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2022 Music Hits: Top Songs, Radio Favorites, and Pop Classics

2022 music was a busy mix of pop, country crossover, hip-hop, Latin music, dance-pop, soundtrack songs, viral revivals, and streaming favorites. Harry Styles, Glass Animals, Taylor Swift, Kate Bush, Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Doja Cat, Morgan Wallen, Beyoncé, Elton John, Dua Lipa, and Encanto helped shape a year where songs could become hits through radio, streaming, movies, TikTok, nostalgia, or all of the above.

This PopCultureMadness guide starts with the Top 10 songs of 2022, then groups more 2022 music hits by style so you can browse the year by sound, mood, and memory. It was a year where a 1985 Kate Bush song came roaring back, Encanto took over family playlists, Bad Bunny dominated globally, and Taylor Swift made midnight feel like a marketing strategy and a personality type.

Quick Answer: What Music Was Popular in 2022?

Popular music in 2022 included pop, dance-pop, country, hip-hop, R&B, Latin music, Afrobeats, soundtrack songs, and viral catalog hits. Songs like As It Was, Heat Waves, Anti-Hero, Running Up That Hill, Big Energy, About Damn Time, and We Don’t Talk About Bruno helped define 2022 music.

Top 10 Songs of 2022

  1. As It Was – Harry Styles
  2. Heat Waves – Glass Animals
  3. Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift
  4. Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) – Kate Bush
  5. Big Energy – Latto
  6. Sunroof – Nicky Youre & Dazy
  7. About Damn Time – Lizzo
  8. Ghost – Justin Bieber
  9. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
  10. Late Night Talking – Harry Styles

More 2022 Music Hits by Style

Beyond the Top 10, 2022 music gets more useful when grouped by style. The year had giant pop records, country crossover hits, Latin and global songs, hip-hop favorites, R&B slow burns, movie songs, dance tracks, and viral rediscoveries that made the charts feel less like a countdown and more like a group chat with better bass.

2022 Pop, Dance-Pop, and Big Radio Hits

Pop music in 2022 was polished, bright, and built for streaming playlists, radio countdowns, and viral clips. Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Elton John, Dua Lipa, Beyoncé, Meghan Trainor, and Miley-adjacent pop trends helped keep the year melodic and hook-heavy. The best 2022 pop songs felt familiar fast, which is great for radio and dangerous for anyone trying to stop humming them.

As It Was – Harry Styles
Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift
Sunroof – Nicky Youre & Dazy
About Damn Time – Lizzo
Ghost – Justin Bieber
Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
Late Night Talking – Harry Styles
Shivers – Ed Sheeran
I Like You (A Happier Song) – Post Malone featuring Doja Cat
I’m Good (Blue) – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) – Elton John & Dua Lipa
Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
Break My Soul – Beyoncé
Cuff It – Beyoncé
Levitating – Dua Lipa
2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) – Lizzo
Boyfriend – Dove Cameron
Made You Look – Meghan Trainor
Bejeweled – Taylor Swift
Lavender Haze – Taylor Swift
Hold Me Closer – Elton John & Britney Spears
Snap – Rosa Linn
Don’t You Worry – Black Eyed Peas, Shakira & David Guetta
Golden Hour – JVKE
Maroon – Taylor Swift

2022 Hip-Hop, Rap, Pop-Rap, and Club Favorites

Hip-hop and pop-rap stayed central to 2022, with Latto, Jack Harlow, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat, Lil Uzi Vert, Nicki Minaj, Kodak Black, Lil Baby, Future, and Post Malone all helping shape the year’s streaming and radio sound. The year had club records, viral hooks, soundtrack songs, and enough crossover tracks to make genre labels look slightly tired.

Big Energy – Latto
Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
Need to Know – Doja Cat
That’s What I Want – Lil Nas X
First Class – Jack Harlow
Do It to It – Acraze featuring Cherish
Woman – Doja Cat
You Right – Doja Cat & The Weeknd
Super Freaky Girl – Nicki Minaj
Sweetest Pie – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa
Get Into It (Yuh) – Doja Cat
Just Wanna Rock – Lil Uzi Vert
Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem) – Lil Nas X
Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
Super Gremlin – Kodak Black
Hotel Lobby – Unc & Phew
In a Minute – Lil Baby
Turn On the Lights Again… – Fred again.. & Swedish House Mafia featuring Future

2022 R&B, Soul-Pop, and Smooth Vocal Hits

R&B and soul-pop gave 2022 some of its moodiest and most memorable songs. SZA, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Steve Lacy, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Joji, Silk Sonic, Wizkid, Tems, and Sam Smith helped bring a smoother, more emotional side to the year. These were the songs for late-night playlists, headphones, and pretending you were not checking your phone again.

Save Your Tears – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
Snooze – SZA
Die for You – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
Bad Habit – Steve Lacy
One Right Now – Post Malone & The Weeknd
Glimpse of Us – Joji
I Hate U – SZA
Smokin Out the Window – Silk Sonic
Unholy – Sam Smith & Kim Petras
Numb – Marshmello & Khalid
Essence – Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems
Under the Influence – Chris Brown
Lost Without You – Kygo & Dean Lewis
Lift Me Up – Rihanna

2022 Country, Country-Pop, and Roots Crossover Hits

Country music had a strong mainstream presence in 2022, with Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs, Zach Bryan, HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Maren Morris, and Jordan Davis helping define the year’s country crossover sound. Some songs were built for country radio, some became streaming giants, and some crossed into pop culture because the line between Nashville and the Hot 100 kept getting thinner.

Wasted on You – Morgan Wallen
Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
You Proof – Morgan Wallen
‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson
AA – Walker Hayes
What My World Spins Around – Jordan Davis
The Kind of Love We Make – Luke Combs
Something in the Orange – Zach Bryan
Wait in the Truck – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson
Circles Around This Town – Maren Morris

2022 Latin, Global Pop, Afrobeats, and International Hits

Latin and global music were essential to 2022, led by Bad Bunny’s massive presence and cross-border hits from Rema, Selena Gomez, Farruko, Becky G, Karol G, Bizarrap, Quevedo, Coldplay, BTS, and Elton John’s global pop circle. These songs helped make 2022 feel multilingual, streaming-driven, and much less interested in staying inside old chart boxes.

Me Porto Bonito – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone
Tití Me Preguntó – Bad Bunny
Moscow Mule – Bad Bunny
Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52 – Bizarrap & Quevedo
Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez
Pepas – Farruko
MAMIII – Becky G & Karol G
Party – Bad Bunny
Efecto – Bad Bunny
Después de la Playa – Bad Bunny
My Universe – Coldplay x BTS

2022 Alternative, Indie Pop, Rock, and Singer-Songwriter Hits

Alternative, indie pop, and singer-songwriter music had a strong place in 2022, especially through Glass Animals, Kate Bush, Steve Lacy, AJR, Portugal. The Man, Zach Bryan, Kate Bush’s revival, and Oliver Tree. The year showed that a song did not need to be new to feel current. Sometimes all it needed was a Netflix scene, a TikTok push, or a very determined fanbase.

Heat Waves – Glass Animals
Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) – Kate Bush
Meet Me at Our Spot – The Anxiety: Willow & Tyler Cole
What, Me Worry? – Portugal. The Man
World’s Smallest Violin – AJR
Miss You – Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz
All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
You’re on Your Own, Kid – Taylor Swift
Snow on the Beach – Taylor Swift featuring Lana Del Rey

2022 Movie, Soundtrack, TV, and Pop Culture Favorites

Soundtracks were a major part of 2022 music. Encanto turned Disney songs into chart events, Top Gun: Maverick gave OneRepublic a major moment, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever brought Rihanna back to movie-song territory, and League of Legends helped push Lil Nas X into anthem mode. Not every hit came from radio first; some arrived with animation, fighter jets, superheroes, or esports branding attached.

We Don’t Talk About Bruno – Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast
Surface Pressure – Jessica Darrow
What Else Can I Do? – Diane Guerrero & Stephanie Beatriz
I Ain’t Worried – OneRepublic
Vegas – Doja Cat
Lift Me Up – Rihanna
Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem) – Lil Nas X

2022 Viral Hits, Streaming Favorites, and Social Media Songs

Streaming and social media shaped 2022 heavily. Older songs came back, new songs broke through quickly, and some tracks became unavoidable because of short-form video, memes, or soundtrack moments. The charts were not just showing what people heard on radio; they were showing what people replayed, shared, clipped, danced to, and used to soundtrack breakfast.

Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) – Kate Bush
ABCDEFU – GAYLE
Victoria’s Secret – Jax
Do It to It – Acraze featuring Cherish
Snap – Rosa Linn
Meet Me at Our Spot – The Anxiety: Willow & Tyler Cole
Just Wanna Rock – Lil Uzi Vert
Bad Habit – Steve Lacy
I’m Good (Blue) – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
Golden Hour – JVKE

How PopCultureMadness Looks at 2022 Music

PopCultureMadness looks at 2022 music through the lens of chart activity, radio presence, streaming momentum, social media impact, soundtrack importance, cultural memory, and long-term trivia value. Some songs were official chart monsters, some were viral revivals, some crossed over from movies or games, and some simply stayed in people’s heads long after the year ended.

PCM’s Top 100 Songs of 2022:

2022 Music Hits Chart

  1. As It Was – Harry Styles
  2. Heat Waves – Glass Animals
  3. Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift
  4. Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) – Kate Bush
  5. Big Energy – Latto
  6. Sunroof – Nicky Youre & Dazy
  7. About Damn Time – Lizzo
  8. Ghost – Justin Bieber
  9. Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran
  10. Late Night Talking – Harry Styles
  11. Me Porto Bonito – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone
  12. Shivers – Ed Sheeran
  13. I Like You (A Happier Song) – Post Malone featuring Doja Cat
  14. Vegas – Doja Cat
  15. We Don’t Talk About Bruno – Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast
  16. I Ain’t Worried – OneRepublic
  17. Tití Me Preguntó – Bad Bunny
  18. Industry Baby – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
  19. Surface Pressure – Jessica Darrow
  20. Enemy – Imagine Dragons x JID
  21. Stay – The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber
  22. Need to Know – Doja Cat
  23. Wasted on You – Morgan Wallen
  24. That’s What I Want – Lil Nas X
  25. ABCDEFU – GAYLE
  26. I’m Good (Blue) – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha
  27. Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) – Elton John & Dua Lipa
  28. First Class – Jack Harlow
  29. Good 4 U – Olivia Rodrigo
  30. Save Your Tears – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
  31. Do It to It – Acraze featuring Cherish
  32. Bad Habit – Steve Lacy
  33. Woman – Doja Cat
  34. Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
  35. You Right – Doja Cat & The Weeknd
  36. Victoria’s Secret – Jax
  37. You Proof – Morgan Wallen
  38. Easy on Me – Adele
  39. Break My Soul – Beyoncé
  40. Cuff It – Beyoncé
  41. Numb Little Bug – Em Beihold
  42. Levitating – Dua Lipa
  43. ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson
  44. One Right Now – Post Malone & The Weeknd
  45. Glimpse of Us – Joji
  46. I Hate U – SZA
  47. Bam Bam – Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran
  48. Super Freaky Girl – Nicki Minaj
  49. 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) – Lizzo
  50. Boyfriend – Dove Cameron
  51. Smokin Out the Window – Silk Sonic
  52. She’s All I Wanna Be – Tate McRae
  53. Sweetest Pie – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa
  54. Unholy – Sam Smith & Kim Petras
  55. Moscow Mule – Bad Bunny
  56. Made You Look – Meghan Trainor
  57. Bejeweled – Taylor Swift
  58. Lavender Haze – Taylor Swift
  59. All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
  60. Snow on the Beach – Taylor Swift featuring Lana Del Rey
  61. You’re on Your Own, Kid – Taylor Swift
  62. Numb – Marshmello & Khalid
  63. Essence – Wizkid featuring Justin Bieber & Tems
  64. Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 52 – Bizarrap & Quevedo
  65. Get Into It (Yuh) – Doja Cat
  66. Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez
  67. Hold Me Closer – Elton John & Britney Spears
  68. Snap – Rosa Linn
  69. Don’t You Worry – Black Eyed Peas, Shakira & David Guetta
  70. Meet Me at Our Spot – The Anxiety: Willow & Tyler Cole
  71. Under the Influence – Chris Brown
  72. Lost Without You – Kygo & Dean Lewis
  73. AA – Walker Hayes
  74. Lift Me Up – Rihanna
  75. Just Wanna Rock – Lil Uzi Vert
  76. Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem) – Lil Nas X
  77. What Else Can I Do? – Diane Guerrero & Stephanie Beatriz
  78. Pepas – Farruko
  79. Kiss Me More – Doja Cat featuring SZA
  80. MAMIII – Becky G & Karol G
  81. Party – Bad Bunny
  82. Efecto – Bad Bunny
  83. 10:35 – Tiësto featuring Tate McRae
  84. Golden Hour – JVKE
  85. What My World Spins Around – Jordan Davis
  86. Super Gremlin – Kodak Black
  87. Stay with Me – Calvin Harris, Justin Timberlake, Halsey & Pharrell Williams
  88. What, Me Worry? – Portugal. The Man
  89. The Kind of Love We Make – Luke Combs
  90. World’s Smallest Violin – AJR
  91. Después de la Playa – Bad Bunny
  92. Maroon – Taylor Swift
  93. Something in the Orange – Zach Bryan
  94. Wait in the Truck – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson
  95. My Universe – Coldplay x BTS
  96. Hotel Lobby – Unc & Phew
  97. Turn On the Lights Again… – Fred again.. & Swedish House Mafia featuring Future
  98. Circles Around This Town – Maren Morris
  99. Miss You – Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz
  100. In a Minute – Lil Baby