Top Songs of 2022: United Kingdom

Apple Music’s end-of-year charts are based on plays between November 1, 2021, and October 31, 2022. It’s perhaps fitting that Harry Styles leads the way on our UK chart for 2022. The songs riding high here are as eclectic, vibrant, and audacious as Mr. Styles himself—whose ubiquitous “As It Was” takes top spot. From Harry’s House, we head to the heart of Britain’s euphoric, once-more liberated clubland to celebrate a huge year for UK dance music with anthems from artists including Lost Frequencies, LF SYSTEM, and Belters Only. Meanwhile, UK rap continues its mighty reign—D-Block Europe, Aitch, Dave, and ArrDee can all toast stellar years—and the influence of African music and artists is felt stronger than ever. Burna Boy’s “Last Last” (with its sumptuous Toni Braxton sample) soundtracked many listeners’ summers. A word, too, for the irrepressible Ed Sheeran (a pair of songs comfortably inside our top 10) and Glass Animals. The British American band’s “Heat Waves” is perhaps the ultimate slow-burner: Originally released as a single in June 2020, the track sits proudly in the top 15. A lesson in patience and perseverance, artists of the world!