This year we heard many artists’ voices singing God’s praises on the airwaves, but there are some who returned to grace us with their talents again and again. 2022 brought many trials and many triumphs, and there were a few artists who provided inspiration and encouragement most this year. As the curtain begins to close on the year, join us as we take a look at Air1’s 10 Unforgettable artists of 2022!
1. Phil Wickham
WATCH NOW: Phil Wickham “Where I’m Standing Now (Feat. Brandon Lake)”
Taking the top spot for this year’s unforgettable artists, Phil Wickham brought us brand new ways to praise with songs like “Hymn of Heaven” and also collaborated with other popular artists such as Brandon Lake to bring us songs like “Where I’m Standing Now”. Wickham’s vocals express the pure joy of worshiping Christ, and his lyrics are often some of the most profound and memorable found on the radio. Wickham has not ceased to provide us with powerful anthems of praise again and again, and we hope to hear more of this artist in the years to come.
RELATED CONTENT: Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake Celebrate the Redemptive Power of Christ in “Where I’m Standing Now”
2. Elevation Worship
WATCH NOW: Elevation Worship “Same God (Feat. Jonsal Barrientes)”
Since the release of their debut album in 2007, Elevation Worship has consistently refined and grown their sound to best reach people in today’s confusing world. In 2022, the worship collective released a hit album, “LION,” featuring powerful and inspired songs like “What I See,” “Same God,” “Might Get Loud,” and more. Elevation has produced some of the most replayable songs of the year, earning them the second-highest spot on this list.
RELATED CONTENT: Elevation Worship & Jonsal Barrientes Reveal that God Still Makes Miracles in “Same God”
3. Patrick Mayberry
WATCH NOW: Patrick Mayberry “How You Love Me”
With deeply personal songs like “How You Love Me” and “Only Jesus,” Patrick Mayberry puts his heart and soul into every outing, and it shows. Having released his live debut album as recently as 2020, Mayberry’s worship career has lifted off the ground quickly, and it seems like he is just getting started. Mayberry’s honest and relatable lyrics speak deep into our own struggles and daily worries, while his homegrown vocal brings out the power of calling on Jesus’ name. Though his career may be in its early stages, Mayberry’s music has already earned him the bronze medal on our unforgettable artists list.
RELATED CONTENT: Patrick Mayberry Shatters the Misconception of Conditional Love in “How You Love Me”
4. Cody Carnes
WATCH NOW: Cody Carnes “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)”
Cody Carnes has brought us some of the year’s most memorable worship songs, with hits like “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” and “Take You At Your Word”. With the recent release of his live set, “God Is Good!”, Carnes’ powerful vocal and relevant lyrics make this artist worthy of a repeat listening. As we journey into the new year, we hope to hear more powerful ballads from Carnes in the future.
RELATED CONTENT: Cody Carnes Builds His Life on the Rock of Christ in “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)”
5. Brooke Ligertwood
WATCH NOW: Brooke Ligertwood & Brandon Lake “Honey In The Rock”
With her first album release under her new surname, Brooke Ligertwood brought us instantly recognizable songs such as “Honey In The Rock” and “A Thousand Hallelujahs”. While Ligertwood has brought us beautiful and impressive worship performances as part of one of the world’s most prominent worship collectives, her latest solo release graces us with songs that are uniquely hers. Ligertwood’s songs blend complex theology with simple praise, and we cannot help but listen to them again and again.
RELATED CONTENT: Brooke Ligertwood & Brandon Lake Profess God’s Providence in “Honey in the Rock”
6. Bryan & Katie Torwalt
WATCH NOW: Bryan & Katie Torwalt “Miracle In The Works”
Bryan & Katie Torwalt landed on 2022’s unforgettable artists list with their most popular song of the year, “Miracle In The Works”. Through their music, the husband and wife duo continue their journey to reveal God’s love and kindness to a culture that desperately needs it. The world needs more music like this to remind us that God is always working towards a miracle, even if we cannot see the pieces falling into place.
RELATED CONTENT: Bryan & Katie Torwalt Herald Spiritual Revival in “Miracle in the Works”
7. Katy Nichole
WATCH NOW: Katy Nichole “In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)”
Katy Nichole’s debut single “In Jesus Name (God Of Possible)” was a major hit on both Christian and secular music charts, reaching a wide audience with a message of provision and possibility through Jesus. In a world full of pain and heartache, Nichole’s gospel of healing through Christ is one that many people need to hear. While this single may have gotten Nichole on the radar in a big way, we hope there is much more to come from the emerging artist.
RELATED CONTENT: Katy Nichole Sends Out a Prayer For You With “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)”
8. Iveth Luna
WATCH NOW: Iveth Luna “In You”
With her debut pop-worship hit “In You,” Iveth Luna brings confidence in God’s capability to listeners in multiple languages. With the release of the spanish version of her debut song, “En Ti,” Iveth Luna seeks to spread hope, joy, and assuredness to listeners with her music. The palpable energy in Luna’s songs has consistently put a smile on our faces this year, and we cannot get enough of it.
RELATED CONTENT: Iveth Luna Sees the Possibilities of God With “In You”
9. TAYA
WATCH NOW: TAYA “For All My Life”
For many years, Taya Smith’s voice has graced our ears with amazing performances in songs like “Oceans” and “Touch The Sky,” but her budding solo career has shown us a whole new side to TAYA’s worship. In her new solo career, she brings a brand new gospel sound to her iconic voice. On the release of her self-titled album, TAYA hopes that it brings a sweet sensation to her listeners and brings healing to those who need it.
RELATED CONTENT: TAYA Brings a Humble Sound to Faith in “For All My Life”
10. Blanca
Watch Now: Blanca "The Healing"
Another unforgettable addition to our list Blanca, released the 2022 anthemic track "The Healing". "The Healing" Shows us that God brings change to all of His faithful in the form of recovery for their souls. In all of our maladies, we can lean into the power of the Great Physician for help, no matter our predicament. Blanca's third album takes her listeners on a journey of heartbreak and redemption, ensuring that by the end of the record everyone will know the love and healing that our powerful God can accomplish.
RELATED CONTENT: God Is More Than a Feeling In Blanca and Dante Bowe’s “The Healing”
This is Air1’s list of unforgettable artists of 2022. While these may have been the most played artists of the year, there were many more artists whose music touched our lives throughout everything this year had to offer. Which artists are you looking forward to hearing more of in the new year? Stay tuned to Air1 for the latest and greatest from the world’s best worship artists in 2023 and beyond!
