Year-End Lists

Library Journal: Top 10 Books of 2012 (alphabetically by author)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2011]

• By the Iowa Sea

  A Memoir of Disaster and Love
  Joe Blair
• Behind the Beautiful Forevers

  Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
  Katherine Boo
• A Land More Kind Than Home
  Wiley Cash
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
  Ben Fountain
• Crusoe

  Daniel Defoe, Robert Knox, and the Creation of a Myth
  Katherine Frank
• Some Kind of Fairy Tale
  Graham Joyce
• The Song of Achilles
  Madeline Miller
• The Lady in Gold

  The Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt’s Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer
  Anne-Marie O’Connor
• NW
  Zadie Smith
• Tiny Beautiful Things

  Advice on Love and Life from “Dear Sugar”
  Cheryl Strayed

Pitchfork: Top 50 Albums of 2012

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

1. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
4. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
5. The Seer
   Swans
6. Visions
   Grimes
7. Bloom
   Beach House
8. Kill for Love
   Chromatics
9. The Money Store
   Death Grips
10. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
11. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
12. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
13. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
14. Luxury Problems
    Andy Stott
15. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
16. Kindred
    Burial
17. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
18. Slaughterhouse
    Ty Segall Band
18. Hair
    Ty Segall & White Fence
19. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
20. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
21. Mature Themes
    Ariel Pink
22. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
23. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
24. Shrines
    Purity Ring
25. Habits & Contradictions
    Schoolboy Q
26. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
27. fIN
    John Talabot
28. Total Loss
    How to Dress Well
29. Sun
    Cat Power
30. Open Your Heart
    The Men
31. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
32. Blue Chips
    Action Bronson
33. R.I.P.
    Actress
34. Something
    Chairlift
35. TNGHT EP
    TNGHT
36. Tramp
    Sharon Van Etten
37. Pluto
    Future
38. Spooky Action at a Distance
    Lotus Plaza
39. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
40. Oshin
    DIIV
41. End of Daze
    Dum Dum Girls
42. Rich Forever
    Rick Ross
43. 2
    Mac DeMarco
44. Metz
    Metz
45. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
46. Essential Mix
    Rustie
47. Sorrow and Extinction
    Pallbearer
48. Lucifer
    Peaking Lights
49. (III)
    Crystal Castles
50. Mr. M
    Lambchop

The L Magazine: 20 Best Albums of 2012

1. Europe
   Allo Darlin’
2. Mr. M
   Lambchop
3. Fear Fun
   Father John Misty
4. Ekstasis
   Julia Holter
5. Hospitality
   Hospitality
6. Open Your Heart
   The Men
7. Shields
   Grizzly Bear
8. The Seer
   Swans
9. CYRK
   Cate Le Bon
10. Spooky Action at a Distance
    Lotus Plaza
11. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
12. A Thing Called Divine Fits
    Divine Fits
13. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
14. The Money Store
    Death Grips
15. Killing Time
    Terry Malts
16. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
17. Our House on the Hill
    The Babies
18. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
19. Long Slow Dance
    The Fresh & Onlys
20. Words and Music by Saint Etienne
    Saint Etienne

Dana Stevens: 15 Best Movies of 2012, as published by Slate, alphabetically

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

• Amour
  Michael Haneke
• How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS
  David France
• Lincoln
  Steven Spielberg
• The Master
  Paul Thomas Anderson
• Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
  Nuri Bilge Ceylan
• The Queen of Versailles
  Lauren Greenfield
• Take This Waltz
  Sarah Polley
• The Turin Horse
  Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
• Zero Dark Thirty
  Kathryn Bigelow

Runners-Up

• The Central Park Five
  Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon
• The Grey
  Joe Carnahan
• Holy Motors
  Leos Carax
• Rust and Bone
  Jacques Audiard
• This is Not a Film
  Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb

Benjamin Schwarz: Top 15 Books of 2012, as published by The Atlantic

[see also 2011]

• The Great Sea
  David Abulafia
• Time’s Shadow
  Arnold J. Bauer
• Good Behaviour
  Molly Keane
• Bring Up the Bodies
  Hilary Mantel
• Moscow, 1937
  Karl Schlögel

The Runners Up

• What They Do in the Dark

  A Novel
  Amanda Coe
• The Book of Common Prayer

  The Texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662
  Brian Cummings (editor)
• Orderly and Humane

  The Expulsion of Germans After the Second World War
  R.M. Douglas
• Fairness and Freedom

  A History of Two Open Societies, New Zealand and the United States
  David Hackett Fischer
• The Road to Ruins
  Ian Graham
• Evening’s Empire

  A History of Night in Early Modern Europe
  Craig Koslofsky
• Dear Life
  Alice Munro
• Sir Walter Raleigh
  Mark Nicholls and Penry Williams
• Masters of the Planet

  The Search for Our Human Origins
  Ian Tattersall
• The Essays of Virginia Woolf, Volume 6

  1933-1941
  Virginia Woolf, edited by Stuart N. Clarke

The A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

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

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
4. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
5. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
6. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
7. Amour
   Michael Haneke
8. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
9. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
10. Wuthering Heights
    Andrea Arnold
11. The Cabin in the Woods
    Drew Goddard
12. Looper
    Rian Johnson
13. Life of Pi
    Ang Lee
14. Lincoln
    Steven Spielberg
15. Only the Young
    Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims
16. The Queen of Versailles
    Lauren Greenfield
17. Killer Joe
    William Friedkin
18. Miss Bala
    Gerardo Naranjo
19. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
20. I Wish
    Hirokazu Kore-eda

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• A.V. Club: Alison Willmore: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Keith Phipps: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Mike D’Angelo: 15 Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Nathan Rabin: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Noel Murray: 15 Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Sam Adams: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Scott Tobias: The Best Films of 2012
• A.V. Club: Tasha Robinson: The Best Films of 2012

Complex: 50 Best Albums of 2012

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

1. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
3. Rich Forever
   Rick Ross
4. Born to Die
   Lana Del Rey
5. Habits & Contradictions
   Schoolboy Q
6. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
7. Grief Pedigree
   Ka
8. Taylor Allderdice
   Wiz Khalifa
9. Pluto
   Future
10. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
11. Visions
    Grimes
12. Life Is Good
    Nas
13. Bloom
    Beach House
14. Dreamchasers 2
    Meek Mill
15. Beach House
    Ty Dolla $ign
16. Unapologetic
    Rihanna
17. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
18. Blue Chips
    Action Bronson
19. (III)
    Crystal Castles
20. Control System
    Ab-Soul
21. 2
    Mac DeMarco
22. Master of My Make-Believe
    Santigold
23. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
24. Cruel Summer
    G.O.O.D. Music
25. TNGHT EP
    TNGHT
26. Detroit
    Big Sean
27. Coexist
    The xx
28. Finally Rich
    Chief Keef
29. Shrines
    Purity Ring
30. Yellow Album
    Dom Kennedy
31. Celebration Rock
    Japandroids
32. R.A.P. Music
    Killer Mike
33. Devotion
    Jessie Ware
34. Wiki93
    Ratking
35. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
36. I’m Still a Hitta
    Lil Durk
37. Lonerism
    Tame Impala
38. 1999
    Joey Bada$$
39. Local Business
    Titus Andronicus
40. The Money Store
    Death Grips
41. Duality
    Captain Murphy
42. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
43. Pineapple Now-Laters
    BJ The Chicago Kid
44. Confess
    Twin Shadow
45. Jesus Piece
    Game
46. Home Again
    Michael Kiwanuka
47. Sweet Jamaica
    Mr. Vegas
48. Reloaded
    Roc Marciano
49. Little Broken Hearts
    Norah Jones
50. Macadelic
    Mac Miller

Village Voice Film Poll: Best Films of 2012 (as published by The Village Voice, compiled from the votes of over 80 critics)

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2011]

1. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
2. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
3. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
4. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
5. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
6. Amour
   Michael Haneke
7. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
   Nuri Bilge Ceylan
8. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
9. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
10. Tabu
    Miguel Gomes
11. The Deep Blue Sea
    Terence Davies
12. The Kid with a Bike
    Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
12. Beasts of the Southern Wild
    Benh Zeitlin
12. Oslo, August 31st
    Joachim Trier
15. The Loneliest Planet
    Julia Loktev
16. Cosmopolis
    David Cronenberg
17. Django Unchained
    Quentin Tarantino
18. Bernie
    Richard Linklater
19. Silver Linings Playbook
    David O. Russell
20. Rust and Bone
    Jacques Audiard
21. Argo
    Ben Affleck
21. Barbara
    Christian Petzold
23. Almayer’s Folly
    Chantal Akerman
24. Neighboring Sounds
    Kleber Mendonça Filho
25. Magic Mike
    Steven Soderbergh

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Nick Pinkerton: Top 10 Films of 2012
• Village Voice Film Poll: Scott Foundas: 10 Best Films of 2012

Alison Willmore: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
2. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
3. The Master
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. The Lincoln Lawyer
   Brad Furman
5. Rust and Bone
   Jacques Audiard
6. Holy Motors
   Leos Carax
7. Zero Dark Thirty
   Kathryn Bigelow
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
   Benh Zeitlin
9. The Cabin in the Woods
   Drew Goddard
10. Dark Horse
    Todd Solondz
11. Cosmopolis
    David Cronenberg
12. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
13. Step Up to the Plate
    Paul Lacoste
14. Skyfall
    Sam Mendes
15. Moonrise Kingdom
    Wes Anderson

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012

Sam Adams: The Best Films of 2012, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2013 • 2011]

1. Moonrise Kingdom
   Wes Anderson
2. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
   Don Hertzfeldt
3. Middle of Nowhere
   Ava DuVernay
4. Magic Mike
   Steven Soderbergh
5. Killer Joe
   William Friedkin
6. Amour
   Michael Haneke
7. The Deep Blue Sea
   Terence Davies
8. Wuthering Heights
   Andrea Arnold
9. Barbara
   Christian Petzold
10. The Master
    Paul Thomas Anderson
11. Zero Dark Thirty
    Kathryn Bigelow
12. Holy Motors
    Leos Carax
13. Starlet
    Sean Baker
14. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
    Stephen Chbosky
15. Killing Them Softly
    Andrew Dominik

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2012