AllMusic: 50 Best Albums of 2012
[see also 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011]
- Grimes — Visions
- Frank Ocean — Channel Orange
- Fiona Apple — The Idler Wheel…
- Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city
- Miguel — Kaleidoscope Dream
- Flying Lotus — Until the Quiet Comes
- Torche — Harmonicraft
- Jessie Ware — Devotion
- David Byrne & St. Vincent — Love this Giant
- Carly Rae Jepsen — Kiss
- Deerhoof — Breakup Song
- Dwight Yoakam — 3 Pears
- Tame Impala — Lonerism
- Robert Glasper Experiment — Black Radio
- Killer Mike — R.A.P. Music
- Donald Fagen — Sunken Condos
- Matthew Dear — Beams
- Death Grips — The Money Store
- Dan Deacon — America
- THEESatisfaction — Awe Naturale
- Lightships — Electric Cables
- Beach House — Bloom
- Beachwood Sparks — Tarnished Gold
- Karriem Riggins — Alone Together
- Christian Scott — Christian aTunde Adjuah
- Converge — All We Love We Leave Behind
- Breakbot — By Your Side
- Chromatics — Kill for Love
- fun. — Some Nights
- Hot Chip — In Our Heads
- Cat Power — Sun
- The xx — Coexist
- Elle Varner — Perfectly Imperfect
- Redd Kross — Researching the Blues
- Jamey Johnson — Living for a Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran
- Jack White — Blunderbuss
- Santigold — Master of My Make-Believe
- Grizzly Bear — Shields
- Smashing Pumpkins — Oceania
- Kelly Hogan — I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
- Off! — Off!
- Bobby Womack — The Bravest Man in the Universe
- Swans — The Seer
- Bat for Lashes — The Haunted Man
- The Temper Trap — The Temper Trap
- Gravenhurst — The Ghost in Daylight
- Bob Mould — Silver Age
- Walkmen — Heaven
- Blut Aus Nord — 777 - Cosmosophy
- Bill Fay — Life is People