Pop Artist Top 10 songs lists

I decided to post my first blog article on pop artists.  First, I wanted to try something different and branch out from my typical rock and metal.  Second, I found it an interesting conversation starter to ask, "what's your favorite Michael Jackson song?"  Answers are more diverse than one might think, and often cause a lot of thought and reminiscing to even come up with an answer.  Third, I've always listened to the radio and been influenced by pop music on TV and movies even if it wasn't my go-to choice of music.  I still like it and listen to it.  There was even a time in late middle school where I was called a top 40 kid.  It's shocking to imagine now, haha.  So, I started with the King of Pop and tried to include the biggest names in this post.  If there's someone you would like me to make a list on, let me know in the comments.  Before going on, realize that these are my top 10 favorites by each artist.  You may disagree with some choices, and that's fine.  Following my previous posts, artists are in alphabetical order.  Songs that are covers, or are collaborations that appear on other artist albums are usually not included except in special cases where the song is synonymous with the artist (i.e. Whitney's version of I Will Always Love You)

Air Supply

1. Even the Nights Are Better
2. Making Love Out of Nothing At All

3. The One That You Love
4. Every Woman in the World
5. All Out of Love
6. Lost in Love
7. Without You
8. The Power of Love (You Are My Lady)
9. I Can’t Get Excited
10. One Step Closer

Alicia Keys

1. Fallin'

2. Empire State of Mind, Pt. 2

3. Girl On Fire

4. If I Ain't Got You

5. No One

6. A Woman's Worth

7. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart

8. Gramercy Park

9. Underdog

10. When You Really Love Someone

Ariana Grande

1. One Last Time
2. Love Me Harder (f/ Weeknd)
3. Problem (f/ Iggy Azalea)
4. Thank U, Next
5. 34+35
6. Into You
7. No Tears Left To Cry
8. 7 Rings
9. Positions
10. Dangerous Woman

Avril Lavigne

1. Sk8er Boi
2. Complicated
3. My Happy Ending
4. Cannonball
5. Girlfriend
6. Alone
7. Bite Me
8. Everything Back But You
9. Break of a Heartache
10. F.U.

Backstreet Boys

1. I Want It That Way

2. Everybody

3. Quit Playing Games

4. As Long As You Love Me

5. All I Have to Give

6. Larger Than Life

7. I'll Never Break Your Heart

8. The One

9. No Place

10. Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely

Beyonce

1. Single Ladies

2. Halo

3. Crazy in Love (f/ Jay Z)

4. Drunk in Love

5. Baby Boy (f/ Sean Paul)

6. Love on Top

7. Partition

8. Pretty Hurts

9. Run the World (Girls)

10. XO

Billie Eilish

1. Bad Guy

2. When the Party's Over

3. Bury a Friend

4. You Should See Me in a Crown

5. Ocean Eyes

6. All the Good Girls Go to Hell

7. Lovely

8. Therefore I Am

9. Copycat

10. Six Feet Under

Black Eyed Peas

1. I Gotta Feeling
2. Let’s Get It Started
3. Where Is the Love?
4. My Humps
5. Pump It
6. Boom Boom Pow
7. The Time (Dirty Bit)
8. Girl Like Me (f/ Shakira)
9. Don’t Funk With My Heart
10. Don’t Lie

Blackpink

1. How You Like That
2. Ice Cream (w/ Selena Gomez)
3. Boombayah
4. Whistle
5. Pretty Savage
6. As If It’s Your Last
7. DDU-DU DDU-DU
8. Kick It
9. Lovesick Girls

10. Playing With Fire

Britney Spears

1. ...Baby One More Time

2. Oops! I Did It Again

3. Everytime

4. Toxic

5. I'm a Slave 4 U

6. Womanizer

7. I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman

8. Sometimes

9. Stronger

10. (You Drive Me) Crazy

Bruno Mars

1. Just the Way You Are
2. Grenade
3. Locked Out of Heaven
4. Lazy Song
5. Versace on the Floor
6. That’s What I Like
7. Marry You
8. Count on Me
9. 24K Magic
10. Gorilla

Christina Aguilera

1. Genie In a Bottle

2. Dirrty

3. Come On Over (All I Want Is You)

4. Fighter

5. What a Girl Wants

6. Candyman

7. Ain't No Other Man

8. Beautiful

9. Desnudete

10. Change

Cyndi Lauper

1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2. Time After Time

3. True Colors

4. All Through the Night

5. She Bop

6. I Drove All Night

7. Money Changes Everything

8. When You Were Mine (Prince cover)

9. Fearless

10. Above the Clouds (f/ Jeff Beck)

Doja Cat

1. Say So
2. Kiss Me More (f/ SZA)
3. Boss Bitch
4. Woman
5. Need to Know
6. You Right
7. Like That (f/ Gucci Mane)
8. Juicy
9. Go to Town
10. Tia Tamera (f/ Rico Nasty)

Fefe Dobson

1. Everything
2. Take Me Away
3. Stuttering
4. Stupid Little Love Song
5. The Initiator
6. I Can't Love Him (And Love You Too)
7. Rock It Till You Drop It
8. This Is My Life
9. Bye Bye Boyfriend
10. Give It Up

George Michael/Wham!

1. Faith
2. I Want Your Sex, Pts. 1 & 2
3. Last Christmas
4. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
5. Careless Whisper
6. Freedom! ’90
7. As (f/ Mary J. Blige)
8. One More Try
9. Fantasy
10. You Know That I Want To

Jennifer Lopez

1. Let's Get Loud

2. Waiting For Tonight

3. Love Don't Cost a Thing

4. On the Floor (f/ Pitbull)

5. If You Had My Love

6. I'm Real (f/ Ja Rule, Murder remix)

7. Jenny From the Block

8. Dance Again (f/ Pitbull)

9. Get Right

10. Play

Jonas Brothers

1. Sucker
2. Mandy
3. Leave Before You Love Me (w/Marshmello)
4. Tonight
5. Hold On
6. Games
7. Inseparable
8. Year 3000
9. Only Human
10. S.O.S.

Justin Bieber

1. Sorry
2. Intentions (f/ Quavo)
3. Yummy
4. Baby (f/ Ludacris)
5. Eenie Meenie (f/ Sean Kingston)
6. Love Yourself
7. What Do You Mean?
8. As Long as You Love Me (f/ Big Sean)
9. Anyone
10. I Can’t Be Myself (f/ Jaden)

Katy Perry

1. I Kissed a Girl

2. Hot N Cold

3. Roar

4. Dark Horse

5. Teenage Dream

6. Firework

7. California Girls (f/ Snoop Dogg)

8. The One That Got Away

9. Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)

10. Part of Me

Kelly Clarkson

1. Since U Been Gone

2. My Life Would Suck Without You

3. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)

4. Piece By Peace

5. Breakaway

6. Because of You

7. Behind These Hazel Eyes

8. Miss Independent

9. Already Gone

10. I Forgive You

Kesha

1. Your Love is My Drug

2. Blow

3. Tik Tok

4. Praying

5. Take It Off

6. We R Who We R

7. Blah Blah Blah

8. Resentment

9. Let 'Em Talk

10. Stephen

Lady Gaga

1. The Edge of Glory

2. Poker Face

3. Bad Romance

4. Paparazzi

5. Million Reasons

6. Telephone

7. Just Dance

8. Alejandro

9. Love Game

10. Applause

Madonna

1. Like A Prayer

2. Like A Virgin

3. Vogue

4. Papa Don't Preach

5. Material Girl

6. This Used to Be My Playground

7. Borderline

8. Express Yourself

9. Cherish

10. I'll Remember

Maroon 5

1. She Will Be Loved
2. Moves Like Jagger (f/ Christina Aguilera)
3. Girls Like You
4. This Love
5. Payphone (f/ Wiz Khalifa)
6. Love Somebody
7. One More Night
8. Don’t Wanna Know (f/ Kendrick Lamar)
9. Memories

10. Daylight

Mariah Carey

1. Hero

2. Dreamlover

3. Always Be My Baby

4. One Sweet Day

5. All I Want For Christmas Is You

6. Fantasy

7. Emotions

8. Heartbreaker

9. Honey

10. Anytime You Need a Friend

Michael Jackson

1. Billie Jean

2. Smooth Criminal

3. Thriller

4. Beat It

5. Dirty Diana

6. Man In the Mirror

7. Black or White

8. You Are Not Alone

9. P.Y.T.

10. Heal the World

Miley Cyrus

1. Adore You
2. Wrecking Ball
3. The Climb
4. We Can’t Stop
5. 7 Things
6. Party in the U.S.A.
7. Flowers
8. Malibu
9. Right Here
10. Midnight Sky

*NSYNC

1. Bye Bye Bye

2. It's Gonna Be Me

3. (God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You

4. Tearing Up Your Heart

5. I Want You Back

6. Thinking of You (I Drive Myself Crazy)
7. This I Promise You
8. No Strings Attached
9. Pop
10. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Post Malone

1. Circles
2. Rock Star (f/ 21 Savage)
3. Better Now
4. I Like You (A Happier Song) (f/ Doja Cat)
5. Wow
6. Staring At the Sun (f/ SZA)
7. Chemical
8. Congratulations (f/ Quavo)
9. Socialite
10. Don’t Understand

P!nk

1. Just Give Me a Reason (f/ Nate Ruess)
2. Please Don’t Leave Me
3. What About Us
4. Blow Me
5. Try
6. F**kin’ Perfect
7. Trustfall
8. Just Like A Pill
9. There You Go
10. Raise Your Glass

Prince

1. Purple Rain
2. When Doves Cry
3. 1999
4. Nothing Compares 2 U
5. Kiss
6. Little Red Corvette
7. Darling Nikki
8. Guitar
9. Sexy M.F.

10. Let’s Go Crazy

Rihanna

1. Love On the Brain
2. Only Girl (In the World)
3. We Found Love (f/ Calvin Harris)
4. S&M
5. Pon De Replay
6. Umbrella
7. Stay (f/ Mikky Ekko)
8. Love the Way You Lie II (f/ Eminem)
9. Don’t Stop the Music
10. Diamonds

Selena Gomez

1. Come & Get It
2. Slow Down
3. Love You Like A Love Song
4. Same Old Love
5. The Heart Wants What It Wants
6. Good For You (f/ A$AP Rocky)
7. Wolves (w/ Marshmello)
8. Single Soon
9. Lose You To Love Me
10. Tell Me Something I Don’t Know

Shakira

1. Hips Don’t Lie (f/ Wyclef Jean)
2. Whenever, Wherever
3. She Wolf
4. Objection (Tango)
5. Waka Waka (Esto es Africa) (f/ Freshleyground)
6. Ojos Asi
7. Underneath Your Clothes
8. Te Felicito (w/ Rauw Alejandro)
9. Chasing Shadows
10. Can't Remember to Forget You (f/Rihanna)

    

Sheryl Crow

1. If It Makes You Happy
2. All I Wanna Do
3. Strong Enough
4. Soak Up the Sun
5. Everyday is a Winding Road
6. Leaving Las Vegas
7. My Favorite Mistake
8. In the End
9. A Change Would Do You Good
10. The First Cut is the Deepest

Sia

1. Chandelier
2. Unstoppable
3. Snowman
4. Elastic Heart
5. Cheap Thrills (f/Sean Paul)
6. Footprints
7. Bird Set Free
8. Never Gonna Leave Me
9. Fire Meet Gasoline
10. Ho Ho Ho

Taylor Swift

1. Blank Space
2. Shake It Off
3. I Knew You Were Trouble
4. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
5. You Need to Calm Down
6. 22
7. You Belong With Me
8. Fifteen
9. The Man
10. Look What You Made Me Do

The Weeknd

Whitney Houston

   1. Save Your Tears
   2. Can’t Feel My Face
   3. Blinding Lights
   4. I Feel It Coming (f/ Daft Punk)
   5. Earned It (Fifty Shades of Gray)
   6. In Your Eyes
   7. Call Out My Name
   8. Die For You
   9. Often
  10. Belong to the World

1. I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton cover)
2. I Wanna Dance With Somebody
3. I Have Nothing
4. Greatest Love of All (George Benson cover)
5. Run to You
6. I’m Every Woman (Chaka Khan cover)
7. How Will I Know
8. Saving All My Love
9. Didn’t We Almost Have It All
10. I’m Your Baby Tonight

R&RHOF Nominations 2023

The 2023 nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were recently announced.  It represents diversity in terms of genre, race, and sex which is something the RRHOF has been trying to do lately.  Fans can vote for up to 5 nominees daily until April 28th.  It doesn't make a big dent in the official voting, but they do pay attention to who is and isn't getting the votes to be in top 5.  Fans helped Duran Duran, Dolly Parton, and Judas Priest get in last year.  Here's my rundown of the list.  Link at the bottom to cast your vote.

Kate Bush - is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. Interestingly her 1979 Tour of Life is credited with being the first to use a wireless microphone headset. Her 1985 song "Running Up That Hill" was featured on Stranger Things in 2022 which saw its popularity rebound including and AMA nomination for best rock song and numerous cover versions being produced (my favorite coming from a band called Loveless). I honestly don't know much about her body of work, but she has a good chance given the resurgence of this one single alone, and given that Prince, Coldplay, Cher, Elton John and others have been public about admiring her work.

Sheryl Crow - first nomination; she's a crossover pop/rock/country star. Her first two albums in the 90's were big hits on the radio and in car rides to go camping in my family. Since then she's had a few other hits and done a lot of collaborations. She's sold 50 Million albums worldwide and won 9 Grammys and been nominated 32 times. I think she deserves it, but not first ballot with so many other deserving candidates.

Missy Elliott - first nomination in first year of eligibility; her solo career started in 1997 with Supa Dupa Fly and hit a peak in the early 2000s with the singles "Get Ur Freak On," "One Minute Man," and "Work It." She has sold 40 million albums and is the top selling female rap artist. Since then she has been a successful writer and producer, largely behind the scenes until the Super Bowl appearance in 2015 that introduced her to a younger audience. Again, I would say that I wouldn't put her in as a first ballot candidate, but being the first female rap/hip-hop artist nominated, I'd say she has a pretty good shot.

Iron Maiden - since 1975 they've released 17 studio albums and sold 130 million albums worldwide and over 200 million counting singles, compilations, and videos. They are one of the most popular metal bands in the world and are hailed as one of the best live acts. They have an iconic mascot, frontman, and catalogue that has influenced hundreds of bands. They should have been in the RRHOF long ago.

Joy Division/New Order - first nomination; The English band Joy Division only released two albums, but were pioneers of post-punk and goth music influencing bands including the Cure and U2. After the suicide of singer Ian Curtis in 1980 the band members formed New Order. Adding keyboard and electronics, they continued to be an influence in the 80's including popular song "Blue Monday" which has been covered and remade many times. They're icons in their scene, but I wouldn't put them in this year's top 5 nominees.

Cyndi Lauper - first nomination; Her debut album She's So Unusual turns 40 this year and since then she has put out 10 more albums and won Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, AMAs, Billboard awards, and VMAs. Today she is an activist, still writing songs, and still performing without much lost of her powerful four octave range. She has my vote and could possibly enter the WWE Hall of Fame this year as well, or they might wait until the 40th anniversary of Wrestlemania next year.

George Michael - between his pop group Wham! and his solo career, George is one of the highest selling artists of all time with over 125 million albums sold (53 million certified as a single artist). He's had 8 number one songs in America and was the top played artist on British radio from 1984-2004. He had some famous arrests, but had largely turned his reputation around and become an LGBTQ+ activist and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser. He is huge in the pop world, but I wouldn't give him the RRHOF this year.

Willie Nelson - first nomination; How is he not in yet? He recorded his first album in 1962 and is now one of the most recognizable and prolific country artists ever. He's also been in 30 movies and is an iconic activist supporting farmers, animal rights, LGBTQ+, and marijuana rights among other things. You could argue that he's not a rock artist, but as one of the main artists creating outlaw country, and smoking more pot than anyone except maybe Snoop Dogg, he's definitely bad-ass. Put him in yesterday.

Rage Against the Machine - Rage has been nominated several times since their eligibility in 2017, but have so far come up short. At 16 million albums sold they are far short of other nominees, however, they were one of the best bands to fuse rap and rock. They influenced many artists in nu-metal and beyond. They have spawned several successful spinoff bands as well including Audioslave and Prophets of Rage. Last summer there were some reunion shows with Zach, but touring stalled after he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Due to their innovative blend of hip hop and metal, their several notable singles, and their influence politically and stylistically, I would put them in.

Soundgarden - Their sales are similar to Rage, they likewise are synonymous with a subgenre (grunge; alternative metal), and have spawned successful spinoff bands. They had more longevity and two more studio albums. They were one of the first Seattle grunge bands to sign to a major label and their middle albums were their peak with songs like "Jesus Christ Pose," "Outshined," "Spoonman," and "Blackhole Sun." I am probably biased as a fan, but they have been praised for their technical abilities as well as their dynamic song structures. Chris Cornell is also one of the best rock vocalists of all time. I would put them in this year.

The Spinners - Who? They're an American R&B group that was on Motown in the 60's and later Atlantic Records. In the early 70's they charted five top 100 singles including "I'll Be Around" that reached number 3 and "Then Came You" which hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. They continued to chart in the 80s and tour for decades. I don't think they are nearly as popular and influential as other Motown artists so I wouldn't give them the spot.

A Tribe Called Quest - QTip, Phife Dawg, Jarobi White, and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad. They are undoubtedly talented and seen as pioneers of alternative hip hop. They received the Billboard Founders award in 2005. But are they RRHOF material? They intelligently address social issues and raised awareness of Islam when QTip converted. They fused jazz and hip-hop, helped spark the career of Busta Rhymes, and influenced countless others. However, they are strictly hip-hop and most people wouldn't be able to name one of their songs. I don't see them getting in this year.

The White Stripes - first nomination in first year of eligibility; Emerging out of the garage rock revival of the late 90's out of Detroit, the Duo consisting of Jack and Meg White were a married couple that pretended to be siblings, and then divorced just as their career was taking off. Their music has sold millions and won multiple Grammys including three for Best Alternative Album. Songs like "Seven Nation Army" can be heard in stadiums around the country. Songs like "Blue Orchid," "My Doorbell," and "The Hardest Button to Button" are unique and so catchy. In late 2007 they went on hiatus and never really reunited. Meg didn't have a passion for the music, but Jack has gone on to have a successful solo career and is regarded for his technical knowledge, musical knowledge, and guitar playing talent. I'm a fan of theirs, and they are well known, but I don't think they are big enough for a first ballot entry.

Warren Zevon - first nomination; he studied classical music and then quit high school to become a folk singer. He worked and toured with the Everly Brothers. Later he became friends with Fleetwood Mac and went solo. His third album broke big behind "Werewolves of London." He has released other records and while he often was well received by critics, they didn't see big commercial success. He has written for other artists and been championed by celebrities like David Letterman. I don't think his influence is great enough for induction this year.

So my vote goes to Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden.  Make your vote count.  You can vote daily from now until April 28 at vote.rockhall.com

Top 10 Albums of 2022

I've been writing these best of the year lists since 2014, and it's always fun for me.  Even if nobody else reads these, I enjoy looking back at the year and reflecting.  I also do my homework and check out other lists online to see if I may have missed something.  Inevitably, I end up discovering a few releases I didn't notice and adding them to my collection.  I rank song quality and album consistency heavily, so if there's only a couple of good tracks, the rating suffers.  Often because of this there are some big names that fall off and a lot of times I end up surprising myself with the final top ten.  This year's list has quite of bit of diversity in terms of musical style and even language (including English, German, Japanese, and Mongolian).

1. Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9

Despite working through injuries, illness, and a global pandemic, Ozzy had a goal of making an album with multiple guest musicians that he admired.  He secured Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton to write songs with, along with Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Tonny Iommi (Black Sabbath), and of course Zakk Wylde.  Album opener and title track "Patient Number 9" f/ Jeff Beck is maybe one of the top 10 Ozzy solo singles of all time, it is that good.  Degradation Rules f/ Tony Iommi is probably the next best song.  Clapton shines on "One of Those Days" which also has a killer hook.  Zakk elevates the songs he is on.  The lyrics and production on this album are phenomenal.  I can listen to it all the way through which is the hallmark of a great album.

2. Lorna Shore - Pain Remains

This album is brutal from start to finish. Usually I don't like "cookie monster" sounding vocals where you can't make out all the lyrics, but I heard good things about this New Jersey band and checked them out. Man, I was not disappointed. Vocalist Will Ramos (formerly of Monument of a Memory and A Wake in Providence) is actually relatively new and the third singer of the band. His growls are well-timed and he sings in a deathcore style similar to Randy Blythe (Lamb of God). The bands sound very different, however. Drumming is a highlight of this album and songs are very dynamic. My favorite is "Soulless Existence" in the middle of the album, and it closes with a cool trilogy "Pain Remains" I, II, and III.

3. The HU - Rumble of Thunder

Mongolian folk metal?  You're damn right.  Take a listen before you write it off.  This band has great rhythms, chugging riffs, and tons of attitude.  Then they add in traditional Mongolian throat singing, instrumentation, and poetry.  I was made aware of them through a friend and then I was fortunate enough to see them open up for Megadeth in September, and they were captivating and sonically fantastic.  I also wrote about their international recognition as "The Artist for Peace" by UNESCO here.  Their videos are phenomenal, and I recommend checking them out.  This album is bookmarked by two really strong songs, but the whole thing is a piece of rocking art. 

4. Alter Bridge - Pawns & Kings

By now you should know of this band.  I certainly listen to them often and have written about them a few times.  Myles Kennedy has one of the best voices in rock and Mark Tremonti is one of the best guitarists.  They are both underrated songwriters and guitarists. They kill it solo, but are just magic together.  I don't think this album has the big catchy choruses that you'll find on some of their other albums, but it is solid and rocks all the way through.  I think the most sonically interesting song is called "Season of Promise."  Great bass lines, interesting melodies, and some soaring riffs.

5. Polyphia - Remember That You Will Die

Ok, this one is different.  Polyphia is a progressive rock band out of Texas that combines jazz, djent, metal, latin, funk, hip-hop, and more!  The band consists of guitarists Tim Henson and Scott LePage, bassist Clay Gober, and drummer Clay Aeschliman.  The album includes collaborations with hip-hop group Brasstracks, rappers $NOT and Lil West, metal singer Chino Moreno (Deftones), and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai.  My favorite track on this eclectic album is "Ego Death" which features Vai and closes the diverse maze of an album.

6. Disturbed - Divisive (review originally from my article November News and Noteworthy)

Frontman David Draiman and others have called it a return to form as the sound harkens back to their early albums. You can even hear some of Draiman's iconic wah-ka-ka vocal stylings on track "Part of Me." A few years ago Draiman said he was tired of being known for that kind of vocal, but it put them on the map and thankfully it is back. "Hey You" is probably the most iconic song on this album with "Bad Man" and "Divisive" also rocking hard. Draiman is quoted as saying that the Covid-19 pandemic and political instability made him "blisteringly angry" and he was anxious to write "new, original, angry, ferocious, brutal material." A different style is seen on "Don't Tell Me" which features Ann Wilson of Heart and is said to be inspired by founding guitarist Dan Donegan's divorce from his wife of 18 years. Ann wanted to work with Disturbed since hearing their popular cover of "Sound of Silence."

7. Silverstein - Misery Made Me

For a post-hardcore/emo band, Silverstein has been remarkably consistent.  Misery Made Me is their 11th studio album.  I own six of them so I know and like this band a lot.  I keep getting prepared to be let down, and I keep getting pleasantly rewarded with just good emo-punk-rock songs.  This album features a few guest singers including Mike Hranica (Devil Wears Prada) and three indie artists.  I like music with fast tempo, good rhythms, good lyrics, and good guitar work.  This band just delivers those things and is why I am a fan.  They don't get as political as Senses Fail, they just bring it.  I'd like to catch them live at some point.

8. I Prevail - True Power

Do you like breakdowns?  I do and I Prevail definitely does.  True Power is their third album.  I loved the first two, and I think this one may be even better.  They've matured and gotten better at their craft which is mixing different influences and styles into a hard rock juggernaut. Two months before the album dropped, their lead single "Body Bag" was playing on Octane and other radio.  It is a banger.  The second single "Bad Things" has more clean singing and a very poppy chorus, but with some screaming and breakdowns in keeping with their main style.  Two more singles were released and then songs like "Choke" that aren't official singles are still making waves on stations like Octane because they are still so many great hard rockers on this album.  It just may have dropped on my list because of a boring song in the middle of the 14 songs and an intro track that is just 42 seconds of noise.

9. Rammstein - Zeit

As noted in my concert review, "Armee der Tristen," the leading track of Rammstein's newest album, Zeit is a nice start because it has a driving rhythm at a medium tempo that is hard enough to bang your fist to and also feature's Till's storytelling vocal style. It is also apropos to open their stadium tour because the song is about uniting a group of disheartened people, "the party of the hopeless," in a march "against luck."  The rest of the album tackles concepts like racism, relationships, and plastic surgery all against the backdrop of the theme of time that is always ticking.  We are not getting any younger so Till and company definitely advocate fulfilling sexual desires ("OK, Dicke Titten") and accepting that we are not perfect ("Lügen").  The album ends as the stadium tour shows did, with "Adieu."  Rumor had it that this might be the last Rammstein album, but fortunately reports have come out that they are already working on another one.  As the lyrics say, "only death lasts forever... adieu, goodbye, see you again."

10. Megadeth - The Sick, the Dying…and the Dead!

I had high hopes for this album and would have predicted this would be higher on my list.  As it turns out, I think it is a very good album, but not an excellent one compared to Megadeth's own catalogue.  The opening title track is one of my favorites here and it reflects on the Covid pandemic by comparing it to the plague.  There's definitely some more good tracks and some great guitar playing by Mustaine.  The disappointing part was some of the lyrics seem generic and the middle of the album has a few tracks that aren't as good as the start or the finish.

Honorable Mention:  Weezer - SZNZ (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter EPs)

How do you rate EPs?  I don't think there are enough tracks (7 each) to qualify as an album in the top 10 list.  As a collection I think it is amazing because concept albums do not always work, but I think the seasonal theme is a cool idea that helps at the same time distinguish and unite the EPs.  Three of the four I would buy again.  I am of the opinion that the songs on Summer are the strongest, making it my favorite of the four seasons - er SZNZ.  I would not have predicted this as I would have thought the more melancholy would get my vote.  Spring is definitely the poppiest and least favorite.  However, the other three all could stand alone in the Weezer discography as being very strong releases.  Altogether there is something for everyone here, and many of the tracks include what fans of classic Weezer like best.  There are clever lyrics and song structures with deep meaning and introspection.  For highlights from each EP, check out "A Little Bit of Love" (Spring), "Thank You and Goodnight" (Summer), "Get Off on the Pain" (Autumn), and "The Deep and Dreamless Sleep" (Winter)

Other notable albums of 2022 worth hearing:

Abbath - Dread Reaver

Animals As Leaders - Parrhesia

A Parkway Drive - Darker Still

Arch Enemy - Deceivers

Architects - The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit

Bad Omens - The Death of Peace of Mind

Coheed and Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind

Counterparts - A Eulogy For Those Still Here

Dorothy - Gifts From the Holy Ghost

Electric Callboy - Tekkno

Five Finger Death Punch - After Life

Fozzy - Boombox

Ghost - Impera

Hammerfall - Hammer of Dawn

Highly Suspect - Midnight Demon Club

Jack White - Fear of the Dawn

Jelly Roll - Ballads of the Broken

Lamb of God - Omens

Muse - Will of the People

One Ok Rock - Luxury Disease

Papa Roach - Ego Trip

Saint Asonia - Extrovert EP

Scorpions - Rock Believer

Senses Fail - Hell is in Your Head

Shinedown - Planet Zero

Slash (f/Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators) - 4

Slipknot - The End, So Far

Tedeschi Trucks Band - I Am the Moon (I - IV)