Year-End Lists

Pretty Much Amazing: 60 Best Albums of 2012

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

1. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
5. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
6. Shields
   Grizzly Bear
7. Kill for Love
   Chromatics
8. Visions
   Grimes
9. Shrines
   Purity Ring
10. America
    Dan Deacon
11. Heaven
    Walkmen
12. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
13. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
14. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
15. Bloom
    Beach House
16. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
17. Nootropics
    Lower Dens
18. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
19. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
20. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
21. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
22. Confess
    Twin Shadow
23. The Money Store
    Death Grips
24. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
25. Coexist
    The xx
26. Awe Naturale
    THEESatisfaction
27. Open Your Heart
    The Men
28. Love this Giant
    David Byrne & St. Vincent
29. Fear Fun
    Father John Misty
30. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
31. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
32. Tempest
    Bob Dylan
33. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
34. Spooky Action at a Distance
    Lotus Plaza
35. Oshin
    DIIV
36. Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes
37. Instinct
    Niki & The Dove
38. A Thing Called Divine Fits
    Divine Fits
39. Centipede Hz
    Animal Collective
40. The Feeling
    Naomi Punk
41. Be the Void
    Dr. Dog
42. Slaughterhouse
    Ty Segall Band
43. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
44. Total Loss
    How to Dress Well
45. Lucifer
    Peaking Lights
46. Port of Morrow
    The Shins
47. An Awesome Wave
    alt-J
48. Something
    Chairlift
49. Wixiw
    Liars
50. fIN
    John Talabot
51. Sun
    Cat Power
52. The Seer
    Swans
53. Give You the Ghost
    Poliça
54. kin
    iamamiwhoami
55. Metz
    Metz
56. Zammuto
    Zammuto
57. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
58. Control System
    Ab-Soul
59. Strange Weekend
    Porcelain Raft
60. Put Your Back N 2 It
    Perfume Genius

Frontier Psychiatrist: Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
3. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Slaughterhouse
   Ty Segall Band
4. Twins
   Ty Segall
5. Attack on Memory
   Cloud Nothings
6. Shields
   Grizzly Bear
7. Tramp
   Sharon Van Etten
8. Until the Quiet Comes
   Flying Lotus
9. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
10. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
11. Hands of Glory
    Andrew Bird
11. Break It Yourself
    Andrew Bird
12. Centipede Hz
    Animal Collective
13. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
14. Open Your Heart
    The Men
15. Wixiw
    Liars
16. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
17. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
18. The Seer
    Swans
19. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
20. Confess
    Twin Shadow
21. Blue Chips
    Action Bronson & Party Supplies
22. Who’s Feeling Young Now?
    Punch Brothers
23. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
24. Nootropics
    Lower Dens
25. Visions
    Grimes
26. Born to Die
    Lana Del Rey
27. America
    Dan Deacon
28. Young Man in America
    Anaïs Mitchell
29. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
30. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
31. Shut Down the Streets
    A.C. Newman
32. Silver & Gold
    Sufjan Stevens
33. Jazz Mind
    Ed Schrader’s Music Beat
34. De Vermis Mysteriis
    High on Fire
35. bell hooks
    BBU
36. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
37. Shake My Head
    Spider Bags
38. On The Impossible Past
    The Menzingers
39. Django Django
    Django Django
40. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
41. Coexist
    The xx
42. Locked Down
    Dr. John
43. Shrines
    Purity Ring
44. Happy to You
    Miike Snow
45. All Hell
    Daughn Gibson
46. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
47. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
48. Putrifiers II
    Thee Oh Sees
49. Luxury Problems
    Andy Stott
50. Middle America
    Netherfriends

Robert Christgau: Top 102 Albums of 2012 (which Christgau calls “The Dean’s List”)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Americana
   Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2. Sounds of the Syrian Houran
   Dabke
3. Older Than My Old Man Now
   Loudon Wainwright III
4. The Truth About Love
   Pink
5. Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
   Todd Snider
6. Bangarang
   Skrillex
7. Nehru Jackets
   Himanshu
8. Transcendental Youth
   The Mountain Goats
9. The Rough Guide to High Life
   various artists
10. Wrecking Ball
    Bruce Springsteen
11. 1991
    Azealia Banks
12. Listen . . . Oka!
    Chris Berry & The Bayaka of Yandoumbe
13. Between the Times and the Tides
    Lee Ranaldo
14. Coexist
    The xx
15. The Idler Wheel…
    Fiona Apple
16. La Belle Époque: Volume 2 1973-1976
    Orchestra Baobab
17. good kid, m.A.A.d city
    Kendrick Lamar
18. Ndigal
    Karantamba
19. Another
    The Human Hearts
20. First of a Living Breed
    Homeboy Sandman
21. Father Creeper
    Spoek Mathambo
22. Tell Me That Before
    Greenberger Greenberg Cebar
23. Red
    Taylor Swift
24. The Greatest Story Never Told: Chapter Two: Bread and Circuses
    Saigon
25. C.A.R.
    Serengeti
26. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
27. The Good Sun
    Homeboy Sandman
28. Haflat Gharbia: The Western Concerts
    Omar Souleyman
29. Back on Time
    Plug
30. A Working Museum
    Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby
31. Wild Water Kingdom
    Heems
32. Perfectly Imperfect
    Elle Varner
33. Out of Sight, Out of Town
    Standard Fare
34. Falling Off the Sky
    The dB’s
35. Worship
    A Place to Bury Strangers
36. No Love Deep Web
    Death Grips
37. The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia
    various artists
38. Old Ideas
    Leonard Cohen
39. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
40. Channel Orange
    Frank Ocean
41. Bloom
    Beach House
42. The Dreamer
    Etta James
43. Sunken Condos
    Donald Fagen
44. The Only Place
    Best Coast
45. The Money Store
    Death Grips
46. Control System
    Ab-Soul
47. Sing the Delta
    Iris DeMent
48. Songs for Desert Refugees
    various artists
49. Words and Music by Saint Etienne
    Saint Etienne
50. Now What!
    Tommy Womack
51. Most of My Heroes Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp
    Public Enemy
52. No1 2 Look Up 2
    Big Baby Gandhi
53. Elysium
    Pet Shop Boys
54. Bouger Le Monde!
    Staff Benda Bilili
55. Kill My Blues
    Corin Tucker Band
56. The Queen of Vancouver Island
    Carolyn Mark
57. Beak & Claw
    s / s / s
58. The Moon in Transit
    Thomas Anderson
59. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
60. Living for a Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran
    Jamey Johnson
61. The Rough Guide to the Music of Morocco
    various artists
62. ¿Which Side Are You On?
    Ani DiFranco
63. Sadie
    P.S. Eliot
64. Sorry to Bother You
    The Coup
65. Reign of Terror
    Sleigh Bells
66. Balkan Beat Box
    Give
67. Lonely at the Top
    Lukid
68. 4Eva N a Day
    Big K.R.I.T.
69. Call Me Sylvia
    Low Cut Connie
70. 12 Bit Blues
    Kid Koala
71. The Complete Bowdoin College Concert 1960
    Pete Seeger
72. The Heist
    Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
73. Sister Pili + 2
    Moreno and L’Orch First Moja-One
74. Street Halo/Kindred
    Burial
75. Bhiman
    Bhi Bhiman
76. Subject: Matter
    Homeboy Sandman
77. African Electronic Music 1975-1982
    Francis Bebey
78. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded: Deluxe Edition
    Nicki Minaj
79. MDNA
    Madonna
80. Europe
    Allo Darlin’
81. Love at the Bottom of the Sea
    The Magnetic Fields
82. Stunt Rhythms
    Two Fingers
83. Some Girls: Deluxe Edition
    The Rolling Stones
84. Sings Bolling Greene
    Dylan Hicks
85. Kenny Dennis EP
    Serengeti
86. Nothing to Fear
    Dobie
87. Onwards to the Wall
    A Place to Bury Strangers
88. Instrumental Mixtape
    Clams Casino
89. A Thing Called Divine Fits
    Divine Fits
90. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
91. …But Fear Itself
    Dobie
92. Kiss You Down South
    Ned Sublette
93. En Yay Sah
    Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang
94. Kadior Demb
    Royal Band de Thiés
95. Folila
    Amadou & Mariam
96. Night and Day
    Andre Williams & the Sadies
97. Tchini Tchini
    Khaira Arby
98. La Familia Soriano
    Joan Soriano
99. Big Fucking Baby
    Big Baby Gandhi
100. Super Into On It
     Linkoban
101. The Original Sound of Cumbia
     various artists
102. There’s a Situation on the Homefront
     Tha Grimm Teachaz

Pazz & Jop: Top 100 Albums of 2012 (an annual poll of critics, published by The Village Voice)

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

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
3. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
4. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
5. Kaleidoscope Dream
   Miguel
6. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
7. The Seer
   Swans
8. R.A.P. Music
   Killer Mike
9. Visions
   Grimes
10. Bloom
    Beach House
11. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
12. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
13. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
14. Fear Fun
    Father John Misty
15. Wrecking Ball
    Bruce Springsteen
16. Tempest
    Bob Dylan
17. Red
    Taylor Swift
18. Pluto
    Future
19. Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes
20. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
21. Locked Down
    Dr. John
22. Old Ideas
    Leonard Cohen
23. Sun
    Cat Power
24. Yellow & Green
    Baroness
25. Bish Bosch
    Scott Walker
26. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
27. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
28. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
29. Luxury Problems
    Andy Stott
30. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
31. Psychedelic Pill
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
32. Older Than My Old Man Now
    Loudon Wainwright III
33. Transcendental Youth
    The Mountain Goats
34. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
35. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
36. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
37. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
38. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
39. Kiss
    Carly Rae Jepsen
40. Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
    Todd Snider
41. Some Nights
    fun.
42. Silver Age
    Bob Mould
43. All We Love We Leave Behind
    Converge
44. I Like to Keep Myself in Pain
    Kelly Hogan
45. The Money Store
    Death Grips
46. Shrines
    Purity Ring
47. The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
    Nada Surf
48. Sing the Delta
    Iris DeMent
49. Coexist
    The xx
50. Open Your Heart
    The Men
51. I Know What Love Isn’t
    Jens Lekman
52. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
53. World Music
    Goat
54. Born to Die
    Lana Del Rey
55. Europe
    Allo Darlin’
56. Metz
    Metz
57. The Cherry Thing
    Neneh Cherry & the Thing
58. Sorrow and Extinction
    Pallbearer
59. Kindred
    Burial
60. Reign of Terror
    Sleigh Bells
61. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
62. Life Is Good
    Nas
63. Black Radio
    Robert Glasper Experiment
64. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
65. Quarantine
    Laurel Halo
66. Wixiw
    Liars
67. A Thing Called Divine Fits
    Divine Fits
68. Blue Chips
    Action Bronson & Party Supplies
69. Researching the Blues
    Redd Kross
70. R.I.P.
    Actress
71. King Tuff
    King Tuff
72. Black is Beautiful
    Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland
73. Mr. M
    Lambchop
74. Heaven
    Walkmen
75. Sorry to Bother You
    The Coup
76. Americana
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
77. The Lion’s Roar
    First Aid Kit
78. Confess
    Twin Shadow
79. The Carpenter
    Avett Brothers
80. Clockwork Angels
    Rush
81. Accelerando
    Vijay Iyer
82. I Bet on Sky
    Dinosaur Jr.
83. Love this Giant
    David Byrne & St. Vincent
84. Master of My Make-Believe
    Santigold
85. Dark York
    Le1f
86. Perfectly Imperfect
    Elle Varner
87. The Lost Tapes
    Can
88. Words and Music by Saint Etienne
    Saint Etienne
89. Warrior
    Ke$ha
90. Sunken Condos
    Donald Fagen
91. Awe Naturale
    THEESatisfaction
92. Twins
    Ty Segall
93. 3 Pears
    Dwight Yoakam
94. Banga
    Patti Smith
95. Big Inner
    Matthew E. White
96. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
    Nicki Minaj
97. The Only Place
    Best Coast
98. Voyageur
    Kathleen Edwards
99. Signs & Signifiers
    J.D. McPherson
100. Falling Off the Sky
     The dB’s

MSN: 10 Best Albums of 2012

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. Locked Down
   Dr. John
3. Older Than My Old Man Now
   Loudon Wainwright III
4. Wrecking Ball
   Bruce Springsteen
5. Blunderbuss
   Jack White
6. Boys & Girls
   Alabama Shakes
7. Tempest
   Bob Dylan
8. Awe Naturale
   THEESatisfaction
9. Red
   Taylor Swift
10. Babel
    Mumford & Sons
11. The Idler Wheel…
    Fiona Apple
12. good kid, m.A.A.d city
    Kendrick Lamar

Engine 145: Top 25 Albums of 2012

1. Nashville, Vol. 1. Tear the Woodpile Down
   Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
2. 100 Proof
   Kellie Pickler
3. And So It Goes
   Don Williams
4. Living for a Song: Tribute to Hank Cochran
   Jamey Johnson
5. Sing the Delta
   Iris DeMent
6. Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings
   Waylon Jennings
7. Thirty Miles West
   Alan Jackson
8. AM Country Heaven
   Jason Eady
9. The Time Jumpers
   The Time Jumpers
10. Cabin Fever
    Corb Lund
11. 3 Pears
    Dwight Yoakam
12. High, Wide & Handsome
    The Trishas
13. Wreck & Ruin
    Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
14. Ghost of Browder Holler
    Chelle Rose
15. Leaving Eden
    Carolina Chocolate Drops
16. Tornado
    Little Big Town
17. Buddy and Jim
    Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale
18. Kin: Songs by Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell
    various artists
19. Calling Me Home
    Kathy Mattea
20. Uncaged
    Zac Brown Band
21. Hello Cruel World
    Gretchen Peters
22. His and Hers
    Joey + Rory
23. Sun Midnight Sun
    Sara Watkins
24. Darker Than Light
    Bobby Bare
25. Bear Creek
    Brandi Carlile

The Source: Top 20 Albums of 2012

1. Life Is Good
   Nas
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
3. Jesus Piece
   The Game
4. Live From The Underground
   Big K.R.I.T.
5. Control System
   Ab-Soul
6. Cruel Summer
   G.O.O.D. Music
7. Welcome To: Our House
   Slaughterhouse
8. Habits & Contradictions
   Schoolboy Q
9. Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1
   Lupe Fiasco
10. Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head
    T.I.
11. Based On A T.R.U. Story
    2 Chainz
12. God Forgives, I Dont
    Rick Ross
13. Wu Block
    Wu Block
14. Mic Tyson
    Sean Price
15. Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors
    Big Boi
16. Reloaded
    Roc Marciano
17. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
18. Dreams And Nightmares
    Meek Mill
19. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
20. Kiss the Ring
    DJ Khaled

Dennis Cooper: 20 Favorite Albums of 2012 (as numbered on Cooper’s site, but note that he precedes the list with “in no order”)

[see also 2019 • 2015 • 2013 • 2011]

1. No Love Deep Web
   Death Grips
2. Bish Bosch
   Scott Walker
3. Quarter
   Raime
4. The Bears for Lunch
   Guided By Voices
5. The Disintegration Loops
   William Basinski
6. Information Retrieved
   Pinback
7. Until the Quiet Comes
   Flying Lotus
8. However Strange
   Détective
9. Bela Tarr 7-13
   New White Light
10. The Seer
    Swans
11. Jack Sells the Cow
    Robert Pollard
12. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
13. Visions
    Grimes
14. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
15. R.I.P.
    Actress
16. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
17. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
18. 555/666/777
    Los Angeles
19. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
20. (III)
    Crystal Castles

Austin Town Hall: Top 100 Albums of 2012

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2011]

1. Killing Time
   Terry Malts
2. Attack on Memory
   Cloud Nothings
3. Freak Waves
   Sea Pinks
4. There’s No Leaving Now
   The Tallest Man on Earth
5. Leaving Atlanta
   Gentleman Jesse & His Men
6. You Love It Here
   I Was a King
7. Heaven
   Walkmen
8. All Blackshirts to Me
   Cats on Fire
9. Shields
   Grizzly Bear
10. Confess
    Twin Shadow
11. Radlands
    Mystery Jets
12. Open Your Heart
    The Men
13. Royal Headache
    Royal Headache
14. Bend Beyond
    Woods
15. Internal Logic
    Grass Widow
16. Bloom
    Beach House
17. Out of Sight, Out of Town
    Standard Fare
18. Hairdresser Blues
    Hunx
19. Nocturne
    Wild Nothing
20. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
21. Long Slow Dance
    The Fresh & Onlys
22. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
23. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
24. Correct Behavior
    Eternal Summers
25. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
26. Arab Spring
    Literature
27. Ruler of the Night
    Magic Trick
28. Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me
    The Intelligence
29. Bad Expectations
    Punks On Mars
30. II
    Nude Beach
31. Moth
    Exlovers
32. Love Will Prevail
    Cult of Youth
33. Interstellar
    Frankie Rose
34. Oshin
    DIIV
35. A Different Arrangement
    Black Marble
36. Untogether
    Letting Up Despite Great Faults
37. Home
    The Bankees
38. I Love You, It’s Cool
    Bear In Heaven
39. Putrifiers II
    Thee Oh Sees
40. 2
    Mac DeMarco
41. Plateaus
    Plateaus
42. On a Bedroom Wall
    Still Flyin
43. Stray Ashes
    JBM
44. Hands of Glory
    Andrew Bird
45. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
46. Deep Time
    Deep Time
47. Television Youth
    Sonic Avenues
48. Plumb
    Field Music
49. (III)
    Crystal Castles
50. Mixed Emotions
    Tanlines
51. Hospitality
    Hospitality
52. Valentina
    The Wedding Present
53. OBN IIIs
    OBN IIIs
54. Sun
    Cat Power
55. I Know What Love Isn’t
    Jens Lekman
56. Long Black Cars
    The Wave Pictures
57. Two Wounded Birds
    Two Wounded Birds
58. Coexist
    The xx
59. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
60. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
61. Holograms
    Holograms
62. The Ghost in Daylight
    Gravenhurst
63. The Clearing
    Bowerbirds
64. Ugly
    Screaming Females
65. The Nature of Things
    The Daredevil Christopher Wright
66. Make a Mess of Sacred Ground
    We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves
67. Meltdown
    Mind Spiders
68. Summer Bodies
    Dana Buoy
69. All of Us Together
    Teen Daze
70. Europe
    Allo Darlin’
71. Shut Down the Streets
    A.C. Newman
72. A Date With You
    Grape Street
73. WWIII
    White Wires
74. Sees the Light
    La Sera
75. Dry Land is Not a Myth
    White Arrows
76. Winter Garden Light
    Dot Dash
77. All Gone
    Pop Singles
78. Plague
    The Eastern Sea
79. Four Girls
    Woolen Kits
80. King Tuff
    King Tuff
81. Hard in Heaven
    Natural Child
82. Evans the Death
    Evans the Death
83. Slaughterhouse
    Ty Segall Band
84. Arrivals & Departures
    The Calm Blue Sea
85. Our House on the Hill
    The Babies
86. Light Up Gold
    Parquet Courts
87. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
88. Land Grab
    Unnatural Helpers
89. Pinata
    Volcano
90. The Memories
    The Memories
91. Tarnished Gold
    Beachwood Sparks
92. All Hell
    Daughn Gibson
93. Stoned and Alone
    The Pharmacy
94. Life Less Ordinary
    Big Wave Riders
95. Warm Nothing
    So Many Wizards
96. Endless Flowers
    Crocodiles
97. Metz
    Metz
98. Voyeur
    Saint Motel
99. Wild Quiet
    Junk Culture
100. The Garden of Joy and the Well of Loneliness
     Lace Curtains

Billboard: 10 Best Albums of 2012 (as voted by Billboard staff)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
3. Kaleidoscope Dream
   Miguel
4. Devotion
   Jessie Ware
5. Red
   Taylor Swift
6. Bloom
   Beach House
7. Wrecking Ball
   Bruce Springsteen
8. Attack on Memory
   Cloud Nothings
9. Sun
   Cat Power
10. An Awesome Wave
    alt-J