The Top Five Albums of 2012

2012 was one of the greatest years in recent memory for music, with countless classic records being made in all genres, as you'll see below. Every album that made the list is a true masterpiece and a watershed moment in its own way. Let's pay tribute to this one of a kind year celebrating its tenth anniversary by counting down the five best albums that defined the year!

Let's get cracking!

#5: The Idler Wheel... - Fiona Apple (43 minutes, Singer-Songwriter/Art-Pop)

Fiona Apple’s fourth album is a testament to the power of an artist stripping both their sound and themselves to the bone, delivering one of the most emotionally raw and affecting albums in recent memory. Fiona Apple has always been a lyrics forward artist, but this album especially features her at her most poetic and visceral, with every track painting a vivid picture of her struggles with mental illness and how it seeps into her friendships and romantic relationships, capturing a raw, uncut energy but channeled through some of her most artful poetry. The music by no means is forgettable either, with Apple’s wildly innovative piano playing effortlessly playing off of her intricate vocal melodies where she lurches from her keening soprano to a guttural alto sometimes on the same line, and as always with Apple the percussion is some of the most interesting and homespun to make its way onto a major label record. This ranks as one of the true triumphs of the 21st century singer-songwriter canon in terms of emotionality and power, with Apple truly excelling and playing to her one of a kind strengths. A deep dive into the mind of one of music’s greatest auteurs.

Key Tracks: "Werewolf", "Every Single Night" and "Hot Knife"

#4: Lonerism - Tame Impala (51 minutes, Neo-Psychedelia/Pop-Rock)

Psychedelia is one of those genres that feels particularly time bound, with a majority of its greatest releases having long passed, some might call it stuck in the summer of love, but Kevin Parker and Tame Impala avoid that commonplace criticism by masterfully crafting one of the most involving psychedelic rock records of any era. This album paints a vivid sonic picture with its hazy synths, warm organs and fuzzy guitars feeling both stuck in the 60s but with a distinctly modern edge, with its pristine production letting you feel every inch of each unique soundscape. Tame Impala is a band that wears its influences on its sleeve, with Parker’s vocals always recalling a more indie leaning John Lennon in its drugged out haze, but they never feel like a copy paste version of any other group, cause Parker’s unique sense of songwriting, glorious plush harmonies and impressionistic lyrics make every song feel distinctly his own. While the 60s might always be known as the psychedelic decade, this record can go toe to toe with any of the established landmarks and hold its own.

Key Tracks: "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards", "Mind Mischief" and "Elephant"

#3: Channel Orange - Frank Ocean (55 minutes, Neo-Soul/Alternative R&B)

Frank Ocean’s debut album is a world unto itself, blending warm Neo-Soul with hip-hop inflections, pop melodies and ambient synth washes to craft something that sounds like nothing else, even in his own catalog. Channel Orange is more of a sensory experience than your traditional album, with each track feeling distinct with the textures all enveloping you on each listen. The album has a flow and consistency most others can only dream of, with each track bleeding into the next effortlessly so listening to just a single song is barely an option. Ocean’s brilliant crystalline, ethereal falsetto contrasted with his earthier baritone makes sure that his vocals are always the star amongst the low key, gorgeous backing tracks. His lyrics touch on everything from painting pictures of the privileged teenagers to his own struggles with sexuality and religion with painterly attention to detail. It’s truly hard to write about Channel Orange as it truly must be experienced to be understood. Every track reveals layers of detail work that are a joy to discover. A subtle masterpiece.

Key Tracks: "Super Rich Kids", "Bad Religion" and "Pyramids"

#2: Red - Taylor Swift (1 hour and 4 minutes, Pop/Singer-Songwriter/Country)

Taylor Swift’s transformation from the ingenue darling of country music to arguably the world’s most respected and beloved pop star was a long road, and this album was the true turning point, where Swift became a truly genius writer and performer. Few albums out there feature an artist blossoming to her fullest potential like this one, where Swift flexes her songwriting muscles by writing one of her most diverse and emotionally affecting albums in her catalog, with the sound dabbling in country and folks as well as her sharpest, most memorable pop songs to date with hooks for days. Every song has its own unique sound palette from the arena rock drums and sweep of the opener to the indie-tinged guitars that appear later on, or the nursery rhyme structures of other songs, giving each song its own identity leading to a truly skip-free experience. Pop artists are rarely seen as auteurs, especially in the new millennium where too many start to blend together, but Swift asserts herself as a generationally talented songwriter, effortlessly tapping into heartbreak that is so deeply personal while turning it universal, a skill only a lucky few possess. Swift’s best album as it is a crossroads, here we get the best of both worlds.

Key Tracks: "State of Grace", "Red", "All Too Well" and "Begin Again"

#1: good kid, m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar (1 hour and 8 minutes, Conscious Rap/West Coast Hip-Hop)

Kendrick Lamar spent the past decade going from the new hyped rapper on the block to arguably the defining hip-hop auteur of the decade with a certain spot amongst the all-time best MCs, and the first true show of his greatness was this, his major label debut album which stuns listeners for an hour of genius music and storytelling. The record is a startlingly vivid concept album which tells the story of Kendrick’s adolescence in Compton, being torn between his morality and his desire to fit in with his peers leading to a revelation by the end of the record. Every song is an affecting, brilliant chapter in the narrative, exploring so many issues from peer pressure to alcoholism, sex to drug culture, Christianity and legacy all in incredibly layered and thoughtful verses. The album’s sonic palette is diverse, the work of many talented producers, but too many cooks doesn’t spoil the meal, instead they come up with a sonic tapestry where each song is its own unique world but all feel connected namely through Kendrick’s mind boggling MC skills. The way he varies his delivery to his triple entendres is what makes this album soar not to mention the emotionally affecting story arc at its center. Lamar would have gone down in history as an all time great MC if he ended his career after this record, which is a testament to how brilliant and haunting this piece truly is. A musical coming of age narrative that’s as good as any film I’ve ever seen.

Key Tracks: "Money Trees", "m.A.A.d city", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst"

Thanks for going on this musical journey through 2012 with me to celebrate 10 years of these amazing albums! Look out for the Top Five Albums of 2022 very soon! A big thank you to every artist who made the list and many more who could have (honorable mentions below)! Happy 10th anniversary to all these truly classic records that have impacted my life for the better!

Honorable Mentions:

Blunderbuss - Jack White (41 minutes, Alternative Rock/Blues Rock)

Unorthodox Jukebox - Bruno Mars (34 minutes, Pop/R&B)

Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp - Public Enemy (48 minutes, Conscious Rap/East Coast Hip-Hop)