Face the Music: 2022 albums in review

By Kiara Zabala Outreach and Recruitment

2022 gave us more music than we knew what to do with. It seemed as if every day another artist was dropping some album.

The new year means changes will occur, whether we like it or not. Some are small, little things out of our control, and sometimes, we choose to move mountains and make change take place. This past year, for me personally, I went through a lot. I went through a hard breakup, with both my partner and my friend group.

When looking at my top 10 list of albums, I realized I had picked the ones that helped me get through the hard times: albums that had been there for me as I got comfortable with being alone. Because, although people are not always permanently in your life, music never really leaves you. Even when you turn it off, it still is there, playing in your head.

Overall, this list was a very difficult decision I had to make. My list went from well over 50 albums, then down to 29, and now it is at my top 10 for the past year

So, here are my top 5 albums for 2022 that helped me get through all the heartbreak and changes the year brought.

5. “HOLY FVCK” by Demi Lovato

Lovato made this album out of spite. That is the tone for the entire album. This album was meant to be listened to when you’re angry. Anger is a huge part of the healing process. You are allowed to be angry: it is a normal human reaction. This album is a great one to either scream the lyrics to or blast as loud as your speakers will go as you drive 75 miles down the freeway

Album cover, “HOLY FVCK,” from Lovato’s official Twitter.

4. “Special” by Lizzo

This is an album all about reminding yourself that you are absolutely killing it. Sometimes, healing is a hard thing to do. Listening to this album reminded me that I can do anything I put my mind to. That people who lose me are the ones missing out. Plus, it also is an amazing album to listen to while working out. Lizzo reminds us all that a little bit of confidence goes a long way. As long as we believe we are the “baddest,” we will be the “baddest.” It is a mentality that we are manifesting.

Album cover, “Special,” from Lizzo’s official Twitter,

3. “Midnights” by Taylor Swift

This is an album all about reflecting on who you are and where you have been. In order to move forward, you have to look back at the past and address it. Not necessarily fix it, but realize that all that happened to you will follow you. This album is about understanding that everything you do has made you to be the person you are today, for the better.

Album cover, “Midnights,” from Swift’s official Twitter.

2. “Harry’s House” by Harry Styles Styles gives us an album that is heartbreaking and longing, all around. This album doesn’t just dive into wanting to be with a person despite the odds that are set up against you both, it also deals with childhood trauma, that, if left unfixed, can cause more problems for you down the road. This album addresses how all your trauma may build a tower over you, but you must fight against it and rise above it. No matter how intense the pain may be, you will make it out alive. This album rips you in two, but tells you it all will be okay in the end.

Album cover, “Harry’s House,” from Styles’s official Twitter.

1. “Faith in the Future” by Louis Tomlinson

Of course, my top album is by Louis Tomlinson. He has been my top artist for as long as I can remember, but this album is my number one because it was released when I needed it most. Tomlinson gives us a vulnerable album about learning to love someone from afar- until the feelings fade completely. Tomlinson doesn’t tell you to rush into letting them go, but to let the feelings fade gradually; that there is no rush in letting love go. This album also normalizes still wishing the person who hurt you off with the best intentions, which is not a common thread you see in music. Tomlinson also writes numerous songs where he realizes the love he had for the person was real and true, just not necessarily made for him. This album is the end of the healing process. This album was made to be listened to when it finally doesn’t hurt to say goodbye to that person, when you can finally block them on everything and not feel bad about it anymore.

Album cover, “Faith in the Future,” from Tomlinson’s official Twitter.

2022 was full of new experiences that I didn’t know how to cope with on my own. This is why I turned to the music these artists produced. These albums filled the void that people left empty. Although these artists may not be making music forever, the music they release will always be around.

These albums will always have a special place in my heart, reminding me of how they helped me be comfortable with being alone with myself. To read about my other top 5 albums, visit The Runner Online.