Consider subscribing to our Patreon. 100% of funds go toward paying our writers, maintaining this website, and further diversifying our reporting efforts.
Last year, I asked a bunch of writers and creatives to send me year-end lists about literally anything that mattered to them. What I received was far stranger and more wondrous than I expected: music-perfume combos, deep internet finds, primal fears. I don’t believe in consensus with these things. Maybe one day we will have to stop playing games and drop a definitive Year End List. But for now, enjoy the chaos that is the LIST OF LISTS. Pants, rom coms, regional rap cuts, SoundCloud all-NBA teams and so much more. Happy New Year, drink more water and godspeed. – Mano Sundaresan
Andrew Matson’s top 8 best pants of 2022
(no order)
Billdifferen’s 2022 All-SoundCloud Teams
Hey y’all, the NBA would not accept my ballot and have blacklisted me from the league, so I decided for it not to go to waste and help No Bells out by showing what real ball is. For real, these artists/accounts are THE BEST OF THE BEST to follow on SoundCloud right now, as there’s so many incredible things being cultivated there all over the world. So, go give some of them a look and enjoy the rest of the lists!
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD FIRST TEAM
F: SteezTheProducer, New Jersey
F: islurwhenitalk, South Carolina
C: DJ WS DA IGREJINHA, Belo Horizonte
G: xaviersobased, New York
G: DJ Frisco954, Broward
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD SECOND TEAM
F: Lucifer, Hell
F: Jana Rush, Chicago
C: Explorers of the Internet, The Netherlands
G: Duwap Kaine, Georgia
G: kynlary, Heaven
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD THIRD TEAM
F: st47ic, Tennessee
F: DJ AL DE CAMPOS, Juiz de Fora
C: SAINT MERCATOR, New York
G: DJ Rari 9, New Orleans
G: GE 8, Indonesia
Official Voting
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD FIRST TEAM
| Position | Player, Team | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | Total |
| Guard | xaviersobased, New York | 100 | — | — | 500 |
| Forward | SteezTheProducer, New Jersey | 99 | 1 | — | 498 |
| Guard | DJ Frisco954, Florida | 99 | 1 | — | 498 |
| Center | DJ WS DA IGREJINHA, Belo Horizonte | 96 | 3 | 1 | 490 |
| Forward | Islurwhenitalk, South Carolina | 45 | 34 | 16 | 343 |
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD SECOND TEAM
| Position | Player, Team | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | Total |
| Forward | Luci4, Hell | 43 | 38 | 10 | 339 |
| Guard | Duwap Kaine, Georgia | 1 | 93 | 6 | 290 |
| Forward | Jana Rush, Chicago | — | 81 | 15 | 258 |
| Guard | kynlary, Heaven | 3 | 66 | 26 | 239 |
| Center | Explorers of the Internet, Netherlands | — | 71 | 23 | 236 |
ALL-SOUNDCLOUD THIRD TEAM
| Position | Player, Team | 1st Team | 2nd Team | 3rd Team | Total |
| Center | SAINT MERCATOR, New York | 4 | 21 | 51 | 134 |
| Forward | st47ic, Tennessee | — | 19 | 68 | 125 |
| Guard | DJ Rari 9, New Orleans | — | 19 | 45 | 102 |
| Guard | GE 8, Indonesia | — | 4 | 50 | 62 |
| Forward | DJ AL DE JF, Juiz de Fora | 3 | 7 | 18 | 54 |
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parenthesis): MajinBlxxdy, Ohio, 50 (2); Top$ide, Detroit, 49; jaydes, Florida, 48 (2); Black Kray, Virginia, 42 (2); Lilsnatched, Florida, 40; DJ RAMEMES, Volta Redonda, 35 (1); YungD1se, Outer Space, 27 (1); qua, New Jersey, 18; DJ Lycox, Paris, 14; TR SILVA, Juiz de Fora, 14; Smokingskul, Sweden, 12 (1); The Hamburger Helper SoundCloud Account from 2016, Hell, 1.
Mano Sundaresan’s Favorite YoungBoy Songs of 2022
According to my Apple Music data NBA Youngboy was my second most played artist of 2022. I haven’t lived with his music so much since probably 2017/18. His best album this year was 3800 Degrees but there’s a better 15-song compilation scattered throughout the seven projects and loose content he released. Tried to strike a balance between his singing and rapping songs but I’m def biased towards the latter. Ranked ofc.
- “Vette Motors”
- “Like A Jungle”
- “Pimpin A Bitch“
- “Fish Scale“
- “This Is Not a Song, This For My Supporters“
- “Mr. Grim Reaper”
- “Shotta Soul“
- “Thug N***a Story (feat. E-40)“
- “Slow Down“
- “Proof“
- “Act A Fool“
- Quavo & Takeoff feat. YB – “To The Bone“
- “Fresh Prince Of Utah“
- “Sport Mode“
- ILoveMakonnen feat. YB – “All My Shit Stupid”
Eli Schoop’s Top 10 YouTube archival releases of 2022
1. Red Dog – Comin Real Wit It (1995)
2. The Martian (Mike Banks) – LBH6251876 (A Red Planet Compilation) (1999)
3. Charles MINGUS – RIGHT NOW / Live At The Jazz Workshop (1964)
4. Joe Henderson – Relaxin’ At Camarillo (1981)
5. Novos Baianos – Caia na Estrada e Perigas Ver (1976)
7. Antonio José Madureira – Violão (1982)
8. Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet – Afro-Latin Soul (1966)
9. Akira Ishikawa – Bakishinba: Memories of Africa (1970)
10. Yeat Mix (1 hour with transitions)
Nigel Washington’s Favorite New Orleans Rap Songs of 2022
- Dankhead Corleone – “S.O.S”
- Rob49 – “Houston Girls”
- Flagboy Giz (The Wild Tchoupitoulas) – “We Outside”
- Lil Iceberg (feat. hellabandz Elz) – “I Love My Hoe”
- Poppy H (feat. 504icygrl & Lil Iceberg) – “Ain’t Sweet”
- 7ason Margiela – “How You Did That?”
- Curren$y & The Alchemist (feat. Boldly James) – “No Yeast”
- BlkMigo – “Vesus Christ”
- Ullo (feat. Hardhead Huncho & Lil Iceberg) – “Luv Me Now”
- Leon The God – “White on Rice”
- Rari Gliss (feat. Rådanprada & BlkMigo) – “Pullin Up”
- Bzo13 – “Came To Far”
- Teflon Deion – “#Hashtag”
- Stone Cold Jzzle (Feat Rob49) – “Flood It”
- Jameel Na’im X (feat. Don Flamingo) – “Kimjung”
- Chad Conquering Lion (NOLA tragically lost Chad this year. RIP to a Hollygrove legend) – “aDifferentWorld.“
Eden DaSilva’s Top 5 Romcoms of 2022
1) Cha Cha Real Smooth
Director/writer/actor Cooper Raif’s follow-up to his debut film Shithouse. Both fantastic. King of the 2020’s awkward quirky coming-of-age romcom.
2) About Fate
I was hesitant to watch this because I’m not the biggest Emma Roberts fan (Adult World is potentially the worst movie I’ve ever seen) but this was… really good.
3) Something From Tiffany’s
NYC Christmas romcom. Predictable, cheesy, cute. Zoey Deutch is fantastic.
4) Bros
Major studio rom-com from Judd Apatow in the year 2022 and the first scene is a guy recording a podcast. Still, this was fun to watch.
5) I Love My Dad
Debated whether or not this could be considered a romcom, as the whole premise is that he’s getting catfished by his dad. Lots of cringing but can’t look away moments. Definitely recommend.
Jack Riedy’s Avant-Giardiniera: Best of Chicago 2022
Anteloper – Pink Dolphins (RIP Jaimie Branch)
Dissonant Dessert – Absurd, Obscene
Holy Western Parallels – s/t
Honey Dijon – Black Girl Magic
I AM – Beyond
Jana Rush – Dark Humor
Jer’af – All My Friends Are Holograms
Jlin – Embryo
Kahil El’Zabar Quartet – A Time For Healing
lynyn – lexicon
Mano’s Glo Revival Playlist
Lots of rappers rapped on beats that sounded like early 2010s Chief Keef / Glo Gang, which is itself an update to Shawty Redd’s triumphant, brass-heavy sound. In November, I asked the TL where this trend might’ve originated. Nearly everyone said 4NEM, some mentioning its standout producer Akachi. Feels a bit too easy (hasn’t rap been trending back towards maximalism the last few years?) but also kinda checks out. Shoutout to Akachi, Venexxi, Bhristo, Onevictim, Royal, Reset and other producers I’m sure I’m missing. Ranked!
- Kankan feat. LUCKI – “##RR##EFG” (Jankai, Skreer & Surf)
- Specxfic feat. cheRomani+ – “School k pt 2” (onevictim)
- Summrs – “Swing Ya Pole” (Paulo, Venexxi & Mingo)
- Devstacks – “Now They Know Us // Vivienne Soulja 3” (Jayxxl, Reset)
- LUCKI – “Meet Me There” (Brent Rambo, Akachi)
- sgpwes feat. Slump6s – “Surrounded” (Glorytee)
- Tony Shhnow – “Belair” (JBAND$)
- cheRomani+ – “Hugo” (Jdolla, Venexxi)
- Rx Papi – “I Wore These Amiris All Week” (???)
- ninexteen – “never know” (Glo, Royal)
HM: RXK Nephew’s live performance of “C.A.N.D.Y.”
Jameson Orvis’s Favorite T-Shirts of 2022
This is a collection of t-shirts I’ve accumulated over the course of 2022, obtained from various online merch drops and shows in New York City. The artists whose merchandise I own are a random sampling of musicians across the digital milieu of the early 2020s digital underground. There’s no real genre or aesthetic uniting these shirts; the collection is mostly a reflection of my personal music taste. But somehow I’m a little bit proud of my little assemblage of tees, and I wonder if it could be something more. Is it possible by wearing art whose aesthetics are thoroughly enmeshed with the digital dimension which increasingly mediates so many aspects of life, we can enter into dialogue with the narratives of innovation and the inevitability of progress which shape our collective destinies? Can we begin to disentangle a celebration of the new possibilities of self-expression possible in online being, the Para-Real, while challenging the concomitant expansion of a corporate surveillance apparatus which seeks to wrest value from all traces of online being? Perhaps by wearing merch from internet artists, we can begin to move beyond online art fulfilling the economic role of “content”, the fuel for the creator economy platform imperative of perpetually increasing engagement, and instead recenter art’s role in fostering community and human joy. Or maybe it’s just a couple of shirts I bought this year.
- Surf Gang show
- Dazegxd
- Swoozydolphin (sorry swoozy I got an ink stain on it 🙁)
- Nigo Chanel / Hyperpop Daily
- Gum
- Gum
- Drain Gang show
- Goth Money Records
- Royal Brigade Co.
- Purity Filter (via Dismiss Yourself)
- Dismiss Yourself
- Duck pants I commissioned from @monolid_angel_eyes__s
Torin Clay’s Best Beats 2022 (urban surf style)
Chief Keef – “Bitch Where” (Sonickaboom, Akachi)
Veeze – “Let It Fly” (tye beats)
Drego & Beno – “Vaxuum Sealed (feat. Babytron)” (Michigan Meech)
Luh Tyler – “Jayda Wayda” (Ddotfreezing)
Eem Triplin – “LOUIE V” (Charlie Myles, Eem Triplin)
Band Gang Lonnie Bands – “No Pillow Talkin” (Come On P)
Damedot – “HELLCAT PUSSY” (Rell on the Track)
YN Jay – “Coochie Island (feat. Babyface Ray)” (Wayne616, BlueStrip)
Icewear Vezzo, Peezy, Payroll Giovanni – “The Commission” (Pablo616, Wayne616)
Future – “AFFILIATED (feat. Lil Durk)” (Akachi, TooDope, TM88)
Prince Jefe – “Venting” (Zaetheplug)
Warhol.SS – “Wake Up” (Flea Diamonds)
Cashcache!, Tony Shhnow – “real runtz” (Cashcache!)
Lulrose, Izaya Tiji – “Jus my mood” (Lulrose)
65 CENT/GAWD – “intro” (CETTI, HOODRIXH)
454 – “8TEEN” (454)
Homixide Gang – “Snotty Rock!” (brokeboyishy)
Ken Carson – “The End” (starboy, Outtatown)
Vayda, Ziggy Waters – “MORE THAN FRIENDS” (Ziggy Waters)
Atl Smook – “Maxfield” (Dynox, RAFMADE)
42 Dugg, EST Gee – “Everybody Shooters Too” (Enrgy)
Band Gang Lonnie Bands – “Need Ppl Like Me” (Come On P)
ICYTWAT – “Siddhi Girl” (KLOUDBWWOY)
Babyface Ray – “Sincerely Face” (Flea Diamonds)
RioRidgeVonte, swoozydolphin, NoGum Hundo, SaksFifthAnt – “I Remember” (RioRidgeVonte, swoozydolphin)
Kieran Press-Reynolds’s favorite internet moments/trends/unhinged shitposts in 2022
This YouTuber tricked Spotify and half a million people into thinking he was Harry Styles
Milwaukee Public Library
iCarly collabs with Minions
McDonald’s fish filet exposed as a fraud
The TikTok subculture of people being cracked at Anagrams
KP Parker’s impressions skits
Whatever the hell this is
Finding out about Fulcrum
TikTok’s dumpster diving scene
Spiderman crowd reaction gets plastered on everything you can think of
iShowSpeed discovers dariacore and TwerkNation28
The iconic “Out the way” dance duo and that moment they converged into one spirit
This “Reality Surf” cat video
Jude Noel’s Favorite 5th Wave Emo Records
Salem’s Corydalis – Salem’s Corydalis
un llamado desde el cielo – bud
Various Artists – Our Little Trains
Goth Lipstick – I paint you, I paint you, I paint you
mil ataris per segundo – corazón
The Civil War in France – Where’d Everyone Go?
hey, ily – psychokinetic love songs
mis sueños son de tu adiós – compilation ‘20/21plague skater – psep
Akash Pandey’s 10 favorite Latin trap / Reggaeton / Dembow tracks of 2022 not by Bad Bunny or Rosalia
1. Chucky73 – “Apaguen“
2. FMK, Maria Becerra – “Tranquila“
3. El Alfa, Farina – “Bendecido“
4. Jhayco, Feid, Sech – “En La De Ella“
5. Mora, Sech – “TUS LAGRIMAS“
6. Farina – “La Torta“
7. Karol G, Maldy – “GATUBELA“
8. Quevedo – “Bzrp Music Session, Vol. 52“
9. Tokischa, Anuel AA, Nengo Flow – “Delincuente“
10. Rauw Alejandro, Playero – “DE CAROLINA“
H.D. Angel’s ten random things on her USB/in her head from the year she started learning to DJ
- Nick León ft. DJ Babatr – “Xtasis” [TraTraTrax, 2022]
- Tyree ft. Chic – “I Fear the Night” [Underground, 1986]
- Sunship / Alyssa Reid ft. Jump Smokers – “Alone Again (Sunship Mix)” [Ultra Records, 2011]
- Aquarian – “Delicious Intent” [Dekmantel, 2022]
- B Goodie – “Shiz” [self-released, 2022]
- Stayshon 2 Stayshon – “My, My, My (Dance Naked 2 My Dub)” [Kanduet, 1991]
- Sidirum & Quixosis – “Paseo del Tiempo” [Nomade, 2018]
- Pangaea – “Fuzzy Logic” [Hessle Audio, 2022]
- MoMA Ready – “An Exorcism” [HAUS of Altr, 2020]
- quinn – “4u” [self-released, 2022]
Josh Svetz’s 10 Times This Year BabyFace Ray Proved He Was The Coolest Rapper Alive
Age ruins everyone, especially in rap. This year, one of the coolest rappers to ever grace this planet, Snoop D-O double G finally fell into old headisms. From lame commercials with Andy Samberg to peddling NFTs and uninspired bars, Snoop finally lost the title of coolest rapper alive, what a run though. Now, a new king has emerged, and he happens to hail from Detroit. Over the course of 2022, Babyface Ray’s laid back slick shit talk captured the attention of the masses. But his persona on the mic seemed to carry over in real life, becoming one of the few breakout artists who maintained the style they rose to prominence with despite major label tinkering.
In a year of spon-con, corny collabs, FIFA shilling and McDonalds marketing, Babyface Ray found a way to keep it real while still securing the bag. So here’s why he’s perched on the throne as the coolest muthafucka on the planet.
- Making a song with Yung Lean
- Interviewing Babyface (Word to the chief mediator Grant Rindner)
- Posing for the most disinterested court side picture ever
- Juxtaposing a heartfelt thank you to Billboard with a photo that makes him look like he would rather be anywhere but here.
- Citing Bow Wow as the first rapper that made him want to try it, while also taking shots at anyone who denies his influence.
- Describing his album MOB as a “book of life”
- Going out of his way to shoutout the music he’s listening to from young artists
- Dropping a hot 16 during his interview with Complex
Bonus round, seven of his coolest bars:
- “I’m in the Rafs without the laces, but it’s shoestrings on my TEC/I keep that Styro’ in my right, but I spilled blue cheese on my left.” – “Mob”
- “I’m so motherfuckin’ up, I should send my kids to Donda.” – “Brand New Benz”
- “Look at my pockets, fat like Cartman, bitch, I’m probably who killed Kenny. – “Massacre”
- Sorry, but I’m fuckin’ fans, bad bitches keep taggin’ me/Old n****s, they’re sending threats to me ’cause they ain’t next to me/Bitch n****s, they think I owe them something but ain’t invest in me/They keep on talking twenty K, decline respectfully.” – “Rap Politics”
- “Man, the money counter still ain’t fast as me.” – “6 Mile Show”
- “I’ma pull a Benz to heaven gates.” – “Go Yard”
- “Treat ’em like Air 1s, rock ’em once and then I’m done.” – “Richard Flair
Olivier Lafontant’s Songs That Made Him Feel Something
- billy woods – “Asylum“
I’ve only ever been startled by a piece of music a few times in my life, but my introduction to billy woods through “Asylum” was simultaneously bone-chilling and perplexing. woods propels himself into the role of the impassive first-person narrator, tactfully detailing the textures and hues of the walls closing in on him. The horn that comes in behind the chorus is timed masterfully. Drive to this song at night.
- Bladee & Ecco2k – “Desire Is A Trap“
- Deadharrie – “Tower“
- Helvetia – “No More It Stop“
Best guitar riff ever for when you need to get out of bed and clean your room for real this time.
- Highway – “By Myself” (featuring Destroy Lonely)
- Horsegirl – “Homage to Birdnoculars“
- Ken Carson – “Freestyle 1 & Freestyle 2“
- Lucki – “Good Memories“
- Omar Apollo – “Petrified“
This shit made me cry profusely, I have nothing else to say.
- Rachika Nayar – “Our Wretched Fantasy“
A really tender collection of pearlescent chimes that seep into your pores like lotion. If heaven had a waiting room, this would play softly in the background.
- Yeat – “Rollin“
There were like five Yeat tracks I was stuck between for this list, but “Rollin” definitely sounds like the most fun he’s had on a song this year. As somebody who’s still tryna move out of his parents’ crib, I’m still shouting the hook word for word.
- Yung Lean – “Waterfall“
Billie Bugara’s Top 5 Wines She Had In 2022
- Fourcas Dupre (Merlot, 2012)
- Molino del Piano (Brunello di Montalcino, 2015)
- Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Charmottes (Pinot Noir, 2018)
- Nerantzi ‘Rissos’ PGI Serres (Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, 2013)
- Rossj Bass (Chardonnay, 2018)
Vasant Sundaresan’s Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2022
Makaya McCraven – In These Times (transcendental jazz)
Julian Lage – View With A Room (contemporary jazz)
Clams Casino, Jazztronik – Winter Flower Reimagined (ambient)
Robohands – Violet (psychedelic)
Dorian Concept – What We Do For Others (electronic)
Dnksaus – Plastic Brain (glitch hop)
Thelonious Martin – We’ll Be Right Back (beat music)
iblss – raja’s sun (warm n fuzzy)
Kenny Beats – LOUIE (hihat god)
Keeth – Healing (fresh funk)
Vivian Medithi’s Scents + Songs 2022
Nomenclature – Wood Dew // Strawberry (Singin’ Club Remix) – Doss
Zoologist – Bat // Superstar – Pi’erre Bourne
Frederic Malle – Synthetic Jungle // SOARIN – Destroy Lonely
Bond No. 9 – Nuits de Noho // Cloudy – Daphni
DS & Durga – Bowmakers // HIGHWAY TO YOUR HEART – Lykke Li
Nasomatto – Nudiflorum // Everything New – Yung Kayo feat. Gunna
Fuck yeah fifth wave emo. Here’s a playlist I made if u want to get into it, pls lmk who/what should be on there
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3spZCHdoGC6dYqh2yfnOfH?si=Z9fmSGOyQkiywvyci-O33Q