Every year I make a large playlist containing all of my favourite songs at the moment (like this one from 2020 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6iPOm8SUHocGqr9leYC0Mz?si=LFef3ZIxQnCdowEWHplpag) so that I can look back on my music taste and see how it’s developed over time. Now is the beginning of my 2022 playlist, where I have put my all time favourites, my top picks from my most listened to artists’ latest albums and new discoveries from reviews and articles I’ve written into one. Some of these musicians I talk way too much about, and others you may not have known I was a fan of, but either way I’m still looking for new additions to my playlist so feel free to drop some recommendations down below or on my instagram.
So in no particular order (apart from alphabetical):
Art Deco ~ Lana Del Rey
Favourite lyric: You’re not mean, you just want to be seen, want to be wild
The Honeymoon album may be the last album I discovered from Lana Del Rey due to the lack of discussion of it online, but it is definitely was one of the best. The cover art, the calming melodies, the overall atmosphere of it. At first I was kinda neutral about Art Deco, but recently it has become a favourite of mine and manages to stay in my head for hours on end after listening to it.
You can listen to the song here:
Boy Problems ~ Carly Rae Jepsen
Favourite lyric: I think I broke up with my boyfriend today, and I don’t really care
Hearing those unpopular opinions a few posts ago and seeing love for Carly Rae Jepsen’s pop maze of an album Emotion made me take another listen after remembering how much I enjoyed it upon my first listen. And since then I have been listening to Boy Problems non stop. It’s that song that you are always in the mood for, and are stunned when you find out it didn’t even make the the UK Top 40.
You can listen to the song here:
Can’t Stand Losing You ~ The Police
Favourite lyric: I guess you’d call it suicide, but I’m too full to swallow my pride
This is one of my ‘all-time favourites’ that will never abandon my main playlists. Can’t Stand Losing You would certainly be on my desert island discs, purely for it’s dramatic lyrics and Sting’s passionate vocals that make the song all the more real, as if it’s being sung to you or you’re singing it yourself. I also can’t go without mentioning how timeless this song is – I truly believe it could be released today and be seen as iconic.
You can listen to the song here:
Closest Thing To Heaven ~ Tears For Fears
Favourite lyric: Looking at ghosts of you, while all the world is sinking
It’s a constant battle between this song, Everybody wants to rule the world and Head over Heels as to which is my favourite Tears For Fears tune and favourite song of all time. Closest Thing To Heaven has to be the song I listen to most however, being the most relaxing in my opinion. The lyrical geniuses are still making great quality music today, and I have a few of their latest songs on my 2022 playlist too.
You can listen to the song here:
Diamonds And Pearls ~ Prince
Favourite lyric: If I could I would give you the world, all I can do is just offer you my love
If this isn’t in your top ten Prince songs, then what actually is? I say top ten and not top five because Prince has a countless number of albums that it’s hard to narrow his music down, however Diamonds and Pearls is undeniably a Soul Pop masterpiece.
You can listen to the song here:
Ever Since New York ~ Harry Styles
Favourite lyric: And I’ve been praying, I never did before, understand I’m talking to the walls
After being obsessed with Harry’s more recent Pop piece Fine Line for almost two years, I decided to go back to his debut just to realise that nothing beats Ever Since New York (not even Golden). It captures a feeling of nostalgia that I’ve never had. It’s makes me feel like I’m in New York, and I’ve never even set foot there (as much as I would love to). I do question musician’s choice in singles, but maybe Harry wanted this song to be a treat to his fans and remain their little secret.
You can listen to the song here:
Friends ~ Chase Atlantic
Favourite lyric: Heart on your sleeve like you’ve never been loved, running in circles now look what you’ve done
I’ve seen a lot of love for Australian sensations Chase Atlantic on Instagram over the years, and after hearing Friends and Into It I completely understand the obsession. You instantly become addicted to their sound the moment you hear it, desperate for the song not to end. I’m now planning to do a Chase Atlantic music marathon, and eventually do a review of one of their albums.
You can listen to the song here:
honey ~ Boy Pablo
Favourite lyric: Most of the time, I can’t believe my own eyes
Boy Pablo has had a few mentions on my blog, and he also never happens to miss a big playlist of mine. honey, along with pretty much all of the Wachito Rico album, is that song you’ll have playing throughout the whole summer. The group never fail to make a catchy melody that isn’t overdone in terms of production, vocals and lyrics, forming nothing other than a comforting, tranquil atmosphere.
You can listen to the song here:
Is There Someone Else? ~ The Weeknd
Favourite lyric: And I don’t want to be a prisoner to who I used to be
If you remember my review of The Weeknd’s January release Dawn FM, I put Is There Someone Else? embarrassingly low down. But how the tables have turned. Along with Best Friends, it is now one of the songs I listen to most on the album. I can’t believe I couldn’t hear it’s genius electronic production before, or the alleviating ambience it has to it.
You can listen to the song here:
Short Court Style ~ Natalie Prass
Favourite lyric: Oh, the world is trying to show us where we first went wrong
If you’ve ever wondered what Doja Cat would sound like if she went a bit more Indie Pop rather than R&B Pop, then you should take a listen to Natalie Prass. You may notice that I discovered Short Court Style back in 2020 if you’ve taken a look at my old playlist linked above, but not after I added it to the playlist I made a new one, leaving this melody behind. Later, in 2021, my dad played the song and I immediately recognised it. And I’ve been overplaying it on and off for months now.
You can listen to the song here:
SOS ~ ABBA
Favourite lyric: You made me feel alive, but something died I fear
A playlist is not a playlist without an ABBA song, whether it be their worst song Super Trouper or their best song SOS (or One Of Us, I can’t decide). I love how this song deceives us at the beginning, making us believe it’s going to be a dramatic ballad like The Winner Takes It All, when it actually turns out to be an upbeat love song like Lay All Your Love On Me.
You can listen to the song here:
The Path ~ Lorde
Favourite lyric: Now I’m alone on a windswept island, caught in the complex divorce of the seasons
The Path is the official grower of Lorde’s 2021 album Solar Power which divided her fans into ‘I’m going to stick to Melodrama and Pure Heroine‘ and ‘I’ve been waiting four years for this album and Lorde did not disappoint’. I’d choose Dominoes and Mood Ring over this song any day, however The Path brings something different to the table, being so tuneful and fun at the same time as generating a non-commercial sound that you almost never hear on the charts.
You can listen to the song here:
The Fear ~ Lily Allen
Favourite lyric: Now I’m not a saint but I’m not a sinner, now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner
In terms of lyrics this is possibly my favourite song to have ever been recorded, simply because the symbolism here is so discreet and satirical that it takes more than a few listens to get the complete meaning behind each and every line. The best example would be “I look at the sun and I look in the mirror” which is actually referencing the British newspapers and therefore the impact of the media. I cannot even begin to describe how underrated this song is. Yes it had it’s chart peak around the time of it’s release, but it should have lingered around way longer (mainly because I was too young to appreciate it back then).
You can listen to the song here:
Tomorrow Never Came ~ Lana Del Rey ft Sean Ono Lennon
Favourite lyric: ‘Cause I adored you, and I just wanted things to be the same
Another Lana Del Rey song makes the list, of course. There’s plenty more on the full playlist, but I picked this one out because I feel it doesn’t get enough love within the Lana fandom. Lust For Life is definitely the best album in terms of collabs, and I can’t decide whether The Weeknd’s voice or Sean Ono Lennon’s voice goes better with Lana’s. This beautiful ballad has introduced me to the talented Sean Ono Lennon whose album I will be reviewing this coming week. I’m actually surprised I enjoy a lot of music, considering I’ve never been a massive John Lennon fan.
You can listen to the song here:
Victoria ~ Thomas Headon
Favourite lyric: We drove around in circles so it felt like we had somewhere to be
I did an EP review of Thomas Headon a few days back, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since, in particular Strawberry Kisses and the title track Victoria. The feeling this song gives you is indescribable, with lyrics that tell a story to keep you captivated. It’s hard to understand how this song is an early part of Headon’s career, along with the fact that he’ll be able to improve such addictive music.
You can listen to the song here: