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The Best New Artists of 2022, According to the Discogs Community

From Brazilian soul to K-pop, this list of 2022’s best new artists captures the unique tastes of the people who collect music on Discogs.

Record collectors know there’s nothing more thrilling than when you find a previously unheard artist whose music you can put on repeat. The Discogs Community is always digging for new sounds, and this list of the best new artists of 2022 captures their unique tastes.

How does a musician earn the title of “best new artist?” The performers on this list were the top five most collected artists on Discogs with two or fewer albums in their discography. Additionally, each artist listed below released their most recent work within the last year.

2022’s best new artists span several styles, from atmospheric metal and bubbly K-pop to contemporary country and Brazilian soul. Get to know the artists below and add their records to your listening rotation.

Dream Unending

Rock, Metal
Song Of Salvation
Dream Unending
2022
Rock, Doom Metal
Vinyl, Aqua Blue / Oxblood Merge
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Dream Unending is a metal duo made up of Tomb Mold’s Derrick Vella on guitar and Innumerable Forms’ Justin DeTore on drums and vocals. The pair formed the band in 2021 to experiment with different musical forms outside of their primary groups and released their sophomore album in 2022. Song of Salvation is bookended by two epic compositions that immerse listeners in the band’s melancholic, dream-doom sound.

Fleshwater

Rock, Shoegaze
We’re Not Here To Be Loved
Fleshwater
2022
Alternative Rock, Shoegaze
Vinyl, Limited Edition, Blue Marble
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Alternative rock band Fleshwater is a side project of the hardcore metal group Vein.fm. Matt Wood, Anthony DiDio, and Jeremy Martin joined forces with vocalist Marisa Shirar, also known as Mirsy, to create Fleshwater’s debut LP We’re Not Here To Be Loved. Pitchfork described the record as an “alt-rock playground” with standout vocal performances and a skillful blend of their ’90s influences.

Xênia França

Latin, Funk / Soul
Em Nome Da Estrela
Xênia França
2022
Latin
Vinyl, Limited Edition, Yellow Translucent
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Last year, Brazilian singer-songwriter Xênia França released Em Nome Da Estrela, the follow-up to her 2017 self-titled debut. França is known for blending pop, soul, jazz, and afrobeat styles in her songs that address the intersections of race, gender, and female empowerment. She was previously a member of the rap-funk fusion group Aláfia.

Nayeon

K-pop
Im Nayeon
Nayeon
2022
K-pop
Vinyl, Limited Edition, Pink Pop Opaque
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South Korean singer Nayeon, best known as the eldest member of K-pop girl group Twice, released her debut solo EP Im Nayeon in 2022. The self-titled record – filled with danceable pop and soft, R&B-influenced moments – served as a reintroduction of the singer as a solo artist to Twice fans. Im Nayeon peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, making Nayeon the first South Korean solo artist to enter the chart’s top 10.

Plains

Country
I Walked With You A Ways
Plains
2022
Folk, World, & Country
Vinyl, Limited Edition, Pink Clear
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Plains is a country duo composed of singer-songwriters Katie Crutchfield, who has released solo work as Waxahatchee, and Jess Willamson. Their debut album, I Walked With You A Ways, was released last year and has been lauded as a return to the classic country style. Plains’ songs present themes of heartbreak, empathy, and self-actualization against classic country waltzes played on the mandolin, banjo, and fiddle.

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