Hi, everyone! Now that I’m done writing about my least favourite hit songs of 2022, how about I write about my favourite hit songs of 2022?

Just like with my worst list, this is all just based on my own personal taste in music, meaning these are my personal favourite hit songs of 2022, not some sort of ‘objective’ list of the best hit songs of the year, whatever that means.

Also, I’m using the same eligibility rules as my best list. The song must have made the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 of 2022, and it can’t have made the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 in any previous year.

Also, if you plan to read this post and my worst list, I recommend you read the worst list first, because this post may contain spoilers for that list.

And with all that out of the way, let’s get started:

#10 …

So, I just posted my final mini review post of 2022, and I reviewed this album. If you want to find out my opinion on the album, you can read that post, but what I’ll tell you right now is that I love this song!

#10: “I Hate U” by SZA

“I Hate U” is a song that seems to describe a breakup that the narrator isn’t over, despite negative feelings toward this person’s ex, and something about the way the song sounds really fits the lyrics.

The low-pitched, bassy synths sound fantastic, and the percussion is super well mixed. And while the vocal melodies feel kind of all over the place, I think that really helps the song, adding to the feeling of mixed emotions.

There’s not really a ton for me to say about this song … it’s just a great song that is super well produced and super well mixed, and also features an awesome line in the hook: ‘And if you wonder if I hate you, I do.’

Again, I briefly gave my opinions on the album in my latest mini review post, and you can look at that post if you want to … but what I’ll say in this post is that I absolutely love this song!

#9 …

So, there are songs like “I Hate U” … and there are also songs that are just so calming to listen to …

#9: “Hrs & Hrs” by Muni Long

If you had never heard of Muni Long before this song became a hit, you might not have known that she’s been writing songs for famous artists for over a decade, including Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, and Ariana Grande.

And now one of her own songs became a big hit, and I absolutely love this song!

I love the production on this song! It just sounds so good! The percussion is mixed really well, and I love the synths in the background! I also love how the vocals are mixed!

It’s a pretty simple song, but it’s just so calming, and the melodies are really good!

I don’t really know what else there is for me to say … but if you haven’t heard this song, I highly recommend you listen to it. It’s fantastic!

#8 …

So, 2022 was a very difficult year for me personally, for reasons I’m not going to go into detail about right now … and I’m not going to go into all the details in any of my year-end lists. The important thing is that I’ve been getting the help I need, and I’d rather not share all the details on my website. But I will have more to say in my lists of my favourite albums and songs of 2022.

But yeah, 2022 was a very difficult year for me, and while there are songs that hit way harder for me and felt even more special to me, I’ll admit there were moments in 2022 when all I felt like doing in that current moment was sitting down by my computer and listening to this song:

#8: “Numb Little Bug” by Em Beihold

So, this seemingly became a hit out of nowhere … and a big part of that was due to TikTok. And while there are a lot of songs that become big hits because of TikTok that I don’t like, there are also songs like this one which I absolutely love!

There’s a lot to like about “Numb Little Bug” from Em Beihold’s underrated 2022 EP, Egg in the Backseat. For starters, I really like the instrumentation on this song. The synths sound fantastic, and I love the pianos, too, especially the way they’re timed with the rest of the instrumentation.

I’ve also got to say, this song has lots of great melodies, in both the vocals and the instrumentation. The verses and chorus are both very catchy, and the song grabs my attention right from the opening piano melody.

I also really like the production on this track, with the crunch in the snare sounding great, and the loud pianos really helping add to the feeling of frustration in the song.

And on that topic, there’s also the lyrics, which are probably my favourite element of the song, and what pushes it from a really good song to one of my favourite hit songs of 2022. ‘Do you ever get a little bit tired of life? Like you’re not really happy but you don’t wanna die? Like you’re hangin’ by a thread but you gotta survive cause you gotta survive?’ Those lines really hit hard for me, and overall, at least to me, there’s this sense of frustration throughout the track, for example, the line, ‘The prescription’s on its way, with a name I can’t pronounce, and the dose I gotta take, boy, I wish that I could count.’

Something about this song is just really comforting to me. And while there’s another similar song on Egg in the Backseat that I love even more, I’ll still throw a ton of praise on this song.

Em Beihold made a really special song here, and one that means a lot to me.

#7 …

Some people would argue this song shouldn’t be eligible for this list, and I get why. I mean, there are a whole bunch of different eligibility rules I could have followed, and considering that this was released decades ago, and just never made the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 until 2022, it doesn’t really feel like a 2022 hit, especially considering that it only charts around the holiday season … but that being said, it’s still eligible according to my rules, and of the big Christmas classics that you find on tons of Christmas playlists and hear all over the place, this is one of my favourites …

#7: “A Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives

I don’t have a lot to say about this song. It’s a fun, upbeat Christmas song that I love!

I mean, maybe part of it is nostalgia because I used to listen to Burl Ives’ 1965 Christmas album, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas when I was a kid. And while I haven’t listened to that album for a long time, this track has stuck with me.

Like I said, it’s not a track that gives me a ton to say … I mean, Burl Ives’ vocals are great, the song is super catchy, and it gets me excited about the holiday season!

What else is there for me to say? Overall, I just love this song! And while I get why someone might not like it, there’s just something magical about this track to me.

#6 …

I’m not a big fan of country music. Yes, I know a lot of people love it, and I don’t hate country music … I just find that for the most part, it doesn’t click for me as much as rock, metal, pop, and so many other genres.

There’s a part of me that thinks it has to do with the cliché lyrics in lots of country, but pretty much all genres have clichés, and there’s lots of country music that doesn’t feature cliché lyrics. So, maybe it’s more of a composition/production issue for me.

But going back to what I said about the lyrics, a lot of mainstream country blends together for me lyrically. And if you like it, that’s great, but I find a lot of it just isn’t for me, partially because of the cliché lyrics. Again, I’m not saying all mainstream country lyrics are cliché, but a lot of it is, at least it seems that way to me.

But sometimes a play on words can lead to so much more, and in this case, it leads to one of my favourite hit songs of the year!

#6: “Damn Strait” by Scotty McCreery

This is a song where Scotty McCreery sings about a breakup, referencing many different George Strait songs, and George Strait’s music reminds the song’s narrator of this relationship. And I love the play on words used here, with the chorus beginning with, ‘Damn, Strait, you’re killing me, man. You know I’ve always been your biggest fan.’ But then the chorus ends with, ‘But do I wish I could get her back? Damn straight.’

But it’s not just the lyrics about this song that I love. I love the production and instrumentation, with the guitars sounding great, and I love how the drums are mixed.

There are also lots of great vocal melodies on this song, and I love Scotty McCreery’s vocals here, too! I think the vocals fit the mood of the song really well.

Also, I’ve got to say, the song is really catchy. It’s been getting stuck in my head a lot, and I’m not mad about that, because it’s such a good song!

So, yeah, while I’m not the biggest fan of country music, this song really clicked for me, and I’m curious to hear more of Scotty McCreery’s music. What a fantastic song!

#5 …

Let’s go back to what I said about “Numb Little Bug”. Sometimes the uplifting songs I feel like listening to are more like that song, which is kind of upbeat but still has a bit of a bleak feeling to it. But while that song really clicked for me, one thing I’ve often felt like I’ve lacked is … motivation, a word which is in the lyrics of this song. And if “Numb Little Bug” is a song I listen to when I’m feeling lots of frustration, this song is a good one for me to listen to right after. In other words, when I’m looking for an uplifting song, sometimes I’m just in the mood for listening to an absolute banger!

#5: “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé

The opinions on this song in the online music critic community are very mixed … and I understand both sides of the argument. But I’m going to explain why this song works for me.

There are songs I listen to for motivation because I’m in a bad mood … but when I’m in a good mood, but still not feeling motivated to do certain things I want to get done, this is a great example of a song that really works in those moments! But not just in those moments, because this song hits hard pretty much any time!

Honestly, despite landing this high on the list, this song doesn’t give me a ton to say, other than that it’s a really fun, uplifting track that is an absolute banger!

Right from the moment this song starts, it’s got me hooked, with that sample of “Explode” by Big Freedia. And while I don’t like that song, I actually think the sample is used really well here … I don’t know why, but it just really fits!

The instrumentation here is fantastic, and Beyoncé’s performance on this track is amazing, too! I love the confidence that she has on this track, and it fits the instrumental super well!

Beyoncé’s newest album, RENAISSANCE, is an album with lots of bangers, but this is one of my favourites on the album, if not my favourite, and I’m so happy it became a hit!

#4 …

So, like I said in my worst list, Bad Bunny has seven songs eligible for my best and worst hits lists. And with that many hits … yeah, there’s a pretty good chance of making my worst list, and one of those seven songs ended up on my worst list. But also, with seven eligible songs … there’s a pretty good chance of making my best list, too. And Bad Bunny is making both lists:

#4: “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny

I still haven’t heard Bad Bunny’s album from this year, but based on the hits I’ve heard … I haven’t been too impressed. It’s worth mentioning that the only language I speak and understand is English, and I’m not sure how accurate the translations I’ve read are. But if they are accurate translations, in my opinion the lyrics haven’t been very good in most of the Bad Bunny songs I’ve heard.

And this song starts off with uninteresting lyrics where Bad Bunny is bragging about having lots of girlfriends, and he says he wants to move into a mansion with all of them … nothing interesting here … until the later part of the song, where he admits this isn’t really what he wants, saying he doesn’t trust himself, and even gives a warning not to fall in love with him.

But still, you could make the argument that this isn’t deep, either … and, I mean, it’s not like I haven’t heard this sort of thing in a song’s lyrics before. It’s not the most original topic for a song … but that’s why I have to mention how this song sounds. It starts off as an upbeat banger with an awesome beat, and Bad Bunny sounds like he’s having a lot of fun. And it sounds fantastic!

But that being said, there’s still a bit of a gloomy feeling to the sound of that part of the song … and I think that fits well with the lyrics. And then the song gets more mellow toward the end, sounding even more gloomy.

I’m often a big fan of it when songs have a big musical shift partway through, right when there’s a big lyrical shift. And I think this song pulls it off super well!

Oh, and I didn’t mention how good the mixing is or how awesome that spooky synth at the end of the track sounds … so I’ll mention it right now. What a fantastic song! This makes me especially curious to hear more of Bad Bunny’s music, and while I have a feeling I won’t like most of it as much as this … well, we’ll have to wait and see. And this is fantastic either way!

#3 …

As we get closer to the top of the list, I want to answer this question you might be asking: ‘Simon, how do you determine your favourite hit song of the year? Is it the one you listen to the most? The one that you think is the most fun? The one that resonates with you the most emotionally? Something else?’ And to answer that question … well, there isn’t really an answer, other than that there is no answer.

There is no set criteria for how I determine my favourite hit song of the year. It really depends on the year and the songs.

That’s somewhat off-topic, but I wanted to mention it sometime before we get to #1 … and also, it’s only somewhat off-topic, because this is a song that might be kind of hard to describe why it really clicks for me. And while it isn’t my #1, it’s an example of why I like not having that set criteria … or maybe all of these songs are, I’m not sure. Maybe I’m just trying to pretend I didn’t just totally go off-topic, or maybe it was on-topic. Who knows?

But to really get on topic now … I remember when this artist had his big breakout hit in 2019. And it feels so strange looking back at that now, considering how much this artist has evolved artistically … and after this artist put out an album I absolutely love in 2021, one of my favourite songs from the album became a hit, and I’m so happy about that!

#3: “THATS WHAT I WANT” by Lil Nas X

Remember when Lil Nas X was best known as ‘the “Old Town Road” guy’? And while I think “Old Town Road” is a pretty good track, it kind of seems like a bit of a joke song, even though I think there’s more to it lyrically than it seems on the surface. But that’s a different conversation. For now, I want to talk about “THATS WHAT I WANT”.

But first, I want to say that Lil Nas X’s debut studio album, Montero, is an absolutely fantastic album that I think represents the artist Lil Nas X is … until whatever the next direction he goes with his music is, but who knows what that could be? But yeah, it’s an absolutely fantastic album …

And “THATS WHAT I WANT” is an absolute banger, where Lil Nas X seems both frustrated and hopeful at the same time in his search for love … maybe more frustrated, but the upbeat instrumentation adds a sense of optimism to the track. And I think those two things are combined super well on this track, and it’s hard to describe why … but it works!

The percussion is super well mixed, the guitars sound awesome, and the vocal melodies are absolutely fantastic! It’s such a catchy track with a huge, soaring hook that is made even better with that fantastic clicking percussion, especially with the percussion being mixed so well!

And I think almost everyone has been in a situation where something feels missing in life, whether it be a romantic partner or something else. And even though I don’t personally relate to all of the lyrics, it’s probably still a ‘relatable’ song to most people … I use quotes because I don’t know how to define ‘relatability’ in music, but anyway, this song is absolutely fantastic, one of the best songs on Montero, and it’s always special to me when a song I love this much becomes a big hit that I actually hear on the radio! What a phenomenal track!

#2 …

This is one of the most critically acclaimed hits of the year. And I would say it’s probably no surprise that this is as high as it is on the list … but if you read my mini review of the album, there’s a good chance you’ll be surprised it’s this high … you might even be surprised to see it on the list!

Yeah, the album this song comes from didn’t do much for me as a whole. I gave it a 5/10, which isn’t a negative score, but isn’t a positive score, either … but this is easily my favourite track on the album, and I’ll agree with almost every critic that this is absolutely special:

#2: “Glimpse of Us” by Joji

When it comes to mellow piano songs like this one, I have some very controversial opinions. While I love some of Adele’s piano songs, “Easy On Me” never really clicked for me. Meanwhile, I like “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. But in this case, I agree with most critics.

I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s hard for me to fully describe why I love this song so much. I mean, yes, it’s a beautiful track with stunning production, an amazing vocal performance from Joji, where the multiple layers of vocals in the chorus sound phenomenal! And the pianos, while simple, add so much emotion to the track, and the vocals and vocal melody on the bridge just send this song to a whole different level of greatness!

But then there’s the lyrics. In this song, the narrator is in a relationship, trying to find a real connection … but this person can’t stop thinking about a past relationship. Joji sings, ‘I’m only here passing time in her arms, hopin’ I’ll find a glimpse of us.’

But the thing is, there’s a bunch of different ways this could be interpreted. Is it someone in an unhealthy relationship who’s ready to break up? Is it someone in a happy relationship who’s just experiencing some unwanted feeling? Is it maybe even a metaphor for something totally different?

Well, that’s where it gets really complicated … but I want to talk about the possibility that it’s a metaphor, even though I don’t think it is. Because … well, one thing it and the last song, “THATS WHAT I WANT”, have in common is that they both have lyrics about really wanting something. In this case, it’s wanting that past relationship back … and there’s a whole bunch of things that could be a metaphor for, but it’s the feeling of really wanting something that is a big part of the reason why both of these songs stand out to me so much.

But there’s a big difference between these two songs that I haven’t mentioned yet. “THATS WHAT I WANT” feels a lot more optimistic. The upbeat instrumentation is what really adds that sense of optimism … but in this track, despite the line, ‘Hopin’ I’ll find a glimpse of us,’ there’s this feeling I get throughout this song that it’s not optimistic. That’s just my interpretation, but I don’t see it as someone who actually believes this past relationship is going to work out again.

But it’s not just that … it’s also that if I look at it as a metaphor, it feels more optimistic than if I don’t look at it as a metaphor. Of course, that depends what I look at it as a metaphor for, but there is some real magic to those brief feelings of optimism that I get sometimes about things I usually don’t feel optimistic about, even if it’s just a glimpse.

And that’s what makes this song so special to me. To me, it represents the fact that things can get better … whatever I’m going through, I’ll get to a point in my life where it isn’t an issue anymore … or, at least, if it stays an issue, I trust that everything will be okay in the end. Yeah, this song is incredibly calming.

This is a song that could be interpreted many different ways, and to me, how it’s interpreted affects how optimistic or pessimistic the song is. And maybe I’m overthinking all of this, but either way, it’s a song that really resonates for me deeply, even though I don’t relate to all of the lyrics, and in a year this difficult for me, I’m so happy we got this song. It is absolutely incredible, and only one song ended up topping it on this list. But before we get to that …

Honourable Mentions:

Before I reveal my #1 pick, let’s quickly go through some honourable mentions, in no particular order:

“Get Into It (Yuh)” by Doja Cat
“Surface Pressure” by Jessica Darrow
“she’s all i wanna be” by Tate McRae
“Enemy” by Imagine Dragons & JID
“AA” by Walker Hayes
“Shivers” by Ed Sheeran
“Meet Me At Our Spot” by THE ANXIETY
“Boyfriend” by Dove Cameron
“Fingers Crossed” by Lauren Spencer Smith
“Bam Bam” by Camila Cabello (ft. Ed Sheeran)
“Vegas” by Doja Cat
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina” by Cole Swindell
“Smokin’ Out the Window” by Silk Sonic
“Late Night Talking” by Harry Styles
“Ghost” by Justin Bieber
“5 Foot 9” by Tyler Hubbard
“Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan
“abcdefu” by GAYLE

Yes, I know there are some controversial picks there. But anyway, let’s finish this off with …

#1 …

I mean, considering it wasn’t anywhere from 10-2 on the list, and it wasn’t in the honourable mentions, either, you’re probably guessing this is my #1, and you’re absolutely right. And while some may argue this shouldn’t be eligible, based on my rules it’s eligible.

But I want to make one thing clear right now: this song isn’t topping my list because, ‘Well, I’m an online music critic, and how could I possibly put some modern pop hit ahead of this song? It’s one of the most critically acclaimed songs of all time! It has to top my list!’ No, it’s topping my list because it’s absolutely phenomenal!

#1: “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” by Kate Bush

How do I even describe this song?

I mean, yes, it’s an incredibly well-produced track with some fantastic synths, vocal melodies, vocals, and percussion, and those opening drums are so fantastic! And the lyrics about trying to see different perspectives are absolutely incredible! I especially love the line, ‘Let me steal this moment from you now,’ to describe the idea of two people swapping perspectives, to try and understand each other.

Oh yeah, and those guitars that come in partway through are absolutely amazing!

But, I mean, it’s one of the most critically acclaimed songs of all time, and part of me wants to write some really long explanation for why this is topping my list … but that’s not what I’m going to do.

Overall, while this song is far from simple, compared to some of the songs on this list, it definitely feels easy for me to describe why I love this song. I mean, I’ve pretty much already done it!

Okay, not entirely. I could go on and on about details in this track that I love so much … so why don’t I do that? The eerie synth at the very beginning and very end of the track, the synth melody at the start, the chord progression in the chorus, the reverb (or at least what sounds like reverb) on the synths, the parts with the multiple layers of vocals, the way the song builds throughout … and yeah, like I said, the lyrics are fantastic, too!

I haven’t listened to much Kate Bush music … actually, I think this is the only Kate Bush song I know. And she’s on my list of artists to listen to more! And I have very high expectations, but no matter how I end up feeling about her other music when I finally listen to it, I can say I absolutely agree with all of the critical acclaim this song has gotten … okay, maybe not, because it’s not one of my favourite songs of all time or anything, but you get what I’m saying.

And yeah, for me, it’s the best hit song of 2022!

Thanks so much for reading this post! There are four more year-end lists coming, those being the top 25 worst songs of 2022, the top 10 worst albums of 2022, the top 50 best albums of 2022, and the top 100 best songs of 2022. And just like this post and my worst hits list, by ‘best’ and ‘worst’ I mean my favourite and least favourite … I just prefer how those titles sound.

Feel free to let me know your list in the comments, and/or let me know what you thought of my post. And with that, I’ll be back soon with more lists!