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Stefan's Naturally Aspirated Blog

The Future of Music 2022

12 January 202213:48

Stefan Karlsson

Albume Releases 2022Future of MusicNew Artists 2022New Music 2022+-

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Future Music Trends for 2022

Breakthrough Musicians and Bands for 2022

2022 Curated Album Release Schedule

Beats are back! Along with Hope, Optimism and Worldwide Eclecticism. I’ve long said that every melody there could be has already been recorded - meaning that new music has to come by way of fusion - merging together a variety of genres and influences.

In times of adversity, humanity resorts to dance, and reports to the dance floor! - and club-wise we seem to be moving back to the peak time rave era of circa 1990 - with lots of familiar flavours including polyrhythms from then doing the rounds - in interesting new combinations and nuances.

We also have a worldwide fusion of genres - where K-Pop / Asian Pop and Afrobeat were particularly strong in 2021 with a smattering of Latin flavours too. We’ve also witnessed different vehicles to musical superstardom - first MySpace, then YouTube, and now TikTok - where from a number of breakthrough artists have been projected into the stratosphere - including 2022 music ambassador and muse - Vicky Beverly Walker - best known by her TikTok handle ’PinkPantheress’.

After a couple of years of pandemic hardship there is now emanating a more hopeful and inspiring movement propelled by optimistic youth. I am particularly proud of this year’s selection which firmly underlines all those positive trends!

10 Favourite Albums of 2021

1 : Marina - Ancient Dreams in a Modern World [Indie Pop]
2 : For Those I Love - For Those I Love [Progressive House]
3 : Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure [Electropop]
4 : Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises [Modern Classical]
5 : The Bug - Fire [Dub/Grime]
6 : The Datsuns - Eye to Eye [Fuzz-Rock]
7 : Lisa Ekdahl - Grand Songs [Lounge/Bossa]
8 : Bicep - Isles [Breakbeat]
9 : Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend [Alternative Rock]
10 : Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert [UK HipHop]

10 Favourite Songs of 2021

1 : Royal Blood - Boilermaker / Typhoon / Limbo (SebastiAn Remix) [Riff-Rock]
2 : Charli XCX - Good Ones / New Shapes / Out Out [Electropop]
3 : The Weeknd - Take My Breath [R&B Electropop]
4 : Rosalía, The Weeknd, Tokischa - La Fama / Linda (Bachata / Electropop]
5 : Swedish House Mafia, The Weeknd - Moth To a Flame [Electropop]
6 : Elton John + Dua Lipa + PNAU - Cold Heart PNAU Remix [Electropop]
7 : Silk Sonic - Leave The Door Open [R&B Soul]
8 : Burial - Dark Gethsemane [Elecronic / Dubstep]
9 : Smerz - Believer [Electropop]
10 : Caroline Polachek - Bunny is a Rider [Art Pop]

Breakthrough Artists for 2022 / BBC Sound of etc.

I don't always agree with the 'BBC Sound of' results - certainly never in the same order. While this year I feel compelled to come out in support of Bath resident Vicky Beverly Walker too - as chosen by the BBC - and who has swiftly risen to prominence courtesy of a smart grasp of TikTok.

Her music is infused by Drum & Bass polyrhythms with a somewhat more pop sensibility - which genre I'm calling 'D&B Lite'. I trawled through near 150 breakthrough artists to pick out my favourite 27 - aggregated from all the usual start of year resources - including the BBC, Guardian, Independent, MixMag, MTV and NME.

PinkPantheress is 1 of 3 of my top 27 that I associate with 'D&B Lite' - the others being Nia Archives, and Piri and Tommy Villers. My listing beyond the first few choices isn't in any particular order - but is rather more thematically arranged - taking you through Fusion Pop, K-Pop, Soul, Afropop, Yolŋu Surf Rock (Modern Aboriginal), Pop, Indie, Rock, Dance and Hip-Hop.

As mentioned there is a smattering of D&B Lite - but also various varieties of House and Jungle even. I'm thrilled to hear elements of past classics - including Gypsy Woman, Outlander, Spectrum, Radio Babylon and Sueño Latino. Looks like 'Rave' is back in vogue again!

#1 : PinkPantheress [D&B Lite]

PinkPantheress well deserves this year's accolades as she has further deconstructed the pop song format from the classic 3 minute mark - down to barely over a minute in some cases!

There are lots of familiar and interesting elements to her songs - where her particular vocal lilt seems to add something rather special to proceedings. I of course prefer her more rhythmic output - while she still delivers quite a lot of contemporary pop too.

I can discern traces of LTJ Bukem and Liquid Funk / Liquid D&B in her choice of beats - while the smart production gives it a proper pop sensibility. She is for certain a rising star with the sass to go far - will be interesting to see just how far she spreads her wings from here.

#2 : Priya Ragu [Fusion Pop]

#3 : Audrey Nuna [R&B / Pop]

#4 : BIBI [K-Pop]

#5 : Nia Archives [D&B Lite]

#6 : Gabriels [Soul]

#7 : Ayra Starr [Afrobeat / Afropop]

#8 : Onipa [Afrobeat / Afropop]

#9 : Tems [R&B / Afropop]

#10 : King Stingray [Yolŋu Surf Rock]

#11 : Mia Rodriguez [Pop]

#12 : Warren Hue [Indo-Hop / Hip-Hop]

#13 : Anz [Dance-Pop]

#14 : Wet Leg [Indie Pop/Rock]

#15 : Lola Young [Pop / Soul]

#16 : Mimi Webb [Pop]

#17 : VLURE [Post-Punk / Rock]

#18 : Dylan Fraser [Alternative / Pop]

#19 : Piri and Tommy Villiers [D&B Lite]

#20 : Yunè Pinku [House]

#21 : Surya Sen [House]

#22 : &on&on [House]

#23 : Taahliah [Industrial Hip-House]

#24 : Grove [Dancehall / Dub]

#25 : Sherelle [Rave D&B]

#26 : Enny [Hip-Hop]

#27 : Central Cee [Hip-Hop / Drill]

Honourable Mentions [Alphabetical + 122 Artists] :

Aby Coulibaly
Adora
Amaarae
ArrDee
Authentically Plastic
Ayesha
Aziya
Baby Queen
Bad Boy Chiller Crew
Bakey
Barkaa
Binki
Black Cadmium
Blu De Tiger
Blue Bendy
Bree Runway
Brooke Combe
Budjerah
Cameo Blush
Carol Ades
Caroline
Cat Burns
Catcher
Cathy Jane
Cayenne
Cobrah
Courting
Darko
Denise Chaila
Dexter
Dora Jar
Dreamer Isioma
Dvwn
Eades
Eden Burns
Ekkstacy
Elaine
Emir Taha
Ena Mori
English Teacher
Enola Gay
Ericdoa
Finn Askew
Flowerkid
Francesca Chiejina
Ghetto Kumbé
Glaive
Glass Beams
Grace Carter
Grandmas House
Grazer
Grrrl Gang
Hadiya George
High School
Honeyglaze
Horsegirl
Infinite Coles
Irenegarry
Jana Horn
Jeshi
Jet Vesper
John Glacier
Junior Varsity
Kam-Bu
King Hannah
King Stingray
Lime Garden
Los Bitchos
Lucy Blue
Luna Li
M(h)aol
Mainline Magic Orchestra
Mandy, Indiana
MAY-A
Metteson
Miso Extra
msftz
Namasenda
Nick Mono
Nippa
Nonô
Nukuluk
OSSX
Otik
Paris Texas
PawPaw Rod
Pinkshift
Pip Millett
Planet Giza
Pocket
Priestgate
Prima Queen
Prospa
QUEST?ONMARQ
Reiley
The Rills
Sad Night Dynamite
Samurai Breaks
Santino Le Saint
Sarah Kinsley
Seori
Shaybo
She Spells Doom
Shygirl
SIPHO.
Special Interest
Stolen Velour
STONE
Suchi
SwitchOTR
Swoose
Sycco
TeeZee
Teezo Touchdown
Tora-i
The Umlauts
Wallice
Willow Kayne
Wunderhorse
Yunè Pinku
Yung Filly
Zoe Gotusso

10 Known Albums I'm Looking Forward To in 2022

I'm obviously a little slow with this feature this year as there's already been a major release - in the guise of The Weeknd's latest opus Dawn FM. You should know by now what a big Abel Tesfaye fan I am1

These are all named albums coming out this year that feature several of my favourite artists.

We also have a slew of albums which haven't been named yet - coming out from the likes of Beyoncé, Björk, Muse and Röyksopp - I will hopefully remember to update this list when those finally get properly announced! :