'Renaissance,' 'Midnights,' 'Hold Me Closer': The music of 2022
MANILA, Philippines — If there was one album from 2022 that could summarize the year's music industry, it would be Beyoncé's "Renaissance" — a revival for many artists post-pandemic, among other challenges, and newfound love from fans.
From within our shores through unending support for Original Pinoy Music (OPM), to the tunes of our favorite musicians all around the world — yes including K-pop — where some even visited the Philippines (several returning, others for the first time), music remains a key part of our lives.
Let's take a look at the past year in music and how this undying artform continues to fill us with emotions, whether we realize we need to feel or not.
The Grammy winners
As the year often goes, the Grammys kick off the year ahead to honor the artists of the year before for their brilliant contributions to the year before (although the 2022 ceremony had to be postponed several times because of COVID-19 concerns).
The big winner of the 2022 Grammys was Jon Batiste, who led all nominees with 11 nods, as he came away with five wins, including Album of the Year for "We Are."
Following was soul duo Silk Sonic consisting of Anderson .Paak and Filipino-American Bruno Mars, whose track "Leave the Door Open" swept their four nominatons including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Fellow Filipino-American Olivia Rodrigo also had a big night for winning Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album for "Sour," and Best Pop Solo Performance for her breakthrough hit "Drivers License."
The comebacks
As mentioned, 2022 was a comeback for many artists — and that includes Beyoncé as "Renaissance" was her first album of new material in six years. Her track "Break My Soul" had everyone so eager to be dancing in clubs again.
Others came out with new albums in just as long a period:
- Paramore with "This Is Why" - first album in six years
- Kendrick Lamar with "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" - first album in five years
- Mary J. Blige with "Good Morning Gorgeous - first album in five years
- SZA with "SOS" - first album in five years
- Dolly Parton with "Run, Rose, Run" - first original material in five years
- Charlie Puth with "Charlie" - first album in four years
Red Hot Chili Peppers came back in 2022 with not one but two albums — "Unlimited Love" and "Return of the Dream Canteen" — since their last release in 2016.
But the longest interval was by rock band Journey led by Filipino vocalist Arnel Pineda as "Freedom" — the band's longest-ever album in nearly 50 years — came 11 years after "Eclipse."
Key moments
Outside of the comeback albums, some more ever-present artists released material that were as monumental for their fans; others even breaking records on the way.
These particular record-breakers were "Harry's House" by Harry Styles, "Midnights" by Taylor Swift, and "Un Verano Sin Ti" by Bad Bunny — though let's not forget that Carly Rae Jepsen also came out with "The Loneliest Time."
As indication, Styles' "As It Was" dominated the Billboard charts for weeks until the Top 10 was just about swept by Swift in a historic feat; and yet Mariah Carey's 28-year old song "All I Want For Christmas is You" still managed to creep up once more for the holidays.
Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Sin Ti" was a huge leader on streaming, showing the Latin artist's global support, while the Glastonbury Festival held last June saw Billie Eilish and Paul McCartney as its youngest and oldest headliners ever in over 50 years of staging.
But no other singers saw a monumental resurgence like Britney Spears in her collaboration with Elton John "Hold Me Closer" — her first new single in six years, and first post-conservatorship — and Kate Bush as "Stranger Things" revived her now-cult hit "Running Up That Hill."
Also historical was the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show which featured rap artists Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and the previously mentioned Blige and Lamar (plus a drumming cameo by .Paak).
The Coachella Music Festival was staged for the first time since 2019 with Styles, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, and Swedish House Mafia as headliners (the latter two replacing controversial rapper Kanye West).
The music of home
OPM and performances here in the Philippines saw a hopeful future ahead after Live Nation announced they were acquiring Music Management International for the creation of Live Nation Philippines, which teased the arrival of international artists and the promise of promoting local performers.
Star Magic celebrated its 30th anniversary by having some of their artists perform at Pasay City's Newport Performing Arts Theater before taking them to New York and California in the United States.
Other huge bands that took tours overseas were Ben&Ben and SB19, the latter releasing new tracks like "WYAT" and "Nyebe" to further cement their positions as kings of Pinoy pop.
There were some minor pitfalls like the band Callalily reforming without lead vocalist Kean Cipriano, who is now pursuing a solo career and leads his own label O/C Records, and rebranding as Lily.
Some concerts were even canceled or postponed until further notice in Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, and Alanis Morissette, so their Filipino fans will have to wait a little longer to see them perform on Philippine grounds.
Live shows again
Thankfully, most artists were able to push through with their concerts, and for many Filipinos, it was their first time seeing a live show since the COVID-19 pandemic began back in early 2020.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that it was K-pop that kick-started these international concerts in last May's "Begin Again: KPOP Edition" which saw performances from NCT Dream, Key from Shinee, WEi, and ALICE and then July's "K-Pop Masterz in Manila" featuring Jackson Wang, BamBam, and TREASURE.
Other K-pop acts that performed in the Philippines include Red Velvet, NCT 127, Jessi, and Tomorrow x Together. Seventeen held two concerts in the Philippines just two months apart (and will be back next year) while pioneer group Super Junior was among the year's K-pop closers.
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It wasn't all K-pop in the Philippines of course as Western performers such as Eilish, Louis Tomlinson, Jacob Collier, LANY (for five nights!), Maroon 5, The Script, Boys Like Girls, All Time Low, The Maine, Oh Wonder, PREP, and Michael Learns to Rock came over — many of them comeback shows.
Local artists had shows to be proud of as well in Anne Curtis' "Luv-Anne," Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez's "Iconic," Side A's "Then and Now," and Ice Seguerra's "Becoming Ice."
Finally, music festivals began to head back to the Philippines with Salo-Salo Fest (the first ever held in Enchanted Kingdom) and Head in the Clouds Manila, and the year was capped off by the much-anticipated comeback of the Eraserheads.
In memoriam
As much as a lot were gained in music this year, 2022 also saw losses and the passing of many well-loved singers.
Across the globe, everyone mourned the deaths of Olivia Newton-John, Angela Lansbury, Meat Loaf, Takeoff, Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters, Tom Parker from The Wanted, and most recently Aaron Carter and tWitch.
Closer to home, Filipinos will always remember icons such as American singer Keith Martin, APO Hiking Society's Danny Javier, guitarist Jun Lopito, and balladeer Jovit Baldivino.
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