The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2022 in music in the United States.
Notable events January 8 – After a 50-year career, David Lee Roth retired from music following the conclusion of a five-date Las Vegas residency. 14 – Underoath released their first studio album in four years, Voyeurist. 16 – Daughtry bassist Josh Paul announced that he was leaving the band after fifteen years. He previously left the band in 2012 and returned the next year. 20 – Singer and actor Meat Loaf died at the age of 74. 21 – Band of Horses released their first studio album in almost six years, Things Are Great. John Mellencamp released his first studio album in five years, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack. Aoife O'Donovan released her first studio album in six years, Age of Apathy.
February 4 – Erin Rae released her first studio album in four years Lighten Up. 11 – Mary J. Blige released her first studio album in nearly five years, Good Morning Gorgeous. Once Human released their first studio album in five years, Scar Weaver. Amos Lee released his first studio album in four years, Dreamland. Spoon released their first album in five years, Lucifer on the Sofa. Joe Nichols released his first studio album in five years, Good Day for Living. 13 – Mickey Guyton performed the National Anthem, and Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar performed the halftime show during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. 18 – Beach House released their first studio album in four years, Once Twice Melody. Hurray for the Riff Raff released their first studio album in five years, Life on Earth. 25 – Dashboard Confessional released their first studio album in four years, All the Truth That I Can Tell. March 4 – Dolly Parton released her first studio album of original material in five years, Run, Rose, Run. Danielle Bradbery released her first studio album in five years, In Between: The Collection. Crowbar released their first studio album in six years, Zero and Below. 6 – The Industrial Strength Tour, featuring Ministry, Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity, began at Baltimore Soundstage in Baltimore, Maryland; the tour was initially scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but was postponed to spring 2021, then to fall, both due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and later to its current date. 7– The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards took place at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. This was the first time in fifty years the show did not air on broadcast television. It was instead streamed on Prime Video. 18 – Stabbing Westward released their first studio album in 21 years, Chasing Ghosts. 25 – Longtime Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was found dead in his hotel room in Bogotá, Colombia, where the band was scheduled to play a show that night. He was 50 years old.
April 1 – Red Hot Chili Peppers released their first studio album in nearly six years, Unlimited Love. It was also their first album to feature guitarist John Frusciante since their 2006 album, Stadium Arcadium. Unlimited Love would be followed by the band's thirteenth studio album, Return of the Dream Canteen, just six months later. The Color Fred released their first studio album in nearly 15 years, A Year and Change. 3 – The 64th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Jon Batiste won the most awards with five including Album of the Year with We Are. 8 – Josh Tillman, as Father John Misty, released his first album in four years, Chloë and the Next 20th Century. Cole Swindell released his first studio album in four years, Stereotype. Jack White released his first solo studio album in four years, Fear of the Dawn. It was followed by the companion album Entering Heaven Alive three months later. 11 – The CMT Music Awards took place in Nashville, Tennessee. 22 – Bonnie Raitt released her first studio album in six years, Just Like That.... Dorothy released their first studio album in four years, Gifts from the Holy Ghost. Bowling for Soup released their first album in six years, Pop Drunk Snot Bread. It was their final album with lead guitarist and co-founder Chris Burney, who announced his retirement in 2025. 29 – Ted Nugent released his first studio album in four years, Detroit Muscle. 30 – Country singer Naomi Judd died at the age of 76.
May 6 – Halestorm released their first studio album in nearly four years, Back from the Dead. Fozzy released their first studio album in five years, Boombox. Timothy B. Schmit released his first studio album in over five years, Day by Day. 9 – AleXa of Oklahoma won the first ever American Song Contest with the song "Wonderland". 13 – Kendrick Lamar released his first studio album in five years, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. 15 – The 2022 Billboard Music Awards took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 20 – Train released their first studio album in five years, AM Gold. 22 – Noah Thompson won the twentieth season of American Idol. HunterGirl was named runner-up.
June 3 – Gwar released their first studio album in five years, The New Dark Ages. 4 – Bon Jovi co-founder and original bassist Alec John Such died at the age of 70. 10 – Carrie Underwood released her first studio album of all original material in nearly four years, Denim & Rhinestones. 17 − Dan Reed Network released their first studio album in four years, Let's Hear It For The King. 20 – Due to internal struggles between himself and the band, Live fired its co-founder and lead guitarist, Chad Taylor. Later in the year, it was confirmed by former lead singer Chris Shinn that Patrick Dahlheimer and Chad Gracey were also fired from Live, leaving singer Ed Kowalczyk as the only founding member still in the band.Chris Shinn on Fronting Live: 'I'm Just Embarrassed By the Whole Thing' 24 – Coheed and Cambria released their first studio album in four years, Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind. Jack Johnson released his first studio album in five years, Meet the Moonlight. Lupe Fiasco released his first studio album in four years, Drill Music in Zion. Regina Spektor released her first studio album in six years, Home, Before and After.
July 1 − Municipal Waste released their first studio album in five years, Electrified Brain. Shinedown released their first studio album in four years, Planet Zero. 8 – Journey released their first studio album in eleven years, Freedom. 15 − Interpol released their first studio album in four years, The Other Side of Make-Believe. Senses Fail released their first studio album in four years, Hell Is in Your Head. Travie McCoy released his first solo studio album in twelve years, Never Slept Better. 22 − Palisades released their first studio album in four years, Reaching Hypercritical. Joey Bada$$ released his first studio album in five years, 2000. Odesza released their first non-collaborative studio album in five years, The Last Goodbye. 29 − Beyoncé released her first studio album in six years, Renaissance. Unwritten Law released their first studio album in eleven years, The Hum. It was the band's first studio album in 20 years to feature original drummer Wade Youman, with his last studio album being 2002's Elva.
August 5 – The Interrupters released their first studio album in four years, In the Wild. 19 – TobyMac released his first studio album in four years, Life After Death. Panic! at the Disco, Brendon Urie's solo project, released its first studio album in four years, Viva Las Vengeance. 26 – Machine Head released their first studio album in four years, Of Kingdom and Crown. JID released his first solo studio album in four years, The Forever Story. Britney Spears released her first single in six years, "Hold Me Closer", a duet with Elton John. 28 – The MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow hosts. Jack Harlow took home the most awards with four. Taylor Swift won Video of the Year with All Too Well: The Short Film.
September 2 – Megadeth released their first studio album in six years, The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!. King's X released their first studio album in 14 years, Three Sides of One. 9 – Armor for Sleep released their first studio album in 15 years, The Rain Museum. Santigold released her first studio album in six years, Spirituals. Revocation released their first studio album in four years, Netherheaven. Kane Brown released his first studio album in nearly four years, Different Man. Flogging Molly released their first studio album in five years, Anthem. Built to Spill released their first studio album in six years, When the Wind Forgets Your Name. 12 – Rapper PnB Rock was fatally shot in Los Angeles at the age of 30. 16 – The Mars Volta released their first studio album in ten years, The Mars Volta. Death Cab for Cutie released their first studio album in four years, Asphalt Meadows. Clutch released their first studio album in four years, Sunrise on Slaughter Beach. LeAnn Rimes released her first studio album of original material in six years, God's Work. 23 – The Wonder Years released their first studio album in four years, The Hum Goes on Forever. 28 – Rapper Coolio was found dead at the age of 59 in Los Angeles. 30 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs released their first studio album in nine years, Cool It Down. Off! released their first studio album in eight years, Free LSD. Drowning Pool released their first studio album in six years, Strike a Nerve. Alison Sudol released her first studio album in ten years, Still Come the Night, which is also her first album under her own name after previously recording as A Fine Frenzy.
October 4 – Country music legend Loretta Lynn died at the age of 90. 7 – Broken Bells released their first studio album in eight years, Into the Blue. Charlie Puth released his first studio album in four years, Charlie. Shaboozey released his first studio album in four years, Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die. 11 – Blink-182 announced that guitarist and co-founder Tom DeLonge has rejoined the band after leaving in 2015; DeLonge subsequently replaced Matt Skiba, who had been his replacement. 14 – Skid Row released their first studio album in sixteen years, The Gang's All Here. It is their first album with new vocalist Erik Grönwall, who replaced ZP Theart in March. Nothing More released their first studio album in five years, Spirits. We Came as Romans released their first studio album in five years, Darkbloom. 28 – Jerry Lee Lewis died at the age of 87. Dead Cross released their first studio album in five years, II. Polyphia released their first studio album in four years, Remember That You Will Die.
November 1 – Rapper Takeoff of Migos was shot dead at a bowling alley in Houston, Texas at the age of 28.Migos rapper Takeoff shot to death at Houston bowling alley, reps say 3 – After supporting the Zac Brown Band on three of their tours, singer Caroline Jones joins the band as an official member. 4 – The Welcome Wagon released their first studio album in five years, Esther. 7 – Flyleaf announced the return of original lead vocalist Lacey Sturm, who had left following the recording of 2012's New Horizons. The band also announced that they would now be known as "Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm". 9 – The 56th Annual CMA Awards took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. 11 – Chelsea Grin released their first studio album in four years, Suffer in Hell, the first half of a double album. The second half, Suffer in Heaven, will be released in March 2023.