Freak show: 2022’s sexiest, silliest and most brilliantly strange musicians
Featuring horny singles, vaporwave vixens, smutty, sordid house cuts and gay electro-punk with a cynical sneer.
Music
How Ice Spice broke the mould of Bronx drill
10 songs that defined 2022: Newcomer Ice Spice scored a TikTok hit with the nonchalant Munch, catching the ears of Cardi B and Drake in the process.
Beyoncé’s Break My Soul delivered the post-lockdown euphoria we all craved
10 songs that defined 2022: Bey’s club-ready banger brought classy house music to the mainstream.
Blondshell makes cathartic alt-rock to die for
100%: We quiz Sabrina Teitelbaum on pasta sauce, The Cranberries and her toxic addiction to WebMD.
Ethel Cain’s guide to the Southern Gothic
The musician describes a deeply unsettling atmosphere which haunts the US’s Southern states.
How Lil Yachty got whole world wailing with Poland
10 Songs that defined 2022: The rapper’s ode to cough syrup started as a joke. It ended up being his biggest hit.
Asake’s hit Sungba was a victory for Lagos’ street culture
10 Songs that Defined 2022: Mr Money’s raunchy hit made major waves across the globe.
How Harry Styles scored the biggest hit of the year with As It Was
10 songs that defined 2022: The Harry's House single was truly unescapable.
The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring 100 gecs, PinkPantheress, Babyface Ray and and Latto.
B.O.T.A. quenched the UK’s thirst for sun-kissed dance classics
10 songs that defined 2022: Underground DJs Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal scored an unlikely chart-topper.
Burna Boy’s Last Last was this year’s bittersweet summer anthem
10 songs that defined 2022: With a little help from Toni Braxton, the African Giant stole our hearts.
100% Mercury: the Atlanta rapper who’s obsessed with Queen
The free-spirited artist takes inspiration from Kid Cudi bars, bad moods and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Skillibeng: “I’m the greatest dancehall artist of my era”
His red-hot fusion of dancehall and rap has provoked pride, and not a little alarm, in his home country of Jamaica. Now, 2022 has seen Skillibeng go global – taking his tunes and charm on the road.
How Doja cemented Central Cee’s global stardom
10 songs that defined 2022: The London rapper’s provocative hit was tailor-made for virality.
100% Bonnie Kemplay: the Scottish musician turning melancholy into gold
The UK’s top emerging artist (according to BBC Radio 1) talks sad music, winding up her dad and taking a cautious approach to astrology.
No FACE, No Case: Meekz is Manchester’s unstoppable rap star
The masked artist dropped one of this year's hardest mixtapes: Respect The Come Up.
Music-washing: why are international acts performing in Qatar?
Massive musicians have flocked to the desert to perform around the World Cup, bringing an intense ethical debate into sharp focus.
The best new tracks, picked by our staff
RATED BY THE FACE: A playlist featuring Pharrell & Travis Scott, PinkPantheress, Meekz and Nia Archives.
100% Louis Culture: the UK rapper with a taste for experimental beats
We quizzed the South Londoner about pad thai, rainy days and intense massages.
Say goodbye to Brockhampton
After a turbulent eight years, the hip-hop boy band has dropped their final album.
The best music T‑shirts to buy as Christmas gifts
Here’s where to buy bootleg band tees, stylish merch and vintage gems.
The best new tracks, picked by our staff
Rated by THE FACE: a playlist featuring Yunè Pinku, Wizkid, Lolahol and Kam-Bu.
Arlo Parks refuses to stay broken
After she cancelled shows earlier this autumn for the sake of her mental health, we joined the singer in Iceland for the final gig of her 18-month tour – and found a woman exiting one stage, ready for the next.
100% Bambii: the Toronto club legend launching her new phase
We quiz the DJ-turned-artist about free raves, peach cobbler and working with Kelela.
