Top 10 song releases - february 2022
By Philippe Martin 03/03/2022
It’s another great month for music lovers. A lot of art came out of the artist’s vaults and with it came a feeling that many artists were waiting for the pandemic to slow down in order to release new material.
Here are the 10 best songs of February of 2022. There is a mix of singles released for upcoming albums and some standout tracks from the best albums of the month. Let me know in the comments what you think about these and if any other singles deserved to make this list.
- YG, J. Cole & Money Bagg Yo - Scared Money
- Kid Cudi & Nigo - Want It Bad
- Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes & Anderson .Paak - ETA
- Pusha T - Diet Coke
- Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher & Westside Gunn - John Woo Flick
- Curren$y, The Alchemist & Boldy James - No Yeast
- Nicholas Craven & Stove God Cooks - Opulence
- Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak - Love’s Train
- Saba, Smino & 6LACK - Still
- Pouya & Lu baby - Never Enough
YG, J. Cole & Money Bagg Yo - Scared Money
YG is back in his true form with this heavy banger featuring two of rap’s biggest stars: J. Cole and Moneybagg Yo. If this single is leading to a new album, it looks promising for the fans of the Compton MC. The beat from producer Gibbo is minimalistic but deadly. The piano is straight out of a west coast horror movie and the bass sounds like it was taken from a Trapaholics sound pack from 2013. It’s the first collaboration between YG and J. Cole, marking a great union of attitude and delivery with everybody boasting about their luxurious lifestyles. For the last verse, we find Moneybagg Yo’s flow fitting perfectly on a kind of trap beat he would have chosen anyway for his own work. This is going on the BANGERS 2022 playlist.
Released 04/02/2022
Kid Cudi & Nigo - Want It Bad
Kid Cudi is sounding incredible on this new single with Nigo. The latter is releasing a new album in March and « Want It Bad » serves as the second single after the release of « Arya » with A$AP Rocky. The sounds created by Pharrell Williams are electronic, poppy and almost tribal at times. Cudi’s vocal delivery is on par with his 2019 album « Man on the Moon III », where he uses autotune at times and balances it out with lots of humming. Yes, there is humming in this song. On the lyrics side, the tone is simple and straight forward with the Cleveland native singing about partying and living his best life.
Released 18/02/2022
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes & Anderson .Paak - ETA
Before the Superbowl appearance in the middle of February, Dr Dre collaborated with Rockstar Games to create content for Grand Theft Auto and he graced everybody with 6 new songs with very talented artists. Out of the mix came the great track « ETA ». With so much talent, it was almost impossible to do a bad song. Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Anderson .Paak (Dre’s protege back in 2015) all come in to deliver an excellent song to cruise the west coast with a convertible low rider. For any hip-hop nerd, seeing such talented rappers trade bars the way they do here is very exciting. If you liked this single, be sure to check out the 5 others songs that came with this video game collaboration.
Released 04/02/2022
Pusha T - Diet Coke
Push season is upon us. With a 88-Keys and Kanye West beat (or Ye if we want to use his legal name), the cocaine rap king is preparing us for his upcoming album that will serve as the follow-up to his highly praised « Daytona » project released back in 2018. The excellent classic hip hop production is only outshined but Pusha T’s lyrics and flawless delivery. He flows easily on the piano loop and the vocal sample, where he spits about his position in the rap food chain. Special mention to the hypnotic and beautiful cover art of the single, designed by fashion designer Sterling Ruby.
Released 08/02/2022
Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher & Westside Gunn - John Woo Flick
Serving as the second single of his highly anticipated album « God Don’t Make Mistakes », Conway the Machine assembles the Griselda original trio for a contender of the grimiest mainstream song of the year. The three Buffalo artists are shining bright as they deliver bar after bar of aggressive lyrics and braggadocios one-liners about gang life. This is the latest song featuring Benny the Butcher, Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine, but certainly not the first as they have collaborated on their impeccable collective album « Wwcd » and again on many songs from their respective catalogues. The violent rapping is soundtracked by Griselda’s own in-house producer Daringer and the very talented Kill.
Released 04/02/2022
Curren$y, The Alchemist & Boldy James - No Yeast
Just like the rest of their new album « Continuance », the song « No Yeast » from Curren$y & The Alchemist features all the elements of the new rap Renaissance we have been experiencing in the last years. There is a looped vocal sample, minimalist drums and a smooth bass that leaves plenty of space for old-school rhymes about selling dope and driving fancy cars. Frequent Alchemist collaborator Boldy James comes in on the first half of the song fitting in perfectly with his toned-down flow and laid-back attitude. Louisiana native Curren$y closes the second half of the song with his classic delivery and the comfortable theme of his luxurious lifestyle.
Released 18/02/2022
Nicholas Craven & Stove God Cooks - Opulence
The opening to this third entry in the series « Craven N » feels like a victory lap for the Montreal artist Nicholas Craven. He brings in Stove God Cooks for a classic-sounding song that perfectly sets the tone for what is awaiting on the project. The music contains beautiful strings, melodic bells, a calm bass and simple drums. It makes a good roundup of Craven’s trademark sound that he’s been crafting since 2017. Stove God Cooks, which is having great momentum lately, sounds at the top of his form with bars about victory and dedication.
Released 18/02/2022
Silk Sonic, Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak - Love’s Train
The electric duo is back with a cover of the 1982 song « Love’s Train », originally performed by the Soul group Con Funk Shun. The new release arrives on Valentine’s day, perfectly timed with its main theme about the highs and lows of love. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak recreate the same energy they showcased on their 2021 album « An Evening With Silk Sonic », where they make a grandiose ballad about the most relatable subject in music. Bruno makes an incredible performance during the last third of the song, as he flexes his voice with intense emotion.
Released 14/02/2022
Saba, Smino & 6LACK - Still
« Still » is a standout track off the excellent new album « Few Good Things » by Saba. He recruits the talented artists Smino and 6black for a song about adapting to a new lifestyle propelled by fame and success. For many artists that grew up with less, the feeling of making lots of money off their art can be a blessing, but it’s showcased here with a melancholic tone. The production is handled by Pivot Gang’s own team, featuring Saba himself, Day Wave, DaedaePIVOT and Daoud. The melodic hook from 6black completes the fast-paced verses from Saba and Smino, creating a well-balanced song that is sure to make a moody late-night drive under the moon.
Released 04/02/2022
Pouya & Lu baby - Never Enough
Florida native Pouya is starting 2022 with the release of the EP « Dirt/Hurt/Pain », which features the excellent track « Never Enough » with Lu Baby. It’s softer than many other songs that Pouya normally releases, but it keeps the consistency of this sound he’s been exploring more with his 2 previous full-length albums. With the help of Lu Baby, it mixes Alternative and Rap to give something very approachable for any music lover.
Released 11/02/2022
Very interesting article! I will definetly check out those suggestions
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