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Spinner's 50 Best Albums of 2012

LIST SUMMARY

VIEW ORIGINAL LIST

List Rating: 78

Based on 559 album ratings

Genre Breakdown:

Indie Rock (7), Indie Pop (5), Hip Hop (5), Singer-Songwriter (3), Electronic (3), Folk (3), Rock (2), Alternative Rock (2), Experimental (2), Garage Rock (2), R&B (2), Alt-Country (1), Punk Rock (1), Experimental Rock (1), House (1), Blues Rock (1), Dream Pop (1), Psychedelic Rock (1), Soul (1), Indie Folk (1)

1. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel

Released: Jun 19th, 2012
Genre: Singer-Songwriter

CRITIC SCORE

89

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

83

Based on
79 ratings

2. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

MUST HEAR

Released: Jul 17th, 2012
Genre: R&B

CRITIC SCORE

92

Based on
20 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
122 ratings

3. Japandroids - Celebration Rock

Japandroids - Celebration Rock

MUST HEAR

Released: Jun 5th, 2012
Genre: Garage Rock

CRITIC SCORE

84

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
58 ratings

4. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city

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

Released: Oct 22nd, 2012
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

89

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

86

Based on
98 ratings

5. Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas

Released: Jan 31st, 2012
Genre: Singer-Songwriter

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

76

Based on
16 ratings

6. Divine Fits - A Thing Called the Divine Fits

Divine Fits - A Thing Called the Divine Fits

Released: Aug 28th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

75

Based on
19 ratings

7. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

MUST HEAR

Released: Feb 7th, 2012
Genre: Folk

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
44 ratings

8. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls

Released: Apr 10th, 2012
Genre: Blues Rock

CRITIC SCORE

72

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

75

Based on
20 ratings

9. Beach House - Bloom

Beach House - Bloom

MUST HEAR

Released: May 15th, 2012
Genre: Dream Pop

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
116 ratings

10. Grimes - Visions

Grimes - Visions

MUST HEAR

Released: Feb 21st, 2012
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

80

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
79 ratings

11. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan

MUST HEAR

Released: Jul 10th, 2012
Genre: Experimental Rock

CRITIC SCORE

83

Based on
18 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
63 ratings

12. P.O.S. - We Don't Even Live Here

P.O.S. - We Don't Even Live Here

Released: Oct 22nd, 2012
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

70

Based on
5 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
5 ratings

13. Metric - Synthetica

Metric - Synthetica

Released: Jun 12th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

69

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

71

Based on
16 ratings

14. Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Released: May 1st, 2012
Genre: Folk

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
21 ratings

15. Daphni - Jiaolong

Daphni - Jiaolong

Released: Oct 16th, 2012
Genre: House

CRITIC SCORE

73

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
11 ratings

16. Jack White - Blunderbuss

Jack White - Blunderbuss

Released: Apr 24th, 2012
Genre: Rock

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
33 ratings

17. Solange - True

Solange - True

Released: Nov 27th, 2012

CRITIC SCORE

79

Based on
6 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
6 ratings

18. Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

Released: May 15th, 2012
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
33 ratings

19. Screaming Females - Ugly

Screaming Females - Ugly

Released: Apr 3rd, 2012
Genre: Punk Rock

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
9 reviews

USER SCORE

80

Based on
8 ratings

20. Bob Mould - Silver Age

Bob Mould - Silver Age

Released: Sep 4th, 2012
Genre: Alternative Rock

CRITIC SCORE

79

Based on
10 reviews

USER SCORE

66

Based on
10 ratings

21. Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love Big Enough?

Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love Big Enough?

Released: Aug 7th, 2012
Genre: Soul

CRITIC SCORE

65

Based on
4 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
3 ratings

22. Pujol - United States of Being

Pujol - United States of Being

Released: Jun 5th, 2012

CRITIC SCORE

64

Based on
3 reviews

USER SCORE

71

Based on
1 rating

23. Purity Ring - Shrines

Purity Ring - Shrines

MUST HEAR

Released: Jul 24th, 2012
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

80

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
49 ratings

24. Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur

Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur

Released: Jan 17th, 2012
Genre: Alt-Country

CRITIC SCORE

71

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
3 ratings

25. Grizzly Bear - Shields

Grizzly Bear - Shields

MUST HEAR

Released: Sep 18th, 2012
Genre: Indie Folk

CRITIC SCORE

87

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
121 ratings

26. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory

Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory

MUST HEAR

Released: Jan 24th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
61 ratings

27. Mumford & Sons - Babel

Mumford & Sons - Babel

Released: Sep 25th, 2012
Genre: Folk

CRITIC SCORE

52

Based on
12 reviews

USER SCORE

61

Based on
32 ratings

28. Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions

Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions

Released: Jan 14th, 2012
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
9 reviews

USER SCORE

78

Based on
20 ratings

29. Tennis - Young & Old

Tennis - Young & Old

Released: Feb 14th, 2012
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

67

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

74

Based on
12 ratings

30. Mac DeMarco - 2

Mac DeMarco - 2

Released: Oct 16th, 2012
Genre: Singer-Songwriter

CRITIC SCORE

80

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
18 ratings

31. Will Stratton - Post-Empire

Will Stratton - Post-Empire

Released: Apr 12th, 2012

CRITIC SCORE

NR

USER SCORE

NR

32. The xx - Coexist

The xx - Coexist

Released: Sep 11th, 2012
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

74

Based on
54 ratings

33. El-P - Cancer 4 Cure

El-P - Cancer 4 Cure

Released: May 22nd, 2012
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
33 ratings

34. Crystal Castles - (III)

Crystal Castles - (III)

Released: Nov 12th, 2012
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

78

Based on
32 ratings

35. Poliça - Give You The Ghost

Poliça - Give You The Ghost

Released: Feb 14th, 2012
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
9 reviews

USER SCORE

72

Based on
15 ratings

36. Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream

Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream

Released: Oct 2nd, 2012
Genre: R&B

CRITIC SCORE

84

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
25 ratings

37. Titus Andronicus - Local Business

Titus Andronicus - Local Business

Released: Oct 23rd, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

75

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

72

Based on
15 ratings

38. Zeus - Busting Visions

Zeus - Busting Visions

Released: Mar 27th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

63

Based on
6 reviews

USER SCORE

NR

39. Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes

Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes

Released: Oct 2nd, 2012
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

80

Based on
50 ratings

40. Stars - The North

Stars - The North

Released: Sep 4th, 2012
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
9 reviews

USER SCORE

75

Based on
8 ratings

41. Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Released: Oct 30th, 2012
Genre: Rock

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

76

Based on
18 ratings

42. Dirty Ghosts - Metal Moon

Dirty Ghosts - Metal Moon

Released: Feb 21st, 2012

CRITIC SCORE

55

Based on
2 reviews

USER SCORE

NR

43. The Walkmen - Heaven

The Walkmen - Heaven

MUST HEAR

Released: May 29th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
34 ratings

44. Lee Fields & The Expressions - Faithful Man

Lee Fields & The Expressions - Faithful Man

Released: Mar 13th, 2012

CRITIC SCORE

73

Based on
2 reviews

USER SCORE

NR

45. Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Released: Jan 31st, 2012
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

57

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

69

Based on
39 ratings

46. Four Tet - Pink

Four Tet - Pink

Released: Aug 20th, 2012
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

72

Based on
5 reviews

USER SCORE

80

Based on
10 ratings

47. The Hives - Lex Hives

The Hives - Lex Hives

Released: Jun 5th, 2012
Genre: Garage Rock

CRITIC SCORE

68

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

62

Based on
6 ratings

48. Tame Impala - Lonerism

Tame Impala - Lonerism

MUST HEAR

Released: Oct 9th, 2012
Genre: Psychedelic Rock

CRITIC SCORE

87

Based on
17 reviews

USER SCORE

87

Based on
123 ratings

49. Murder by Death - Bitter Drink Bitter Moon

Murder by Death - Bitter Drink Bitter Moon

Released: Sep 25th, 2012
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

75

Based on
5 reviews

USER SCORE

NR

50. The Flaming Lips - The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends

The Flaming Lips - The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends

Released: Apr 21st, 2012
Genre: Alternative Rock

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

78

Based on
9 ratings

Recommend:

Original Source: http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/07/best-albums-2012/

MORE 2012 YEAR END LISTS:

American Songwriter

Beats Per Minute

Cokemachineglow

Consequence of Sound

Gorilla vs. Bear

Pretty Much Amazing

Under the Radar

MORE YEAR END LISTS FROM SPINNER:

Check out our 2012 Year End Summary.

COMMENTS

2012 YEAR END SUMMARY

2012 YEAR END LISTS

American Songwriter

Beats Per Minute

Cokemachineglow

Consequence of Sound

Gorilla vs. Bear

Pretty Much Amazing

Under the Radar

TOP RATED FOR 2012

Album of The Year

Beats Per Minute

Consequence of Sound

Drowned in Sound

Under The Radar

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