This page contains my lists and statistics for 2022. I officially retired the top artist list but who knows, maybe it will come back next year.
The 30 Best Studio/Live Albums I Listened to this Year:
I divided 100 points amongst my top ten. As with last year, this reveals a runaway winner for the year and though The Gilded Palace of Sin beats London Calling in a head-to-head, this year runs deeper than last year. Nevertheless, punk rock, new wave, and post-punk dominate the list. Only three albums from the top ten didn't come from the punk era.
1. The Clash: London Calling (1979) 17
2. Jerry Lee Lewis: Another Place, Another Time (1968) 13
7. John Mellencamp: Scarecrow (1985) 7
8. Lou Reed: The Blue Mask (1982) 6
9. Ramones: Ramones (1976) 6
10. Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) 6
9. Ramones: Ramones (1976) 6
10. Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (1977) 6
11. Muddy Waters: Folk Singer (1956)
12. The Clash: Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
13. Sly and the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
14. Lou Reed and John Cale: Songs for Drella (1990)
15. Jerry Lee Lewis: She Stills Comes Around (1969)
16. The Clash: Sandinista! (1980)
17. Brian Eno: Another Green World (1975)
18. Blondie: Parallel Lines (1978)
19. Wire: Chairs Missing (1978)
20. Talking Heads: Talking Heads: 77 (1977)
21. Lou Reed: New York (1989)
22. Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)
23. Ramones: Leave Home (1977)
24. John Mellencamp: The Lonesome Jubilee (1987)
25. George Harrison: All Things Must Pass (1970)
26. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965)
27. Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (1969)
28. Roxy Music: Country Life (1974)
29. The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle (1968)
30. Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
Honorable Mentions:
I know 30 studio album recommendations is already pushing it but keep humoring me. Because I didn't get as much re-listening time at the end of the year as usual, some of these may have made the list if I simply had time to check them out. Some of them are extra albums from artists who already appeared three times on the album list.
Ramones's Rocket to Russia, Road to Ruin
John Mellencamp's Uh-Huh!, Rough Harvest, Human Wheels, Simply a One-Eyed Jack
Dusty Springfield's Stay Awhile/I Only Wanna Be with You
The Animals's The Animals
The Mama and the Papa's If You Can Believe Your Eyes
Sly and the Family Stone's Fresh
Lou Reed's Coney Island Baby
Leonard Cohen's You Want It Darker
Brian Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets
Overrated Albums I Covered this Year:
Ah yes, time to get offended.
Lou Reed's Transformer, Berlin
Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything?
Paul McCartney's Ram
Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes, Mott
Van Morrison's Astral Weeks
T. Rex's Electric Warrior, The Slider
Deep Purple's Deep Purple in Rock, Machine Head
James Taylor's Sweet Baby James
The 15 Best Compilations I Listened to this Year:
Unfortunately, my regular listening of old country and blues music fell off around the end of summer but I still got a pretty good list in. I plan to get back into the groove of dusting off old compilations like these in 2023 because it's one of my greatest joys.1. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: The Essential Bob Wills 1935-1947 (1992)
2. Jimmie Rodgers: Essential Jimmie Rodgers (1997)
3. Muddy Waters: His Best: 1947 to 1955 (1997)
4. The Carter Family: RCA Country Legends (2002)
5. Hank Snow: The Essential Hank Snow (1997)
6. Roy Acuff: Columbia Historic Edition (1985)
7. The Delmore Brothers: 16 All Time Favorites (1958)
8. John Lee Hooker: The Legendary Modern Recordings (1993)
9. Lefty Frizzell: Look What Thoughts Will Do (1991)
10. Roy Acuff: The Essential Roy Acuff 1936-1949 (1992)
11. Bill Monroe: RCA Country Legends (2002)
12. Gene Autry: Blues Singer (1929-1931): Booger Rooger Saturday (1996)
13. Muddy Waters: His Best: 1956 to 1964 (1997)
14. Bill Monroe: The Essential Bill Monroe (1945-1949) (1992)
15. Roy Rodgers: Country Music Hall of Fame Series (1992)
Statistics for 2022:
Total Albums: 211
The grades I gave:
A+: 6 (2.84%)
A: 16 (7.58%)
A-: 31 (14.69%)
B+: 28 (13.27%)
B: 42 (19.91%)
B-: 36 (17.06%)
C+: 21 (9.95%)
C: 18 (8.53%)
C-: 8 (3.79%)
D+: 1 (0.47%)
Not graded yet: 4 (1.90%)
A: 16 (7.58%)
A-: 31 (14.69%)
B+: 28 (13.27%)
B: 42 (19.91%)
B-: 36 (17.06%)
C+: 21 (9.95%)
C: 18 (8.53%)
C-: 8 (3.79%)
D+: 1 (0.47%)
Not graded yet: 4 (1.90%)
The decades the albums came from:
1950s: 2 (0.94%)
1960s: 40 (18.96%)
1960s: 40 (18.96%)
1970s: 90 (42.65%)
1980s: 34 (16.11%)
1990s: 24 (11.37%)
2000s: 11 (5.21%)
1980s: 34 (16.11%)
1990s: 24 (11.37%)
2000s: 11 (5.21%)
2010s: 5 (2.37%)
2020s: 3 (1.42%)
Artists I'm Most Anticipating in 2023:
Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Lightin Hopkins, BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens
