本月致力于强调最好的music of the year. This week’s edition takes a look at the best pop songs of 2022.

Here are some of the biggest chart-topping hits from ubiquitous stars, plus a few new faces helping to shape the future of pop music.

Steve Lacy, “Bad Habit”

The former guitarist for Los Angeles neo-soul and R&B group the Internet, Lacy dropped his debut solo album, “Gemini Rights,” this year, and his track “Bad Habit” was perhaps the most improbable hit of 2022. The relatively unknown but incredibly talented Lacy soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three straight weeks in October with the song, ending a historic run by Harry Styles’ “As It Was.”

That’s because “Bad Habit” is a masterful piece of pop songwriting and construction, with each new listen revealing another wrinkle of Lacy’s forward-thinking production. From his shimmering synths and uptempo guitar to his vocal layers and one of the best bridges you’ll ever hear, it’s what has made “Bad Habit” a Grammy nominee for song and record of the year.

Harry Styles, “As It Was”

The aforementioned “As It Was” spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and garnered more than 1 billion Spotify Streams. From the British pop rocker’s latest album, “Harry’s House,” the song shows Harry Styles’ growth from his past hits like the bubbly “Watermelon Sugar.” With a dance-forward drum beat backing Styles’ agreeable vocals, “As It Was” sees the former boy band star longing for the feeling of a perfect romance that he can no longer have — and he somehow makes that crushing realization feel like a marvelous occurrence.

Florence + The Machine, “Free”

Florence + The Machine’s fifth album, “Dance Fever,” is an essay on how vital it is to our souls to be able to dance like nobody’s watching, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “Free” embodies that notion as the fiery and elegant Florence Welch sings, “But I hear the music/ I feel the beat/ And for a moment when I’m dancing/I am free.”

“I want to give people catharsis,”Welch told The Chroniclein October. “To give people the space to release, to feel not just connected with the music but with each other in that moment.” “Free” is the embodiment of how she did that successfully.

Bad Bunny featuring Bomba Estéreo, “Ojitos Lindos”

Puerto Rican reggaeton singerBad Bunnyis leading the charge behind musicaLatina’s worldwide surge in popularity. This is no longer niche music seldom heard outside of Spanish-speaking countries, and he has taken creative strides that continue to make him a bigger star. So when he featured a slew of indie Latinx artists across his latest album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” it was an audacious and vastly influential move. “Ojitos Lindos” features the Colombian band Bomba Estéreo — led by magnetic singer Li Saumet — and is the most beautiful tropical moment among a bevy of them on the album. It helped vault Bomba to new heights and illustrates the sweeping power of Bad Bunny.

Beyoncé, “Break My Soul”

In an unexpected turn, Beyoncé made a dance music album this year in the explosive “Renaissance.” The album’s lead single, “Break My Soul,” is an emphatic celebration of self-empowerment. Set to a sample of Robin S’glorious ’90s disco R&B gem, “Show Me Love,” the song has inspired millions of people to keep moving forward in the face of hardship. Who better than Queen Bey to serve as the envoy for this movement?

Charli XCX & Rina Sawayama, “Begfor You”

Two of the biggest young stars in British dance-pop music joined forces for a sultry single that’s pure heat from start to finish. “Begfor You” is produced by mysterious, masked producer Digital Farm Animals (a la Deadmau5 and Marshmello) and takes inspiration from U.K.garage and Swedish pop beat drops. The track sees Charli and Rina putting down a quintessential pop song about burning desire with its gushy, desperate pleas. The collision of the two Gen Z icons makes for an instant cult-pop classic.

Deb Never, “Crutches”

Korean American alt-pop singer Deb Never is a rising name to know. While “Crutches” floated relatively under the radar, it’s just as captivating of a tune. It’s ahappy-go-lucky song about having faith in yourself no matter what might be knocking you down, and you can’t help but belt along with Deb when the chorus hits over a spaceship-like synth: “No matter what they say/ You better hold your head up/ No way out!”

Pe SZA & Doechii。rsuasive”

While SZA is the first lady of the Top Dawg Entertainment label (home to rappers like Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Qet al.), Doechii is next in line. On “Persuasive,” the two joined forces for a sexy, pop-forward jam that showcases their cachet beyond just hip-hop and R&B.