Best Songs of 2022: The Crew Decides
Some members of Shatter the Standards pick their best songs of the year.
When it comes to 2022, if you’re looking at it from the mainstream perspective, you may think it isn’t vital. But beyond what you see and hear, it is one of the better years. We’ve listened to hundreds of albums, so it’s hard to choose our best song from that period; it’s just to show how dope the year was for R&B and hip-hop.
Check out some of our favorite songs of 2022 below.
Kendrick Lamar — The Heart Part 5
With each new The Heart series, fans get an update on Kendrick Lamar's current situation and a chance to clear their palates in anticipation of his future endeavors. The meta tendencies in Part 5 are more pronounced than in previous installments. Lamar mumbles over the recorded groovy piano stabs and shuffling bongos from Marvin Gaye's I Want You, "As I get a little older, I realize life is perspective. And my perspective may differ from yours.” His thoughts and feelings range from sadness over the prevalence of drugs in our culture to recollections of playing in Argentina on the night of the death of California rapper Nipsey Hussle. In the third stanza, Lamar assumes Nipsey's voice, speculating on his thoughts at the time of his death and assuring his loved ones and brother Blacc Sam that he is looking over them. It's a dramatic and eerie climax. — Brandon O’Sullivan
Tank and the Bangas — No ID
Tank and the Bangas’ repertoire usually has a banger or two. They seem to have a whole album's worth of material ready to release from their headquarters in New Orleans. Tank and the Bangas' No ID evokes '80s boogie vibes while vocalist Tarriona "Tank" Ball sets down the prerequisites for getting to know her better. The music video transports us to a retro warehouse dance party in the band's hometown of New Orleans, complete with glitter, roller skates, and a good-time atmosphere. The Bangas had a blast with their pals and created a picture of an incredible time we all wish we could have shared with them. — Jamila Wamuiru
Durand Bernarr — Lil Bit
Durand puts his own I-said-what-I-said twist on it, making Lil Bit a funny and brilliant satire on the role that looks play in love engagements. As he goes through an unchanging world, he is not afraid to be direct and unapologetic about his wants and needs. — Reginald Marcel
Beyoncé — CHURCH GIRL
The first moments of CHURCH GIRL are soothing and unhurried. Suddenly, however, the song changes meters, the tempo picks up, and Beyoncé's voice becomes more assertive, luring us in. She passionately belts a song on the paradox of being both pure and wicked. She talks about pious young women who get into trouble when they let their hair down. Beyoncé's voice is an irresistible force, and she consistently gives a spectacular performance. Here, she shows that she is as elegant and forceful as she has ever been and employs various vocal techniques to astound us. — Charlotte Alessandra Rochel
Nas — Legit
The stunning soul sample in Legit comes from the 1991 film The Five Heartbeats, which follows a made-up Motown-style singing quartet. While coaching other musicians, Nas talks about how far he's gone from his childhood in the Queensbridge Houses initiative. The sample and allusions suggest a distinct, sadder musical journey to The Five Heartbeats, which Nas warns listeners to avoid. Is there a heart in the house? Let me know! — Imani Raven
Sudan Archives — Home Maker
Brittney Parks, a violinist, and vocalist who performs under the moniker Sudan Archives, creates music that blends electronic and R&B sounds with hypnotic string loops to create compositions that move and evolve with subtle grace. The reflective, contemplative Home Maker celebrates the joy and strength of domesticity, depicting the mundane task of cooking and cleaning as if it were taking place in a dreamy, romantic cottage against a humming synth. Because building a home with another person may help restore confidence, Parks encourages her partner to let their guard down whenever they're with her. The allure sees Parks’ ability to make any aesthetic her own she creates in her imagined domestic setting. — LeMarcus Dontrell
NxWorries — Where I Go (feat. H.E.R.)
Everything Anderson .Paak does have a certain flair because of him. His dedication to his craft is undeniable, and it was well worth the wait to have him rejoin Knxwledge. The production is chill and well-balanced, but the sitars are the song's shining moment. The catchy chorus is what first grabbed my attention. H.E.R., too, gave a superb performance that was perfectly in tune with the song's mood. At first, I was concerned that she might attempt to do too much of her own thing and change the song's direction, but she works very well here. — Harry Percy Brown
Steve Lacy — Helmet
Although Helmet is a groovy diversion from Lacy's post-breakup melancholy, it also plants the idea that Lacy may be an unreliable narrator. Despite his best efforts to appear like nothing has changed after they broke up, his first inclination whenever Lacy feels sad is to seek comfort from this person. Thanks to its upbeat guitar strums and ominous lyrics, Helmet stands out among Gemini Rights' songs. — Oliver Ivan Martin