The top 20 Minnesota concerts and 30 best albums of 2022

What a thrill to return to a full slate of concerts even if it meant wearing a COVID mask to indoor shows. The scene was bustling from stadiums to clubs. One show stands above all the others.

I was absolutely enthralled by Billie Eilish, a solitary then-20-year-old able to captivate in a big hockey arena with her open personality, unchoreographed moves and penetrating songs. It ranks among the best concerts I've ever seen in more than 45 years on this beat.

Another 20-something sensation, Mississippi blues guitarist-singer Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, was jaw-droppingly remarkable in his Minneapolis debut, clearly inspired by playing in Prince's hometown. And veterans delivered big time, too, from farewell-waving Elton John and jazz-soul savant Dee Dee Bridgewater to electrifying rapper Kendrick Lamar and hyper-emotional Ukrainian folk group DakhaBrakha. Special shoutout, too, to the always uplifting Brandi Carlile, who seemed to be everywhere in 2022, from CMT's Naomi Judd tribute and Dodger Stadium with Sir Elton to our own Xcel Energy Center.

1. Billie Eilish, March 15, Xcel Energy Center.

2. Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, March 23, State Theatre.

3. Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, April 30, Hopkins Center for the Arts.

4. Brandi Carlile, July 30, Xcel Energy Center.

5. Elton John, March 22, Xcel Energy Center.

6. Kendrick Lamar, Aug. 20, Xcel Energy Center.

7. Sheryl Crow, July 5, Ledge Amphitheater.

8. Yola, Sept. 9, First Avenue.

9. Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, July 23, State Theatre.

10. DakhaBrakha, April 11, the Dakota.

Some of this year's best live music experiences in the Twin Cities were buoyed by sentimentality: Low's redemptive return to Rock the Garden, which wound up being Mimi Parker's last gig in town; Jason Isbell's and Los Lobos' return to the old workhorse they rode in on, First Ave; Lizzo's biggest show yet in her former hometown. There wasn't anything special about Kendrick Lamar's visually stunning tour stop other than he poured everything into it.

1. Kendrick Lamar, Aug. 20, Xcel Energy Center.

2. Low, June 11, Rock the Garden.

3. Jason Isbell, Sept. 24, First Avenue.

4. Billie Eilish, March 15, Xcel Energy Center.

5. Jack White, Aug. 13, the Armory.

6. The Killers, Sept. 20, Xcel Energy Center.

7. Beth Orton, Nov. 12, Cedar Cultural Center.

8. Mitski, March 14, Palace Theatre.

9. Lizzo, Oct. 11, Xcel Energy Center.

10. Los Lobos, Feb. 4, First Avenue.

Two of the year's bestselling albums made the cut this year, albeit just barely. Where Taylor and Queen Bey made artful, meaningful and mighty catchy mega-pop, though, a few artists who've steadily ascended through indie circles came full circle after the COVID-19 lull with creatively bursting albums (Spoon, Big Thief, Angel Olsen, Beach House), while Black Thought of the Roots and Plains co-leader Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee thrillingly cut loose with new collaborators.

1. Spoon, "Lucifer on the Sofa."

2. Big Thief, "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You."

3. Plains, "I Walked With You a Ways."

4. Black Thought, "Cheat Codes."

5. Angel Olsen, "Big Time."

6. SZA, "SOS."

7. Beach House, "Once Twice Melody."

8. Soul Glo, "Diaspora Problems."

9. Taylor Swift, "Midnights."

10. Beyoncé, "Renaissance."

Once again, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift dominated the world of popular music. With their deeply creative minds and resourceful wells of collaborators, they regularly redefine the cultural zeitgeist and manage to transform their new albums into events. Both issued substantial, provocative and outstanding albums in 2022.

Their albums were ambitious and long, as were others on my best-of list. Whether personal (Zach Bryan, SZA, Ari Lennox, Angel Olsen) or political (Doug Wamble), artists had a lot to say, with profound thoughts and unbridled passion — and often little regard for commercial potential. Since I don't speak Spanish, I'm mostly not sure what Catalan siren Rosalia had to say, but her emotive voice and genre-blending eclecticism were irresistibly alluring. And there was room for some pure fun, too, with the pop duo Wet Leg and fresh country force Lainey Wilson.

1. Beyoncé, "Renaissance."

2. Rosalia, "Motomami."

3. Zach Bryan, "American Heartbreak."

4. Taylor Swift, "Midnights."

5. SZA, "SOS."

6. Angel Olsen, "Big Time."

7. Wet Leg, "Wet Leg."

8. Doug Wamble, "Blues in the Present Tense."

9. Ari Lennox, "Age/Sex/Location."

10. Lainey Wilson, "Bell Bottom Country."

Some of these records were made over the pandemic and benefited from digital/distanced recording technology and cooped-up energy, including those by Hippo Campus, Joe Rainey, Ricki Monique and Heiruspecs. Even better, though, were the LPs mostly captured live by stage-tested musicians all in one room, pre- or post-lockdown, including Eleganza's Mississippi-muddied triumph and Trampled by Turtles' pairing with producer Jeff Tweedy. In either case, hearing all this new material played live this year was unbeatable.

1. Eleganza, "Water Valley High."

2. Trampled by Turtles, "Alpenglow."

3. Ricki Monique, "Good Seeds."

4. Hippo Campus, "LP3."

5. Joe Rainey, "Niineta."

6. Heiruspecs, "Pretty Random but What Happened to the Heiruspecs?"

7. Robin Kyle, "The Rubicon Is a Red River."

8. Chastity Brown, "Sing to the Walls."

9. The Cactus Blossoms, "One Day."

10. Miloe, "Gaps."