Best Music of 2012

I collected over 35 ‘best music of the year’ lists for 2012 and combined them into one list.  Here are the results.  The number in bold and underlined is the number of ‘best of the year’ lists that contained the album.  I’ve included every album on four or more of the 35+ lists.  For those who care, I’ve put an asterisk next to albums I currently own.

On 35 Lists
Frank OceanChannel Orange*

On 23 Lists
Kendrick Lamargood kid, m.A.A.d. city*

On 17 Lists
Fiona AppleThe Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do*

On 14 Lists
Dirty ProjectorsSwing Lo Magellan*

On 13 Lists
Cat PowerSun*
JapandroidsCelebration Rock*

On 12 Lists
Grizzly BearShields*
GrimesVisions*
Jack WhiteBlunderbuss
Jessie WareDevotion
Killer MikeR.A.P. Music

On 11 Lists
Sharon Van EttenTramp*

On 10 Lists
Alabama ShakesBoys & Girls* 
Tame ImpalaLonerism*
SwansThe Seer

On 9 Lists
Alt-JAn Awesome Wave

On 8 Lists
MiguelKaleidoscope Dream
Beach HouseBloom*  
Bob DylanTempest 
Cloud NothingsAttack on Memory
David Byrne & St. VincentLove This Giant*
Dr. JohnLocked Down*
Death GripsThe Money Store
Vijay Iyer TrioAccelerando*

On 7 Lists
Father John MistyFear Fun
Flying LotusUntil The Quiet Comes
Leonard CohenOld Ideas
MetzMetz
ChromaticsKill For Love 
Bat For LashesThe Haunted Man*
Django DjangoDjango Django
Ty SegallTwins
NasLife is Good
Taylor SwiftRed

On 6 Lists
Julia HolterEkstasis
Bobby WomackThe Bravest Man in the Universe 
Andy StottLuxury Problems
Neneh Cherry and The ThingThe Cherry Thing* 

On 5 Lists
Neil Young and Crazy HorsePsychedelic Pill 
Paul WellerSonik Kicks
Hot ChipIn Our Heads
The xxCoexist
Allo Darlin’Europe
El-PCancer 4 Cure
Godspeed You! Black EmperorAllelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
Best CoastThe Only Place
Purity RingShrines
fun.Some Nights*
SpiritualizedSweet Heart, Sweet Light
Wadada Leo SmithTen Freedom Summers
Ravi ColtraneSpirit Fiction

On 4 Lists
Bruce SpringsteenWrecking Ball  
BaronessYellow & Green
The Mountain GoatsTranscendental Youth
The WalkmenHeaven
The 2 BearsBe Strong
Lana Del ReyBorn To Die
The Avett BrothersThe Carpenter
First Aid KitThe Lion’s Roar
FuturePluto
Scott WalkerBish Bosch
LiarsWIXIW 
Passion PitGossamer
Iris DeMentSing the Delta*
DIIV –  Oshin
John TalabotƒIN
The Ty Segall BandSlaughterhouse
Billy HartAll Our Reasons
Robert Glasper ExperimentBlack Radio*
Gregory PorterBe Good*
Tim BerneSnakeoil 

1 thought on “Best Music of 2012

  1. Pingback: 2012 – It Was A Very Good Year | Make Lists, Not War

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