BILLBOARD MAGAZINE RULES!

Billboard THE 50 BEST ALBUMS OF 2022 SO FAR: BILLBOARD STAFF PICKS Our staff's 50 favorite albums of 2022 so far. Bonnie Raitt, 'Just Like That...' Deep into the slow burn of Just Like That highlight “Blame It on Me,” Raitt hits — and holds — a high note that proves her bluesy vocals have never been stronger. The marvelous, familiar mix of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s voice and bottleneck guitar, the prominence of a B3 organ, and the solid funk of her longtime rhythm section, all helped this set debut at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Current Album Sales and Americana/Folk Albums charts in May. But the lasting power of Just Like That… comes from Raitt’s own lyrics here, rich with empathy — for the grieving mother of the title track who finds peace; for the prisoner of “Down The Hall” who finds compassion; and for the survivors of “Livin’ For the Ones,” a hard-charging, post-pandemic prayer for all of us. — THOM DUFFY