- Dec 1, 2022

Music | 2022 | Playlist

2022 was, when compared with the previous 2 years, somewhat back to some kind of normal. We were over the worst of the Covid pandemic, although it still is far from over and remains with us, just not to the extent it has been. Musically, 2022 was an absolutely outstanding year, and at one point, I struggled to whittle my Playlist down to a respectable amount of tracks. It was as if, week after week, I was adding more and more music to it, but I did manage to get there with the jump up to 25 tracks this year instead of the previous 2 years when I only had 20 tracks. It just highlights the sheer quality of music that has been written and produced this year. Some artists are returning this year, both from last year and from the year before. Some, however, are brand new discoveries. These are my favourite tracks from the past 12 months and every single one of the tracks deserved to be featured on my Spotify Music 2022 Playlist.

Alanna Matty - End up Alone

Alanna Matty is a singer-songwriter and Twitch music streamer from Nova Scotia in Canada. Alanna's music has been featured in the CBC show How to Buy a Baby as well as in the 2016 video game Watch Dogs 2. She is a seasoned performer and has been featured in numerous showcases across Canada. More recently, Alanna has taken to live performances online, and performs 4 nights a week over on Twitch playing live music for her viewers around the world.

Amy Naessens - Obscene

Amy Naessens is a Dublin-based Soul-R&B singer-songwriter, and has gained recognition both at home and across the water. Amy's music is a blend of pop, soul and R&B that comes together with her powerhouse vocals and delicate songwriting. Her track To Be The One You Choose from 2020 was one of the standout tracks from that year for me, and I featured it on my Music Playlist that year. It is good to have more of Amy's music featured on my Playlists.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify | YouTube

Anna Sweeney - Magnet

From the west coast of Scotland, singer-songwriter Anna Sweeney first caught my attention with Change the Way I Dress back in 2019. After releasing two tracks that year, Anna took a break, but was back this year with new tracks. Magnet is one of those tracks, and as soon as I first heard it, I knew it would be making my shortlist for this blog post. In the absence of any official music video for the track, I have included Anna's amazing home recording of it below.

Ava in the Dark - Manic

Alternative Pop-Rock band Ava in the Dark are based in Leeds, UK. Their track Manic, which was released all the way back in January, was an instant Synth-Rock favourite of mine. In their own words, Ava in the Dark describe their music as 'angelic vocals meet experimental guitar, punchy drums, shimmering synths and fuzzy basslines'. With one EP titled Delete Us Forever already under their belt, I'm looking forward to any new music that they release in the future. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube

Buel - Dancing with Devils of Mine

Buel is a musical artist based in Los Angeles. Her music can be described as alternative-pop with an obscure lyrical style. Buel plays with the concepts of gender, sexuality, individualism, independency and identity in many of her songs. I was first introduced to Buel when Small Talk was released last year, and it kickstarted my Music Playlist for 2021. With a debut album due out very soon, Buel is an artist that should be featuring on everyone's playlists already. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify | YouTube | Website

chiika - iwishmybrainworked

chiika is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter based in Oxford. With 2 EPs already available and this new track iwishmybrainworked which was released in July, the future is certainly looking bright for chiika's music, which is described as 'ever-changing, genre-defying, mixing the East of her Indian heritage with the West of her British upbringing, but always unmistakably her'. Definitely an artist that I would recommend to check out, and to add to those playlists.

COSBY - Calling Out

COSBY are a 4-piece indie-synth-pop band from Munich in Germany. Formed in 2013, they released their debut album titled As Fast As We Can in 2015, and have just released their third full-length album titled Calling Out, which this track is taken from. Their music has been featured as the theme song to Big Brother, and they have a very distinctive and 80s sound to their music. Have a watch and a listen to the track below and also check out the latest album.

Emma McGann - Hex

Emma McGann is a British singer-songwriter, musician and online live-streamer who you can find performing originals and covers over on Twitch and YouNow. Hex is taken from Emma's latest 4 track EP Monsterverse. The videos that accompany the tracks on the EP were created by Emma and partner James using Unreal Engine 5. As well as her music, I would definitely suggest that you check out one of Emma's live music streams either on Twitch or YouNow.

Etaoin - Cold Blood

Etaoin is an Irish singer-songwriter based in London. Cold Blood is taken from her latest EP titled I Hate Everyone (but I don't mind you). Any new music from Etaoin is always very highly anticipated and this is definitely an artist to watch. Etaoin is another artist who returns to my Playlist in consecutive years, and I have no doubt will be again. For now though, click on the links below to watch and listen to the tracks, and then get Etaoin added to those Playlists.

Gefahrgeist - Limbo

Gefahrgeist are a Scottish electronic pop duo who have created an unusually dark yet pop sound by combining Fiona Liddell's sensational vocals and songwriting with Niall Rae's innovative production and arrangement. If you have not heard of Gefahrgeist before, then you really are in for a treat with every track that they release. Limbo is just under 6 and a half minutes long, and it really is such an outstanding track. You can check the video out below.

Hallie - Y D E K

Hallie is an Irish singer-songwriter-recording artist who crafts emotive, honest, alternative pop with shades of synth-pop & art-pop. As well as being a musician, Hallie is an avid mental health/chronic pain/chronic illnesses advocate and uses her platform to raise awareness and remind others who struggle daily that they're not alone. The music video for Y D E K is below and don't forget to click on all those links underneath and give a like, follow, or a subscribe.

Hannah Trigwell - Comfortable

Hannah Trigwell is an independent singer-songwriter and guitarist from Leeds. Currently Hannah's YouTube is on the healthy side of just over half a million subscribers and her total views there are just short of 117 million. Hannah also set up and runs Teapot Records, her own independent record label as well as creating and filming all her own music videos. This track, Comfortable, was Hannah's first track released in 2022, and the official video is below.

HEZEN - Fun

Sarah Hezen is an award-winning London-based French producer and singer-songwriter of twisted and tender stories of love, loss, resilience and vulnerability. Fun was HEZEN's first release of 2022, way back in January. The official music video is available below, and it is a visual delight. Another artist to return in consecutive years to my Playlist, and again, HEZEN is another singer-songwriter that I really could not recommend enough for your own Playlist.

Holly Abraham - Not The End

Holly Abraham is an indie-pop folk singer-songwriter, originally from Wales, based in Bristol, UK. Combining deep, soulful lyrics with misty, raw vocal tones, Holly creates mesmerising melodies which will leave listeners both captivated and enamoured. Holly's debut EP titled Love Will Come has built up over 150K streams on Spotify alone. Not The End was released back in April and was Holly's only release of 2022, and you can check it out via the link below.

Kendall - Crazy

KENDALL is a musician passionate about connecting to and healing with her audience. Her music is vulnerable, relatable, and most importantly - real. Originally from Thousand Oaks, CA, KENDALL was training to become a physician in Chicago for the past 4 years. She is now living in Long Beach, CA to pursue her Family Medicine Residency. Crazy was released in November and it is her third track of 2022 and you can check it out via the video link below. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify | YouTube

Lila Drew - Bad Juice

Born in London and raised in LA, Lila Drew is a singer-songwriter who has been making music for as long as she can remember. With her debut album titled All The Places I Could Be just released in November, Bad Juice being one of the 11 tracks, it could not be a better time to check out Lila's music. I was first introduced to Lila Drew with her 2020 single release Dad's Van. The official music video for her track Bad Juice is avaialble below for you to view.

Maryze - Emo

Maryze is a queer bilingual singer-songwriter based in Montreal, originally from Vancouver. Her stormy-sweet alt-pop conjures a haunting universe, blending electronic beats with fiery, introspective lyrics performed in English and French. On May 6, 2022, Maryze released her highly anticipated debut album 8 on Hot Tramp Records. Emo is taken from the album and features a music video directed by Maryze, which comes with a viewer discretion advisory.

Megan Lenius - Against You

Megan Lenius is a singer-songwriter and Twitch live music streamer. I first heard Against You on one of Megan's live streams, where is was a viewer favourite original. Initially the track was available as a Patron only recording, and it is so good that it is out in the world now and has been fully produced and released. It is definitely my favourite Megan Lenius original track and it is a great introduction to Megan's sound and music if you have not heard any before.

Natalie Holmes - Floating TV

Natalie Holmes is a singer-songwriter, musician and Twitch live music streamer from Bristol in the UK. I have been a fan of Natalie's for quite a few years now and she is the main reason I discovered Twitch. Floating TV is taken from Natalie's debut album titled Vitamin Be, and the video below features Natalie and is definitely worth checking out. The album is amazing and there is a limited edition available over on Bandcamp that comes with a hardback lyric book.

Nicole Millar - je te veux près de moi

Born in Canada, and now living in Australia, Nicole Millar is an indie-pop singer-songwriter. Her track je te veux près de moi was released in November, and the official music video is posted below. Nicole first dropped onto my radar a few years back when I seen the music video for the [Stripped] version of her track Signals. The video was shot in such a way as to give off the effect that it was filmed in one take. I will also include a link to that video here.

philomenah - Lavender

Formerly known as SMUT. (née Hannah), Shetland-born, Edinburgh-based philomenah’s new artistic direction is more genre-specific, infusing her love of trap, hip-hop and contemporary r&b into her songwriting. Classically trained on piano and voice, Hannah has had a love of music from a young age and began songwriting and learning guitar at 13. Lavender was the second philomenah release of 2022, and the debut EP titled white dove is also available. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube

Silvi - Burning

Bathgate singer-songwriter Silvi released alt-rock inspired track Burning back in July, and the vocals on it are outstanding. It is one of the most listened to tracks on my Playlist this year, and quite rightly so. In the absence of an official music video, I have included a live version, and you really should give it a watch and a listen. Silvi is another singer-songwriter that you need to have on your Playlist, so click on the links below, and give a follow and a subscribe.

Skyler Cocco - Stranger

New York native, and Los Angeles based indie-pop artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Skyler Cocco taught herself to play guitar, bass, and piano. The track Stranger is described as 'an effervescent 80s inspired synth-pop track that explores the surrealism of contemplating ending up as strangers with a person you’ve built a life with'. It has a music visualizer, and is a perfect introduction to Skyler's music, if you haven't heard any previously.

Transviolet - Love and Power

I first discovered Transviolet in 2019 with the release of their track Sunshine and was instantly drawn to the sound of their music and to Sarah's vocals. They have quite a substantial back catalogue of tracks going back 7 years, and they are consistently in my top 3 most listened to artists on Spotify every single year. Love and Power was my highlight of the year from them, and if you haven't heard their music before, please do rectify that now with the video below.

Zoë Wren - Vapour

Zoë Wren started out as a London underground busker, and now has a debut album as well as BBC Radio 2 airplay and an appearance on The One Show under her belt. You can also find Zoë live streaming on Twitch. Vapour started out as a live stream viewer favourite, and as with Megan Lenius' track earlier, it is so good to see this one out and available in the world. The Live Loop version of Vapour below is just amazing and you should check it out right now.

Here is my Spotify Playlist with the 25 Tracks chosen from the music released during 2022:

Here is a direct link which will open up the Playlist in a web browser: Spotify Playlist

Thank you so much for having a read through my Music 2022 Playlist blog post. Hopefully you will have had a listen to each of the 25 tracks and also watch the videos. If you do like any of the tracks or any of the music or artists featured, please do click on the links that I have included for each of them which will take you to their socials, their websites, and to more of their music for your listening and viewing pleasure. Also please check out our 10FROM10 Blog Series via the link below, where we ask a series of 10 questions to 10 different artists and content creators in each part. So far we have featured a variety of Twitch music and gaming streamers, as well as both Scottish and Irish independent singer-songwriters, bands, and musicians. The format of this series is to keep each post to just 10 contributors. Further details are in the link below to see which 10 we've featured each time.

#25Tracks #SpotifyPlaylist #Music2022Playlist #SingerSongwriters #IndependentArtists