Best Albums of 2022: Here are the top 10 best music albums of the year - according to BBC Radio 6 Music, The New York Times, Time Magazine and more

It’s been a great year for music, both for established names releasing some of their best work, and bands nobody had even heard of a year ago breaking through to the mainstream.

Kendrick Lamar delivered a stunning headline set on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage this year - and also features highly on many 'best of 2022' lists.

From North American musical juggernaughts Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce, to British newcomers Wet Leg and Yard Act, there’s been something for every music fan to love this year.

The sheer range of quality music is reflected in the experts’ choices of top albums of the year – with a multitude of artists claiming top 10 spots and coveted number one placings.

So, if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration on Spotify, here are the records you should be catching up on.

BBC Radio 6 Music

1. Kendrick Lamar - Mr Morale & The Big Steppers

2. Yard Act - The Overload

3. Kae Tempest - The Line Is A Curve

4. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - Topical Dancer

5. Wet Leg - Wet Leg

6. Warmduscher - At The Hotspot

7. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia

8. Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes

9. Arctic Monkeys - The Car

10. Gwenno - Tresor

New York Times

1. Beyoncé - Renaissance

2. Rosalía - Motomami

3. Beth Orton - Weather Alive

4. Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen

5. iLe – Nacarile

6. Sylvan Esso - No Rules Sandy

7. black midi - Hellfire

8. Björk - Fossora

9. Billy Woods - Aethiopes

10. Porridge Radio - Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky

Rate Your Music

1. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

2. black midi - Hellfire

3. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

4. Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes

5. Natalia Lafourcade - De todas las flores

6. billy woods - Aethiopes

7. J.I.D - The Forever Story

8. Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow

9. Richard Dawson - The Ruby Cord

10. Nas - King's Disease III

Time Magazine

1. Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti

2. Saya Gray - 19 Masters

3. Beyoncé - Renaissance

4. Father John Misty - Chloe and the Next 20th Century

5. Pusha T - It’s Almost Dry

6. Ibibio Sound Machine - Electricity

7. Angel Olsen - Big Time

8. Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

9. 070 Shake - You Can’t Kill Me

10. Rosalía - Motomami

Paste Magazine

1. Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

2. Alex G - God Save the Animals

3. Alvvays - Blue Rev

4. Wet Leg - Wet Leg

5. Black Country, New Road - Ants from Up There

6. Soul Glo - Diaspora Problems

7. Angel Olsen - Big Time

8. Beyoncé - Renaissance

9. Spoon - Lucifer On The Sofa

10. MJ Lenderman - Boat Songs

Mojo

1. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - Dear Scott

2. Wet Leg - Wet Leg

3. Danger Mouse and Black Thought - Cheat Codes

4. Horace Andy - Midnight Rocker

5. Arctic Monkeys - The Car

6. Suede - Autofiction

7. Bill Callahan - YTI⅃AƎЯ

8. Jack White - Fear of the Dawn

9. Dry Cleaning - Stumpwork

10. Fontaines D.C. - Skinty Fia