25 Most Popular Songs of 2022

Beyonce. Photo By Rocbeyonce – Wikimedia Common

25 Most Popular Songs of 2022

2022 saw the emergence of smash hits from underground artists, fan faves, and upcoming young talent. Some songs went viral on the popular dancing app TikTok while others received commercial success for their irresistible beats.

Here are the most popular songs of 2022:

1. As It Was by Harry Styles

As It Was is a song by the British singer and former One Direction band member, Harry Styles. It was one of three singles released from his album, Harry House (2022).

As It Was is a techno-pop song with similar beats to the Weekend’s Blinding Lights and James Bay’s Pink Lemonade. The storyline of the song is based on a romantic relationship that fizzles out.

As It Was was number one on the UK Singles Chart for 10 weeks. It is Harry’s second number-one song and longest-running single on the British music chart.

Find out more about Harry Styles on the Discover Walks Columnists.

2. Hrs and Hrs (Hours and Hours) by Muni Long

Hrs and Hrs was written and recorded by Muni Long. After leaving Capitol Records in 2009, Muni went independent releasing her first EP Public Display of Affection.

Hrs and Hrs is an emotional song that speaks of eros love: a partner who confesses her romantic feelings towards her lover. The single topped the American R&B chart earning her a record deal with Def Jam Recordings.

Muni Long has written for artists such as Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Kelly Clarkson. She has been nominated in the 2023 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist while Hrs and Hrs has been nominated for Best R&B Song.

3. I’m Good by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha

I’m Good was released as a single in August 2022 after it went viral on TikTok. The song, which had been performed and recorded way before the release date, samples a 1998 track done by the Italian Eurodance group, Eiffel 65.

 The electro-pop song features French DJ David Guetta as its main producer alongside Timofey Reznikov. The piano chords, outstanding vocals, and energy-driven beats make it impossible to remain seated once this song comes on!

I’m Good has been nominated for Best Dance/ Electronic Recording at the forthcoming Grammy Awards.

4. Cuff It By Beyonce

Cuff It is one of two singles released as part of Beyonce’s latest album, Renaissance. Beyonce, popularly known as Queen B, has been under the radar since the release of her 2018 studio album with husband, Jay Z. She resurfaced with a banger that went viral in September as a dance challenge on TikTok.

The British website, New Musical Express named Cuff It the best song of 2022. The song successfully managed top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, R&B/Hip hop Airplay and U.S. Rhythmic airplay chart. It also peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Global 200.

As of January 2023, only the lyric video is available on Beyonce’s official YouTube channel.

Want to know 10 cute things about Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s love story, click here.

5. Heat Waves by Glass Animals

Heat Waves by Glass Animals was released in June 2020. The song did not see instant recognition until the early months of 2022.

The sleeper hit became the top single on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 for over four weeks. In other European countries such as the U.K. and Belgium, the song ranged between position one to five on several music charts. 

Heat Wave is a combination of psychedelic pop, rock, and R&B. Its composition is based on the loss of a loved one and the nostalgia that comes about.

6. Big Energy by Lattoo

Big Energy is Latto’s lead single from her studio album, 777. The original pop, funk, and rap track was released in September 2021 and a remix version featuring Mariah Carey and Dj Khaled was released in March 2022.

Though Latto had success with her previous singles, Big Energy was her breakthrough. The song, which samples Genius of Love from 1981, talks about feminine empowerment and finding a suitor that matches an accomplished female.

7. About Damn Time by Lizzo

About Damn Time is a disco-funk song by Lizzo, an American singer and rapper who began her music career in 2011. The song relays the message of believing in oneself despite going through tough times. 

Lizzo wrote About Damn Time as the last song for her 2022 album, Special. The song’s video captures her bubbly and sassy personality through her solo dance performances.

8. Doja by Central Cee

Central Cee is a young talented English rapper and songwriter from London. He is one of the most popular U.K. musicians alongside Stormzy, Skepta, and Dave.

Central Cee released Doja as a single in July 2022 and a month later, the song gained popularity on TikTok. The track touches on LGBTQ+ where Central denies being a homophobe and expresses his interest in the American singer-songwriter Doja Cat:

How can I be homophobic, my b*tch is gay…

Somebody tell Doja Cat, that I’m trying to indulge in that

9. Unholy by Sam Smith and Kim Petras

Kim Petras, a German singer, collaborated with Sam Smith, the artist behind the famous single I’m Not The Only One on the track Unholy. By the time of its official release, the song had already spurred a four-week viral dance trend on TikTok which in turn aided in its commercial success.

Unholy was number one across Belgium, Australia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Ireland. It is nominated for the 2022 Song of The Year in the upcoming annual British Awards.

10. We Don’t Talk About Bruno by Carolina Gaitan, Mauro Castillo and Others

We Don’t Talk About Bruno is a soundtrack from Encanto, an animated musical film. After it gained traction for its relatable concept on family and Latino culture, fans began creating short films on it.

We Don’t Talk About Bruno is a narrative that seeks to educate Mirabela, the film’s main character, about why their family has dissociated with Bruno, her uncle. The song currently holds the record for the longest chart-topper (Disney) on the American Billboard Hot 100.

The vocals behind the song are Carolina (who voices Mirabel’s aunt), Mauro (voicing Mirable’s uncle), Adassa (voicing Mirabel’s cousin), and other casts of the film.

 Fun Fact – Because of the COVID pandemic, all parts of the song including were recorded separately and later pieced together by the movie director. The flow all through is seamless, you would think it was shot at once!

11. Calm Down by Rema

Calm Down was released in February 2022 as one of three singles off Rave & Roses, Rema’s debut studio album. The song, which was played during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, saw an audience of over 50,000 sing along.

In the United States, Calm Down has over 500,000 certified sales and streams. The track took the number one position on several music charts in Switzerland, Portugal, Netherlands, India, Bulgaria, and Belgium.

The Selena Gomez remix version topped the American Billboard Afro beats chart and was number three in Global 200 chart.

12. N95 by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar has been known for openly discussing touchy subjects in his music. He is an icon, Grammy Award winner, and was just recently named the greatest rapper of his generation by New York Times (December 2022).

The song N95 is used metaphorically to question the efforts of the American government on the origin and control of COVID 19. It also talks about the loss of authentic value within society: how people have become watered down by design clothes, money, and fame.  

Read about the best U.S. rappers including Kendrick Lamar here.

13. Woman by Doja Cat

Woman was released in October 2021 as part of three singles from Doja’s album, Planet Her. It became a hit in Europe after its release, but it was after Jan 2022 that it was featured in American rhythmic contemporary radio.

Woman is a mixture of afro beats, reggae, and R&B. The feminine empowerment track was number one on the Billboard Pop airplay for 2 weeks. It has been also nominated for three categories in the upcoming Grammy Awards.

14. Break My Soul by Beyonce

Beyonce released Break My Soul as her first solo single since 2016. The much-anticipated song had been teased through cryptic posts and was officially posted on YouTube in June 2022.

Break My Soul talks about overcoming everyday struggles such as toxic work environment and other life stressors. The upbeat song samples Explode (2014) by Big Freedia.

Only the lyric video is available on Beyonce’s official YouTube channel.

15. Munch (Feelin u) by Ice Spice

Before Munch (Feeling U) went viral, Ice Spice was an underground rapper. She had taken a liking to rap since she was seven but officially began her music career in 2021.

In the song, Spice raps over a drill beat with corky lyrics but somewhat seems to maintain a calm flow. The success of her single earned her an invite to meet Canadian rapper/singer/songwriter, Drake who cosigned the track.

The New York-based rapper released Munch in 2022 as part of her EP Like..? She has managed to stay afloat as a successful newbie with other hits such as Bikini Bottom and In Ha Hood.

16. Billie Eilish by Armani White

Billie Eilish is a song off Arman’s EP, Things We Lost In The Fire. It is named after Billie Eilish, an American singer popularly known for her debut single Ocean Eyes.

In the song, Arman brags about being well-off and having plenty of women at his disposal. He references Billie’s style of dressing and also uses video concepts from her songs in parts of his music video.

17. Jimmy Cooks by Drake and 21 Savage

Jimmy Cooks is a hip-hop/trap track by Drake and 21 Savage. It attained commercial success and currently has over 407,000,000 streams on Spotify.

The song is based on life as a successful rapper and the challenges that comes with fame such as fake people. The song goes ahead to credit loyal friends in its chorus:

Gotta Throw A Party For my day ones,

They ain’t in the studio but they lay somethin’

 Jimmy Cooks was the only song that featured an artist on Honestly, Nevermind. It was later named the stand-out track of the album. Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind (2022), Certified Lover Boy (2021), and his latest album with 21 Savage, Her Loss (2022) are a trilogy.

18. Late Night Talking by Harry Styles

Late Night Talking is a single from Harry’s album, Harry’s House (2022). During the annual music festival Coachella, Styles performed two of his songs from the album, including Late Night Talking. This marked its official public launch.

Late Night Talking was nominated for Song of Summer during the MTV Video Music Awards. It was number one of the Canadian Billboard charts and US Mainstream Top 40.

19. Plan B by Megan Thee Stallion

Plan B is based on the concept of feminine empowerment that is, women prioritizing their independence and getting their money right. It also bluntly disses Megan’s exes where she expresses regret for getting into a relationship with men who seemed to undermine her value.

 Thee Stallion has been known to be on the forefront of supporting women and encouraging them through her music.

20. Ku Lo Sa (A Colors Show) by Oxlade

Oxlade is a Nigerian singer who gained international recognition after the release of his afro beat banger Ku Lo Sa. In August 2022, a viral TikTok challenge imitating his performance on the Colors Show took the internet by storm.

During the August Global Citizen concert, Usher invited Oxlade on stage for a surprise performance. He has graced multiple international stages in the U.K and Scotland owing to the success of the song.

Oxlade has since released the song’s official video in October and a remix version featuring Camila Cabello in December 2022.

21. Anti Hero by Taylor Swift

Anti Hero is a song about the struggle of accepting oneself. The lyrics and video are keen to highlight concepts of depression and self-hate. Swift wrote the song from her personal experience of mental anguish and self-loathing.

Anti Hero broke the Spotify record for having the most opening-day streams worldwide. Some critics have named the song Taylor’s best lead single of her career.

22. Bones by Imagine Dragons

Bones was released in March 2022 as the lead single of Mercury Act 1 & 2. The song talks about the overwhelming feeling of being physical and mentally out of control. The music video partly borrows concept from Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Wolf of Wall Street.

Imagine Dragons are a successful American band who have earned several accolades and critical acclaim.

See their 10 most popular songs in this article.

23. Pushing P by Gunna, Future and Young Thug

Pushing P is a hip hop song about the lifestyle of a typical rapper i.e women, money, and the party lifestyle. Music critics named it the top track of Gunna’s album, DS4Ever.

Despite having been used by Texas natives for years, the term pushing P gained popularity after the song. Gunna explained that P stood for pleas and the phrase meant to push positivity/keep it real. It also created an online trend of the blue “P” emoji icon to symbolize the term.

Gunna and Young Thug have been facing legal issues since May 2022 for their affiliation with a criminal gang, YSL. 

24. Tomorrow 2 by GloRilla featuring Cardi B

Tomorrow 2 is a remix of the single Tomorrow by American rapper GloRilla. The original version of Tomorrow was released in July 2022 and the remix featuring Cardi in September 2022.

GloRilla had her mainstream breakthrough earlier that same year after her song F.N.F (Let’s Go) went viral on TikTok. Tomorrow 2 is about looking forward to another day despite the challenges brought by the present. The song uses profanity in majority of its bars.

As of January 2023, Tomorrow 2 had 92 million views on YouTube and 61 million streams on Spotify.

25. I Just Wanna Rock by Lil Uzi Vert

Lil Uzi Vert is an American rapper/singer and songwriter who became famous after his single Money Longer (2016) and his feature on Bad n Bougie by Migos.

Despite being released in later 2022, I Just Wanna Rock caught momentum after a TikTok Dance challenge created by Uzi. The song has over 170 million streams on Spotify and 47 million views on YouTube.

Other popular songs of the year included Despecha by Rosalia, Cash in, Cash Out by 21 Savage, Pharrell Williams and Tyler the Creator, Bad Habit by Steve Lacy, and Last Last by Burna Boy.