WNRN Listeners’ Top Albums of 2022

You voted and we listened! We’ve tallied more than 500 listeners’ votes to reach the top 100 albums of 2022.

To show our appreciation, everyone who placed their votes for the top 10 albums of 2022 was automatically entered to win a $500 Gift Certificate to Plan 9 Music and a Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3 powered 3.1.2-channel sound bar system from Audio Exchange.

Plus, we’ve gathered the top 10 albums from some of your favorite staff here at WNRN and from the hosts of World Cafe, so check those out!

WNRN Listeners’ Top 100 Albums of 2022

100. Kiwi Jr. – Chopper
99. Dehd – Blue Skies
98. Dope Lemon – Rose Pink Cadillac
97. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Jerry Jeff
96. Cannons – Fever Dream
95. Rubblebucket – Earth Worship
94. Built To Spill – When the Wind Forgets Your Name
93. The Backseat Lovers – Waiting to Spill
92. Sylvan Esso – No Rules Sandy
91. Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time
90. Bartees Strange – Farm to Table

89. Rayland Baxter – If I Were a Butterfly
88. Dogwood Tales – 13 Summers 13 Falls
87. Jack Johnson – Meet the Moonlight
86. Orville Peck – Bronco
85. Hackensaw Boys – Hackensaw Boys
84. Phoenix – Alpha Zulu
83. Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights
82. Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder – Get on Board
81. S.G. Goodman – Teeth Marks
80. Lettuce – Unify

79. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love
78. Thee Sacred Souls – Thee Sacred Souls
77. Chris Leggett & The Copper Line – From the Idle Mind
76. Lo Moon – A Modern Life
75. Mitski – Laurel Hell
74. Metric – Formentera
73. American Aquarium – Chicamacomico
72. Arctic Monkeys – The Car
71. Gang Of Youths – Angel in Realtime
70. Trombone Shorty – Lifted

69. Trampled By Turtles – Alpenglow
68. Del McCoury Band – Almost Proud
67. Courtney Marie Andrews – Loose Future
66. Fruit Bats – Sometimes a Cloud Is Just a Cloud: Slow Growers, Sleeper Hits and Lost Songs
65. Madison Cunningham – Revealer
64. Zach Bryan – American Heartbreak
63. Punch Brothers – Hell on Church Street
62. Broken Bells – Into the Blue
61. Julian Lennon – Jude
60. The Lone Bellow – Love Songs for Losers

59. Ben Harper – Bloodline Maintenance
58. Old Crow Medicine Show – Paint This Town
57. Marcus Mumford – Self-Titled
56. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – Nightroamer
55. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Endless Rooms
54. Deau Eyes – Legacies
53. Calexico – El Mirador
52. St. Paul & The Broken Bones – The Alien Coast
51. Drive-By Truckers – Welcome 2 Club XIII
50. Elvis Costello & The Imposters – The Boy Named If

49. Arcade Fire – We
48. Plains – I Walked with You a Ways
47. Lucius – Second Nature
46. Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever
45. King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard – Changes
44. Alvvays – Blue Rev
43. Alt-J – The Dream
42. 49 Winchester – Fortune Favors the Bold
41. Beabadoobie – Beatopia
40. Vieux Farka Toure et Khruangbin – Ali

39. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down
38. The Beths – Expert in a Dying Field
37. Beach House – Once Twice Melody
36. Death Cab For Cutie – Asphalt Meadows
35. Band Of Horses – Things Are Great
34. The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie
33. Kurt Vile – Watch My Moves
32. Dawes – Misadventures of Doomscroller
31. Florence + The Machine – Dance Fever
30. Beth Orton – Weather Alive

29. Marcus King – Young Blood
28. Various Artists – Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson
27. The Lumineers – Brightside
26. Wilco – Cruel Country
25. First Aid Kit – Palomino
24. Maggie Rogers – Surrender
23. Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
22. Greensky Bluegrass – Stress Dreams
21. Nilufer Yanya – Painless
20. The Smile – A Light for Attracting Attention

19. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – Crooked Tree
18. Father John Misty – Chloe and the Next 20th Century
17. Caamp – Lavender Days
16. The Head & The Heart – Every Shade of Blue
15. Danielle Ponder – Some of Us Are Brave
14. Fontaines D.C. – Skinty Fia
13. Mt. Joy – Orange Blood
12. Angel Olsen – Big Time
11. Tyler Childers – Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? (Hallelujah Version)

10. Khruangbin & Leon Bridges – Texas Moon EP
9. Andrew Bird – Inside Problems
8. Bonnie Raitt – Just like That
7. Bonny Light Horseman – Rolling Golden Holy
6. Charley Crockett – The Man from Waco
5. Goose -Dripfield
4. Wet Leg – Wet Leg
3. Tedeschi Trucks Band – I Am the Moon IV: Farewell
2. Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa

1. Billy Strings – Me and Dad

WNRN and World Cafe Staff Top Albums of 2022

Bob Mosolgo's Top 10 Albums of 2022

10. The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field
9. Caamp - Lavender Days
8. Alvvays - Blue Rev
7. Courtney Marie Andrews - Loose Future
6. The Sadies - Colder Streams
5. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway - Crooked Tree
4. Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa
3. Andrew Bird - Inside Problems
2. Bonny Light Horseman - Rolling Golden Holy
1. Charley Crockett - The Man From Waco

Charley Crockett produces at least two albums a year, and this is his collection of originals for 2022. Loosely based on a fictional ‘Man From Waco’, the songs draw from Charley’s time on the road and exhibits a great familiarity of the places he uses to base the songs. The album sounds both classic and fresh at the same time, owing to Crockett’s use of multiple classic styles coupled with the modern production of Bruce Robison. Robison himself was impressed enough with the result that he took on the role of manager for Crockett. You won’t be bored as Crockett roams the West in styles ranging from classic country to soul.

Desiré Moses's Top 10 Albums of 2022

10. Wilco - Cruel Country

9. Bonny Light Horseman - Rolling Golden Holy

8. Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow

7. Beth Orton - Weather Alive

6. The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention

5. Nilifur Yanya - Painless

4. Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa

3. Father John Misty - Chloe & the Next 20th Century

2. Danielle Ponder - Some Of Us Are Brave

1. Angel Olsen - Big Time

Read what Desiré wrote about Angel Olsen's 'Big Time' for NPR Music's Top Albums list (#23)

Steve Hamilton's Top 10...or 11 Fresh Roots New Blues Albums of 2022

11. Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder - Get On Board
10. Bob Corritore & Friends - You Shocked Me
9. Delbert McClinton - Outdated Emotion
8. Charlie Musselwhite - Mississippi Son
7. Duke Robillard Band - They Called It Rhythm & Blues
6. Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - Mercy Me
5. Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That...
4. John Nemeth - May Be The Last Time
3. Shemekia Copeland - Done Come Too Far
2. North Mississippi All-Stars - Set Sail
1. Buddy Guy - The Blues Don't Lie

Bob Mosolgo's Top 10 Country Feedback Albums of 2022

10. Charley Crockett - The Man From Waco
9. Molly Tuttle and Crooked Highway - Crooked Tree
8. 49 Winchester - Fortune Favors the Bold
7. Jim Lauderdale - Game Changer
6. Kaitlin Butts - What Else Can She Do
5. Aaron Raitiere - Single Wide Dreamer
4. Joshua Ray Walker - See You Next Time
3. Charley Crockett - Lil GL Presents: Jukebox Charlie
2. Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time
1. Various Artists - Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute to John Anderson

John Anderson is a somewhat forgotten country superstar who had his biggest songs in the early 80s with five number one singles. He was an early ‘new Traditionalist’ in country music and paved the way for some better known performers who followed. The tribute brings fresh voices to the Anderson library, including a previously unreleased track from the late John Prine. Sierra Ferrell adds a twist by covering a recent Anderson song, and overall it is a terrific collection of artists collected by producer Dan Auerbach serving as a great re-introduction to Anderson’s music.

Amber's Top 10 Albums of 2022

10. AURORA - The Gods We Can Touch
9. Ibibio Sound Machine - Electricity
8. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Crooked Tree
7. Rubblebucket - Earth Worship
6. Charley Crockett - The Man From Waco
5. Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa
4. Beth Orton - Weather Alive
3. The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention
2. Bonny Light Horseman - Rolling Golden Holy
1. Danielle Ponder - Some of Us Are Brave

To narrow down to only ten favorite albums from the past year proved more difficult than I expected. And some of my favorite songs of the year weren't tied to my favorite albums (like Sharon Van Etten "Mistakes" and The Black Keys "Wild Child"). 2022 served us many treats including new music from Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Pixies, but alas those didn't make it in my Top Ten either! Ultimately, it's the albums I reached for over and over again that received my top honors. I feel blessed to work in a world filled with new music everyday, and I hope you discovered a new favorite yourself over the past year.

-Amber

WNRN Music Director

Jeff Sweatman's Top 10 Albums of 2022

10. Calexico - El Mirador
9. Caroline Spence - True North (Cville's own now on Rounder/Concord!)
8. Danger Mouse/Black Thought - Cheat Codes
7. Alvvays - Blue Rev
6. Danielle Ponder - Some Of Us Are Brave
5. Afghan Whigs - How Do You Burn?
4. John Moreland - Birds In The Ceiling
3. Wet Leg - s/t
2. Yard Act - The Overload
1. Eddie Vedder - Earthling

I'm with Amber & Des, who also said they had lots of favorite singles that weren't on their Top 10 LPs. For example...

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/55d9fy3a8OGpVpb2GvJ1eJ?si=tsIG-rfGSU2wNRNxxOPxGw

At the true top of my list is a project 2 years in the making, All The Best...From 6 Feet Away: A Charlottesville Tribute To John Prine (full disclosure: I Executive Produced it & play on 2 songs! All money raised went to Blue Sprocket, New City Arts Fund or The Front Porch's Roots & Wings outreach program). The ltd-edition vinyl is all sold out, but it's on Bandcamp & all streaming services now!

3 other tributes of note:
-Something Borrowed, Something New: John Anderson tribute
-Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono
-Charley Crockett paid tribute to some obscure (to me) but really great country songs written by others including Tom T. Hall on his Jukebox Charley

Jeff Sweatman's Top 10 Commonwealth Albums of 2022

A great year in Commonwealth Music! (10 in no particular order)

Dogwood Tales - 13 Summers 13 Falls EP
Boxed Lunch - In Neon Light EP
Everything Lowland Hum has released the last 2 years, incl. their version of Peter Gabriel's So, So Low
Deau Eyes - Legacies
Erin & The Wildfire - Touchy Feely
Adam's Plastic Pond - Confident Melancholy EP

Suz (of David Wax Museum) Slezak - Our Wings May Be Featherless

Mariana Bell - Still Not Sleeping
Lord Nelson -Transmission

Dropping Julia - Stranger