It’s year end which means it’s time to roundup the best songs from the last 12 months – sure, most people just rely on Spotify Wrapped to tell them what they listened to most across the year but is that really representative of what you liked the best? For me, whilst it does give some indicators, overall no, because sometimes I’ll listen to one song on repeat for three days and never want to hear it again.

I’ve been doing these annual roundups for a few years now and I’ll begin this one by saying it will be my least comprehensive in terms of how much time I’ve actually spent with new music this year. I started a new job back in May which really pulled back the amount of focus I could give to all the new songs that were released week in week out, so there’s a lot which has fallen through my usually rigorous net. I really, really tried to catch up but I think it’s time to let that one go. You can still find my weekly/monthly playlists over on the playlists page, but I simply do not have the time to write about them.

Even from my limited perspective I think it has been an excellent year for music – there are some definite standout artists and some fantastic songs to choose from. It has, however, been the first time in a while when I found it difficult to settle on a song that I really felt was the best of the best to come out this year – there were a lot of contenders, but there wasn’t one obvious track that stood out above all the others. I still, naturally, chose one, but I think there’s a good case for a many of the songs that reached my top 10 this year to have taken that highest accolade, check back in a few months to see if I stand by my decision.

My annual note: every single song on this list was chosen because of the impact it had in my life at some point throughout the year. The act of ranking these songs is ridiculous to me because every single song on this list is an 8/10 or higher to me, and so some of these decisions ranking decisions were on a whim and a song that is sitting at number 75 one day might be in the top 20 the next. If you follow pop music in any way, there’s going to be some things here you probably know, probably some predictable tracks near the top end, but I hope that there will be some songs you missed in here too.

As I did last year, I’ve marked with a little asterisk next to songs which received less than 10 million streams on Spotify, just as a point of interest.

Here are some links

• Spotify Playlist for Iainsight’s Top 100 songs form 2022
• My substack where I have previously endeavoured to do weekly or monthly music roundups
• All of my playlists of all the new music from every week/month
• Last year’s Top 100

Alright, I think that’s everything, so lets get down to it shall we?

100. Jiggle Jiggle by Jason Derulo, Duke & Jones & Louis Theroux

If you are remotely online you cannot say that there is not at least one day this year when Louis Theroux rapping ‘my money don’t jiggle jiggle’ wasn’t reverberating around your head. Controversial to include the Jason Derulo version as my pick? Perhaps, but it’s a decision I stand by.

99. Free by Florence + The Machine

Don’t think there’s been a properly good song from Florence in ages so it was good to hear one I actively enjoy come out – feels a bit more in the realm of that forest sprite folk pop that I’ve been missing from her, plus Jack Antonoff has got an unquestionable grip on what I think is good so his production credit definitely played a role here.

98. It Gets Dark by Sigrid*

I don’t think Sigrid’s second album was anywhere close to her debut – but this glistening, soaring tune had me feeling like some kind of astronaut.

97. Anyone For You by George Ezra

Saw big George twice this year, sure his lyrics feel a little more dumbed down with every record, but he sure does right a good cheerful hook doesn’t he?

96. Apartment Complex on the East Side by Dylan Fraser*

Riding on the back of his excellent Nightmare last year that was a firm favourite of 2021, Aparment Complex felt like a natural continuation of Fraser’s sprawling Killers-Esq indie-rock anthemia, and I was certainly here for it.

95. hate to be you by Lexi Jayde*

Jayde really draws you in with that loose and lazy melody before turning out one of the most lyrically brutal opening verses of 2022: “You promised me that/You’d marry me and/We’d have a house in the hills with five kids and a dog/If that was true then/Why’d you sleep with my fucking best friend/And lie to me and your mom?” – absolutely savage.

94. Boy’s Don’t Cry by Anitta

I wasn’t eventually huge on the Anitta record, I can see the intent on her crack at the global market though and this leading single in the vein of The Weeknd certainly landed back in January. What a rush.

93. NOT AGAIN by Jenna Raine*

This song is, melodically, the sun after the rain.

92. Hot Killer by Julia Wolf*

We have Billie Eilish’s debut record, I think,  to thank for the emergence of the grotesque – and though I would like it to evolve into a more realised Halloween-friendly genre, I’ll settle for villain-tinged lyric as found on Hot Killer, my favourite being the fanfic-nodding “Team Draco, born into Slytherin”.

91. luv starved by GAYLE*

I get that GAYLE is kind of a joke now, the response to her Grammy nomination for that alphabet song was less than friendly, but I really do hope it settles down because she just has *something* I would like to hear more of. Everything else she put out this year I thoroughly enjoyed, including my top pick luv starved for its huge chorus and the softened out final 20 seconds that really show off how good she can be with a little space.

90. Take It or Leave It by Aleyna Tilki*

A banger. The chorus on this one was in my head for weeks this year.

89. Light Switch by Charlie Puth

I know, the lead in time with all his little reels/tiktoks was excruciatingly long and it absolutely ruined any chance of enjoying the album, but this was a bonified banger, no?

88. Crazy What Love Can Do by David Guetta, Becky Hill + Ella Henderson

Can’t believe it took this long for Hill + Henderson to do a song together, a 10/10 banger.

87. Can You Afford To Lose Me? by Holly Humberstone*

It was very funny seeing Humberstone live this year, she’s got a fantastic vocal but the real highlight of the gig was when she spoke about how her sister was going through a hard time and so rather than try to emotionally engage with her she just -wrote a song about it- and then I assume presented it to her? Anyway, this wasn’t that song, but it is quite good isn’t it?

86. ay! (feat. Lil Wayne) by Machine Gun Kelly

Shamelessly a MGK fan, album two into his pop punk era and he’s just picking up steam. This was a real high point for me.

85. American Teenager by Ethel Cain*

Being so caught up in so many other things I came very late to this song (one week ago in fact) but I can absolutely see why everyone loves it (it’s just big song really) and I expect to be listening to this a lot in 2023. UPDATE: This song should be much, much higher.

84. When You’re Gone by Shawn Mendes

The thing about Shawn Mendes is that he’s just incredibly boring. I think he’s got some bangers, but that documentary he did a year ago really did him no favours in terms of engagement, and frankly it’s been so long since he’s had a proper hit that even with my cursory listen of whatever he brings out this one passed me by until a few weeks ago in someone else’s year end list. Say what you will about Mendes (I just did) but this one is a banger – when that chorus hits the first time it’s pure magic.

83. Head on Fire by Griff + Sigrid

Refreshing and fun – it’s not often you get a collab like this with two evenly matched talents circling that same area of pop music, maybe it’s a completive thing? Excellent to hear, one of the best duets of 2022.

82. House On Fire by Mimi Webb

I heard someone say that this one did well on TikTok, so maybe that coloured your opinions, but as someone who isn’t on TikTok this one really slammed for me, kind of silly (she’s singing about arson) but really fun.

81. You Might Not Like Her by Maddie Zahm

I tend to stay away from trauma pop, trying to stay afloat is hard enough without getting in someone else’s feelings, but this angsty queer-person-growing-up-Christian anthem slipped through my net because it really hits the emotional mark

80. Same Team by Alice Merton*

A real banger from Alice Merton, up there with No Roots.

79. 20s by Bow Anderson

If you’re going to give me an existential crisis in a pop song at least make it fun like this – as someone who is in their late 20s and has it mostly together I shouldn’t relate to this as well as I do. 

78. Made You Look by Meghan Trainor

Someone called this a song that sounds like it was designed for an M&S advert [derogatory] but as someone who actively looks for music of that ilk, I really like this stupid, catchy little banger.  

77. The Other Side by Alice Merton*

A real treat to see Merton in concert again this year, this ethereal, emotional, anthemic show closer was a standout moment. That chorus is positively soaring.

76. Scars by JC Stewart*

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again in about 10 songs time but JC Stewart’s vocal is simply to die for.

75. October Passed Me By by girl in red

October passed me by, too.

74. drug dealer (feat. Lil Wayne) by Machine Gun Kelly

If you thought Taylor Swift doxxing Scooter Braun was good, wait til you hear MGK’s song about Megan Fox dealing drugs.

73. Wonderful Life by Two Door Cinema Club*

Good pace, great chorus, relentlessly cheerful.

72. Gold Rush Kid by George Ezra*

Ezra is at his best when he’s writing goofy bangers, this was his best of 2022.

71. Everybody Needs Someone by James Bay*

Unsurprising if you’ve not listened to James Bay in a while, but his third record is perfect continuity of his brand of blue eyed soul – it’s all very good, the chorus on this one just hits different for me.

70. Symphony by Imagine Dragons

Mercury Act II wasn’t quite as good as part I for me – maybe just too soon, maybe just too samey – but I did think this one was a lot of fun. 

69. Come Around Again by Armin van Buuren, Billen Ted + JC Stewart

JC Stewart is the male Becky Hill. One of the year’s best EDM bangers.

68. Bitches These Days by Olivia O’Brien*

Short, sharp and shady as hell. Very much living for the fuck-you pop that the youths are firing out on all cylinders. 

67. Remind Me by Tom Grennan

Another year, another upbeat banger from Tom Grennan, have listened to this song 50+ times and couldn’t tell you what this is about.

66. Novocaine by Gavin James*

For a long time I thought of Gavin James as a budget Ed Sheeran – I still think this, but who doesn’t like a bargain? The chorus on this simply slaps.

65. What You Were Made For by Måns Zelmerlöw*

Huge euphoria-banger from past a Eurovision winner, can’t say what it is exactly but once a week I wake up with this song in my head.

64. BLOW OUY MY CANDLE by Betty Who*

Banger, a perfect rush of sound.

63. ‘Til I Die by Kings Elliot*

This is what I’d like Lana Del Rey to be doing rather than whatever it is she’s doing instead. Phenomenal vocals on this from one of my favourite pop balladeers, that opening line is just incredible and the crescendo she builds is stunning. 

62. With You by Michael Schulte*

That ‘somet-i-i-i-i-i-i-mes’ gets me every ti-i-i-i-i-i-ime.

61. Loveback by Alice Merton*

A banger. Global recognition for one of pop’s best voices in 2023 please.

60. Catch Me In The Air by Rina Sawayama*

Stunning. Perfect. 2022 was Rina’s year. What a magical chorus.

59. Forget Me by Lewis Capaldi

Excellent to see that Lewis Capaldi is back doing exactly what he’s always done: belting his heartache. 

58. Butterfly Pen by Kings Elliot*

As above, I think Kings Elliot has a stunning vocal and this feels very Del-Rey esque, I don’t usually go for songs with niche lyrical concepts, but her voice is just impeccable and undeniable here. 

57. Don’t You Worry by Jack Cullen*

Was on a sad one and this made me feel loads better, Cullen is sonically taking your chin and raising it. 

56. Faith by Georgia Lines*

This is the best HAIM song from 2022.

55. EL PEOR by Cami*

This is the best Demi Lovato song from 2022.

54. Smoke Slow by Joshua Bassett*

I’m glad Bassett found his lane, this one is a heartbreaker with an impeccable chorus.

53. Booty (feat Latto) by Saucy Santana

Very camp, very fun – taking the iconic Bootylicious hook could have gone either way but Saucy Santana nailed it. The final verse is so dumb and so good.

52. Bliss by Amber Mark*

Absolutely dripping in sexual energy, the most erotic song of 2022.

51. Home By Now by MUNA*

One of the best songs from one of the year’s best pop records. New heights from our queer cry-banger afficionados on this. The new Here (In Your Arms) by Hellogoodbye. 

50. Snowbank Blues by The Backseat Lovers*

A late addition to my annual playlist, impossible to know if it will stand the test of time, but the bluesy vocal on this is right in my folk-loving sweet spot.

49. Euphoria by Harper Finn*

Does what it says on the tin.

48. Love Like That by JC Stewart*

JC Stewart’s voice is just incredible, no? Another top tier banger.

47. W.I.T.C.H by Devon Cole

Instant classic, you know it from that opening line. A spooky, upbeat feminist banger that happens to be catchy as hell. Cole really is a woman in total control of herself.

46. THE LITTLE THINGS by Kelsea Ballerini*

My annual concession that the country genre is still there and has some bangers – the chorus feels like a whispered secret and sends a little shiver down my spine.

45. Somebody by Sam Ryder*

Congrats to Sam Ryder on being the nicest guy in pop, what a year for him, this one is a lovely banger and really shows off his incredible vocal.

44. Cyclone by Maude Latour*

Cute, catchy, a really pretty piece of pop music. 

43. It’s Corn by Tariq + The Gregory Brothers + Recess Therapy

Not a joke, genuinely think this is one of the best pieces of music released in 2022, cannot tell you how often I listen to this – when Tariq says ‘and then everything changed’ it warms my heart. This song really has the juice.

42. Personally by Becky Hill*

A reminder that Hill is one of the best active vocalists in the industry – fucking incredible.

41. Crush by Leadley*

Light, fun, perfect. Exactly as pop should be.

40. Disaster by Conan Gray

A banger from one of my favourite records of 2022.

39. Karma by Taylor Swift

‘Karma is my boyfriend/Karma is a god‘ is absolute nonsense lyrically, but the hook on this is undeniable.  

38. make up sex (feat. blackbear) by Machine Gun Kelly*

Opening a song ‘screaming when we fuck, screaming when we fight’ is one of MGK’s most iconic moments to date.

37. midnight sun by Nilüfer Yanya*

Someone more nuanced than me can explain why it’s so good when the guitar hits at around 3.20, I just think it’s magic.

36. Mastermind by Taylor Swift

Swift is such a good storyteller, and the Mastermind narrative is one of her best. Truly unhinged the stories people came out with after about playing the long term puppetmaster in their own relationships. ‘What if I told you none of it was accidental’ is such a perfect twist.

35. debbie downer by LØLØ + Maggie Lindermann*

The American Idiot meets cheerleading chant lyric-twisting ‘brr/it’s cold in here/all black everything sad and weird’ sustained me for about three months of 2022. 

34. Higher by Michael Bublé

A rogue inclusion, but Bublé goes so hard on this it was impossible to ignore. The bridge into final chorus is genuinely breath-taking

33. Would’ve, Should’ve, Could’ve by Taylor Swift

Took me a minute but I get it, the 3am version was worth it after all. 

32. Frankenstein by Rina Sawayama*

High octane banger from Rina, what a rush when that chorus hits. 

31. cheating on u by SAPPHIRE*

A perfect pop song. Simple concept expertly executed.

30. complex (demo) by Katie Gregson-Macleod

Completely and utterly heartbreaking.

29. What I Want by MUNA*

A BANGER. Nobody doing it like MUNA. Impeccable.

28. Lost by Charlotte Sands*

Incredible bit of pop, the way it rushes at you, underrated gem from 2022.

27. Memories by Conan Gray

The whole record was excellent and Memories is its crowning point, the perfect show closer, one of his best ever.

26. I WISH I COULD HATE YOU FOR BREAKING ME AND CALLING IT LOVE by Clinton Kane*

This does exactly what the second half of Happier Than Ever does.

25. 10 Things I Hate About You by Leah Kate

Sometimes silly by the numbers TikTok hits are just good. This era’s 7 Things.

24. The Funeral by YUNGBLUD

YUNGBLUD is just out here having a good time and I am very much here for the energy he brings.

23. Absolute by Foxes*

This is probably quite mid, but I have long loved Foxes and this disco-pop banger was in my top 5 most listened to across the year. Its relentless euphoric groove is impeccable.

22. Hits Different by Taylor Swift

Blessed to still have a CD Player that I can blast this exclusively in my car – I’m sure she’ll release it on streaming at some point, but the exclusivity of it just elevates what is easily one of the best songs on Midnights.

21. PURE/HONEY + SUMMER RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé

Technically two songs, but the seamless transitions on RENAISSANCE were so impeccable, the final stretch of PURE/HONEY running into SUMMER RENAISSANCE is as close to perfect as it gets. (Shout out to Joe Coscarelli)

20. Midnight Rain by Taylor Swift

This feels like a spiritual successor to Clean, the simple, understatedness of it this puts it up there with Taylor’s best.

19. Less Than Zero by The Weeknd

Cinematic. The Weeknd can be very hit or miss for me, but when it hits it really hits. The obvious standout from an otherwise mid record, I can only assume the reason this didn’t reach the heights of his previous hits is sheer sonic fatigue or the fact it was given the single treatment 6 months too late. Still, easily in my top 5 favourite Weeknd songs to date.

18. I’m Tired (with Zendaya) by Labrinth

Blitzed through both seasons of Euphoria early in 2022 and the arc around Rue’s addiction was incredible tv. I had the hook for this buzzing around my head for months – such a flex that Zendaya could quite easily become a main pop girl overnight but she’s not at all interested.

17. Midnight by Rhys Lewis*

Have had this song on repeat since the day it came out, can’t say what it is exactly I just know that it makes me feel like I’m flying.

16. ALIEN SUPERSTAR by Beyoncé

Once again, RENAISSANCE was an impeccable record, so much to dig into and so difficult to pick a standout, particularly because adding individual tracks from the record to other playlists felt like an injustice to the purposeful seamless transitions of the album. That said, I saw a supercut of ALIEN SUPERSTAR and the ‘Unicorn is the uniform that you put on/eyes on you when you perform‘ really hit, and continues to feel like a standout moment on an excellent album.

15. Baby Boo (with Saweetie) by Muni Long*

Feels like a ’09 Justin Bieber song – the highest compliment I can possibly give to any song.

14. Femininomenon by Chapelle Roan*

Listened to this an inordinate amount of time because Chapelle Roan shrieks ‘give me a song with a fucking beat‘, includes the lyrics ‘get it hot like Papa John‘ and has centred the entire track around a word that is just really fun to say.

13. Cry, Baby, Cry by Kings Elliot*

My top ranking Kings Elliot song in a year of strong Kings Elliot songs, here on the merit of that final stretch; a phenomenal crescendo.

12. Eyes Don’t Lie by Tones And I

Aside from being a gifted singer, I think Tones and I just has one of those voices and makes those musical choices that makes her musical incredibly singable. The acoustic version of this is just breathtaking.

11. Happy Fucking Birthday by Rhys Lewis*

A truly perfect ballad, and a great addition to the Birthday genre canon for those who maybe aren’t having such a good one.

10. As It Was by Harry Styles

Inescapable, and rightly so.

09. reckless driver (feat. Ben Kessler) by Lizzie McAlpine

On first glance this is your run of the mill bedroom indie pop situation, but once you pay attention into what the song is about – reckless driving – and notice the build to *that* finale, its abruptness is a real mic drop.

08. Quiet by Camila Cabello*

Simply, one of the best pop choruses of 2022.

07. Want Want by Maggie Rogers

Huge, and only gets bigger every time you listen to it.

06. emo girl (feat. WILLOW) by Machine Gun Kelly

Sorry, but this is a banger and contains the best one liner of the year courtesy of WILLOW: “She tells me lies, but she knows all of my secrets“.

05. Purity by Lilyisthatyou*

Short, sharp and instant replayability. Lilyisthatyou tossed out some bangers this year, Purity led the charge and nothing else has even come close.

04. Phantom by Rina Sawayama*

Inarguably the best ballad of 2022. Rina is impeccable, the melody is impeccable, the build and the finale are impeccable. The only reason for this not taking the top spot, and the only general want I have of Rina, is her lyrics – there are a few lines in the verses that I stumble over, but when the final product sounds this good it’s very easy to forgive her.

03. Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift

It wouldn’t be a lead pop single from Taylor if it wasn’t a little bit cringe, would it (I see you ME! and LWYMMD)! There’s a lot that shouldn’t work (‘sexy baby‘, ‘It’s me, hi,’ I’m looking at you) and yet? Far and away my favourite Taylor single since Out of the Woods and the absolutely correct choice to be the leading song from a mixed but overall great album.

02. The 30^th by Billie Eilish

I could endlessly listen to Billie Eilish sing her soft little songs, but I live for those little twists that she does to add new layers to the song, which is why the mid-way cresdendo hits so right for me. Flawless.

01. This Hell by Rina Sawayama

I yeehummed and yeehawed over what exactly the song of 2022 was for me – none of the music I spent the most time with felt like the right choice, they just happened to be key parts of my workout playlists so got undue listening time. In a year where it felt like there were not real popstar moments that hit, it was hard to pick out who really brought it in 2022 and deserved the top spot. Rina, I think, came the closest. I did think her sophomore record was mixed, but when she hit, she really hit hard. This Hell is quite simply a lot of fun. I remember being behind catching up on new releases and then this just came on, out of the blue, and hit in a a way that nothing else had. It was camp, silly, catchy, and just pure unabashed pop. There’s a lot of influential echoes in here, most notably for me Britney and Gaga. There’s just a lot to love all round. I think given the right marketing this could have been Rina’s global breakthrough but for whatever reason the stars didn’t align. Still, at least she still delivered one of the best bits of pop in 2022. Here’s to 2023!