Year-End Lists

Spinner: 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
4. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Old Ideas
   Leonard Cohen
6. A Thing Called Divine Fits
   Divine Fits
7. Tramp
   Sharon Van Etten
8. Boys & Girls
   Alabama Shakes
9. Bloom
   Beach House
10. Visions
    Grimes
11. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
12. We Don’t Even Live Here
    P.O.S.
13. Synthetica
    Metric
14. Fear Fun
    Father John Misty
15. Jiaolong
    Daphni
16. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
17. True
    Solange
18. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
19. Ugly
    Screaming Females
20. Silver Age
    Bob Mould
21. Is Your Love Big Enough?
    Lianne La Havas
22. United States of Being
    PUJOL
23. Shrines
    Purity Ring
24. Voyageur
    Kathleen Edwards
25. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
26. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
27. Babel
    Mumford & Sons
28. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
29. Young and Old
    Tennis
30. 2
    Mac DeMarco
31. Post-Empire
    Will Stratton
32. Coexist
    The xx
33. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
34. (III)
    Crystal Castles
35. Give You the Ghost
    Poliça
36. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
37. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
38. Busting Visions
    Zeus
39. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
40. The North
    Stars
41. Psychedelic Pill
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
42. Metal Moon
    Dirty Ghosts
43. Heaven
    Walkmen
44. Faithful Man
    Lee Fields
45. Born to Die
    Lana Del Rey
46. Pink
    Four Tet
47. Lex Hives
    The Hives
48. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
49. Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
    Murder by Death
50. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
    The Flaming Lips

Richard Corliss: 10 Best Movies of 2012, as published by Time Magazine

1. Amour
   Michael Haneke
2. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
3. Life of Pi
   Ang Lee
4. Anna Karenina
   Joe Wright
5. The Dark Knight Rises
   Christopher Nolan
6. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
7. Dark Horse
   Todd Solondz
8. Dragon
   Peter Chan
9. Frankenweenie
   Tim Burton
10. The Invisible War
    Kirby Dick

HuffPost: 30+ Best Movies of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2022]

1. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
2. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
3. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
4. Argo
   Ben Affleck
5. Django Unchained
   Quentin Tarantino
6. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
7. Silver Linings Playbook
   David O. Russell
8. Skyfall
   Sam Mendes
9. Les Misérables
   Tom Hooper
10. Looper
    Rian Johnson
11. The Avengers
    Joss Whedon
12. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
13. The Master
    Paul Thomas Anderson
14. The Dark Knight Rises
    Christopher Nolan
14. The Hunger Games
    Gary Ross
15. Pitch Perfect
    Jason Moore
16. Amour
    Michael Haneke
17. 21 Jump Street
    Phil Lord and Chris Miller
18. Flight
    Robert Zemeckis
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
    Stephen Chbosky
20. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax
21. The Impossible
    Juan Antonio Bayona
22. ParaNorman
    Chris Butler & Sam Fell
22. Wreck-It Ralph
    Rich Moore
23. Promised Land
    Gus Van Sant
24. Magic Mike
    Steven Soderbergh
25. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
26. The Grey
    Joe Carnahan
27. Sleepwalk With Me
    Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish
28. The Sessions
    Ben Lewin
29. This Is 40
    Judd Apatow
30. Ruby Sparks
    Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
30. Celeste & Jesse Forever
    Lee Toland Krieger

Fact Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2012

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Diversions 1994-1996 / Dutch Tvashar Plumes
   Lee Gamble
3. Playin’ Me
   Cooly G
4. Celestial Joy
   Horrid Red
5. God Of Black
   Spaceghostpurrp
6. Total Loss
   How to Dress Well
7. Classical Curves
   Jam City
8. From The Far Future Pt. 2
   Terrence Dixon
9. The Seer
   Swans
10. Rückverauberung 6
    Wolfgang Voigt
11. R.I.P.
    Actress
12. Late Nights: The Album
    Jeremih
13. Noi No
    Madteo
14. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
15. Motor City
    Sand Circles
16. Channel Orange
    Frank Ocean
17. “M” Megamix
    I:Cube
18. Step Freestyles
    Wiley
19. Born to Die
    Lana Del Rey
20. Negative Fascination
    Silent Servant
21. Ebony
    Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland
22. Pluto
    Future
23. Death Surf
    Heroin In Tahiti
24. Purple Naked Ladies
    The Internet
25. Bossalinis & Fooliyones
    Main Attrakionz
26. Visions
    Grimes
27. Bish Bosch
    Scott Walker
28. Ku Klux Glam
    Ariel Pink & R. Stevie Moore
29. Dependent and Happy
    Ricardo Villalobos
30. Whispers In The Dark
    Supreme Cuts
31. Life Is Good
    Nas
32. Music For Keyboards vol. 1
    D’Eon
33. Tenement Yard vol. 3
    Altered Natives
34. Quantum Jelly
    Lorenzo Senni
35. Space Zone
    Young Smoke
36. Bogota Rich: The Prequel
    Gunplay
37. Dark York
    LE1F
38. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
39. Sentenced To Life
    Black Breath
40. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
41. Express OG EP
    Cocaine 80s
42. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
43. Transverse
    Carter Tutti Void
44. NXB
    Triad God
45. Timon Irnok Manta
    Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
46. Shrines
    Purity Ring
47. Coexist
    The xx
48. Oxyconteen
    Haleek Maul
49. Impossible Symmetry
    Helm
50. Machines That Make Civilization Fun
    Bigg Jus

Magnet Magazine: Top 25 Albums of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Heaven
   Walkmen
2. Twins
   Ty Segall
2. Slaughterhouse
   Ty Segall Band
2. Hair
   Ty Segall & White Fence
3. Bloom
   Beach House
4. Let’s Go Eat the Factory
   Guided By Voices
4. Class Clown Spots A UFO
   Guided By Voices
4. The Bears for Lunch
   Guided By Voices
5. Sun
   Cat Power
6. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
7. The Seer
   Swans
8. Until the Quiet Comes
   Flying Lotus
9. Falling Off the Sky
   The dB’s
10. Reign of Terror
    Sleigh Bells
11. Tempest
    Bob Dylan
12. Yellow & Green
    Baroness
13. Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
    Justin Townes Earle
14. OFF!
    OFF!
15. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
16. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
17. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
18. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
19. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
20. Researching the Blues
    Redd Kross
21. Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes
22. Wrecking Ball
    Bruce Springsteen
23. Harmonicraft
    Torche
24. The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
    Nada Surf
25. Provincial
    John K. Samson

Jim DeRogatis: Top 40 Albums of 2012, as published by WBEZ and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
2. I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
   Kelly Hogan
3. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
4. Melody’s Echo Chamber
   Melody’s Echo Chamber
5. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
   Spiritualized
6. Cancer 4 Cure
   El-P
7. Attack on Memory
   Cloud Nothings
8. Charmer
   Aimee Mann
9. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1
   Lupe Fiasco
10. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
11. The Cherry Thing
    Neneh Cherry
12. Banga
    Patti Smith
13. Vava Voom
    Bassnectar
14. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
15. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
16. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
17. Silver Age
    Bob Mould
18. Infinite Stretch
    Lester Bangs
19. Gossamer
    Passion Pit
20. Slaughterhouse
    Ty Segall Band
21. Falling Off the Sky
    The dB’s
22. Ugly
    Screaming Females
23. Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood
    John Cale
24. Blues Funeral
    Mark Lanegan Band
25. Master of My Make-Believe
    Santigold
26. The Only Place
    Best Coast
27. Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes
28. Locked Down
    Dr. John
29. How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?
    Sinead O’Connor
30. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
31. Fragrant World
    Yeasayer
32. Acousmatic Sorcery
    Willis Earl Beal
33. Researching the Blues
    Redd Kross
34. The Bravest Man in the Universe
    Bobby Womack
35. Django
    Django
36. Port of Morrow
    The Shins
37. Unsound
    Mission of Burma
38. All We Love We Leave Behind
    Converge
39. Americana
    Neil Young
40. Tempest
    Bob Dylan

Greg Kot: Top 10 Albums of 2012, as published by The Chicago Tribune and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
3. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
4. R.A.P. Music
   Killer Mike
5. I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
   Kelly Hogan
6. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
7. Cancer 4 Cure
   El-P
8. The Cherry Thing
   Neneh Cherry & the Thing
9. Sorry to Bother You
   The Coup
10. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel

Amy Taubin: Top 10 Films of 2012, as published by Artforum

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013]

1. Cosmopolis
   David Cronenberg
2. The Gatekeepers
   Dror Moreh
3. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
4. Mobile Homestead [trilogy]
   Mike Kelley
5. Amour
   Michael Haneke
6. Memories Look At Me
   Song Fang
7. Our Children
   Joachim Lafosse
8. Almayer’s Folly
   Chantal Akerman
9. Araf — Somewhere In Between
   Yeşim Ustaoğlu
10. The Unspeakable Act
    Dan Sallitt

As Submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll

• Cosmopolis
  David Cronenberg
• The Gatekeepers
  Dror Moreh
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
  Benh Zeitlin
• Amour
  Michael Haneke
• Memories Look At Me
  Song Fang

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: Top 11 Films of 2012

Douglas Wolk: Top 10 Albums of 2012, as published by Time Magazine

1. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
3. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
4. Swing Lo Magellan
   Dirty Projectors
5. Y’Anbessaw Tezeta
   Getatchew Mekuria & the Ex & Friends
6. The Seer
   Swans
7. Listen, Whitey! The Sounds of Black Power 1967–74
   various artists
8. Transcendental Youth
   The Mountain Goats
9. 1991
   Azealia Banks
10. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike

Decibel Magazine: Top 40 Albums of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019]

1. All We Love We Leave Behind
   Converge
2. Yellow & Green
   Baroness
3. Altra Mors
   Evoken
4. Legend
   Witchcraft
5. Sorrow and Extinction
   Pallbearer
6. Honor Found In Decay
   Neurosis
7. Riitiir
   Enslaved
8. CVI
   Royal Thunder
9. Tragic Idol
   Paradise Lost
10. Book Burner
    Pig Destroyer
11. The Fatal Feast
    Municipal Waste
12. 777 - Cosmosophy
    Blut Aus Nord
13. Monolith Of Inhumanity
    Cattle Decapitation
14. Dark Roots Of Earth
    Testament
15. Galloping Blasphemy
    Satan’s Wrath
16. Endless Procession Of Souls
    Grave
17. Harmonicraft
    Torche
18. Utiltarian
    Napalm Death
19. De Vermis Mysteriis
    High on Fire
20. Better To Die On Your Feet Than Live On Your Knees
    Liberteer
21. Red Horse
    Early Graves
22. MMXII
    Killing Joke
23. The Chills
    Horrendous
24. The Seer
    Swans
25. Dark/Subside
    Inverloch
26. No Absolute For Human Suffering
    Gaza
27. Insects
    Farsot
28. Deathhammer
    Asphyx
29. Ecstatic Trance
    A Life Once Lost
30. Urus Americanus
    Author & Punisher
31. Empyrean
    Mutilation Rites
32. LILLIE: F-65
    Saint Vitus
33. Kentucky
    Panopticon
34. Epicloud
    Devin Townsend Project
35. Reverence To Stone
    Samothrace
36. Vanquish In Vengeance
    Incantation
37. Primitive Blast
    The Shrine
38. Faustian Echoes EP
    Agalloch
39. Koloss
    Meshuggah
40. L’Enfant Sauvage
    Gojira