2012: The Year in Music

Back to the stuff that makes blogging fun: a review of my favorite music from 2012.

This was a great year, and there are a lot of bands to talk about.  I’ll be writing some more band reviews and other pieces over the next few weeks and months.  This will really get going as we approach SXSW, and I and the other awesome crew members at Hippohonk start the process of rating, ranking, and describing all the bands coming to Austin for South by Southwest in March, 2013. Check out the official list of announced bands, which will continue to grow as the event approaches. Four months away. Get excited.

Today, I wanted to share a couple of lists I put together. My favorite bands and tracks of 2012.

Why two lists? Well sometimes a band just cuts that one exceptional track, and the rest of the album doesn’t quite follow through.

There’s been a lot of other great music this year, but here are personal favorites. If there’s something you think I’m missing, hit me up. Always open to suggestions. After the Top 10 the rankings are kind of arbitrary.

The album and track links will take you to Spotify. If you’re not a Spotify user, google the track. I apologize for the two click inconvenience. Here we go.

Tony’s Favorite 25 Albums of 2012

1. New Build – Yesterday Was Lived and Lost 
2. Purity Ring – Shrines
3. Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits
4. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
5. alt-J – An Awesome Wave
6. Jack White – Blunderbuss
7. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
8. Grimes – Visions
9. Dr. John – Locked Down
10. The Beat Connection – The Palace Garden
11. Kishi Bashi – 151a
12. Taken by Trees – Other Worlds
13. Of Monsters and Men – My Head Is An Animal
14. Hot Chip – In Our Heads
15. Beach House – Bloom
16. Metric – Synthetica
17. Grizzly Bear – Shields
18. California Wives – Art History
19. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
20. Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe
21. David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
22. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
23. Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
24. The Walkmen – Heaven
25. Yeasayer – Longevity

Honorable mention: The Tallest Man on Earth – 1904

Tony’s Favorite 25 Tracks of 2012

1. New Build – Misery Loves Company
   
2. Tanlines – All of Me
3. Purity Ring – Fineshrine
4. Kishi Bashi – It All Began With a Burst
5. Grimes – Oblivion
6. alt-J – Tessellate
7. The Beat Connection – Further Out
8. Family of the Year – St. Croix
9. Trails and Ways / Ghost Beach – Miracle (Remix)
10. Grizzly Bear – gun-shy
11. Jack White – Love Interruption
    
12. Body Language – I’m a Mess
13. Major Lazer – Get Free
14. Alabama Shakes – Rise to the Sun
15. Taken by Trees – Dreams
    
16. Santigold – Disparate Youth
17. Silversun Pickups – Bloody Mary
18. Divine Fits – My Love is Real
19. Cave Painting – So Calm
20. Hot Chip – Motion Sickness
21. Kanye West – Mercy
22. Electric Guest – Awake
23. Dutch Uncles – Flexxin
24. Conner Youngblood – A Summer Song
25. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe – (Don’t hate. It’s a perfect pop song)

Honorable mention: Beach House – Myth; Nas / Amy Winehouse – Cherry Wine; Of Montreal – Spiteful Intervention; Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid; Tame Impala – Elephant; Dr. John – God’s Sure Good; The Eastern Sea – A Lie; The Temper Trap – Rabbit Hole; Mumford & Sons – I Will Wait; Holy Ghost – It Gets Dark; JJ DOOM – Rhymin’ Slang; Two Door Cinema Club – Sun; Passion Pit – Carried Away; Pair of Arrows – Vestige; and Azealia Banks / Lazy Jay – 212

If you need more recommendations, check out my broader Best of 2012 playlist on Spotify.