“So… much… music!” Such were the words uttered by ReGen Magazine editor-in-chief Ilker Yücel when the very prospect of assembling another list of the last year’s top albums had arisen. Still, succumbing to an innate masochism, and now with an oddly willing and enthusiastic contingent of opinionated minions to provide assistance… well, it was no less arduous a task. But all flippancy aside, the plethora of music that is being created now demonstrates the unmitigated power of this particular artform to thrive in the most dire circumstances; sure, the pandemic seems to have tapered off, but its lasting effects on our health – physical, mental, societal, economical – is quite palpable. Tours and festivals returned, revealing the potent desire of the masses to experience music in the live environment again, while also exhibiting the painful realities of our world in distress. Of course, debates about the true extent of causes and consequences would likely be more divisive than informative, not to mention that it would distract from the key point to be made here: the world thrives on music. Can it be said that more music is being made and shared now than ever at any point in our history? Oh yes, and we here at ReGen could not be happier about that.
So, here we present to you, ReGen Magazine‘s “Top 50 Albums of 2022,” as selected by all of the publication’s active staff members. As was the case in 2021, there was simply no possibility of relegating the list to a mere 20, nor would we dare to suggest that even these 50 alone are all the past year had to offer; rather, this listing is simply that sampling of albums that ReGen considers to have been exceptional releases in 2022. Nevertheless, it must be stressed that none of these entries are a ranking of merit or aesthetic quality… this is not a competition, but simply a showcase of those artists and albums worthy of attention and praise.
To any artists who may be displeased by your number placement, rest assured that it doesn’t mean we think your album was better than the one below you or worse than the one above you. All 50 of you are stars in our eyes, shiningly brilliantly!
We hope that you enjoy ReGen Magazine‘s “Top 50 Albums of 2022.”
Of course, what would such a listing be without a few honorable mentions? As mentioned, narrowing down the list to 50 was not easy, and there were plenty of albums and artists with releases in 2022 that could also be counted among the best of the year. One such item would be ADULT., whose Becoming Undone was a prime example of the current wave of electro/punk, hearkening back to the early days of the genre, pushing forward into new fusions of sonic decay and aggression. The same could be said of the incomparable Mona Mur with her Snake Island album, a darkly melodic refinement of the brazen proto-industrial sound of her early years, or Stephen Mallinder with his tick tick tick album, demonstrating the same pioneering spirit he displayed with Cabaret Voltaire, updated for the modern era. Industrialized rock and metal gems like Derision Cult’s Mercenary Notes Pt. 1, Dread Risks’ Automated Disappointment, or Cult Hypnotica by longstanding coldwave manglers The Clay People, along with the emotive yet crushing ambient soundscapes of The Allegorist’s Blind Emperor or Zola Jesus’ Arkhon also stood out, as well as the legendary Chris Connelly paying tribute to the trailblazing majesty of Nico on his Eulogy to Christa. Darkher gave us the doom-laden The Buried Storm, Night Terrors plunged us into post-vaporwave industrial mayhem on Zenith, while Danny Elfman and HEALTH redefined their music with collaborative remix albums Bigger. Messier. and DISCO4 :: Part II, respectively.
We could go on, but we have 2023 to look forward to now, and there promises to be much more to behold and enjoy. ReGen extends its gratitude to all of you reading this; we hope you’ve enjoyed our “Top 50 Albums of 2022,” and that you’ll stick with us as we do our best to “ReGenerate Your Minds.”
Ilker Yücel (Ilker81x)
ReGen Magazine Staff