According to Alex Roberts, Fader’s editorial director, the albums on this list were bold and beat-driven, and some came from major label stars.
“It’s tempting to look at 2022 as the year great music returned, glittering and triumphant, from lockdown-enforced misery. Squint hard enough and you might even see its outline in the silhouettes of megastars: Beyoncé beckoning fans back to the dancefloor, Harry Styles opening the doors to his carefully curated house,” he said.
Further explaining the selections, he said: “Bad Bunny’s endless summer. But the truth is that this was a messier year. Some of our favorite albums this year were bold and beat-driven, and some came from major label stars. But just as many were intricate, reflective, or confounding, at odds with the mainstream narrative. Independent artists continued to release ambitious projects and go out on tour despite an inhospitable industry, and too many weren’t able to do either. So, as ever, many of The FADER’s favorite albums don’t reflect their times; they exist in spite of them.”
The end-of-year list featured Black Sheriff’s debut album, “The Villain I Never Was,” in the 49th position, while Omah Lay’s “Boy Alone” was in the 29th position.
With “Mr. Money With The Vibe,” Asake was placed at 18th position with his masterful blend of Fuji, Afrobeats and Amapiano.
The Fader is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
