Our favorite songs and albums of 2022 (so far)

Plus, Usher at the Tiny Desk.

View this email online July 2, 2022 by Marissa Lorusso This week, we’re sharing our favorite music from the first half of the year — plus, the triumphant finale to our Black Music Month series at the Tiny Desk. Collage by Estefanía Mitre / NPR / Photos courtesy of the artists And just like that, we reached the actual halfway point of the year — the perfect moment to look back on all the great music released in 2022 so far. As is our tradition, the NPR Music team shared a couple of lists this week. And these lists aren’t the result of consensus; there was no voting or petitioning or arguing involved in their creation. Instead, we asked a group of writers, editors, hosts, producers and other contributors to NPR Music to tell us about the one song and one album they love most from the past six months. The list of our favorite songs from the first half of 2022 includes big hits by artists like Beyoncé and Lizzo, as well as some more personal favorites: a vulnerable cut from a pop album’s deluxe edition, a reflection on the harsh realities of the American dream and a soundtrack for a party at the end of the world.  The collection of our favorite albums of the year so far is just as diverse. Here, Big Thief’s expansive 20-track release and Kendrick Lamar’s cathartic and revealing new album share space with esoteric hyperpop, British communal post-punk and single-take synth journeys. Plus, we asked nine public radio music stations to tell us about the songs they kept spinning over and over this year, from Robert Glasper to The Lumineers. Here’s hoping you find something new to love within these wide-ranging and deeply personal collections of truly great songs and albums.   Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music This week on All Songs Considered, my colleague Lars Gotrich asked a few members of the NPR Music team about their favorite albums released in June — including The Suffers’ groovy soul music, Saya Gray's headphones-worthy debut, GIVĒON's heart-wrenching slow jams, Regina Spektor's elaborate songwriting and Petrol Girls' amped-up punk. This week’s update to the Viking’s Choice playlist, also curated by Lars, includes Cloud Rat's fierce grindcore, Barbie Bertisch's summery ambient-house, The Pyramids' Afro-jazz and Locrian's apocalyptic drone. Plus, NPR Classical’s playlist update features vibrant tracks from 10 contemporary composers, including Meredith Monk, Joan Tower, Carlos Simon Jerod Tate and even a string-driven take on Beyoncé’s classic “Halo.” Featuring This week on All Songs Considered, we took a deep dive into Norah Jones’ 2002 debut album Come Away With Me. Jones spoke with WBGO and Jazz Night In America's Nate Chinen about the process of making the album, including the previously unreleased version she recorded with producer Craig Street that the label rejected. Plus, critic Ann Powers and host Robin Hilton join him to discuss the album's evolution, impact and staying power. This year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is inducting the folk musician Elizabeth Cotten in its “early influence” category. Cotten’s music influenced many of the biggest names in the folk revival, and her songs, like “Freight Train” and “Shake Sugaree,” have been covered by artists like Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead and Joan Baez. But her contributions haven't always been properly acknowledged. When the Supreme Court issued its decision on Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization last week, effectively overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that codified the right to abortion, many musicians spoke up on social media. Their reactions — overwhelmingly against the court's decision — were as creative as the beats and melodies that have made them famous. The work of trumpeter, producer and composer Theo Croker is rooted in the jazz lineage, but he’s also among the vanguard of a peer group blending hip-hop, electronic music and contemporary R&B. Jazz Night in America recently caught up with Croker in Jacksonville, his old stomping grounds. This week, our friends at Seattle Classical KING FM 98.1 shared a performance by Joyce Yang of a Rachmaninoff prelude.  Tiny Desk NPR This week, the Tiny Desk team concluded its Black Music Month series with some incredible concerts. Opera singer J'Nai Bridges performed a wide-ranging set in her Tiny Desk (home) concert, including “Habanera” from Carmen by Georges Bizet and “Heaven” by Duke Ellington. Next, we shared a charming and inspired live performance from rapper Denzel Curry and a 10-piece band. And for the final Black Music Month performance, we brought a legend into the building. R&B goliath Usher performed a Tiny Desk concert that highlights his catalog of hits spanning 25 years — and if you follow anyone who is into R&B on Twitter, you may have seen people losing their minds over his performance.   One More Thing Summer reading. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? 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