Year-End Rundown | The List of Lists – No Country For New Nashville

It’s that time of year again. The holidays are upon us, December is flying by, it’s getting colder (in theory- Nashville did not so much get the memo on that one), and the music industry is mostly on an extended vacation. Record releases have basically come to a halt, tours are winding down, awards season is preparing to gear up, and basically every single magazine and website that writes about music is releasing a year-end list in some form or another. We at No Country are preparing our own year-end lists for release very soon, but in the time being I wanted to put together a roundup of the most interesting lists from other magazines and sites to see how they compare. A list of lists if you will. I’ll be adding to it as more year-end lists are published, so be sure to check back (and don’t hesitate to let us know about anything we missed in the comments)! I’m adding the top 5 picks from each list- hit the links for the full rundown.

ALBUMS

Rolling Stone – 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Jack White – Blunderbuss
4. Bob Dylan – Tempest
5. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…

SPIN – 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
3. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
4. DJ Rashad – TEKLIFE Vol. 1: Welcome to the Chi
5. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream

http://youtu.be/s26qTrH2atA

NME – 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
2. Grimes – Visions
3. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
4. Crystal Castles – (III)
5. ∆ (alt-J) – An Awesome Wave

A.V. Club – The Best Music of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
3. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
4. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
5. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…

Consequence of Sound – Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
3. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
4. Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
5. Swans – The Seer

Stereogum – Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
4. Swans – The Seer
5. Jessie Ware – Devotion

MOJO – Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Jack White – Blunderbuss
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Bill Fray – Life is People
4. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
5. Dexys – One Day I’m Going to Soar

Gorilla vs. Bear – Top 50 of 2012

1. TIE: Grimes – Visions
1. TIE: Chromatics – Kill for Love
3. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
4. Burial – Kindred
5. Jessie Ware – Devotion

Paste – The 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Father John Misty – Fear Fun
3. Titus Andronicus – Local Business
4. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
5. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

Alternative Press – 10 Essential Albums of 2012

1. The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
2. Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood of Colour
3. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
4. Classics of Love – Classics of Love
5. Metz – Metz

Entertainment Weekly – 10 Best Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
3. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
4. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
5. Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams

Beats Per Minute – The Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes
2. Chromatics – Kill for Love
3. Andy Stott – Luxury Problems
4. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
5. Tame Impala – Lonerism

Spinner – The 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
4. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
5. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas

TIME – Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
2. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
3. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
4. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
5. Getatchew Mekuria & the Ex & Friends – Y’Anbessaw Tezeta

MAGNET – Top 25 Albums of 2012

1. The Walkmen – Heaven
2. Ty Segall – Twins / Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse / Ty Segall & White Fence – Hair
3. Beach House – Bloom
4. Guided by Voices – Let’s Go Eat the Factory / Class Clown Spots a UFO / The Bears for Lunch
5. Cat Power – Sun

FILTER – Top 10 of 2012

1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Grimes – Visions
4. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
5. Diamond Rugs – Diamond Rugs

http://youtu.be/M9S7zoYKM-w

Pop Matters – The 75 Best Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
3. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel Is Wiser…
4. Beach House – Bloom
5. Swans – The Seer

The Guardian – The Top 40 Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Grimes – Visions
3. Jessie Ware – Devotion
4. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
5. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city

BBC Music – Top 25 Albums of 2012

1. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
3. Dexys – One Day I’m Going to Soar
4. Jessie Ware – Devotion
5. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Trouble

Slant – The 25 Best Albums of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
2. Jessie Ware – Devotion
3. Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe
4. Bat for Lashes – The Haunted Man
5. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan

Obscure Sound – 50 Best Albums of 2012

1. Tame Impala – Lonerism
2. Wild Nothing – Nocturne
3. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
4. Beach House – Bloom
5. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange

American Songwriter – Top 50 Albums of 2012

1. Bob Dylan – Tempest
2. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
3. Shovels and Rope – O’ Be Joyful
4. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
5. Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball

SONGS

Rolling Stone – 50 Best Songs of 2012

1. Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”
2. Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
3. Passion Pit – “Take a Walk”
4. Frank Orange – “Thinkin Bout You”
5. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “Ramada Inn”

SPIN – 40 Best Songs of 2012

1. G.O.O.D. Music (feat. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz) – “Mercy”
2. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
3. Frank Ocean – “Bad Religion”
4. Kendrick Lamar – “Swimming Pools (Drank)”
5. Bat for Lashes – “Laura”

NME – 50 Best Tracks of 2012

1. Palma Violets – “Best of Friends”
2. M.I.A. – “Bad Girls”
3. Blur – “Under the Westway”
4. Haim – “Forever”
5. Plan B – “Ill Manors”

Consequence of Sound – Top 50 Songs of 2012

1. Frank Ocean – “Thinkin Bout You”
2. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
3. Passion Pit – “I’ll Be Alright”
4. Grimes – “Genesis”
5. Usher – “Climax”

http://youtu.be/pNBD4OFF8cc

Stereogum – Top 20 Tracks of 2012

1. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
2. Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again”
3. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
4. Tame Impala – “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”
5. Grimes – “Oblivion”

Gorilla vs. Bear – 100 Favorite Songs of the Year

1. Usher – “Climax”
2. Grimes – “Oblivion”
3. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
4. Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland – “The Narcissist”
5. Major Lazer – “Get Free”

Paste – The 50 Best Songs of 2012

1. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
2. John K. Samson – “When I Write My Master’s Thesis”
3. First Aid Kit – “Emmylou”
4. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
5. Titus Andronicus – “Still Life with Hot Deuce on Silver Platter”

Alternative Press – The Top 12 of 2012

Not ranked. Hit the link for the list.

Entertainment Weekly – 5 Best Non-Adele Songs of the Year

1. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
2. Gotye – “Somebody That I Used to Know”
3. fun. – “Some Nights”
4. Icona Pop – “I Love It”
5. Phillip Phillipd – “Home”

Beats Per Minute – The Top Tracks of 2012

1. Disclosure – “What’s in Your Head”
2. Usher – “Climax”
3. Andy Stott – “Numb”
4. Kendrick Lamar – “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”
5. Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams”

TIME – Top 10 Songs of 2012

1. Usher – “Climax”
2. PSY – “Gangnam Style”
3. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
4. Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
5. Parquet Courts – “Master of My Craft’

Pop Matters – The 75 Best Songs of 2012

1. Grimes – “Oblivion”
2. Japandroids – “The House That Heaven Built”
3. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
4. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”
5. Plan B – “Ill Manors”

The Guardian – Best 20 Tracks of 2012

1. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
2. Usher – “Climax”
3. Plan B – “Ill Manors”
4. Jessie Ware – “110%”
5. Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Slant – The 25 Best Singles of 2012

1. Drake featuring Rihanna – “Take Care”
2. Jessie Ware – “Running”
3. Frank Ocean – “Pyramids”
4. Dirty Projectors – “Gun Has No Trigger”
5. Santigold – “Disparate Youth”

American Songwriter – Top 50 Songs of 2012

1. Shovels and Rope – “Birmingham”
2. Lambchop – “Gone Tomorrow”
3. Iris DeMent – “Sing the Delta”
4. Leonard Cohen – “Going Home”
5. Todd Snider – “Too Soon to Tell”

Click “Continue Reading” for the rest of the lists (including genere-specific lists, EPs, reissues, live bands, music videos, comedy, etc.).

GENRE-SPECIFIC

SPIN – 40 Best Hip Hop Albums of 2012

1. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
2. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
3. Future – Pluto
4. Death Grips – No Love Deep Web
5. Action Bronson – Blue Chips

SPIN – 20 Best Metal Albums of 2012

1. Baroness – Yellow & Green
2. Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction
3. Torche – Harmonicraft
4. Goat – World Music
5. Deftones – Koi No Yokan

Decibel – Top 40 (Metal) Albums of 2012

1. Converge – All We Love We Leave Behind
2. Baroness – Yellow & Green
3. Evoken – Atra Mors
4. Witchcraft – Legend
5. Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction

Stereogum – Top 40 Metal Albums of 2012

1. Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction
2. Dawnbringer – Into the Lair of the Sun God
3. High on Fire – De Vermis Mysteriis
4. Winterfylleth – The Threnody of Triumph
5. Samothrace – Reverence to Stone

Pop Matters – The Best of 2012: Genre Lists

MAGNET – Best of 2012: Genere Lists

Pop Matters – The 10 Best Pop Singles of 2012

1. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
2. One Direction – “What Makes You Beautiful”
3. Neon Trees – “Everybody Talks”
4. Adam Lambert – “Never Close Our Eyes”
5. Adele – “Skyfall”

ETC.

Paste – The 10 Best EPs of 2012

1. Dum Dum Girls – End of Daze
2. Dirty Projectors – About to Die
3. Rubblebucket – Oversaturated
4. Burial – Kindred
5. Azealia Banks – 1991

Pop Matters – The Top 10 Overlooked Albums of 2012

1. Spider Bags – Shake My Head
2. Will Johnson – Scorpion
3. Woodsy Pride – Live at the All Hands House
4. Strand of Oaks – Dark Shores
5. Whatever Brains – Whatever Brains

SPIN – 10 Best Reissues of 2012

1. Various Artists – Country Funk 1969-1975
2. Various Artists – Man Chest Hair
3. Various Artists – Personal Space: Electronic Soul 1974-1984
4. Tim Maia – The Existential Soul of Tim Maia
5. Can – The Lost Tapes

Paste – The 20 Best Reissues and Box Sets of 2012

1. The Beatles Stereo Vinyl Box Set
2. Sufjian Stevens – Silver & Gold
3. Pedro the Lion Complete Catalogue
4. Death Cab for Cutie – The Barsuk Years
5. Ryan Adams – Live After Deaf

MAGNET – Best of 2012: Reissues

1. Johnny Cash – The Complete Albums Collection
2. Lee Hazlewood – The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes & Backsides (1968-1971)
3. The Kinks – At the BBC
4. The Velvet Underground & Nico – The Velvet Underground & Nico (45th Anniversary)
5. Captain Beefheart – Bat Chain Puller

Pop Matters – The 10 Best Canadian Albums of 2012