The rap of 2022 reunited and revitalized old partnerships, revisited and critiqued old haunts, unearthed powerful new voices and even helped plug a new Minions movie.
The host of All Songs Considered listens for the moments when the poetry of a song's lyrics seem woven into its sound. This year, his playlists overflowed.
In a year when the industry bet on fresh tech and virtual worlds, NPR's hip-hop and R&B editor found these albums powerfully immersive all on their own.
Discover a broad spectrum of this year's most compelling classical music, from booby-trapped string quartets and chilled-out piano to full-throttle percussion, electric guitars and high-flying vocals.
In 2022, R&B rediscovered its place in the club, pushed into the outer reaches of space, found and lost love (as always) and relished the beauty of the Black experience.