Complex's 50 Best Albums of 2012
As the year comes to a close, we look back at the full-length projects that defined it.
Published: December 18, 2012 17:49
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #2 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | Rich Forever - Single (Tribute to Rick Ross & John Legend) | Rich Forever | Apr-04-2012, |
| #4 | Born To Die | Lana Del Rey | Jan-30-2012, Alt-Pop |
| #5 | Habits & Contradictions | ScHoolboy Q | Jan-14-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do | Fiona Apple | Jun-18-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #7 | Grief Pedigree | KA | Feb-11-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #8 | Taylor Allderdice | Wiz Khalifa | Mar-13-2012, Pop Rap |
| #9 | Pluto | Future | Apr-17-2012, Trap |
| #10 | Cancer 4 Cure | EL-P | May-22-2012, |
| #11 | Visions | Grimes | Feb-21-2012, Synthpop |
| #12 | Life Is Good | Nas | Jul-17-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #13 | Bloom | Beach House | May-15-2012, Dream Pop |
| #14 | Dreamchasers 2 | Meek Mill | May-07-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #15 | Beach House | Ty Dolla $ign | Jan-21-2014, Pop Rap |
| #16 | Unapologetic | Rihanna | Nov-19-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #17 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #19 | (III) | Crystal Castles | Nov-07-2012, Synthpop |
| #20 | Control System | Ab-Soul | May-11-2012, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #21 | 2 | Mac DeMarco | Oct-16-2012, Jangle Pop |
| #22 | Master of My Make-Believe | Santigold | Apr-21-2012, Indietronica |
| #23 | The Haunted Man (Deluxe Version) | Bat for Lashes | Oct-12-2012, |
| #24 | Kanye West Presents Good Music Cruel Summer (Edited Version) | Various Artists | Sep-18-2012, |
| #25 | TNGHT | TNGHT | Jul-23-2012, Trap [EDM] |
| #26 | Detroit | Big Sean | Sep-05-2012, Hip Hop |
| #27 | Coexist | The xx | Sep-10-2012, Dream Pop |
| #28 | Finally Rich | Chief Keef | Jan-01-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #29 | Shrines | Purity Ring | Jul-20-2012, Synthpop |
| #31 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #32 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #33 | Devotion | Jessie Ware | Jan-01-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Wiki93 | RATKING | Nov-02-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #35 | Attack On Memory | Cloud Nothings | Jan-24-2012, Post-Hardcore |
| #36 | Im Still a Hitta | Lil Durk | Apr-03-2012, |
| #37 | Lonerism | Tame Impala | Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #38 | 1999 | Joey Bada$$ | Jun-12-2012, Boom Bap |
| #39 | Local Business | Titus Andronicus | Oct-22-2012, Indie Rock |
| #40 | The Money Store | Death Grips | Apr-23-2012, Industrial Hip Hop |
| #42 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #43 | Pineapple Now-Laters | BJ the Chicago Kid | Feb-21-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #44 | Confess | Twin Shadow | Jul-09-2012, Synthpop |
| #45 | Jesus Piece | The Game | Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #46 | Home Again | Michael Kiwanuka | Mar-12-2012, Soul |
| #47 | Sweet Jamaica | Mr. Vegas | May-29-2012, Reggae |
| #48 | Reloaded | Roc Marciano | Dec-25-2020, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | ...Little Broken Hearts | Norah Jones | Apr-25-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | Macadelic | Mac Miller | Mar-23-2012, Cloud Rap |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #2 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Album, Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | Rich Forever - Single (Tribute to Rick Ross & John Legend) | Rich Forever | Single, Apr-04-2012, |
| #4 | Born To Die | Lana Del Rey | Album, Jan-30-2012, Alt-Pop |
| #5 | Habits & Contradictions | ScHoolboy Q | Album, Jan-14-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #6 | The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do | Fiona Apple | Album, Jun-18-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #7 | Grief Pedigree | KA | Album, Feb-11-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #8 | Taylor Allderdice | Wiz Khalifa | Album, Mar-13-2012, Pop Rap |
| #9 | Pluto | Future | Album, Apr-17-2012, Trap |
| #10 | Cancer 4 Cure | EL-P | Album, May-22-2012, |
| #11 | Visions | Grimes | Album, Feb-21-2012, Synthpop |
| #12 | Life Is Good | Nas | Album, Jul-17-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #13 | Bloom | Beach House | Album, May-15-2012, Dream Pop |
| #14 | Dreamchasers 2 | Meek Mill | Album, May-07-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #15 | Beach House | Ty Dolla $ign | EP, Jan-21-2014, Pop Rap |
| #16 | Unapologetic | Rihanna | Album, Nov-19-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #17 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Album, Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #19 | (III) | Crystal Castles | Album, Nov-07-2012, Synthpop |
| #20 | Control System | Ab-Soul | Album, May-11-2012, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #21 | 2 | Mac DeMarco | Album, Oct-16-2012, Jangle Pop |
| #22 | Master of My Make-Believe | Santigold | Album, Apr-21-2012, Indietronica |
| #23 | The Haunted Man (Deluxe Version) | Bat for Lashes | Album, Oct-12-2012, |
| #24 | Kanye West Presents Good Music Cruel Summer (Edited Version) | Various Artists | Album, Sep-18-2012, |
| #25 | TNGHT | TNGHT | EP, Jul-23-2012, Trap [EDM] |
| #26 | Detroit | Big Sean | Album, Sep-05-2012, Hip Hop |
| #27 | Coexist | The xx | Album, Sep-10-2012, Dream Pop |
| #28 | Finally Rich | Chief Keef | Album, Jan-01-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #29 | Shrines | Purity Ring | Album, Jul-20-2012, Synthpop |
| #31 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Album, Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #32 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | Album, May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #33 | Devotion | Jessie Ware | Album, Jan-01-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Wiki93 | RATKING | EP, Nov-02-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #35 | Attack On Memory | Cloud Nothings | Album, Jan-24-2012, Post-Hardcore |
| #36 | Im Still a Hitta | Lil Durk | Album, Apr-03-2012, |
| #37 | Lonerism | Tame Impala | Album, Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #38 | 1999 | Joey Bada$$ | Album, Jun-12-2012, Boom Bap |
| #39 | Local Business | Titus Andronicus | Album, Oct-22-2012, Indie Rock |
| #40 | The Money Store | Death Grips | Album, Apr-23-2012, Industrial Hip Hop |
| #42 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Album, Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #43 | Pineapple Now-Laters | BJ the Chicago Kid | Album, Feb-21-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #44 | Confess | Twin Shadow | Album, Jul-09-2012, Synthpop |
| #45 | Jesus Piece | The Game | Album, Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #46 | Home Again | Michael Kiwanuka | Album, Mar-12-2012, Soul |
| #47 | Sweet Jamaica | Mr. Vegas | Album, May-29-2012, Reggae |
| #48 | Reloaded | Roc Marciano | Album, Dec-25-2020, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | ...Little Broken Hearts | Norah Jones | Album, Apr-25-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #50 | Macadelic | Mac Miller | Album, Mar-23-2012, Cloud Rap |