The Music That Helped Me Get Through 2022

(Featuring a playlist some of my favorites.)

I’ve been spending too much time/ Searching in vain to find/ The only reason, the only reason/ To be alive/ To be alive to try/ To be somebody

-Angel Olsen, “All the Flowers”

The end will not befall us, the sky will not descend/ Life can be more sweet than bitter if you’ll only let me in

-Father John Misty, “Kiss Me (I Loved You)”

We never do seem to figure out we’ve caused all this trouble we’re in

-Bridget Leen and the Houseplants, “Lately”

The universe collects us

-Beach House, “Modern Love Stories”

I won’t try to compete with other year-end music lists, or even claim to have listened to enough music to pretend I know which songs or albums were “the best”. But music helped me get through this year (like it does every year), and some artists, in particular, deserve my gratitude. Looking back on some examples that were important to me is a good opportunity for me to reflect on what kind of year this was, but if you’re just interested in hearing some music I think was really good, there is …