Best Of 2022: Singles In Order Of Preference Through August 31st

As It Was – Harry Styles – Harry’s breakthrough from his breakthrough, it out Watermelons his past. A synthpop heading for the song of the summer

Goodbye Mr. Blue – Father John Misty – the man is a smartass and his insincerity grates but not here, a break up song piece of 60s style melancholia that will have you in tears by the time the angora cat dies in his arms. He has never come up with anything this great before

Outlaw – Tomás Doncker & The True Groove All-Stars – more addictive than crack, it is the most undeniable piece of agitprop since, why, since “The Mess We Made”: a growling, prowling slap pump and just another all American

The King and I (feat. CeeLo Green) – From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ELVIS – Eminem – a superb reworking of “Jailhouse Rock” with an ace connect the dots between icons rap, and Cee Lo killing the chorus

Here We Go… Again (feat. Tyler, the Creator) – The Weeknd – the album is fantastic except… it isn’t selling what it should be. That’s a problem for an artist whose reason for existing is to be very popular. That’s his art form. I have no reason why this gorgeous song isn’t a smash

Need A Break – April Rose Gabrielli – From April’s quietly lovely verses that explode on the chorus with a choir of April’s harmonizing and finally a break in a league with Harry’s bridge. This is April’s great gifts, she never forgets indelible tunefulness and she never ever composes one hook on a song where three will suffice; it is a monster of a track

Begging – Yemi Alade – another triumph and the video was filmed in Rwanda (YES RWANDA!!) and it is a wonderful sound of calypso and Africa… a complete joy

Sleep Tight – Holly Humberstone – she killed the song a coupla of days before it was released (when she opened for Olivia Rodrigo at Radio City) and it is an addictive piece of pop singer songwriter sex confessional via London

Después de la Playa – Bad Bunny – “After The Beach” in English, a reggaetón- Caribbean blow out burn down the party rave up of the first order

Pretty Girls – Randy Edelman – the remixed song from 1982 stands up so well with a piano riff that powers through the song as a gracious and complementary ear worm

Hell Yeah – Little Big Town – a terrific slice of country with an excellent pun taking you a long, and at its best on the harmonies, a first rate song

Do I Look Happy To You? – Kanye West – Featuring Future, this is a song of misery and company with an edge of unpredictably, and the best song on Donda 2

Ginger Pubes – Bakar – the screaming so upset the Yemini (via the UK) sounds as though he is crying and the hook goes “I keep fucking it up”

MMM MMM – Kali – it actually dates from 2021 but it is on her new album and that hook is industrial strength I swear it

More Pressure – Kae Tempest, Kevin Abstract – Kae is really specially and especially on this agitprop exploration of how feelings should feel: “More desire, Less deceit, Less complex, More complete, Less Push, More Flow….” about as Tao as you can get

BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé, Jason White – adds beats to r&b and carried by Big Freedia, it is Bey’s best since “Hold On”

Ode To NYC – Blossoms – the aural equivalent of the first time you (I, back in 1975) saw New York City, from the pretty ace Manchester (England) band

Try – Eddie Vedder – a “Luken” style rave up

Let England Shake – PJ Harvey – Inspired lift from The Four Lads for the revised hook

Running Back – Live For SiriusXM – Bright Eyes – That Conor’s best song since “I Got The Reason” (nothing beats eligible men laying her down on the table of the elements) is a Thin Lizzy song suggest two things: 1) Bright Eyes are in the market for a touring song and 2) Conor can bring so much tenderness to his singing he moves you beyond endurance here

Sick – Sea Girls – UK rock isn’t my thing in 2022, and I didn’t love the album, but this is great, even the The Beatles dis

FCKN IN LOVE – Fefe Dobson – a huge return for the woman of color pop punker singing about the joys of post-coital embrace, it should put her back on top

Hotline – Lael Neale -heading up as the second set of releases via Sub Pop, they must have been overjoyed to hear this. If anybody had any idea how to get it in front of her audience, the LA singer songwriter should break right through

One Night Ting (feat. Saweetie) – Tai’Aysha – everything Saweetie touches in 21-22 has proven to be classic r&b pop with a side of hip hop, point in case this perfect nursery romance song of promiscuity where “ting” rhymes with “fling”

Freaky Deaky – Tyga, Doja Cat – inspired sample of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” adds to this HUGE ear candy, Tyga never better…

Wall St With Briefcase – Your Old Droog, Tha God Fahim – the sample is beyond gorgeous, the rap is a complement and the main event, and you’ll never enjoy Your Old Droog more

Is It Gonna Be Yes Or No – The Temptations, Smokey Robinson – Smokey with his warmest thoughts, last Temp standing Otis Williams co-produced, and the backing harmonies are beautiful

I Woke Up Alive – April Rose Gabrielli – a dramatic facing of mortality

Blue Bones – Billy Nomates – ringing guitar and faux country with an indelible tune and Billy at new levels of accessibility

High – The Chainsmokers – the return of the EDM duo with an excellent slice of what they do best: pop dance

The Black Slim Shady – The Game – The Game disses Eminem for ten minutes straight on a wonderful parody

You Proof – Morgan Wallen – his third and so far best single of 2022, a wonderful chorus that imbibes in your brain and a very good play on words to bring it home

Two Timin’ – The Watson Twins, Butch Walker – two step, square dancing, excellent thrill out country greatness. I’m not a fan of the twins but I could be wrong.

Dim Sum – Jah Wobble, GZ Tian – Jah brings the family on a track that starts as grime pop before going right off the rails for the last two minutes

Calm Down (with Selena Gomez) – Rema – the South Nigerian (Benin City) native at 21 is one of the best Afrobeats guys around and Selena Gomez serves him well on a fabulous track