own.
Cruzar el Charco | Para mucho más
After 10 years of growth, the Argentinean band Cruzando El Charco, returns to the scene with a song full of energy, ‘Para Mucho Más (For much more)‘. As the band’s singer explains, the song narrates all the strength that the fans transmitted to him during the 3 weeks he spent hospitalized with Covid-19. The video, which depicts a zombie apocalypse 🧟, is the first of a trilogy, how will it end?
Eddie Vedder | Invincible
Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam’s frontman, from time to time pours his incredible creativitivy on his solo career. This is the case with ‘Earthling‘, Vedder’s new album in 2022. Special mention to ‘Invincible’, a song that speaks of the wonderful human existence and that, as you can see in the video, NASA has decided to use to promote its mission to the moon, called Artemis I 🌚
Deaf Havana | Going Clear
Deaf Havana is a band with 10 years in music that, after some turbulent times, decides to release their 6th album ‘The Present Is A Foreign Land‘. They do it with 2 members less, only brothers James and Matty Veck-Gilodi are left, but with a clear vision. An alternative rock masterpiece, in which they address the issue of addiction in a very direct and honest way. Going Clear is the name of this bone-deep confession 🦴
Funzo & Baby Loud | PISA EL ACELERADOR
In the 1st, and according to them, only album, INMORTALES (INMORTALS), the Spanish brothers Adrián and Juan Carlos (Funzo & Baby Loud), who are not even 20 years old, give voice to a generation, the so-called “Z”, and they do it with the latest rhythms impregnated with a very personal and different touch. They will not make more albums, because their thing is singles 🔂 as PISA EL ACELERADOR (STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR), which in addition to a hypnotizing bass has an electric guitar that breaks your head. We are not surprised by their success, and the bright future that awaits them!
Train | AM Gold
We admire the ability of this San Francisco band to make true anthems. After 5 years in silence we needed Train to release new material. That’s right, in May 2022 AM Gold will be released, presented with this homonymous song that takes us straight to the dance floor conveying a fantastic message, love yourself!
Alok, Alan Walker, KIDDO | Headlights
The most powerful Brazilian DJ of the moment, Alok, along with the British omnipresent king of the dancefloor, Alan Walker, and a voice that seems to have been born for this song, that of Sweden’s KIDDO, are the explosive combination of the mega-hit ‘Headlights‘. There is no way to resist the rhythm of the track, nor its beautiful melodic line, accompanied by military-style drums that elevate the song even more, not to mention KIDDO’s rich and complex vocal tone. Let’s enjoy!
José Mercé | Jamás Desaparece Lo Que Nunca Parte
The first single from José Mercé’s 20th album, ‘El Oripandó’ is flamenco, pop and above all, great. For the first time in his career, he sings about such intimate subjects as the death of his son, and he does it under the production of the great Antonio Orozco.
We must always think that those who are gone are not gone, they are with us. In this case, oblivion does not exist, nor can it exist. My son Curro is present in all this work and everything good that happens to me is because of him.
Red Hot Chili Peppers | Black Summer
Yes, they are back! with the album ‘Unlimited Love‘, presented with this magnificent ‘Black Summer‘, and with the return of their legendary guitarist, John Frusciante 🎸 It’s a pleasure to enjoy the Red Hot Chili Peppers again, their connection when composing and playing. They describe it like this:
Our only goal is to lose ourselves in the music. We spend days, weeks and months listening to each other, composing, freely improvising. We long to shine a light on the world, to uplift, connect and unite people.
Sebastián Yatra | Tacones Rojos
Fresh out of the oven we have the new album in 2022 by Sebastián Yatra, Dharma. It is full of hits but we have to highlight ‘Tacones Rojos (Red Heels)‘, because as Sebastián himself wants, it will not only be a hit, but it will become a classic. By the way, in his own words, the song was inspired by the rays of light that illuminate the morning as they enter through his window and have the ability to take you to a totally new, happy and inspiring place 🌞
Rigoberta Bandini | Ay Mamá
Dubbing actress, playwright and since 2020 indie singer, vindictive and viral, this is Paula Ribó González, whose stage name is Rigoberta Bandini. She has been about to represent Spain at Eurovision 2022. Although she will not do it, her song ‘Ay mamá’ has already triumphed, for its rhythm, its pro-mom message and this verse that already remain for history:
Paremos la ciudad sacando un pecho fuera al puro estilo Delacroix (Let’s stop the city by sticking a breast out in pure Delacroix style)
Baby Strange | Midnight
This young band from Glasgow (Ireland) debuted in 2013 with the song “Friend“. 3 years later they released their debut album ‘Want It Need It‘. They continued to push forward in 2021 with the EP ‘Land of Nothing‘ and their hit ‘More! More! More!‘. They are predestined to go far with their dark and raw rock. This is evidenced by ‘Midnight‘, a bombshell with a sound and aesthetics somewhere between melancholy and warped beauty.
AURORA | A Dangerous Thing
AURORA Aknes is a Norwegian artist who has been growing her “warriors and weirdos”, as she calls her fans, since 2012. 2022 is the year of her 3rd album, ‘The Gods We Can Touch‘, which includes this wonder, ‘A Dangerous Thing‘, and which deals with shame, desire and morality, all overlaid with Greek mythology.
Francesco Renga | Quando Trovo Te
Francesco is an Italian singer-songwriter with 21 albums behind him, as a soloist and in his band, ‘Timoria‘. He took part in the San Remo festival in 2021 with ‘Quando Trovo Te (When I find you)‘, but the song is so spectacular that we could not let it pass. In it he narrates the moment when that happy memory that we keep deep inside resurfaces in our lives.
hippymigué, Carlos Gómez | Mundos Bonitos
There’s no better way to kick off 2022 than with a track full of emotion. hippymigué declares himself a converted rapper. Thanks to this conversion he now fuses flamenco with Pop rhythms, achieving authentic wonders like this ‘Mundos Bonitos‘, or ‘La Atalaya‘ that we already included in the best of 2021.
