As the year comes to an end, some phenomenal albums have been released. This year was particularly eventful for rock musicians. There were many great albums released, but only a few stood out.
Honorary Mentions
“Jackpot Juicer” - Dance Gavin Dance
“Growing Pains” - Elias.
“Baku’s Revenge” - Magnolia Park
“Misery Made Me” - Silverstein
“Sonder” - The Wrecks
5. “The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit” - Architects
They did it again. Architects came out with another top metal record of the year. This record is politically driven and in the best way possible. They are a band that does not beat around the bush when it comes to serious issues that people deal with. No one should sleep on this one.
Highlights
“spit the bone” - 8/10
“be very afraid” - 8.5/10
“born again pessimist” - 8/10
4. “The Josh Ramsay Show” - Josh Ramsay
This record manages to fit in a bunch of different genres in an hour's run time. It goes anywhere from country to hard rock to classical. This record is proof that Josh Ramsay is a man of many talents, both in and out of his band Marianas Trench. “The Josh Ramsay Show” is a good record for any picky music lover out there.
Highlights
“Best Of Me (feat. Dallas Smith)” - 8.5/10
“Try Me” - 9/10
“Spellbound” - 8/10
3. “TRUE POWER” - I Prevail
I Prevail knocks it out of the park with this long-awaited release. Sometimes an artist’s singles preceding an album are all that the record has to offer, but certainly not this Michigan band. They took any expectations that people had and blew them out of the water. If anyone wants to take anything out of the third quarter of 2022, it should be this record.
Highlights
“Visceral” - 9/10
“Deep End” - 8.5/10
“Self Destruction” - 8/10
2. “Fever Dream” - Palaye Royale
A song that is among the best of the year makes it hard to not give them such a high ranking. Although they haven't been around as long as some of the other bands on this list, they earned this spot. Every playlist should include "Fever Dream" because it has the perfect dark tones for any time of the year.
Highlights
“Fever Dream” - 10/10
“Oblivion” - 9/10
“No Love In LA” - 8.5/10
1. “It Was Fun While It Lasted” - Sueco
Last but not least is this banger from Sueco. Surely, this record will be a staple of pop rock for years to come. Despite the upbeat musicality, the lyrics hit you hard. "It Was Fun While It Lasted" is a fine blend of recent Machine Gun Kelly and Blink-182. If anyone needs to take anything from this year, it is this record. You will not skip a beat, guaranteed.
Highlights
“PRIMADONNA” - 8.5/10
“Hate You Too” - 9/10
“Sober/Hungover (feat. Arizona Zervas)” - 9.5/10
Final Thoughts
Compiling a list of the best albums was almost impossible, let alone ranking them. Despite some good and some not-so-good records, 2022 was a year full of music. Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted, as Sueco said.
