NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums of 2012
The albums that sum up our year span genres and borders. From Astro to Wadada Leo Smith, Fiona Apple to Frank Ocean, here are 50 albums that made 2012 great.
Published: December 22, 2012 18:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Control System | Ab-Soul | May-11-2012, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #2 | Boys & Girls | Alabama Shakes | Apr-10-2012, Blues Rock |
| #3 | Elgar & Carter: Cello Concertos | Alisa Weilerstein, Staatskapelle Berlin, Daniel Barenboim | Jan-01-2012, |
| #4 | An Awesome Wave | alt-J | Sep-18-2012, Art Pop |
| #5 | Luxury Problems | Andy Stott | Oct-29-2012, Dub Techno |
| #6 | Astro | Astro | Aug-28-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #7 | The Bravest Man in the Universe | Bobby Womack | Jun-01-2012, Deep Soul |
| #8 | Elegancia Tropical | Bomba Estéreo | Nov-05-2012, Digital Cumbia |
| #9 | Seven Steps | Brooklyn Rider | Jan-01-2012, |
| #10 | El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco | Café Tacvba | Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #11 | Déjenme Llorar | Carla Morrison | Mar-27-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #12 | Sun | Cat Power | Sep-03-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Landing On a Hundred | Cody ChesnuTT | Oct-30-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #14 | America | Dan Deacon | Aug-28-2012, Indietronica |
| #15 | No Love Deep Web | Death Grips | Oct-01-2012, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #16 | Debo Band | Debo Band | Jul-10-2012, Ethio-Jazz |
| #17 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #18 | 3 Pears | Dwight Yoakam | Sep-18-2012, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #19 | Passage | Exitmusic | May-22-2012, Dream Pop |
| #20 | 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 |
| #21 | Until The Quiet Comes | Flying Lotus | Oct-01-2012, IDM |
| #22 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Some Nights | Fun. | Feb-21-2012, Pop Rock |
| #24 | First of a Living Breed | Homeboy Sandman | Sep-18-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #25 | Sing the Delta | Iris DeMent | Oct-02-2012, Country |
| #26 | En Yay Sah | Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang | Aug-07-2012, Highlife |
| #27 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Alone Together | Karriem Riggins | Oct-23-2012, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #29 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #30 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #31 | Salonen: Violin Concerto, Nyx | Leila Josefowicz, Esa-Pekka Salonen, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Sep-21-2012, |
| #32 | Old Ideas | Leonard Cohen | Jan-31-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | Dreamchasers 2 | Meek Mill | May-07-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #35 | Adams: Harmonielehre - Short Ride in a Fast Machine | John Adams, San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas | Mar-13-2012, |
| #36 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #37 | The Cherry Thing | Neneh Cherry, The Thing | Jun-18-2012, Vocal Jazz |
| #38 | Threads | Now, Now | Mar-06-2012, Indie Rock |
| #39 | The Truth About Love | P!nk | Sep-18-2012, Pop |
| #40 | Sorrow and Extinction | Pallbearer | Feb-21-2012, Traditional Doom Metal |
| #41 | Adventures In Your Own Backyard | Patrick Watson | May-01-2012, Chamber Pop |
| #42 | What We Saw from the Cheap Seats | Regina Spektor | May-25-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #43 | Tramp (Deluxe Edition) | Sharon Van Etten | Nov-13-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | The Seer | Swans | Aug-28-2012, Experimental Rock |
| #46 | Be Strong | The 2 Bears | Jan-29-2012, House |
| #47 | MTMTMK | The Very Best | Jul-17-2012, Electronic |
| #48 | Twins | Ty Segall | Oct-09-2012, Garage Rock |
| #49 | Accelerando | Vijay Iyer | Feb-24-2012, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #50 | Ten Freedom Summers | Wadada Leo Smith | Jan-01-2012, Avant-Garde Jazz |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Control System | Ab-Soul | Album, May-11-2012, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #2 | Boys & Girls | Alabama Shakes | Album, Apr-10-2012, Blues Rock |
| #3 | Elgar & Carter: Cello Concertos | Alisa WeilersteinStaatskapelle BerlinDaniel Barenboim | Album, Jan-01-2012, |
| #4 | An Awesome Wave | alt-J | Album, Sep-18-2012, Art Pop |
| #5 | Luxury Problems | Andy Stott | Album, Oct-29-2012, Dub Techno |
| #6 | Astro | Astro | Album, Aug-28-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #7 | The Bravest Man in the Universe | Bobby Womack | Album, Jun-01-2012, Deep Soul |
| #8 | Elegancia Tropical | Bomba Estéreo | Album, Nov-05-2012, Digital Cumbia |
| #9 | Seven Steps | Brooklyn Rider | Album, Jan-01-2012, |
| #10 | El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco | Café Tacvba | Album, Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #11 | Déjenme Llorar | Carla Morrison | Album, Mar-27-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #12 | Sun | Cat Power | Album, Sep-03-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Landing On a Hundred | Cody ChesnuTT | Album, Oct-30-2012, Contemporary R&B |
| #14 | America | Dan Deacon | Album, Aug-28-2012, Indietronica |
| #15 | No Love Deep Web | Death Grips | Album, Oct-01-2012, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #16 | Debo Band | Debo Band | Album, Jul-10-2012, Ethio-Jazz |
| #17 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Album, Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #18 | 3 Pears | Dwight Yoakam | Album, Sep-18-2012, Neo-Traditionalist Country |
| #19 | Passage | Exitmusic | Album, May-22-2012, Dream Pop |
| #20 | 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 |
| #21 | Until The Quiet Comes | Flying Lotus | Album, Oct-01-2012, IDM |
| #22 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Album, Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Some Nights | Fun. | Album, Feb-21-2012, Pop Rock |
| #24 | First of a Living Breed | Homeboy Sandman | Album, Sep-18-2012, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #25 | Sing the Delta | Iris DeMent | Album, Oct-02-2012, Country |
| #26 | En Yay Sah | Janka Nabay & the Bubu Gang | Album, Aug-07-2012, Highlife |
| #27 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Album, Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Alone Together | Karriem Riggins | Album, Oct-23-2012, Instrumental Hip Hop |
| #29 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #30 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | Album, May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #31 | Salonen: Violin Concerto, Nyx | Leila JosefowiczEsa-Pekka SalonenThe Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Album, Sep-21-2012, |
| #32 | Old Ideas | Leonard Cohen | Album, Jan-31-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #34 | Dreamchasers 2 | Meek Mill | Album, May-07-2012, Gangsta Rap |
| #35 | Adams: Harmonielehre - Short Ride in a Fast Machine | John AdamsSan Francisco SymphonyMichael Tilson Thomas | Album, Mar-13-2012, |
| #36 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Album, Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #37 | The Cherry Thing | Neneh CherryThe Thing | Album, Jun-18-2012, Vocal Jazz |
| #38 | Threads | Now, Now | Album, Mar-06-2012, Indie Rock |
| #39 | The Truth About Love | P!nk | Album, Sep-18-2012, Pop |
| #40 | Sorrow and Extinction | Pallbearer | Album, Feb-21-2012, Traditional Doom Metal |
| #41 | Adventures In Your Own Backyard | Patrick Watson | Album, May-01-2012, Chamber Pop |
| #42 | What We Saw from the Cheap Seats | Regina Spektor | Album, May-25-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #43 | Tramp (Deluxe Edition) | Sharon Van Etten | Album, Nov-13-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | The Seer | Swans | Album, Aug-28-2012, Experimental Rock |
| #46 | Be Strong | The 2 Bears | Album, Jan-29-2012, House |
| #47 | MTMTMK | The Very Best | Album, Jul-17-2012, Electronic |
| #48 | Twins | Ty Segall | Album, Oct-09-2012, Garage Rock |
| #49 | Accelerando | Vijay Iyer | Album, Feb-24-2012, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #50 | Ten Freedom Summers | Wadada Leo Smith | Album, Jan-01-2012, Avant-Garde Jazz |