Year-End Lists

PopMatters: 75 Best Albums of 2012

[see also 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2011]

1. Channel Orange
   Frank Ocean
2. Celebration Rock
   Japandroids
3. The Idler Wheel…
   Fiona Apple
4. Bloom
   Beach House
5. The Seer
   Swans
6. R.A.P. Music
   Killer Mike
7. Lonerism
   Tame Impala
8. Devotion
   Jessie Ware
9. good kid, m.A.A.d city
   Kendrick Lamar
10. Kill for Love
    Chromatics
11. Visions
    Grimes
12. Leaving Eden
    Carolina Chocolate Drops
13. Heaven
    Walkmen
14. Blunderbuss
    Jack White
15. Yellow & Green
    Baroness
16. ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
17. Queen of the Wave
    Pepe Deluxé
18. Attack on Memory
    Cloud Nothings
19. Shields
    Grizzly Bear
20. The Carpenter
    Avett Brothers
21. Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
    Spiritualized
22. Given to the Wild
    The Maccabees
23. Red
    Taylor Swift
24. Transcendental Youth
    The Mountain Goats
25. Carnivale Electricos
    Galactic
26. Locked Down
    Dr. John
27. Fear Fun
    Father John Misty
28. Luxury Problems
    Andy Stott
29. The Money Store
    Death Grips
30. Black Radio
    Robert Glasper Experiment
31. In Our Heads
    Hot Chip
32. Chamber Music Society
    Esperanza Spalding
33. The Haunted Man
    Bat for Lashes
34. The Tel Aviv Session
    The Touré-Raichel Collective
35. Cancer 4 Cure
    El-P
36. Life Is Good
    Nas
37. Kaleidoscope Dream
    Miguel
38. Love this Giant
    David Byrne & St. Vincent
39. My Head is an Animal
    Of Monsters And Men
40. Open Your Heart
    The Men
41. Look Around the Corner
    Quantic & Alice Russell
42. Until the Quiet Comes
    Flying Lotus
43. Metz
    Metz
44. Theatre Is Evil
    Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra
45. Silver Age
    Bob Mould
46. Ekstasis
    Julia Holter
47. Tomorrowland
    Ryan Bingham
48. Mr. M
    Lambchop
49. Sing the Delta
    Iris DeMent
50. Sonik Kicks
    Paul Weller
51. Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
    Todd Snider
52. Total Loss
    How to Dress Well
53. fIN
    John Talabot
54. bell hooks
    BBU
55. Ten Freedom Summers
    Wadada Leo Smith
56. Wrecking Ball
    Bruce Springsteen
57. Swing Lo Magellan
    Dirty Projectors
58. Reign of Terror
    Sleigh Bells
59. Researching the Blues
    Redd Kross
60. Handwritten
    The Gaslight Anthem
61. An Awesome Wave
    alt-J
62. Debo Band
    Debo Band
63. A Sleep & A Forgetting
    Islands
64. Twins
    Ty Segall
65. Years Past Matter
    Krallice
66. Gossamer
    Passion Pit
67. Clockwork Angels
    Rush
68. World Music
    Goat
69. Europe
    Allo Darlin’
70. Is Your Love Big Enough?
    Lianne La Havas
71. Shrines
    Purity Ring
72. FRKWYS Vol. 9: Icon Give Thank
    Sun Araw/M. Geddes Gengras/The Congos
73. There’s No Leaving Now
    The Tallest Man on Earth
74. Master of My Make-Believe
    Santigold
75. Preachers
    My Jerusalem