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A Week of Best Of’s 2022: Artist of the Year
12.29.22
We have officially made it, to the last week of 2022. The music industry is relatively quiet around this time, and hopefully a lot of us are at home resting, gearing up for the new year, as well. With every year-end, however, we finally get to talk about the ‘Best Of’s.’ Everyone has their own Spotify Wrap or Year In Apple Music, and everyone has an opinion on who had the best product out this year.
This week, we’ll round up 2022 with a ‘Best Of’ each day, leading up to the start of 2023. Here is what our schedule will look like:
Monday: Best Freestyle
Tuesday: Best Music Video
Wednesday: Best Collaboration Album of the Year
Thursday: Artist of the year
Friday: Album of the year
Things are starting to get spicy with the ‘best of’s.’ When it comes to top artists, it is hard to name just a few. And, there is a lot to base this off of. New music, consistency, sales, touring, additional business plans and leadership, etc. Who was your favorite artist of 2022? Here are some of For the SoUle’s favorites.
Of course, Kendrick Lamar has to be on the list. First, he had the biggest first week sales numbers after releasing Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, his final album with label TDE. With 250,000+ record sales week one, Kendrick beat Gunna, Future, Drake, Jack Harlow and anyone else you may ask who also released new music this year. Kendrick Lamar went on tour, he performed at the Super Bowl he was nominated for several awards. Whichever way you look at it, Kendrick Lamar was king of 2022.
Eminem did play the Super Bowl alongside Kendrick Lamar and several other artists that will always triumph hip-hop. His year was just kicking off to a legendary year for the now Hall-of-Famer. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Eminem Show, Eminem launched the “Expanded Version” in May. The expanded version included eighteen bonus tracks included instrumentals, live performances, loose singles and an unreleased, never-before-heard track. Later on in August, Eminem dropped Curtain Call 2, another greatest hits piece with a few new singles to get excited about. Em’s presence is everlasting, rightfully so granting himself a spot in the Rock and Hall of Fame, where Dr. Dre inducted him in November. He took his restaurant Mom’s Spaghetti on the road, and became the number one most awarded, most certified artist for singles in the world. RIAA Certifications say Eminem has six diamond records, 73.5 million new certification, 227.5 million US certifications. Men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t lie, baby.
Drake may just be here every year on other platforms. On For The SoUle, we let others shine through, but give acknowledgement to where acknowledgement is due. Drake is coming off of six months from Certified Lover Boy, and frankly, no one is ready for another album just yet. Then, what do you know, Drake released his seventh studio album, Honestly, Nevermind. The album has thusfar gone silver and landed in the top #1 or #2 slots is almost everyone Billboard region. He also released Her Loss last month with 21 Savage that has received similar success. From these records he has multiple platinum, gold and silver singles throughout, along with plenty of awards and endorsements to back him. Drake remains unstoppable.