SPIN's 50 Best Albums of 2012

In 2012, R&B crooned underwater, metal went not-metal, and hip-hop fell into a K-hole, and these were just a few of the ways to make a big bang this

Published: December 03, 2012 16:20 Source

# 1

channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean

Album • Jul 10 / 2012 Alternative R&B Contemporary R&B

# 2

good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 West Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 3

Celebration Rock by Japandroids

Album • Jun 05 / 2012 Indie Rock

# 4

TEKLIFE Vol. 1: Welcome to the Chi by DJ Rashad

Album • Jun 05 / 2012

# 5

Kaleidoscope Dream by Miguel

Album • Sep 25 / 2012 Alternative R&B

# 6

The Haunted Man (Deluxe Version) by Bat for Lashes

Album • Oct 12 / 2012

# 7

The Seer by Swans

Album • Aug 28 / 2012 Experimental Rock Post-Rock

# 8

R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike

Album • May 15 / 2012 Southern Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop Political Hip Hop

# 9

Twins by Ty Segall

Album • Oct 09 / 2012 Garage Rock

# 10

Master of My Make-Believe by Santigold

Album • Apr 21 / 2012 Indietronica Electropop

# 11

Pluto by Future

Album • Apr 17 / 2012 Trap Pop Rap Southern Hip Hop

# 12

No Love Deep Web by Death Grips

Album • Oct 01 / 2012 Hardcore Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop Industrial Hip Hop

# 13

Attack On Memory by Cloud Nothings

Album • Jan 24 / 2012 Post-Hardcore Indie Rock Emo

# 14

Allelujah! Dont Bend! Ascend! by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Album • Oct 15 / 2012

# 15

Yellow & Green by Baroness

Album • Jul 17 / 2012 Heavy Psych

# 16

The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do by Fiona Apple

Album • Jun 18 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 17

Shields by Grizzly Bear

Album • Sep 17 / 2012 Indie Folk Indie Rock

# 18

King Tuff by King Tuff

Album • May 29 / 2012 Power Pop Garage Rock

# 19

Da Mind of Traxman by Traxman

Album • Apr 09 / 2012 Footwork

# 20

Sorrow and Extinction by Pallbearer

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Traditional Doom Metal

# 21

Jiaolong by Daphni

Album • Oct 08 / 2012 Tech House

# 22

Harmonicraft by Torche

Album • Apr 24 / 2012 Stoner Rock

# 23

Swing Lo Magellan by Dirty Projectors

Album • Jul 10 / 2012 Art Pop Indie Pop Progressive Pop

# 24

Sun by Cat Power

Album • Sep 03 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 26

Lonerism by Tame Impala

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Rock

# 27

Reign of Terror by Sleigh Bells

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Noise Pop

# 28

Devotion by Jessie Ware

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Alternative R&B

# 29

I Bet On Sky by Dinosaur Jr.

Album • Sep 18 / 2012 Alternative Rock Indie Rock Slacker Rock

# 30

Interstellar by Frankie Rose

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Dream Pop Indie Pop

# 31

Coexist by The xx

Album • Sep 10 / 2012 Dream Pop Ambient Pop Alt-Pop

# 32

World Music by Goat

Album • Aug 20 / 2012 Psychedelic Rock

# 33

Putrifiers II by Thee Oh Sees

Album • Sep 18 / 2012

# 34

Mala in Cuba by Mala

Album • Sep 10 / 2012 Dubstep

# 35

Blunderbuss by Jack White

Album • Apr 20 / 2012 Blues Rock Garage Rock Revival

# 36

>> by Beak>

Album • Jul 02 / 2012 Krautrock

# 37

Write Me Back (Deluxe Version) by R. Kelly

Album • Jun 22 / 2012

# 38

Red by Taylor Swift

Album • Oct 22 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter Pop Rock Pop

# 39

Reloaded by Roc Marciano

Album • Dec 25 / 2020 East Coast Hip Hop Gangsta Rap Drumless

# 40

Centipede Hz by Animal Collective

Album • Sep 04 / 2012 Neo-Psychedelia Indietronica

# 41

Shrines by Purity Ring

Album • Jul 20 / 2012 Synthpop

# 42

Six Cups of Rebel by Lindstrøm

Album • Feb 06 / 2012 Nu-Disco Electro-Disco Space Disco

# 43

Voyageur by Kathleen Edwards

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 44

Koi No Yokan by Deftones

Album • Nov 09 / 2012 Alternative Metal

# 45

Pink Friday ... Roman Reloaded by Nicki Minaj

Album • Jan 01 / 2012 Pop Rap Electropop Hardcore Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop

# 46

Father Creeper by Spoek Mathambo

Album • Mar 13 / 2012 Experimental Hip Hop

# 47

Synthetica by Metric

Album • Jun 12 / 2012 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 48

The Only Place by Best Coast

Album • May 15 / 2012 Indie Pop Indie Surf

# 49

Nehru Jackets by Heems

Album • Jan 17 / 2012 East Coast Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 50

Some Nights by Fun.

Album • Feb 21 / 2012 Pop Rock Alt-Pop

# 51

Smalhans by Lindstrøm

Album • Nov 02 / 2012 Space Disco Nu-Disco