Stereogum's Top 50 Albums of 2012
This year, the three albums at the top of Stereogum’s 50 favorite albums of the year are all, in one way or another, Californian studio-pop singer-songwriter opuses. Admittedly, the makers of two of the three aren’t originally from California (they’re from New York and New Orleans) and even though the maker of the other one […]
Published: December 05, 2012 16:18
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 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 |
| #2 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #4 | The Seer | Swans | Aug-28-2012, Experimental Rock |
| #5 | Devotion | Jessie Ware | Jan-01-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #6 | Attack On Memory | Cloud Nothings | Jan-24-2012, Post-Hardcore |
| #7 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #8 | Heaven | The Walkmen | May-29-2012, Indie Rock |
| #9 | Something | Chairlift | Jan-23-2012, Synthpop |
| #10 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #11 | Lonerism | Tame Impala | Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #12 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #13 | Allelujah! Dont Bend! Ascend! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Oct-15-2012, |
| #14 | Kill for Love | Chromatics | Mar-26-2012, Synthpop |
| #15 | Cancer 4 Cure | EL-P | May-22-2012, |
| #16 | Shields | Grizzly Bear | Sep-17-2012, Indie Folk |
| #17 | Open Your Heart | The Men | Mar-06-2012, Noise Rock |
| #18 | Yellow & Green | Baroness | Jul-17-2012, Heavy Psych |
| #19 | Red | Taylor Swift | Oct-22-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Sweet Heart Sweet Light | Spiritualized | Apr-16-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #21 | Ugly | Screaming Females | Apr-03-2012, Indie Rock |
| #22 | Oshin | DIIV | Jun-26-2012, Dream Pop |
| #23 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #24 | Reign of Terror | Sleigh Bells | Feb-21-2012, Noise Pop |
| #25 | II | Nude Beach | Dec-01-2016, Power Pop |
| #26 | Visions | Grimes | Feb-21-2012, Synthpop |
| #27 | Bloom | Beach House | May-15-2012, Dream Pop |
| #28 | Sun | Cat Power | Sep-03-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Shrines | Purity Ring | Jul-20-2012, Synthpop |
| #30 | Harmonicraft | Torche | Apr-24-2012, Stoner Rock |
| #31 | Habits & Contradictions | ScHoolboy Q | Jan-14-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #32 | Twins | Ty Segall | Oct-09-2012, Garage Rock |
| #33 | Total Loss | How to Dress Well | Sep-18-2012, Ambient Pop |
| #34 | Pluto | Future | Apr-17-2012, Trap |
| #35 | Swearin | Swearin' | Jun-01-2012, Indie Rock |
| #36 | Overgrown Path | Chris Cohen | Sep-25-2012, Indie Pop |
| #37 | 1999 | Joey Bada$$ | Jun-12-2012, Boom Bap |
| #38 | Ocean Roar | Mount Eerie | Aug-29-2012, Post-Rock |
| #39 | Jessica Pratt | Jessica Pratt | Nov-06-2012, Contemporary Folk |
| #40 | All We Love We Leave Behind (Deluxe Edition) | Converge | Oct-09-2012, |
| #41 | Among the Leaves | Sun Kil Moon | May-29-2012, Contemporary Folk |
| #42 | Tramp (Deluxe Edition) | Sharon Van Etten | Nov-13-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | The Haunted Man (Deluxe Version) | Bat for Lashes | Oct-12-2012, |
| #45 | The Odds | The Evens | Nov-20-2012, Indie Rock |
| #46 | Big Inner | Matthew E. White | Jan-21-2013, Soul |
| #47 | Rich Forever - Single (Tribute to Rick Ross & John Legend) | Rich Forever | Apr-04-2012, |
| #48 | Port Of Morrow | The Shins | Mar-16-2012, Indie Pop |
| #49 | Light Up Gold | Parquet Courts | Jan-15-2013, Indie Rock |
| #50 | Until The Quiet Comes | Flying Lotus | Oct-01-2012, IDM |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 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 |
| #2 | channel ORANGE | Frank Ocean | Album, Jul-10-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Jan-01-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #4 | The Seer | Swans | Album, Aug-28-2012, Experimental Rock |
| #5 | Devotion | Jessie Ware | Album, Jan-01-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #6 | Attack On Memory | Cloud Nothings | Album, Jan-24-2012, Post-Hardcore |
| #7 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids | Album, Jun-05-2012, Indie Rock |
| #8 | Heaven | The Walkmen | Album, May-29-2012, Indie Rock |
| #9 | Something | Chairlift | Album, Jan-23-2012, Synthpop |
| #10 | Swing Lo Magellan | Dirty Projectors | Album, Jul-10-2012, Art Pop |
| #11 | Lonerism | Tame Impala | Album, Jan-01-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #12 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel | Album, Sep-25-2012, Alternative R&B |
| #13 | Allelujah! Dont Bend! Ascend! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | Album, Oct-15-2012, |
| #14 | Kill for Love | Chromatics | Album, Mar-26-2012, Synthpop |
| #15 | Cancer 4 Cure | EL-P | Album, May-22-2012, |
| #16 | Shields | Grizzly Bear | Album, Sep-17-2012, Indie Folk |
| #17 | Open Your Heart | The Men | Album, Mar-06-2012, Noise Rock |
| #18 | Yellow & Green | Baroness | Album, Jul-17-2012, Heavy Psych |
| #19 | Red | Taylor Swift | Album, Oct-22-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #20 | Sweet Heart Sweet Light | Spiritualized | Album, Apr-16-2012, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #21 | Ugly | Screaming Females | Album, Apr-03-2012, Indie Rock |
| #22 | Oshin | DIIV | Album, Jun-26-2012, Dream Pop |
| #23 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike | Album, May-15-2012, Southern Hip Hop |
| #24 | Reign of Terror | Sleigh Bells | Album, Feb-21-2012, Noise Pop |
| #25 | II | Nude Beach | Album, Dec-01-2016, Power Pop |
| #26 | Visions | Grimes | Album, Feb-21-2012, Synthpop |
| #27 | Bloom | Beach House | Album, May-15-2012, Dream Pop |
| #28 | Sun | Cat Power | Album, Sep-03-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Shrines | Purity Ring | Album, Jul-20-2012, Synthpop |
| #30 | Harmonicraft | Torche | Album, Apr-24-2012, Stoner Rock |
| #31 | Habits & Contradictions | ScHoolboy Q | Album, Jan-14-2012, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #32 | Twins | Ty Segall | Album, Oct-09-2012, Garage Rock |
| #33 | Total Loss | How to Dress Well | Album, Sep-18-2012, Ambient Pop |
| #34 | Pluto | Future | Album, Apr-17-2012, Trap |
| #35 | Swearin | Swearin' | Album, Jun-01-2012, Indie Rock |
| #36 | Overgrown Path | Chris Cohen | Album, Sep-25-2012, Indie Pop |
| #37 | 1999 | Joey Bada$$ | Album, Jun-12-2012, Boom Bap |
| #38 | Ocean Roar | Mount Eerie | Album, Aug-29-2012, Post-Rock |
| #39 | Jessica Pratt | Jessica Pratt | Album, Nov-06-2012, Contemporary Folk |
| #40 | All We Love We Leave Behind (Deluxe Edition) | Converge | Album, Oct-09-2012, |
| #41 | Among the Leaves | Sun Kil Moon | Album, May-29-2012, Contemporary Folk |
| #42 | Tramp (Deluxe Edition) | Sharon Van Etten | Album, Nov-13-2012, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | The Haunted Man (Deluxe Version) | Bat for Lashes | Album, Oct-12-2012, |
| #45 | The Odds | The Evens | Album, Nov-20-2012, Indie Rock |
| #46 | Big Inner | Matthew E. White | Album, Jan-21-2013, Soul |
| #47 | Rich Forever - Single (Tribute to Rick Ross & John Legend) | Rich Forever | Single, Apr-04-2012, |
| #48 | Port Of Morrow | The Shins | Album, Mar-16-2012, Indie Pop |
| #49 | Light Up Gold | Parquet Courts | Album, Jan-15-2013, Indie Rock |
| #50 | Until The Quiet Comes | Flying Lotus | Album, Oct-01-2012, IDM |