{"id":26329,"date":"2023-03-16T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329"},"modified":"2023-12-01T06:29:53","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T11:29:53","slug":"expect-the-unexpected-graydons-favorite-albums-of-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329","title":{"rendered":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In case you haven\u2019t noticed, we\u2019ve reached a new calendar year! Well, we reached one 3 months ago, but still, what a thrilling experience this is! If there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s helped quell the absolute hellscape of modern-day life, it\u2019s the refreshing gift of brand-new music. Thankfully, 2022 offered up some delectable albums that delivered a veritable slew<\/em> of surprises, and you know what? I would love<\/em> to shine a spotlight on them and share these songs with you. Can I do that? Please? Wonderful! Let\u2019s dig in, then!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Give Me the Future –<\/em> Bastille<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This album was so hotly-anticipated, it seems almost unfair to include it with the others. While every other album on this list came as a surprise in some way, Give Me the Future<\/em> would deliver no matter what. This isn\u2019t to say that I\u2019m never critical of my favorite band, Bastille. I do know when to call them out on a rather forgettable song. However, the arrival of a new Bastille album always heralds the arrival of a new Bastille entirely. That is a new genre for the boys that they are more than willing to tackle head-on. This time around, the British storytellers took on the digital landscape, offering dance club bangers (\u201cThelma + Louise\u201d) and ballads (\u201cNo Bad Days\u201d) alike, complete with 80s synthesizers and talk boxes. Of course, they had to bring the aesthetic into the real world as well, what with virtual reality concert experiences, albums sold on flash drives and AR-type games that tailored custom Spotify playlists based on questionnaires of our dreams. Perhaps the greatest gift this era brought us was the release of a deluxe album, entitled Give Me the Future + Dreams of the Past, which included the original album, a few new songs (\u201cFamily Ties\u201d is a bop), a couple of acoustic renditions, and some covers – they essentially released their next mixtape the same year as their album. It\u2019s clear Bastille has been working their asses off in quarantine, producing so many songs they\u2019re practically bursting at the seams. It was such a joy – no pun intended – to receive so much from them this year, and with yet another world tour kicking off soon\u2026 the hype train keeps on chugging!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

(Un)commentary – <\/em>Alec Benjamin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mentioned before how these albums were all pleasant surprises in their own right. One of 2022\u2019s greatest surprises as a whole was introducing me to Alec Benjamin\u2019s discography and unprecedented talent. This kicked off early, as I started a new job in April and almost instantly turned to his music as my entertainment while slaving the day away. Unfortunately, the sound of heavy machinery at my workplace may have muffled some of his instrumental creativity upon first listening, but when Alec\u2019s vocals cut through the noise like a steadfast feather on the wind, I knew I was listening to something special. There\u2019s a grace to Alec Benjamin\u2019s songwriting that is hard to put into words. Songs about growing up, heartache, and learning how to be one\u2019s self – all told through vaguely Shakespearean storytelling that you just don\u2019t see in modern-day lyricism. I was instantly drawn into his catalog, and I was even more delighted when I found he had just<\/em> released an album that month. I quickly ate that up as well, and so my life as an Alec Benjamin fan began. I soon bought tickets to see him in Boston, and the rest is history! Alec proceeded to release songs throughout 2022, most notable are the songs entirely performed in Mandarin, a language he studied for three years and can somehow sing fluently in. I don\u2019t mean to keep praising the guy, I\u2019m just dumbfounded by his talent and his style of songwriting; he\u2019s really one of a kind and I\u2019m happy I found his music this year. I\u2019ve yet to even recommend songs, so I\u2019ll mention a couple that really spoke to me: \u201cOlder,\u201d \u201cOne Wrong Turn,\u201d and \u201cThe Way You Felt.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Harry\u2019s House – <\/em>Harry Styles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t recall if I\u2019ve ever listened to a Harry Styles album in its entirety. I remember liking the majority of his first self-titled outing, but if I had to hum a few bars of each song I\u2019m sure I would fail. His sophomore album, Fine Line<\/em>, was full of a lot of radio hits, but I don\u2019t believe I listened to anything obscure from it, so to speak. With Harry\u2019s House<\/em>, I found myself being drawn in by the absolute bangers I heard on the radio, and then my fianc\u00e9 and I decided to \u201crank the album\u201d based on snippets we skipped through. The most surprising thing? We ended up listening to almost the whole album front to back! There\u2019s just a certain charm to Harry\u2019s House<\/em> that really makes it accessible to anyone. Whether you\u2019re looking for something in your face that you can dance to (\u201cMusic For a Sushi Restaurant\u201d) or something to take a relaxing drive to (\u201cDaylight\u201d), there\u2019s a song for every mood on this one. My biggest qualm with Harry Styles, though, is his inability to really establish a vibe for the entire album. Songs from each album could be rearranged so much better, compiled into three different albums that fit everyday moods. Instead, we\u2019ve been given three albums that seem rather jumbled in terms of overall \u201cfeel,\u201d but the positive is that they\u2019ve been three winners in a row! There\u2019s a reason Mr. Styles is on top of the world these days, rising up as the modern-day Prince of Pop. If you haven\u2019t heard anything from this album yet – I envy you – but go give \u201cAs It Was\u201d a listen, come back, and tell me you didn\u2019t get up and dance. I\u2019m eagerly awaiting your reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Guitar Songs – <\/em>Billie Eilish<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, Billie. Our love\/hate relationship continues as another year passes. If you read my Albums of 2021 piece<\/a>, you\u2019ll know I called Happier Than Ever<\/em> one of my least favorite albums last year. It was some hot street trash. I even gave it a re-listen recently, and it just did not<\/em> do it for me. I cannot recommend that thing for the life of me. But for some reason, I find myself having Logic syndrome again and I just can\u2019t quit Billie. I know there\u2019s an extremely talented songwriter in there somewhere, and she just needs to dive deep to find her again. With Guitar Songs, the old Billie shone through once again and I was transported back to 2019. I got that feeling of somber darkness that I look for in Billie Eilish’s songs. Now, I must note that this was released as a \u201csingle,\u201d or as close to a modern-day single as we can get these days. Two songs – \u201cTV\u201d and \u201cThe 30th\u201d – don\u2019t usually constitute an \u201calbum.\u201d I\u2019m cheating a little bit here. But I wanted to shine a spotlight on this acoustic project as a beacon of hope for Billie Eilish\u2019s career. There\u2019s nothing in these songs that are outwardly stated. In fact, when I first saw this \u201calbum\u201d pop up in my Spotify recommendations, I remember listening on the way home from work and thinking \u201cwhat is all this even about?\u201d It’s cryptic, it\u2019s existential, and it\u2019s downright sad. It\u2019s Billie at her best, whisper singing, feeling raw emotion, telling a story without openly saying \u201cyou hurt me, and here\u2019s why.\u201d I love the mysterious nature of her music; it just works best when she makes less sense. Call me crazy, call me wrong, but I look forward to more like this. Bravo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Let Yourself Free – <\/em>Fitz and the Tantrums<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last album on this list was the last surprise gift of the year – well, besides Christmas. If you\u2019d asked me at the beginning of 2022 if I was expecting a new Fitz and the Tantrums album to drop this year, I would’ve answered with a resounding<\/em> \u201cno.\u201d Having gotten the Fitz solo album in 2021, I barely noticed that it had been three whole years without a proper album with the Tantrums. Not to mention, the songs of All the Feels<\/em> still felt so fresh, thanks to the insane amount of tracks we got on that album (17 songs! Who does that?!) But I digress, I was quite happy and surprised when they announced a new album would be coming within a few months! Very quickly, the hype train started rolling. First, we got \u201cSway,\u201d then \u201cMoneymaker,\u201d then a slew of concerts all over the place! Andy Grammer teamed up with the gang to release \u201cThe Wrong Party\u201d while they were on tour together, and soon enough the full album finally dropped! While it didn\u2019t include said song with Mr. Grammer, it did include some total bangers. In fact, Let Yourself Free<\/em> feels like the most varied Fitz and the Tantrums album yet. It explores their soulful roots (\u201cSilver Platter\u201d), kicks the party into high gear (“Heaven\u201d), and lets you down slowly in the end with an atypical ballad that mourns their shortcomings in love (\u201cSomeday\u201d). It\u2019s a true rollercoaster of emotions from top to bottom, and that\u2019s a refreshing change of pace for those who aren\u2019t all about party rocking. I quite enjoyed such a dive into the grand scope of the band\u2019s talent, and while I do hope they take a turn back into party vibes with their next album, I\u2019m just grateful we got more Fitz in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

I hope you now feel enriched and satisfied. I know I sure did after hearing these albums last year! But I\u2019d love to know in the comments, what were you<\/em> listening to in 2022? Share your favorite songs with us, and don\u2019t forget to check out all our amazing content here at VGU!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2022 offered up some delectable albums that delivered a veritable slew of surprises.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104224742,"featured_media":26424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"After waiting 3 months to share with the class, Graydon has amassed a list of his favorite 2022 albums! Who made the cut this year? Read on and find out!","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[682626855,682627669],"tags":[682626716,682627665,682621900,421575348,682627666,682625894,682627663,682627664,18,682621968],"class_list":["post-26329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-3","category-top-list","tag-albums","tag-alec-benjamin","tag-bastille","tag-billie-eilish","tag-favorite","tag-prime-3","tag-fitz-and-the-tantrums","tag-harry-styles","tag-music","tag-top-5"],"yoast_head":"\nExpect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022 - VGU.TV<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"VGU.TV\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save-1080x608.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"608\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Graydon Webb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@VGU_TV\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Graydon Webb\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Graydon Webb\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/94d1723435708dc07d1af96311e527e4\"},\"headline\":\"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329\"},\"wordCount\":1696,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Albums\",\"Alec Benjamin\",\"Bastille\",\"Billie Eilish\",\"favorite\",\"Featured\",\"Fitz and the Tantrums\",\"Harry Styles\",\"Music\",\"top 5\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Music\",\"Top List\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329\",\"name\":\"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022 - VGU.TV\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00\",\"description\":\"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":1152},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?p=26329#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\",\"name\":\"VGU.TV\",\"description\":\"Honoring The Past, Embracing The Future\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"VGU.TV\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/vgu.tv\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"VGU.TV\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/VGU.TV\\\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/VGU_TV\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/94d1723435708dc07d1af96311e527e4\",\"name\":\"Graydon Webb\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r\",\"caption\":\"Graydon Webb\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/vgu.tv\\\/?author=104224742\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022 - VGU.TV","description":"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022","og_description":"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!","og_url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329","og_site_name":"VGU.TV","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L","article_published_time":"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":608,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save-1080x608.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Graydon Webb","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@VGU_TV","twitter_site":"@VGU_TV","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Graydon Webb","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329"},"author":{"name":"Graydon Webb","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/person\/94d1723435708dc07d1af96311e527e4"},"headline":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022","datePublished":"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329"},"wordCount":1696,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","keywords":["Albums","Alec Benjamin","Bastille","Billie Eilish","favorite","Featured","Fitz and the Tantrums","Harry Styles","Music","top 5"],"articleSection":["Music","Top List"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329","name":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022 - VGU.TV","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","datePublished":"2023-03-16T21:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-12-01T11:29:53+00:00","description":"In 2022, Graydon was blessed with some amazing albums. Join hm as he looks back on a year full of musical surprises!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","width":2048,"height":1152},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=26329#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Expect the Unexpected: Graydon\u2019s Favorite Albums of 2022"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#website","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/","name":"VGU.TV","description":"Honoring The Past, Embracing The Future","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#organization","name":"VGU.TV","url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/cropped-square-logo.png?fit=500%2C500&ssl=1","width":500,"height":500,"caption":"VGU.TV"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/VGU.TV\/?eid=ARDE84r-3jN3IdyC7titleE19Nt39CxR8um7mdh83scPowYtsH4cSXt7MKyeYtsaU_GN-XOI5_9qwJ7L","https:\/\/x.com\/VGU_TV","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCYNf0R9uHJCv-oJnEijWTWQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/#\/schema\/person\/94d1723435708dc07d1af96311e527e4","name":"Graydon Webb","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fbd4dd57f42cf65e672924be28dfb7a8ee3fa4856d2d505bd4fee8351c489032?s=96&d=identicon&r=r","caption":"Graydon Webb"},"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?author=104224742"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/incollage_save.png?fit=2048%2C1152&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbjQ5s-6QF","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12983,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=12983","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":0},"title":"Bastille: Doom Days Review","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"July 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Doom Days is as important for today's society as it is fun to jam out to.","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682628293"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hd-header-b-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C514&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hd-header-b-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C514&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hd-header-b-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C514&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hd-header-b-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C514&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hd-header-b-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C514&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22666,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=22666","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":1},"title":"The Best and Worst Albums of 2021","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"February 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm Graydon, and this is a list of my Top 5 Favorite (and Least Favorite) Albums of 2021!","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682628293"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/image-39.png?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/image-39.png?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/image-39.png?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/image-39.png?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/image-39.png?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28749,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=28749","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":2},"title":"Best of the Beats: Graydon’s Favorite Albums of 2023","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"March 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I invite you to throw in some earbuds and jam out to the five greatest albums released in 2023!","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682626855"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image0.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35818,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=35818","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":3},"title":"OK Go and the Adjacent Possible Review – A Decade in the Making","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"April 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"OK Go and the Adjacent Possible didn\u2019t feel exactly revolutionary, but it succeeds in delivering a product worth waiting a decade for.","rel":"","context":"In "Music Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Music Reviews","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=28825"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/incollage_save-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/incollage_save-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/incollage_save-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/incollage_save-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/incollage_save-14.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14729,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=14729","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":4},"title":"In the Eilish of the Beholder: An Opinion Piece","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"January 29, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The year's been quite good to the O'Connell clan, yet her popularity seems to be lost on many, even so.","rel":"","context":"In "Music"","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682628293"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_8803.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_8803.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_8803.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_8803.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/IMG_8803.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28398,"url":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?p=28398","url_meta":{"origin":26329,"position":5},"title":"VGU.tv’s 24 of \u201824 Part Two","author":"Graydon Webb","date":"January 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Let's dive in and see what Graydon is excited for in 2024.","rel":"","context":"In "24 for '24"","block_context":{"text":"24 for '24","link":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/?cat=682627855"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/VGU-24-of-2024-P2.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/VGU-24-of-2024-P2.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/VGU-24-of-2024-P2.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/VGU-24-of-2024-P2.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vgu.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/VGU-24-of-2024-P2.jpg?fit=1200%2C674&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/104224742"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26329"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26423,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26329\/revisions\/26423"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgu.tv\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}