{"id":165008,"date":"2022-12-22T07:50:03","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T07:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/beyonce-harry-styles-sza-kendrick-lamar-the-hollywood-reporter\/"},"modified":"2022-12-22T07:50:03","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T07:50:03","slug":"beyonce-harry-styles-sza-kendrick-lamar-the-hollywood-reporter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/beyonce-harry-styles-sza-kendrick-lamar-the-hollywood-reporter\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyonce, Harry Styles, SZA, Kendrick Lamar \u2013 The Hollywood Reporter"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\tAs a music critic, it’s important to listen to as much music as possible. Play your favorites, but also discover new artists. Randomly select an album and give it a try. Check out recommendations from family, friends and folks on social media. Give that album you didn’t love another try.<\/p>\n

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\tStill, we like what we like, and music is subjective. With that said, here’s my list of the top albums of 2022! <\/p>\n

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\tone. Beyonce, Renaissance<\/em><\/strong>
Listening to Beyonc\u00e9’s Renaissance<\/em> is like watching and rewatching that epic TV series or film \u2014 the discovery is endless, and there is so much to unpack. The lyrics are catchy and confident, the beats are bouncy and brilliant and her vocal range is impeccable, going from fluttery coos on \u201cVirgo’s Groove\u201d to soft and sensual on \u201cPlastic Off the Sofa\u201d to assertive shit-talking throughout the 16-track dance escapade. On the futuristic \u201cAlien Superstar,\u201d the pop icon says it best: \u201cCategory: bad bitch, I’m the bar.\u201d I don’t see the lie.<\/p>\n

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\t2. SZA, SOS<\/em><\/strong>
Christmas came early for SZA stans across the world \u2014 including me \u2014 when she finally decided to release her highly anticipated sophomore album this December, more than five years after her game-changing debut, Ctrl<\/em>. In between albums she sprinkled savory singles to satisfy our appetites, but we were all waiting for the full meal. And SZA is served. Though the tracklist is long AF and it initially raised my anxiety, SOS<\/em> is extremely fulfilling, with some of the best bites being \u201cKill Bill,\u201d \u201cSnooze,\u201d \u201cNobody Gets Me,\u201d \u201cBlind,\u201d \u201cToo Late,\u201d \u201cGone Girl\u201d and \u201cLove Language.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t3. Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers<\/em><\/strong>
Music’s best lyricist and storyteller does it again. On his first studio album since winning the Pulitzer Prize for music for 2017’s DAMN<\/em>, Kendrick Lamar continues to peel back layers and reach new heights, tackling issues such as childhood trauma, sexuality, social media, the Black experience and more. His sharp lyrics and the soul production are the highlight, but so are the meaningful collaborations. Ghostface Killah shows up at the right time on \u201cPurple Hearts,\u201d where Summer Walker gets a chance to shine. Taylour Paige partners with Lamar on the poignant spoken word track \u201cWe Cry Together,\u201d and Blxst and Amanda Reifer team up with him to make fire R&B with \u201cDie Hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t4. Ella Mai, Heart on My Sleeve<\/em><\/strong>
If there’s an album that deserves more attention this year, it’s Ella Mai’s sophomore effort, Heart on My Sleeve<\/em>. It’s a flawless record showcasing Mai’s vulnerability and voice, and on each song she perfectly emotes the lyrics without overdoing it. It sounds effortless but it’s purposeful \u2014 she’s just that talented. Some of the standouts: \u201cDFMU,\u201d \u201cPieces,\u201d \u201cDidn’t Say,\u201d \u201cHow,\u201d \u201cTrying,\u201d \u201cFeels Like,\u201d \u201cLeave You Alone\u201d and \u201cA Mess,\u201d a first-rate duet with Lucky Daye.<\/p>\n

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\t5. Harry Styles, Harry’s House<\/em><\/strong>
A perfect pop album. Period.<\/p>\n

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\t6. FKA Twigs, CAPRISONGS<\/em><\/strong>
FKA twigs taps into new sounds like reggae and Afrobeats \u2014 blended with her signature mix of alternative, electronic and R&B tones \u2014 to create a batch of bops like \u201cpapi bones,\u201d \u201coh my love,\u201d \u201cjealousy\u201d and \u201cdarjeeling\u201d that are sexy, sweaty and stunning. <\/p>\n

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\t7. Pusha T, It’s Almost Dry<\/em><\/strong>
Kanye West’s 2022 was trash and his only proud moment might be the grand songs he produced on Pusha T’s exceptional album, It’s Almost Dry<\/em>. But ‘Ye didn’t do it alone: \u200b\u200bPharrell produced more than half of the album. But at the center of all its greatness: Pusha and his pen.<\/p>\n

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\t8. babyface, Girls’ Night Out<\/em><\/strong>
After writing some of the greatest songs of all-time for female artists, from Whitney Houston to Toni Braxton to TLC, Babyface calls on the rising new class of female R&B singers like Kehlani, Ella Mai and Ari Lennox to collaborate on a superb album that is both contemporary and classic.<\/p>\n

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\t9. Ari Lennox age\/sex\/location<\/em><\/strong>
The songstress hits all the right notes on her sophomore album, giving us everything from steamy R&B (\u201cLeak It\u201d) to clever wordplay (\u201cOutside\u201d) to groovy fun (\u201cPressure\u201d). This is neo-soul music at its finest.<\/p>\n

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\t10. Omar Apollo, ivory<\/em><\/strong>
A genre-less debut album that doesn’t miss a beat. There are experimental R&B flavors and alternative feels throughout the 16-track set. On one song, he’s giving off singer-songwriter vibes; on another he’s a Latin crooner. In the end, it’s just really, really, really good music.<\/p>\n

\n\tHonorable mentions:<\/strong> bad bunny, Flour Verano Sin Ti<\/em>; Brent Faiyaz, Wasteland<\/em>; Carly Rae Jepsen The Loneliest Time<\/em>; Muni Long, Public Displays of Affection: The Album<\/em>; Rosalia, motorhome<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n