“Rock N Roll” (feat. Kanye West & Kid Cudi), “Scrape It Off” (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Don Toliver), “I Pray For You” (feat. Labrinth & MALICE) by Pusha T

“Kardashian Ex” by Lil Poppa

“M.I.A.” and “Light Me Up” by Ravyn Lenae

“new info” and “diving board” by redveil

“ESTILAZO” by Marshmello, Tokischa

“We Not Humping” by Monaleo

“idkwntht” by Tomberlin

“riddle” by midwxst

“The 1975”, “Part of the Band” and “When We Are Together” by The 1975 (favorite songwriting of the year) (“Young people drinking aperol”) (“I know some vaccinista tote bag chic baristas”) (“And it was poorly handled, the day we both got canceled”)

“Prester John” by Animal Collective

“Masquerade” by Beach House

“All the Way Out” by Boldy James, Real Bad Man

“the mystic” by Nilufer Yanya

“Ojitos Lindos” (feat. Bomba Estereo), “El Apagon” and “Tarot” (feat. Jhayco) by Bad Bunny

“LIFE ON EARTH” by Hurray For The Riff Raff

“underground pleasure” by Hether

“Sideways” by Flasher

“When You Go Home I Withdrawal” by Chastity

“Family Tree”, “Gibson Girl”, “A House in Nebraska” and “Ptolemaea” by Ethel Cain

“Firefly” by Shygirl

“Silent Hill” (feat. Kodak Black) by Kendrick Lamar (Kodak is flawless on this and the whole record)

“Sticky” by Drake

“Matilda” by PUP

“Darkness Forever” by Soccer Mommy (this song fit well with my Ethel Cain cravings)

“keisha” by Yaya Bey

“On The Ground” by Grace Ives

“Survivor’s Guilt” (feat. G Herbo) by Saba

“Crown” and “Seven” by 700 Bliss

“describe you” by oso oso

“Swimming” by Pinegrove

“No Face” by Flo Milli

“home” by Two Shell (I go ballistic to this)

“Gas Prices Freestyle” and “Out Here In It” by Starlito, Troy Money

“ALIEN SUPERSTAR” and “HEATED” by Beyoncé

“Bandana” (feat. Asake) by Fireboy DML

“quien te llamo”, “Aji titi” and “el retoce” (feat. Diego Raposo) by mediopicky

“Winter Solstice” by Phoenix

“In April” by Anxious

“Zeke & Luther” (feat. Tae Retro), “Blizzard Mode” and “V8’s and V12’s” by ShittyBoyz

“KickDoe” and “Bananas” by DaBoii

“Swamp Bitches (feat. Rico Nasty) by Doechii

“In Da Car” by NSG, MHD

“2 Die 4” by Tove Lo

“Gotsa Get Paid” and “Watch Your Man” (feat. Marshmello) by Rico Nasty

“Remorseless” by billy woods

“Propeller” (feat. Dave and BNXN) by JAE5

“Pajaros en Verano” by Ela Minus, DJ Python

“River’s Bed” by Florist

“Sueltate” by El Osito Wito, TAICHU

“Munch (Feelin’ U)” by Ice Spice

“Family Tree” by Kenny Beats

“Chinese Finger Trap” by Mavi (shouts out to sobriety, a big theme of my year)

“Perfect” by Baby Tate

“Doubted Me” by Kaash Paige

“What Kinda” by Lebra Jolie

“Jumbotron Shit Poppin” and “BackOutsideBoyz” by Drake, 21 Savage

“Escapism.” (feat. 070 Shake) by RAYE

“Alter Ego 2” (feat. C4), “Mathematician/BlackOut” and “Chokehold” by CEO Trayle

“God Turn Me Into a Flower” by Weyes Blood

“Sistema De Patio” by Tokischa, Treintisiente

“Runaway” by 100 gecs

“No Bitterness”, “Runner” and “Miracles” by Alex G

“venus fly trap”, “5g” and “cbd” by brakence

“Home Maker” and “Loyal (EDD)” by Sudan Archives

“There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” by Arctic Monkeys

“Low” by SZA

“Something In The Orange” by Zach Bryan

“wyha” by Mercury

“La Jumpa” by Arcángel, Bad Bunny

“R U That” (feat. 21 Savage) by Shenseea

“LL Cool J” by Leikeli47

“Hood Love Story” and “The Realest” by Kenzo B

“i love you” by two blinks, i love you

“Rumors” (feat. Lil Durk) by Gucci Mane

“Bunny Ciao” (feat. JuJu Gotti, Big Cheeko, Tha God Fahim) by Mach-Hommy

“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” by Glorilla

“556 (Green Tip)” by iayze (blick him, blick him, blick you)

“Left Side” (feat. Blueface) by Fivio Foreign

“Shabooya” by Slimeroni, Aleza, Gloss Up & K Carbon

“Happy New Year” by Let’s Eat Grandma

“Shake It (Remix)” (feat. Cardi B, Dougie B & Bory300) by Kay Flock

“Tabula Rasa” (feat. Armand Hammer) by Earl Sweatshirt

“Concrete Over Water” and “Glasgow” by Jockstrap

“Lydia Wears a Cross” by Julia Jacklin

“please don’t waste my time” by quinn

“Working for the knife” by mitski

“Last Last” by Burna Boy

And now my favorite albums:

1. MOTOMAMI by Rosalía

It’s a perfect combination of the trap from the Bad Bunny album, the dance from the Beyoncé album and the angst from the Ethel Cain album. “HENTAI” has the most delicate Pharrell piano composition contrasting Rosalía’s brash lyrics, the drums on “CUUUUuuuuuute” sound like they’re coming from an empty warehouse, I feel like I’m on the most extravagant shopping trip with my besties on “LA COMBI VERSACE”… My head swirls from the conversations on Rosalía’s “colonization” for her Daddy Yankee flip, a topic I’ve got no expertise on. “SAOKO” and the whole album really is a triumphant gesture of deference to the royalty of reggaeton, in my view.

2. Natural Brown Prom Queen by Sudan Archives

Flawless sonic quality in headphones, there’s no album more authentic than this one. I’m so loyal.

3. Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain

In one of Meaghan Garvey’s wonderful reviews on this record, she imagines Ethel Cain has driven past plenty of evangelical “HELL IS REAL” billboards (link). Probably my most played album, I was constantly craving the dread in the middle of the tracklist.

4. Cheap Phones and Turkey Bags by Starlito, Troy Money

The only album that literally captures what it was like to live through this year. Gas prices high as fuck.

5. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny

I think I’m going to ask an artist to tattoo the album cover’s heart on me? I love the album and the album art a lot. Summer in an album.

6. American Heartbreak by Zach Bryan

Probably my surprise pick, but it was year-round comforting to fall back on this album for good ol’ acoustic guitar, harmonica and raspy singing.

7. Renaissance by Beyoncé

My friend Mike, when talking about how good this album is, mentioned how only Beyoncé could afford to gather these producers, these beats, these samples and these co-writers together for a record. It’s true and it pays off; it’s a perfect front-to-back record of ballroom, 90s club, PC music influence, dance music, Nile Rodgers, Skrillex, Grace Jones.. the list goes on. I don’t give out #1s on my list for lavishness, so Beyoncé gets #7 on my list.

8. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

“Rock N Roll” is soooooo good, and I think I cried the first time I heard No Malice on “I Pray for You”. There’s no misses here.

9. God Save the Animals by Alex G

Miracles and crosses, miracles and crosses, miracles and crosses.

10. Ants from Up There by Black Country, New Road

I spent my winter running laps in Prospect Park to this album. Mr. Isaac Wood, I hope you’re doing well!

Honorable mentions: Being Funny in a Foreign Language by The 1975, Bin Reaper 3: Old Testament and MegaTron by BabyTron, Honestly, Nevermind by Drake, mediopicky by mediopicky, Killing Nothing by Boldy James, DFTK by Yung Kayo