Top 50 Albums of 2012

When it came time to make my best albums of the year list, I planned on only having 25 albums like I did for my Top 25 Albums of 2011, but I had such a hard time narrowing it down that I decided to expand it to 50. My list is admittedly skewed towards indie, folk and rock but I’m working on expanding my horizons. What do you think? I’d love to hear your comments. What did I miss?

Take a listen or subscribe to the list on Spotify: Best Albums of 2012

  1. Kishi Bashi – 151a
  2. Menomena – Moms
  3. Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls
  4. Maps and Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful
  5. The Shins – Port of Morrow
  6. Ben Sollee – Half Made Man
  7. Beach House – Bloom
  8. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
  9. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
  10. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
  11. Here We Go Magic – A Different Ship
  12. Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits
  13. Ramona Falls – Prophet
  14. The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
  15. Book On Tape Worm – All The World’s A Stage
  16. Passion Pit – Gossamer
  17. Trampled By Turtles – Stars and Satellites
  18. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
  19. Dr. Dog – Be The Void
  20. Benjamin Gibbard – Former Lives
  21. Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
  22. Jack White – Blunderbuss
  23. The Walkmen – Heaven
  24. The Helio Sequence – Negotiations
  25. Grizzly Bear – Shields
  26. The xx – Coexist
  27. Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
  28. Ultraista – Ultraista
  29. The Maccabees – Given To The Wild
  30. Band of Horses – Mirage Rock
  31. Islands – A Sleep & A Forgetting
  32. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
  33. David Bryne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
  34. Galactic – Carnivale Electricos
  35. The Killers – Battle Born
  36. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
  37. Hot Chip – In Our Heads
  38. Yellow Ostrich – Strange Land
  39. The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter
  40. Tennis – Young & Old
  41. Sigur Ros – Valtari
  42. Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts
  43. Joshua James – From the Top of Williamette Mountain
  44. Murder By Death – Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
  45. Mumford and Sons – Babel
  46. M. Ward – Wasteland Companion
  47. Heartless Bastards – Arrow
  48. Paul Banks – Banks 
  49. Grimes – Visions
  50. Paul Weller – Sonik Kicks
Honorable Mentions:
  • Wild Nothing – Nocturne
  • Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
  • Tame Impala – Lonerism
  • Bob Dylan – Tempest
  • The Lumineers – The Lumineers
  • Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue vol. 3
  • Glen Hansard – Rhythm and Repose
  • Jay William Henderson – The Sun Will Burn Our Eyes
  • Bruce Spingsteen – Wrecking Ball
  • Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
  • Lambchop – Mr. M
  • Best Coast – The Only Place
  • Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire
  • Neon Trees – Picture Show
  • Fun. – Some Nights
  • Air – Le voyage dans la lune
  • Minus The Beat – Infinity Overhead
  • Matt & Kim – Lightning
  • For All the Girls – For All The Girls
  • Tu Fawning – A Monument
  • Ty Segall – Twins
  • Punch Brothers – Who’s Feeling Young Now?
  • The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
  • Dan Deacon – America
  • Miike Snow – Happy To You

    Top 50 Albums of 2012

    When it came time to make my best albums of the year list, I planned on only having 25 albums like I did for my Top 25 Albums of 2011, but I had such a hard time narrowing it down that I decided to expand it to 50. My list is admittedly skewed towards indie, folk and rock but I’m working on expanding my horizons. What do you think? I’d love to hear your comments. What did I miss?

    Take a listen or subscribe to the list on Spotify: Best Albums of 2012

    1. Kishi Bashi – 151a
    2. Menomena – Moms
    3. Alabama Shakes – Boys and Girls
    4. Maps and Atlases – Beware and Be Grateful
    5. The Shins – Port of Morrow
    6. Ben Sollee – Half Made Man
    7. Beach House – Bloom
    8. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
    9. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
    10. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
    11. Here We Go Magic – A Different Ship
    12. Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits
    13. Ramona Falls – Prophet
    14. The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
    15. Book On Tape Worm – All The World’s A Stage
    16. Passion Pit – Gossamer
    17. Trampled By Turtles – Stars and Satellites
    18. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
    19. Dr. Dog – Be The Void
    20. Benjamin Gibbard – Former Lives
    21. Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
    22. Jack White – Blunderbuss
    23. The Walkmen – Heaven
    24. The Helio Sequence – Negotiations
    25. Grizzly Bear – Shields
    26. The xx – Coexist
    27. Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
    28. Ultraista – Ultraista
    29. The Maccabees – Given To The Wild
    30. Band of Horses – Mirage Rock
    31. Islands – A Sleep & A Forgetting
    32. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
    33. David Bryne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
    34. Galactic – Carnivale Electricos
    35. The Killers – Battle Born
    36. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
    37. Hot Chip – In Our Heads
    38. Yellow Ostrich – Strange Land
    39. The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter
    40. Tennis – Young & Old
    41. Sigur Ros – Valtari
    42. Norah Jones – Little Broken Hearts
    43. Joshua James – From the Top of Williamette Mountain
    44. Murder By Death – Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
    45. Mumford and Sons – Babel
    46. M. Ward – Wasteland Companion
    47. Heartless Bastards – Arrow
    48. Paul Banks – Banks
    49. Grimes – Visions
    50. Paul Weller – Sonik Kicks
    Honorable Mentions:
    • Wild Nothing – Nocturne
    • Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
    • Tame Impala – Lonerism
    • Bob Dylan – Tempest
    • The Lumineers – The Lumineers
    • Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue vol. 3
    • Glen Hansard – Rhythm and Repose
    • Jay William Henderson – The Sun Will Burn Our Eyes
    • Bruce Spingsteen – Wrecking Ball
    • Noel Gallagher – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    • Lambchop – Mr. M
    • Best Coast – The Only Place
    • Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire
    • Neon Trees – Picture Show
    • Fun. – Some Nights
    • Air – Le voyage dans la lune
    • Minus The Beat – Infinity Overhead
    • Matt & Kim – Lightning
    • For All the Girls – For All The Girls
    • Tu Fawning – A Monument
    • Ty Segall – Twins
    • Punch Brothers – Who’s Feeling Young Now?
    • The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
    • Dan Deacon – America
    • Miike Snow – Happy To You

    Top 50 Songs of 2012

    This was a great year in music. Here is my list of favorite tunes. Most of them came off of albums from my “Top 50 Albums of 2012” list, with a handful of top 40 tunes thrown in. What were your favorite songs this year?

    1. Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”
    2. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
    3. Kishi Bashi – “Bright Whites”
    4. Ben Sollee – “Unfinished”
    5. The Shins – “Simple Song”
    6. Menomena – “Plumage”
    7. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”
    8. Maps & Atlases – “Winter”
    9. Beach House – “Myth”
    10. Wilco & Billy Bragg – “When The Roses Bloom Again”
    11. Divine Fits – “My Love Is Real”
    12. Frank Ocean – “Thinkin Bout You”
    13. Neon Trees – “Everybody Talks”
    14. Passion Pit – “Take A Walk”
    15. The Tallest Man On Earth – “Leading Me Now”
    16. Jack White – “Hypocritical Kiss”
    17. Ramona Falls – “Spore”
    18. Gotye – “Somebody That I Used To Know”
    19. Paul Banks – “The Base”
    20. Menomena – “Pique”
    21. Mumford & Sons – “I Will Wait”
    22. Dr. Dog – “Vampire”
    23. The Lumineers – “Ho Hey”
    24. Ben Sollee – “Whole Lot to Give”
    25. The Killers – “Runaways”
    26. Galactic – “Ha Di Ka”
    27. Imagine Dragons – “It’s Time”
    28. The Helio Sequence – “One More Time”
    29. Ramona Falls – “Bodies of Water”
    30. Ultraista – “Bad Insect”
    31. Of Monsters And Men – “Little Talks”
    32. Alabama Shakes – “Rise to the Sun”
    33. Two Door Cinema Club – “Next Year”
    34. Here We Go Magic – “How Do I Know”
    35. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
    36. Divine Fits – “Would That Not Be Nice”
    37. Kishi Bashi – “Manchester”
    38. Dr. Dog – “Lonesome”
    39. Dirty Projectors – “About to Die”
    40. Delta Spirit – “Teat It Up”
    41. Glen Hansard – “This Gift”
    42. David Byrne & St. Vincent – “Who”
    43. The Walkmen – “Heartbreaker”
    44. Passion Pit – “Mirrored Sea”
    45. Paul Weller – “The Attic”
    46. Andrew Bird – “Eyeoneye”
    47. Father John Misty – “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”
    48. Fun. – “We Are Young”
    49. Trampled By Turtles – “Alone”
    50. Sigur Ros – “Fjogur piano”
    Link to listen in Spotify: Top 50 Songs of 2012

    Top 25 Songs in 2011

    Here’s a list of my favorite songs on 2011. I know it’s already February and most people’s heads are already past the end of the year wrap up, but better late then never, right? A lot of these songs come off on my Top 25 Albums of 2011 list. For me, there were some new discoveries as far as bands go (The Dodos, Milagres, The Globes, Grouplove), some songs that I should be sick of but I’m not yet (“Rolling in the Deep”, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”, “Sail”, “Pumped Up Kicks”), some artists who continue to reinvent themselves (Radiohead, Wilco, The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie), and some artists who have continued with their own classic sound (The Black Keys, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Foo Fighters). I found myself really digging a Beyonce song, which never happens. And how Low got Uncle Jesse to be in their video, I don’t know, but I love it! Also, every year or two, a new hit comes out with whistling in it (“Young Folks” by Peter, Bjorn and John, “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, etc.) This year, Foster the People came out with two! In retrospect, lots of good tunes and singles came out in 2011 (along with great albums)! It’s one of the best years for music I can remember in a while. What songs did you like in 2011?

    The links for the bands go to their website. The links for the songs go to a music video/live performance. If you have a Spotify account, click on the link at the bottom and you can listen to everything on the list.

    1. Fleet Foxes“Grown Ocean”
    2. The Dodos“Black Night”
    3. Milagres“Halfway”
    4. Death Cab for Cutie“Codes and Keys”
    5. Grouplove“Colours”
    6. The Decemberists“Don’t Carry It All”
    7. Bon Iver“Perth”
    8. Adele“Rolling In The Deep”
    9. The Black Keys“Lonely Boy”
    10. Foster The People“Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)”
    11. Wilco“Art of Almost”
    12. Radiohead“Lotus Flower”
    13. Awolnation – “Sail”
    14. The Decemberists“Down By The Water”
    15. Fleet Foxes“Bedouin Dress”
    16. The Globes“Pretty Birds Above Our Heads”
    17. Foster The People“Pumped Up Kicks”
    18. Death Cab for Cutie“Home Is A Fire”
    19. St. Vincent“Cruel”
    20. The Antlers“I Don’t Want Love”
    21. Low“Try to Sleep”
    22. Coldplay“Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall”
    23. Beyonce“Countdown”
    24. Foo Fighters“Walk”
    25. Cage The Elephant – “Shake Me Down”

    Link to Spotify playlist: Top 25 Songs of 2011

    Top 25 Albums of 2011

    Here’s my list for the best albums of 2011. Looking back, it was a pretty amazing year for music! Lots of great albums came out. If you have a Spotify account, click the link below and you can listen to everything on this list. What albums/artists did you like in 2011?
    1. The Dodos – No Color
    2. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
    3. Wilco – The Whole Love
    4. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
    5. The Globes – Future Self
    6. Milagres – Glowing Mouth
    7. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
    8. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
    9. Black Keys – El Camino
    10. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
    11. Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys
    12. John Vanderslice – White Wilderness
    13. Elbow – Build a Rocket Boys!
    14. Antlers – Bursting Apart
    15. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
    16. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
    17. Feist – Metals
    18. Low – C’mon
    19. Say Hi – Um, Uh Oh
    20. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
    21. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
    22. Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
    23. 31knots – Trump Harm
    24. James Blake – James Blake
    25. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
    Link to Spotify playlist: Top 25 Albums of 2011

    Top 25 Albums of 2011

    Here’s my list for the best albums of 2011. Looking back, it was a pretty amazing year for music! Lots of great albums came out. If you have a Spotify account, click the link below and you can listen to everything on this list. What albums/artists did you like in 2011?

    1. The Dodos – No Color
    2. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
    3. Wilco – The Whole Love
    4. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
    5. The Globes – Future Self
    6. Milagres – Glowing Mouth
    7. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
    8. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
    9. Black Keys – El Camino
    10. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
    11. Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys
    12. John Vanderslice – White Wilderness
    13. Elbow – Build a Rocket Boys!
    14. Antlers – Bursting Apart
    15. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
    16. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
    17. Feist – Metals
    18. Low – C’mon
    19. Say Hi – Um, Uh Oh
    20. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
    21. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
    22. Telekinesis – 12 Desperate Straight Lines
    23. 31knots – Trump Harm
    24. James Blake – James Blake
    25. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

    Link to Spotify playlist: Top 25 Albums of 2011

    Top 25 Songs of 2011

    Here’s a list of my favorite songs on 2011. I know it’s already February and most people’s heads are already past the end of the year wrap up, but better late then never, right? A lot of these songs come off on my Top 25 Albums of 2011 list. For me, there were some new discoveries as far as bands go (The Dodos, Milagres, The Globes, Grouplove), some songs that I should be sick of but I’m not yet (“Rolling in the Deep”, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”, “Sail”, “Pumped Up Kicks”), some artists who continue to reinvent themselves (Radiohead, Wilco, The Decemberists, Death Cab for Cutie), and some artists who have continued with their own classic sound (The Black Keys, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Foo Fighters). I found myself really digging a Beyonce song, which never happens. And how Low got Uncle Jesse to be in their video, I don’t know, but I love it! Also, every year or two, a new hit comes out with whistling in it (“Young Folks” by Peter, Bjorn and John, “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, etc.) This year, Foster the People came out with two! In retrospect, lots of good tunes and singles came out in 2011 (along with great albums)! It’s one of the best years for music I can remember in a while. What songs did you like in 2011?The links for the bands go to their website. The links for the songs go to a music video/live performance. If you have a Spotify account, click on the link at the bottom and you can listen to everything on the list.

    1. Fleet Foxes – “Grown Ocean”
    2. The Dodos – “Black Night”
    3. Milagres – “Halfway”
    4. Death Cab for Cutie – “Codes and Keys”
    5. Grouplove – “Colours”
    6. The Decemberists – “Don’t Carry It All”
    7. Bon Iver – “Perth”
    8. Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”
    9. The Black Keys – “Lonely Boy”
    10. Foster The People – “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)”
    11. Wilco – “Art of Almost”
    12. Radiohead – “Lotus Flower”
    13. Awolnation – “Sail”
    14. The Decemberists – “Down By The Water”
    15. Fleet Foxes – “Bedouin Dress”
    16. The Globes – “Pretty Birds Above Our Heads”
    17. Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
    18. Death Cab for Cutie – “Home Is A Fire”
    19. St. Vincent – “Cruel”
    20. The Antlers – “I Don’t Want Love”
    21. Low – “Try to Sleep”
    22. Coldplay – “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall”
    23. Beyonce – “Countdown”
    24. Foo Fighters – “Walk”
    25. Cage The Elephant – “Shake Me Down”

    Link to Spotify playlist: Top 25 Songs of 2011