It’s that time of the year to break down, discuss, and debate, which artist earned the coveted title of Album Of The Year. Since the beginning of 2022, plenty of artists, rappers or otherwise, have made up for the time lost during the pandemic so there certainly wasn’t a shortage of heat to choose from.

The trinity of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole (via Dreamville), and Drake emerged to critical and commercial glory throughout the year. At the same time, the next generation preceding them claimed their stake in hip-hop, from J.I.D., Lil Baby and NBA Youngboy. However, it’s also a year when plenty of veteran MCs came through with extraordinary bodies of work showcasing the timelessness in their pens (i.e. Nas, Pusha T, Black Thought).

Whether it’s an artist like Denzel Curry, whose Melt My Eyez See Your Future defies expectations through strong wordplay and versatile production, or the hedonistic trap god Future, who reminded fans of his innate ability to craft hit records with the release of I NEVER LIKED YOU, 2022 had something for everyone.

As difficult as it was, we ranked the top 40 albums of 2022. Scroll through HNHH’s picks and sound off in the comments with your thoughts on our Album of The Year.