When I did some sports writing at a previous job, I never wanted to be assigned prediction articles. Predictions, after all, are based on the limited information you have at the moment and don't account for surprises that might affect your thinking. Thus, they have a deservedly short shelf life.
I could write, for instance, that I'm curious to hear the forthcoming releases by Todd Rundgren and Jethro Tull. However, that's based on my reflexive liking of their best work from the '70s. I have no idea how their new releases will sound. I could also write that after hearing a really catchy song by Sky Ferreira that I didn't know existed until nine years after its release, I'm curious to hear what her new release will sound like. That, too, however, is based on incomplete information.
Also, there will likely be any number of gems I'll hear next year on KDHX, WSIE, KCLC, out-of-town stations, SiriusXM, Stingray Music, and other sources. Some songs will be by artists I've never heard before. Others will be by more established artists whose 2022 releases will be unexpectedly gripping to me.
Each year, my countdown of favorite songs is a mixture of thoughtful singer-songwriter music, contemplative jazz, catchy power pop, and melodic instrumentals. Right now, I have no idea what songs will make 2022's countdown, and that's exciting. Even if it isn't the best year for music, there will still be captivating releases in those categories, waiting to be discovered.
