Year-End Lists

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

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

Stereogum: Top 50 Albums of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 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. The Seer
   Swans
5. Devotion
   Jessie Ware
6. Attack on Memory
   Cloud Nothings
7. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
8. Heaven
   Walkmen
9. Something
   Chairlift
10. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
11. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
12. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
13. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
14. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
15. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
16. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
17. Open Your Heart
    The Men
18. Yellow & Green
    Baroness
19. Red
    Taylor Swift
20. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
21. Ugly
    Screaming Females
22. Oshin
    DIIV
23. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
24. Reign of Terror
    Sleigh Bells
25. II
    Nude Beach
26. Visions
    Grimes
27. Bloom
    Beach House
28. Sun
    Cat Power
29. Shine
    Purity Ring
30. Harmonicraft
    Torche
31. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
32. Twins
    Ty Segall
33. Total Loss
    How to Dress Well
34. Pluto
    Future
35. Swearin’
    Swearin’
36. Overgrown Path
    Chris Cohen
37. 1999
    Joey Bada$$
38. Ocean Roar
    Mount Eerie
39. Jessica Pratt
    Jessica Pratt
40. All We Love We Leave Behind
    Converge
41. Among the Leaves
    Sun Kil Moon
42. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
43. Blue Chips
    Action Bronson & Party Supplies
44. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
45. The Odds
    The Evens
46. Big Inner
    Matthew E. White
47. Rich Forever
    Rick Ross
48. Port of Morrow
    The Shins
49. Light Up Gold
    Parquet Courts
50. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus

The Wire: Top 50 Albums of 2012

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

1. Quarantine
   Laurel Halo
2. Icon Give Thank
   Sun Araw & M Geddes Gengras meet the Congos
3. RIP
   Actress
4. Fremde Zeit Addendum
   Jakob Ullmann
5. Songs About Nothing
   Jason Lescalleet
6. Live at the Grimm Museum 1
   CC Hennix & The Chora(s)san Time-Court Mirage
7. Tempest
   Bob Dylan
8. Ekstasis
   Julia Holter
9. Transverse
   Carter Tutti Void
10. Dependent and Happy
    Ricardo Villalobos
11. Bish Bosch
    Scott Walker
12. Blood Rushing
    Josephine Foster
13. Mabushii Itazura Na Inori
    Fushitsusha
14. Imikuzushi
    Haino/O’Rourke/Ambarchi
15. The Money Store
    Death Grips
16. Medium
    Emptyset
17. Black is Beautiful
    Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland
18. Luxury Problems
    Andy Stott
19. Wandelweiser und so Weiter
    V/A
20. Crippled Symmetry: At June in Buffalo
    Morton Feldman
21. Verse of Birds
    Richard Skelton
22. Back on the Streets
    The Bohman Brothers
23. good kid, m.A.A.d city
    Kendrick Lamar
24. Crosshatches
    Michael Pisaro and Toshiya Tsunoda
25. Reeling Skullways
    Bass Clef
26. Modern Jester
    Aaron Dilloway
27. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
28. The Drawbar Organ/Music for the Quiet Hour
    Shackleton
29. Wound Response
    Rhodri Davies
30. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
31. Ten Freedom Summers
    Wadada Leo Smith
32. Novaya Zemlya
    Thomas Koner
33. In our Name
    Annea Lockwood
34. Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
    Earth
35. Diversions 1994-1996
    Lee Gamble
36. Deviation
    Heatsick
37. Feel Free
    Duane Pitre
38. Quarter Turns over a Living Line
    Raime
39. The Seer
    Swans
40. Mbeuguel Dafa Nekh
    Mark Ernestus Presents Jeri-Jeri with Mbene Diatta Seck
41. Playin’ Me
    Cooly G
42. Da Mind of Traxman
    Traxman
43. Teklife Vol. 1: Welcome to the Chi
    DJ Rashad
44. Streets
    Charles Gayle Trio
45. Channel Orange
    Frank Ocean
46. Sleep Games
    Pye Corner Audio
47. Sounds from Dangerous Places
    Peter Cusack
48. Effigy
    Pelt
49. Pretty Ugly
    DVA
50. Yatagarasu
    Brotzmann/Satoh/Moriyama

Jason Bentley: Top 10 Albums of 2012, as posted by KCRW

[see also 2011]

1. Blak and Blu
   Gary Clark Jr.
2. In Our Heads
   Hot Chip
3. The Lion’s Roar
   First Aid Kit
4. Blunderbuss
   Jack White
5. Black Radio
   Robert Glasper Experiment
6. Boys & Girls
   Alabama Shakes
7. >album title goes here<
   deadmau5
8. Look Around the Corner
   Quantic & Alice Russell
9. Home Again
   Michael Kiwanuka
10. Shields
    Grizzly Bear

Rolling Stone: Top 50 Albums of 2012

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Wrecking Ball
   Bruce Springsteen
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. Blunderbuss
   Jack White
4. Tempest
   Bob Dylan
5. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
6. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
7. Here
   Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
8. !Uno!
   Green Day
9. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
10. Psychedelic Pill
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
11. Babel
    Mumford & Sons
12. Rebirth
    Jimmy Cliff
13. Old Ideas
    Leonard Cohen
14. The Only Place
    Best Coast
15. Locked Down
    Dr. John
16. Sun
    Cat Power
17. Born and Raised
    John Mayer
18. Life Is Good
    Nas
19. Mirage Rock
    Band Of Horses
20. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
21. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
22. Slipstream
    Bonnie Raitt
23. A Thing Called Divine Fits
    Divine Fits
24. Cruel Summer
    G.O.O.D. Music
25. Sunken Condos
    Donald Fagen
26. Django Django
    Django Django
27. Blak and Blu
    Gary Clark Jr.
28. Bloom
    Beach House
29. Away From the World
    Dave Matthews Band
30. 1991
    Azealia Banks
31. Red
    Taylor Swift
32. Hospitality
    Hospitality
33. Visions
    Grimes
34. Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes
35. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
36. The Bravest Man in the Universe
    Bobby Womack
37. Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
    Justin Townes Earle
38. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
39. Gossamer
    Passion Pit
40. Escort
    Escort
41. The Carpenter
    Avett Brothers
42. Europe
    Allo Darlin’
43. Some Nights
    fun.
44. Not Your Kind of People
    Garbage
45. Rich Forever
    Rick Ross
46. The 2nd Law
    Muse
47. Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
    Todd Snider
48. Oceania
    Smashing Pumpkins
49. Folila
    Amadou & Mariam
50. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors

Drowned in Sound: 100 Favourite Albums of 2012

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

1. Tramp
   Sharon Van Etten
1. Blondes
   Blondes
1. Kill for Love
   Chromatics
1. The Seer
   Swans
1. Wixiw
   Liars
6. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
7. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
   Godspeed You! Black Emperor
8. Ghostory
   School Of Seven Bells
9. Skelethon
   Aesop Rock
10. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
11. Channel Orange
    Frank Ocean
12. Something
    Chairlift
13. No One Will Ever Know
    The Twilight Sad
14. Give You the Ghost
    Poliça
15. Put Your Back N 2 It
    Perfume Genius
16. good kid, m.A.A.d city
    Kendrick Lamar
17. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
18. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
19. Keepers of the Light
    LHF
20. Bad Dream Hotline
    FOE
21. Confess
    Twin Shadow
22. Motion Sickness of Time Travel
    Motion Sickness of Time Travel
23. Django Django
    Django Django
24. Sun
    Cat Power
25. Koi No Yokan
    Deftones
26. Eighty One
    Yppah
27. Have Some Faith in Magic
    Errors
28. Fin
    John Talabot
29. Melody’s Echo Chamber
    Melody’s Echo Chamber
30. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
31. Piramida
    Efterklang
32. R.I.P.
    Actress
33. Synthetica
    Metric
34. Sin & Lostness
    The Lost Rivers
35. (III)
    Crystal Castles
36. Plumb
    Field Music
37. Visions
    Grimes
38. Sebenza
    LV
39. In Time To Voices
    Blood Red Shoes
40. Born to Die
    Lana Del Rey
41. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
42. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
43. Given to the Wild
    The Maccabees
44. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
45. The 2nd Law
    Muse
46. Bish Bosch
    Scott Walker
47. Fragrant World
    Yeasayer
48. Wild Peace
    Echo Lake
49. Total Loss
    How to Dress Well
50. Four
    Bloc Party
51. Animal Joy
    Shearwater
52. Lost Songs
    …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
53. Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II
    Earth
54. Valtari
    Sigur Rós
55. The Money Store
    Death Grips
56. Break It Yourself
    Andrew Bird
57. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
58. The Something Rain
    Tindersticks
59. Eight and a Half
    Eight and a Half
60. Old Ideas
    Leonard Cohen
61. In the Belly of the Brazen Bull
    The Cribs
62. The Plot Against Common Sense
    Future of the Left
63. Shrines
    Purity Ring
64. Coexist
    The xx
65. The Lion’s Roar
    First Aid Kit
66. Port of Morrow
    The Shins
67. Wonky
    Orbital
68. Psychedelic Pill
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse
69. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
70. Spiderwebbed
    Stumbleine
71. Passage
    Exitmusic
72. Oshin
    DIIV
73. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
74. Standing at the Sky’s Edge
    Richard Hawley
75. Nootropics
    Lower Dens
76. Ark
    Halls
77. Toward the Low Sun
    Dirty Three
78. Love at the Bottom of the Sea
    The Magnetic Fields
79. Screws
    Nils Frahm
80. Heaven
    Walkmen
81. The Sleep of Reason
    BATS
82. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
83. The Very Last of the Saints
    Ghosting Season
84. Following Sea
    dEUS
85. America
    Dan Deacon
86. The Violence
    Darren Hayman and the Long Parliament
87. Sod the Seed
    why?
88. Between the Times and the Tides
    Lee Ranaldo
89. Gossamer
    Passion Pit
90. Bloom
    Beach House
91. The Shallows
    I Like Trains
92. Young Man in America
    Anaïs Mitchell
93. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
94. Wrecking Ball
    Bruce Springsteen
95. An Awesome Wave
    alt-J
96. Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood
    John Cale
97. Exercises
    CFCF
98. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
99. ((o))
    Hey Sholay
100. I Am Gemini
     Cursive