Best Rock Albums Of 2022

Best Rock Albums Of 2022

Feature Photo: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Our Best Rock Albums Of 2022 looks back at a year in which we saw some great cover albums by both old and new rock stars and some brilliant new rock records that crossed many genres. For the first time in his career, Bruce Springsteen delivered a brand new studio album that was based entirely on cover songs. Modern rocker and blues singer Beth Hart also presented rock fans with a spectacular cover album of Led Zeppelin Songs that stands as one of the best records ever made based on covering Led Zeppelin material.

For the second year in a row, Sammy Hagar ends up in the top 10 with his new album with Circle entitled Crazy Times. Well into his 70s, the man shows no sign of slowing down. One of the biggest classic rock surprises of the year was the return of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull. Ian Anderson had been releasing solo albums for years. Yet there had not been a new Jethro Tull original music studio album released since 1999’s J-Tull Dot Com. 

Metal music forged ahead shining in popularity across all of its various genres. Metal bands from Europe continued to dominate the scene, although the U.S. still had its fair share of great Metal albums.

2022 was not a year in which the music scene saw any amazing rock and roll debut albums, but rather another year in a pandemic world that saw old-time rockers still working hard next to modern rock bands who had first come into the scene in the 2000s and 2010s instead of the 1970s and 80s.

# 100 – Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 – Johnny Marr

Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 - Johnny Marr Best Rock Albums of 2022

# 99 – Lucifer on the SofaSpoon

Lucifer on the Sofa - Spoon Best Rock Albums of 2022

# 98 – Changes –  King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

Changes -  King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Best Rock Albums of 2022

# 97 – The Car –  Arctic Monkeys

The Car -  Arctic Monkeys Best Rock Albums of 2022

# 96 – Flood – Stella Donnelly

Flood - Stella Donnelly Best Rock Albums of 2022

# 95 – The Hum Goes on Forever – The Wonder Years

The Hum Goes on Forever - The Wonder Years Best Rock Albums Of 2022

# 94 – King Stingray – King Stingray

King Stingray - King Stingray Best Rock Albums Of 2022

# 93 – The Long Road NorthCult Of Luna

The Long Road North - Cult Of Luna Best Rock Albums Of 2022

# 92 – Synchro AnarchyVoivod

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Best Rock Albums Of 2022

# 91 – Sloan

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Best Rock Albums Of 2022

# 90 – Color DecayThe Devil Wears Prada

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Color Decay - The Devil Wears Prada

# 89 – Weather AliveBeth Orton

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Weather Alive - Beth Orton

# 88 – Three Sides of One – Kings X

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Three Sides of One - Kings X

# 87 – Chloë and the Next 20th CenturyFather John Misty

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Chloë and the Next 20th Century - Father John Misty

# 86 – The Trouble with Fever Michelle Branch

 Best Rock Albums 2022 - The Trouble with Fever - Michelle Branch

# 85 – Chariot of the GodsHoodoo Gurus

 Best Rock Albums 2022 Chariot of the Gods - Hoodoo Gurus

# 84 – ObsidianNorthlane

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 83 – Rise –  The Rasmus

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 82 – ExplosionsThree Days Grace

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 81 – Harder Than It LooksSimple Plan

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 80 – Give Me the Future – Bastille

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 79 – Zero and Below – Crowbar

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 78 – The War to End All WarsSabaton

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 77 – The Blues Don’t LieBuddy Guy

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 76 – Ego Trip – Papa Roach

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 75 – Apocalypse Whenever – Bad Suns

# 74 – Immutable – Meshuggah

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 73 – Scoring the End of the World – Motionless in White

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 72 –FossoraBjork

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 71 – The Other Side of Make-BelieveInterpol

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 70 –  Hell Is in Your HeadSenses Fail

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 69 – Pawns & KingsAlter Bridge

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 68 – Diamond Star HalosDef Leppard

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 67 – Of Kingdom and CrownMachine Head

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 66 – Life Is Yours Foals

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 65 – Meet the MoonlightJack Johnson

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 64 – As I Try Not to Fall Apart – White Lies

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 63 – Radiate Like This – Warpaint

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 62 – Resist –  Midnight Oil

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 61 – Angel in Realtime – Gang of Youths

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 60 – By Royal Decree – The Flower Kings

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 59 – Being Funny in a Foreign LanguageThe 1975

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 58 – Fix Yourself, Not the World – The Wombats

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 57 –Viva Las VengeancePanic! at the Disco

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 56 – UnwantedPale Waves

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 55 –  Cool It DownYeah Yeah Yeahs

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 54 – FreedomJourney

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 53 – Carry Me HomeMavis Staples and Levon Helm

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 52 – Darker Still – Parkway Drive

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 51 – Happiness Not IncludedSoft Cell

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 50 – Butterfly 3001- King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard 

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 49 – RequiemKorn

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 48 – Home, Before and AfterRegina Spektor

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 47 – Time Skiffs Animal Collective

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 46 – 40 oz. to Fresno – Joyce Manor

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 45 – Freewheelin’ Woman – Jewel

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 44 – Ghosts on Tape – Blood Red Shoes

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 43 – Chaos in Bloom Goo Goo Dolls

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 42 – Anthem – Flogging Molly

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 41 – AM GoldTrain

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 40 – Halo – Amorphis

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 39 – The God MachineBlind Guardian

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 38 – TotemSoulfly

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 37 – Entering Heaven AliveJack White

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 36 – Mercury – Act 2Imagine Dragons

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 35 – A Bit of PreviousBelle and Sebastian

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 34 – DeceiversArch Enemy

 Best Rock Albums 2022

# 33 – Closure/Continuation – Porcupine Tree

Closure/Continuation - Porcupine Tree

# 32 – Rock Candy – Orianthi

Rock Candy - Orianthi

# 31 – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead!Megadeth

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

# 30 – BrightsideThe Lumineers

Brightside - The Lumineers

# 29 – 5SOS5Five Seconds Of Summer

5SOS5 - Five Seconds Of Summer

# 28 – 18 –  Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp

18 -  Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp

# 27 – Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking MindCoheed and Cambria

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

# 26 – What’s It Gonna Take?Van Morrison

What's It Gonna Take? - Van Morrison

# 25 – Back From The Storm – Halestorm

Back From The Storm - Halestorm

# 24 – Detroit Muscle – Ted Nugent

Detroit Muscle - Ted Nugent

# 23 – The Tipping PointTears For Fears

The Tipping Point - Tears For Fears

The band’s first new studio album in eighteen years.

# 22 – So Happy It HurtsBryan Adams

So Happy It Hurts - Bryan Adams

# 21 – Love SuxAvril Lavigne

Love Sux - Avril Lavigne

She’s more rock than pop than you think she is. And don’t tick her off…..

# 20 – Earthling – Eddie Vedder

Earthling - Eddie Vedder

# 19 – Just Like That…Bonnie Raitt

Just Like That... - Bonnie Raitt

# 18 – Return of the Dream Canteen  – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Return of the Dream Canteen  - Red Hot Chili Peppers

# 17 – Afterlife – Five Finger Death Punch

Afterlife - Five Finger Death Punch

# 16 – Will of the PeopleMuse

Will of the People - Muse

# 15 – World RecordNeil Young & Crazy Horse

World Record - Neil Young & Crazy Horse

# 14 – Chicago XXXVIII: Born for This Moment – Chicago

Chicago XXXVIII: Born for This Moment - Chicago

# 13 – Fear of the DawnJack White

Fear of the Dawn - Jack White

# 12 -4 – Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators

Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators

# 11 – Unlimited LoveRed Hot Chili Peppers

Unlimited Love - Red Hot Chili Peppers

# 10 – The Boy Named IfElvis Costello & The Imposters

The Boy Named If - Elvis Costello & The Imposters

The man still continues to release music of substance and of course incredible fun.

# 9 – Strictly a One-Eyed Jack John Mellencamp

Strictly a One-Eyed Jack - John Mellencamp

While he might not be as fun as he used to be, his music has become darker, deeper, and much more compelling as we all age together.

# 8 – Rock BelieverScorpions

Rock Believer - Scorpions

The band’s ninetieth album finds them sounding as good as they have ever sounded.

# 7 – The Zealot GeneJethro Tull

The Zealot Gene - Jethro Tull

Yes, that’s right my classic rock friend, a new Jethro Tull album!

# 6 – No More Worlds to Conquer – Robin Trower

No More Worlds to Conquer - Robin Trower

One of the greatest guitarists of the classic rock era is also one of the greatest guitarists of the 21st century. This album is simply further proof that he remains of the best ever.

# 5 – Patient Number 9Ozzy Osbourne

Patient Number 9 - Ozzy Osbourne

Some people complained about the many guest appearances, but we thought it just added to all the fun.

# 4 – Only the Strong SurviveBruce Springsteen

Only the Strong Survive - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen breaks our long-running rule of not putting cover albums on  “album of the year” list. We like to keep the list full of new material and put cover and live albums on separate lists. Nonetheless, this is Bruce Springsteen. His Only The Strong Survieb LP is a collection of soul music covers that focuses on Bruce Springsteen’s voice. If you’re a fan of Bruce, you are probably a fan of his very unique voice that sings with as much passion as anyone in rock has ever done. That’s what this album is all about and that’s why it’s at number four on this list.

# 3 – A Tribute to Led Zeppelin – Beth Hart

A Tribute to Led Zeppelin - Beth Hart

Like we mentioned with the Brice Springsteen LP, while we don’t usually put a covers album on best-of-the-year lists, once again and for the second album in a row on this list, we will make another exception for this one because this album is just so good.  Beth Heart brings her own rock and roll blues style of singing to this recording that works ever so perfectly on this iconic material.

# 2 – From The New World – Alan Parsons

From The New World - Alan Parsons

Another great album by Alan Parson and his second in the past three years after having been away for close to 15 years.

# 1 – Crazy Times – Sammy Hagar & Circle

Crazy Times - Sammy Hagar & Circle

Sammy Hagar returns with another kicking album with his hard-rocking band Circle. Joined by his Van Halen blood brother Michale Anthony along with Jason Bonham and Vic Johnsons, the band makes the argument for being the most enjoyable classic rock style band still performing and releasing great new music in today’s music scene. Sammy Hagar and Michale Anthony are classic rockers that play and sing like they are still 25. Jason Bonham’s father John would have been so proud to hear his son making music like this.

 

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