Lots of returns from part one and a few new friends (Real Friends) have been invited to celebrate my favorite 25 songs of 2022. Back to the list (50-26 here):
25. Waterparks-Funeral Grey: Awsten Knight and company made a splash with their first single after signing on to Fueled By Ramen. There are some unfortunate lyrics in this, but it's catchy enough to overcome and get stuck in your head for days.
24. Bloodywood-Dana Dan: I saw a reaction video to this music video and from there I was hooked. Spring and Summer of this year were rattled with this Hindicore jam that fuses metal, rap, and Indian culture to create a sound I've honestly never heard before. If that sounds terrible, I implore you to give it a try. The song itself is about punching toxic bros in the face.
23. The Early November-Denet: A welcome return by the New Jersey rockers was their album 20 and while it's not the best TEN album of all-time, it certainly provides the necessary goods.
22. Silverstein- It's Over: Silverstein has mastered their sound in the last two records and has found the perfect blend of heavy and hooks.
21. In Her Own Words- Circles (feat. Derek DiScanio): This sounds exactly like a song I would hear on a Warped Tour compilation and then never listen to anything else this band releases. Bringing on the lead singer of State Champs is also a good way to get me to listen.
20. Taylor Swift- Karma: This is an English teacher's dream. There are so many metaphors to describe what karma is, but arguably my favorite is, "Karma is a cat, purring in my lap cuz it loves me."
19. blackbear- Toxic Energy (feat. The Used): Did I expect to hear Bert McCracken's voice coming into my headphones, no, but here we are. I think what makes this so catchy is that it sounds like a much more famous song, but I haven't been able to put my finger on it.
18. Anxious- Growing Up Song: A top newcomer to this list, Anxious provides another album of the year candidate with their release of Little Green House. "Growing Up Song" is one of the best songs on this album.
17. Paramore- This is Why: A weird blend of mid90s alternative and 80s New Wave, this is not a sound that I usually enjoy, but Hayley Williams does enough to sell it. "The News" on the other hand is a misfire from the upcoming album. It also marks the return of Zac Farro on drums.
16. Magnolia Park: Deja Vu (feat. Action/Adventure): By now it's Magnolia Park and I'm a fan, keep doing what you're doing.
15. Armor for Sleep- Whatever, Who Cares: Yet another return from the mid-2000s, Armor for Sleep released The Rain Museum, their first music since 2007. Though it sounds closer to Smile for Them than it does What to Do When You're Dead, there are still some good songs to be found.
14. The Wonder Years-The Paris of Nowhere: The song literally starts with, "We're building shrines to St. Nick Foles," and you think I'm not going to love this song? Fly Eagles Fly!
13. Lizzo-About Damn Time: The only downside of this song is that my kids keep singing it in public. Name a better use of the flute in a song.
12. Denzel Curry-The Ills: When I first heard Denzel Curry it was his song "Speedboat" that caught my attention. Melt My Eyez is a mellower effort from the Florida Rapper and this is just one of many songs that are coming up on this list.
11. Harry Styles-As It Was: This is just Harry Styles performing a song that was supposed to appear on Hellogoodbye's Would It Kill You. Prove me wrong.
10. Anxious-In April: Seriously, Anxious makes bangers.
9. Denzel Curry-Melt Sessions #1 (feat. Robert Glasper): More backpack rap from Curry.
8. The Wonder Years-Wyatt's Song (Your Name): Raising kids is beautiful and hard. Dan Campbell gets that.
7. Denzel Curry-Zatoichi (feat. slowthai): The song that made me explore the rest of the album, Zatoichi is fast and furious in the middle. It also has one of my favorite allusions in any song this year, "Excruciating pain like Bane breaking Bruce Wayne's spine."
6. Kendrick Lamar-The Heart Part 5: I honestly think this will be one of those cultural moments that people will talk about 10 years from now. The video is as important as the song and if you haven't seen it yet, you'll notice Kendrick Lamar transform via deep fake into several key figures in African-American culture. The most poignant moment comes at the end when Lamar takes on the image of his fallen friend Nipsey Hussle.
5. Silverstein-Ultraviolet: The best of all the bangers on this record and the catchiest chorus.
4. State Champs-Everybody but You (feat. Ben Barlow): A great party song that would've dominated TRL for weeks if it was 2004.
3. Taylor Swift-You're On Your Own, Kid: A great headphones song and oddly shares a vibe with the Weakerthans' "Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call", which is not something I thought I would compare T-Swift to.
2. Real Friends-Tell Me You're Sorry: I usually hate when bands change lead singers, but Cody Muraro has not missed a beat in place of the somber Dan Lambton. While the music is peppier, it's still about heartbreak and power choruses. "Tell Me You're Sorry" is the perfect tempo for me to shout in my car.
1. The Wonder Years-Low Tide: There is no song that has ever captured my feelings so well. The pandemic was a rough time for me and being quarantined with two small children at home was lacking basic adult interaction. Campbell talks about growing out his hair because who cares, watching Korean baseball, and a general malaise about how things might be better if he wasn't around. It was a rough time for a lot of people and this is such a cathartic song.
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