2012 in music.

Bon Iver's Bon Iver won 2011. Let's see who wins 2012.

Billboard chart-topping albums of 2012:
Michael Buble - Christmas (cont. from 2011)
Adele - 21 (cont. from 2011)
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
One Direction - Up All Night (cont. from 2011)
Soundtrack - The Hunger Games
Madonna - MDNA
Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday
Lionel Richie - Tuskegee
Jack White - Blunderbuss
Carrie Underwood - Blown Away
Adam Lambert - Trespassing
John Mayer - Born and Raised
Usher - Looking 4 Myself
Justin Bieber - Believe
Linkin Park - Living Things
Chris Brown - Fortune
Zac Brown Band - Uncaged
Nas - Life is Good
Rick Ross - God Forgives, I Don't
Various Artists - Now! Vol. 43
2 Chainz - Based on a TRU Story
Trey Songz - Chapter V
TobyMac - Eye on It
Matchbox 20 - North
Dave Matthews Band - Away from the World
Pink - The Truth About Love
Mumford and Sons - Babel
Jason Aldean - Night Train
Taylor Swift - Red
One Direction - Take Me Home
Rihanna - Unapologetic
Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire

Billboard chart-topping singles of 2012:
LMFAO - Sexy and I Know It (cont. from 2011)
Rihanna - We Found Love (cont. from 2011)
Adele - Set Fire to the Rain (cont. from 2011)
Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (cont. from 2011)
Katy Perry - Part of Me (cont. from 2011)
Fun. - We Are Young
Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (cont. from 2011)
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
Flo Rida - Whistle
Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Maroon 5 - One More Night
Rihanna - Diamonds
Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven

What are your top three albums for 2012? We will keep a running tally and eventually have some sort of bracket. For me it would be:
1. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
2. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
3. Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, MAAD City


What are some of the forgotten gems from the year? What is overrated? What did you discover at a young age and what did you discover later?

YEARS IN MUSIC • forum.chorus.fm

 

remaining top 15:
4. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
5. Tame Impala - Lonerism
6. Birds in Row - You, Me and the Violence
7. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
8. Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
9. Grizzly Bear - Shields
10. Taylor Swift - Red
11. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
12. Caspian - Waking Season
13. Schoolboy Q - Habits and Contradictions
14. Every Time I Die - Ex Lives
15. John Mayer - Born and Raised

honorable mentions:
2 Chainz - Based on a TRU Story
Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Alcest - Les Voyages de l’Ame
Baroness - Yellow & Green
Beach House - Bloom
The Chariot - One Wing
Chromatics - Kill for Love
Circa Survive - Violent Waves
Death Grips - The Money Store
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
Future - Pluto
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
Gojira - L’Enfant Sauvage
Jack White - Blunderbuss
John K Samson - Provincial
Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Killer Mike - RAP Music
The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet
The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past
Mewithoutyou - Ten Storie
Moguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
Mount Eerie - Ocean Roar
Now, Now - Threads
Old Man Gloom - No
Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Purity Ring - Shrines
Rick Ross - God Forgives, I Don’t
Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
The Shins - Port of Morrow
Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Titus Andronicus - Local Business
You Blew It! - Grow Up Dude

stuff to check out:
Cat Power - Sun
The Cribs - In the Belly of the Brazen Bull
Dr. Dog - Be the Void
Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur
The Maccabees - Given to the Wild
Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again
Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse
Waxahatchee - American Weekend

 

1. The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past
2. Taylor Swift - Red
3. TR/ST - TRST

 

1. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, mAAd city
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism
3. The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past

ALSO
Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE
Yellowcard - Southern Air
Death Grips - The Money Store
The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - 12 Bar Bruise
Joey Bada$$ - 1999
John Mayer - Born and Raised
Between the Buried & Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Rick Ross - Rich Forever
Beach House - Bloom
Daytrader - Twelve Years
Every Time I Die - Ex Lives
Deftones - Koi No Yokan
The Early November - In Currents
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
All Time Low - Don't Panic
The XX - Coexist
The Shins - Port of Morrow
Modern Baseball - Sports
Killer Mike - RAP Music
Motion City Soundtrack - Go
Basement - Colourmeinkindness
Mac Miller - Macadelic
Meek Mill - Dreamchasers 2
Jadakiss - Consignment
Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Allderdice
Kanye West Presents Cruel Summer
Calvin Harris - 18 Months
Swedish House Mafia - Until Now
2 Chainz - Based on a TRU Story
Circa Survive - Violent Waves
Future - Pluto

 

1. kendrick lamar – good kid, mAAd city
2. the menzingers – on the impossible past
3. converge – all we love we leave behind

4. every time i die – ex lives
5. frank ocean – channel orange
6. the chariot – one wing
7. the early november – in currents
8. killer mike – RAP music
9. death grips – the money store
10. purity ring – shrines
11. yellowcard – southern air
12. mewithoutYou – ten stories
13. anberlin – vital
14. deftones – koi no yokan
15. japandroids – celebration rock

 

All the 10-year anniversary albums! Been thinking about this year a lot lately for that reason.

 

1. Purity Ring – shrines
2. Murder by Death – Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
3. mewithoutYou – Ten Stories

El-P – Cancer 4 Cure
Baroness – Yellow & Green
Polica – Give You the Ghost
Deer Leap – Here. Home.
Bat for Lashes – The Haunted Man
Chromatics – Kill for Love
Suis la Lune – Riala
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
Loma Prieta – I.V.
Dads – American Radass
Leona Lewis – Glassheart
Ellie Goulding -- Halcyon

 

1) Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d. city
2) Beach House - Bloom
3) Tallest Man - There’s No Leaving Now

HM: Local Business, Celebration Rock, Channel Orange

this year will forever in my head be identified by House that Heaven Built and the whole spit it out buildup of My Eating Disorder

 

One of the best years of my life. So many fond memories of these albums.

1. Taylor Swift – Red
2. The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
3. John Mayer – Born & Raised

Tough cuts:
Yellowcard – Southern Air
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
The Killers – Battle Born
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball

Also love:
Matthew Mayfield – A Banquet for Ghosts
Keane – Strangeland
The Fray – Scars & Stories
The Tower and the Fool – How Long
Go Radio – Close the Distance
Fun. – Some Nights
The Menzingers – On the Impossible Past
Matchbox Twenty – North
Glen Hansard – Rhythm & Repose
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur

Honorables
The Wallflowers – Glad All Over
Motion City Soundtrack – Go
Ingrid Michaelson – Human Again
American Aquarium - Burn.Flicker.Die.
Counting Crows – Underwater Sunshine
Phillip Phillips – The World from the Side of the Moon
Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
Green Day – Tre!
Robert Francis – Strangers in the First Place
Tyler Hilton – Forget the Storm
Passion Pit – Gossamer
The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
Nada Surf – The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
David Ramirez – Apologies
John Fullbright - From the Ground Up
Michael McDermott - Hit Me Back
Field Report - self-titled
Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu
Good Old War - Come Back As Rain
Frank Ocean - Channel ORANGE
Anberlin - Vital
Bob Dylan - Tempest
Boys Like Girls - Crazy World
Brandi Carlile - Bear Creek
Wade Bowen - The Given

 

1. Gaslight - Handwritten
2. Turnpike Troubadours - Goodbye Normal Street
3. Yellowcard - Southern Air

 

1. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
2. beach house - bloom
3. passion pit - gossamer
4. grizzly bear - shields
5. cloud nothings - attack on memory

 

1. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
2. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
3. Tame Impala - Lonerism
----------------------------------------------
4. The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
5. Minus The Bear - Infinity Overhead
6. Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
7. Jack White - Blunderbuss
8. Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
9. John Mayer - Born and Raised
10. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
11. Passion Pit - Gossamer
12. Silversun Pickups - Neck Of The Woods
13. The Shins - Port Of Morrow
14. Maps & Atlases - Beware and Be Grateful
15. Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit
16. Every Time I Die - Ex Lives
17. alt-J - An Awesome Wave
18. The Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania
19. Hot Chip - In Our Heads
20. Grizzly Bear - Shields
21. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
22. fun. - Some Nights
23. Vacationer - Gone
24. Motion City Soundtrack - Go
25. The Killers - Battle Born
26. Wild Nothing - Nocturne
27. Zac Brown Band - Uncaged
28. Band Of Horses - Mirage Rock
29. Green Day - UNO! / DOS! /TRE!
30. Taylor Swift - Red

Honorable Mention:
Abandoned Pools - Sublime Currency
Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls
Anberlin - Vital
The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
Bad Books - II
Band Of Skulls - Sweet Sour
Baroness - Yellow & Green
Bear In Heaven - I Love You, It's Cool
Best Coast - The Only Place
Blackberry Smoke - The Whippoorwill
Blink 182 - Dogs Eating Dogs EP
Bloc Party - Four
Bob Mould - Silver Age
California Wives - Art History
Chairlift - Something
Chromatics - Kill For Love
Civil Twilight - Holy Weather
The Cribs - In the Belly of the Brazen Bull
Cursive - I Am Gemini
Dave Matthews Band - Away From The World
Death Grips - The Money Store
Dierks Bentley - Home
DIIV - Oshin
Dirty Heads - Cabin By The Sea
Dr. Dog - Be The Void
Eve 6 - Speak In Code
Father John Misty - Fear Fun
Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE
Freelance Whales - Diluvia
Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu
Good Old War - Come Back As Rain
Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO
Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat The Factory
Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship
Imagine Dragons - Night Visions
Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Kanye West Presents / GOOD Music - Cruel Summer
Keane - Strangeland
Liars - WIXIW
Linkin Park - LIVING THINGS
Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams
The Lumineers - The Lumineers
Mac Demarco - 2 / Rock and Roll Nite Club
Maroon 5 - Overexposed
The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet
Matchbox Twenty - North
The Men - Open Your Heart
Menomena - Moms
The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past
Metric - Synthetica
mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
Miike Snow - Happy To You
Muse - The 2nd Law
The Offspring - Days Go By
Our Lady Peace - Curve
Pinback - Information Retrieved
Sleigh Bells - Reign Of Terror
Soundgarden - King Animal
St. Lucia - When The Night
Suckers - Candy Salad
Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix
Thrice - Anthology (Live)
Tribes - Baby
Twin Shadow - Confess
Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon
The Walkmen - Heaven
Walk The Moon - Walk The Moon
Yellowcard - Southern Air
You Slut! - Medium Bastard
Yeasayer - Fragrant World

Checking Out in Full First Time (Artists '12 album):
All Time Low
The All-American Rejects
Basement
Beach House
Between The Buried And Me
Birds In Row
Bruce Springsteen
Bruno Mars
Caspian
The Chariot
Circa Survive
Code Orange (Kids)
Coheed and Cambria
Converge
Counting Crows
Dinosaur Jr.
Don Broco
The Early November
Feeder
Field Music
Foxy Shazam
Gojira
The Hives
Hot Water Music
House Of Heroes
Joyce Manor
Jukebox The Ghost
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
The Maccabees
Modern Baseball
Mumford & Sons
My Chemical Romance
Neon Trees
Nothing
Now, Now
Papa Roach
Parquet Courts
Rebelution
Rush
Say Anything
The Spill Canvas
Stone Sour
The Sword
Title Fight
Titus Andronicus
Ty Segall Band
The Used
The XX
You Blew It!

 

This was the year my music tastes and hunting ability blew wide open. Before 2012, I was just a lurker on AP, but I remember signing up for an account and having my whole musical world expand because of it. The second half of 2012 was the beginning of my senior year of high school, so I have some extremely vivid memories of all these albums.


1. The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past

• I actually didn't get into this album until much later and I do think the back half drags a bit, but the front half is full of absolutely killer goosebump-inducing shout-along emo anthems. My hot take is that I've never loved "Casey" as much as everyone else and Greg playing it acoustic in the middle of an otherwise rockin' show didn't really change my opinion.

2. Fun. - Some Nights

• The album that made me feel like it was OK to like pop music. It is not an over-exaggeration to say that my current musical tastes could be much different/worse if this album didn't come in like a wrecking ball. I also got to see the band before they broke up. It was a show in a gymnasium in Billings, MT. I remember enjoying it, but I wish I had really soaked up each and every second, knowing what I know now.

3. House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want

• This is my favorite HoH album because it just rocks so hard. It blends all of the things they do well into an electric batch of songs that is thankfully without any pro-life spoken word bridges (looking at you, "Voices"). It also came out in the summer and I remember just hanging out at the lake with this on repeat in my headphones.

Albums That Would Have Made It On Any Other Year
Japandroids - Celebration Rock

• I liked but did not really "get" this album when it was released, but now that I am of dad-age it makes more sense. Dudes rock.

Frank Ocean - Channel Orange

• As if I ever had any punk cred, I remember being worried that people in my high school would judge me for listening to this album. No one did and I still like it and I am team this album over Blonde.

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, MAAD City

• Besides the inescapable singles, I didn't actually get into this album until after To Pimp a Butterfly. Love this one though.

Jukebox the Ghost - Safe Travels

• Got into this band because they were opening for Motion City Soundtrack on a tour I never actually got to go see. I'm glad I did, because this is one of their most interesting albums. It's half full of poppy sellout-type tracks and then the back half is full of some of their best songs.

Yellowcard - Southern Air

• The best Yellowcard album. Not much more to say. Every song rips and they achieved their peak.

Anberlin - Vital

• My favorite Anberlin album and I would argue their most accomplished. They never again would sound so confident in their own abilities. Or will they...?

The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten

• My favorite Gaslight album, I just love the production on this one. The first three and last two tracks are some of my all-time favorite Fallon songs.

The All-American Rejects - Kids in the Street

• My favorite AAR album, I think Tyson Ritter said it best: "If you really want to know what Kids in the Street sounds like, it sounds like The All-American Rejects finally got their shit together and wrote a record that was going to keep them around." RIP tho.

Honorable Mentions
Foxy Shazam - Welcome to the Church of Rock N' Roll

• My first Foxy Shazam album and probably my second favorite. Full of rippers and a few baffling choices, this is their last cohesively good album.

Hot Water Music - Exister

• I'm not too precious to admit that Chuck delivers some really fun material here. Up to that point it had their shiniest production too.

Motion City Soundtrack - Go

• You can literally hear the deflated energy of the band on this album, which is too bad. There are some good songs here, but what a tough sell after MDL.

My Chemical Romance - Conventional Weapons

• Shouting this out for Spyki, because "Boy Division" is definitely one of the best MCR songs.

Neon Trees - Picture Show

• Underrated pop release from an underrated band. Nearly every song hits here and I think Neon Trees was ahead of their time and set us up for the "poptimism" revival.

Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix

• I think this is Tenacious D's best album because it's the only one that feels like it was recorded to be an actual album. There are fully fleshed out songs on here (and a few that aren't) and it helps that they wrote some goddamn catchy hooks too.

The Swellers - Running Out of Places to Go

• This one still sits with me because it is a pretty accurate portrait of a band in frustration. It really felt at the time that we may not get more Swellers material.

Others
Blink-182 - Dogs Eating Dogs

• Who wasn't excited for this? I don't really think it's that good, but it was still fun to hear the energy the band captured being actually in the same room as each other.

Marina and the Diamonds - Electra Heart

• Another early entry into the "poptimism" revival, there are some songs on here that should have blown her up.

Daytrader - Twelve Years

• Whatever happened to this band? There's some dope shit on this album!

Bruno Mars - Unorthodox Jukebox

• We don't talk about how Bruno making half of a really good pop album. He'd perfect the formula on the follow up, but there's still some good stuff here.

The Offspring - Days Go By

• There's absolutely heinous shit on this album but also like 4-5 of the best Offspring songs in the 21st century. I also got to see them on this tour, fulfilling a childhood dream.

Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams

• I found "Time to Run" on AP and began a now decade-long "like" affair with this band. None of their albums ever completely hit for me, but I always love 4-5 songs and this release is no exception.

 

1. fun. - Some Nights
2. mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
3. John Mayer - Born and Raised

4. Ellie Goulding - Halcyon
5. The All-American Rejects - Kids in the Street
6. The Early November - In Currents
7. Motion City Soundtrack - Go
8. Jenny Owen Youngs - An Unwavering Band of Light
9. Anberlin - Vital
10. Taylor Swift - Red
11. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
12. Regina Spektor - What We Saw from the Cheap Seats
13. Athletics - Who You Are Is Not Enough
14. Joshua Radin - Underwater
15. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
16. TK from Ling Tosite Sigure - Flowering
17. Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood of Colour
18. Carly Rae Jepson - Kiss
19. Kamelot - Silverthorn
20. The Birthday Massacre - Hide and Seek
21. Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll
22. Nicole Dollanganger - Flowers of Flesh and Blood
23. Glocca Morra - Just Married
24. Grimes - Visions
25. Haley Reinhart - Listen Up!

I remember this year fondly.

 

Crazy fun year.

1. The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past
Stacked with songs I love. The Obits, Good Things, Casey, Mexican Guitars. Between this and After the Party - I'd rank their albums 1a and 1b and it changes by the month.

2. Yellowcard - Southern Air
My favorite Yellowcard album. I remember not expecting much but from the first song on this bad boy it hooked me and wouldn't let go.

3. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Is there a better windows down/drive around at the beach album? If so, I haven't found it.

Other great 2012 albums I still revisit.
The Early November - In Currents
fun. - Some Nights
mewithoutYou - Ten Stories
Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten
Now, Now - Threads
Title Fight - Floral Green
Bad Books - II

 

1. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
2. Lana Del Rey - Born to Die
3. Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, Maad City
————————
4. Taylor Swift - Red
5. Now, Now - Threads
6. Fun. - Some Nights
7. Grimes - Visions
8. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel…
9. The All-American Rejects - Kids in the Street
10. Marina and the Diamonds - Electra Heart
11. The Killers - Battle Born
12. Solange - True EP
13. Chromatics - Kill For Love
14. Beach House - Bloom
15. Danny Brown - XXX
16. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
17. Tame Impala - Lonerism
18. The xx - Coexist
19. Chairlift - Something
20. FKA Twigs - EP1

 

1. fun.: Some Nights
2. Lana Del Rey: Born To Die
3. Frank Ocean: Channel Orange

4. Taylor Swift: Red
5. Father John Misty: Fear Fun
6. Motion City Soundtrack: Go
7. The Menzingers: On the Impossible Past
8. Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls
9. Ellie Goulding: Halcyon
10. Kendrick Lamar: good kid, maad city

Honorable Mention:
Modern Baseball: Sports - half songs I completely adore, and half songs that are kind of forgettable

Others I like:
Basement: Colour Me In Kindness
Circa Survive: Violent Waves
All Time Low: Don't Panic
John Mayer: Born and Raised
Say Anything: Anarchy, My Dear
You Blew It!: Grow Up, Dude
The Killers: Battle Born

 

1. aesop rock - skelethon
2. now now - threads
3. glocca morra - just married
4. joyce manor - of all things i will soon grow tired
5. beach house - bloom


mewithoutyou - ten stories
death grips - the money store
advance base - a shut-in's prayer
father john misty - fear fun
right away, great captain! - the church of the good thief
purity ring - shrines
birds in row - you me and the violence
why? - mumps etc
kendrick lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
annabel - youth in youth

 

Aw man I bought that Modern Baseball album because so many people loved it and that's when I fell off of new pop punk almost completely. I truly never understood the appeal haha.

 

Hi, I'm Back. Had some life shit going on, but I couldn't miss 2012...

1. RED - Taylor Swift
2. Born and Raised - John Mayer
3. Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

I'll add more later cause this was the year I really started tracking things on Spotify so Its more organized.

 

01. Blu & Exile - Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them
02. Nas - Life Is Good
03. Murs & Fashawn - This Generation

Robert Glasper - Black Radio
Big K.R.I.T. - Life From The Underground / 4eva N A Day
Skyzoo - A Dream Deferred
Rick Ross - God Forgives, I Don’t

 

Haha I can't blame someone for not being into them (and especially this album in particular). It's definitely my least favorite of their 3 full lengths, but the songs that work on it really really work for me and it's a nice setup for their next album which is up there with some of my favorite albums ever. But ya they're a band you either buy in or you don't

 

Yeah, I think it was this wave of "talk-singers" that didn't do it for me. I kinda lump them in with The Front Bottoms and I apologize if that's an unfair comparison!

 

1. Taylor Swift - Red
2. Title Fight - Floral Green
3. Killer Mike - RAP Music

4. The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past
5. Modern Baseball - Sports
6. Grimes - Visions
7. Hostage Calm - Please Remain Calm
8. Everyone Everywhere - Everyone Everywhere (2012)
9. The Ghost Inside - Give What You Get
10 Basement - Colourmeinkindness

11. Loma Prieta - I.V.
12. Glocca Morra - Just Married
13. Death Grips - The Money Store
14. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d citty
15. Dowsing - It's Still Pretty Terrible

16. Teen Suicide - I Will Be My Own Hell
17. Frank Ocean - Chanel Orange
18. The Tower and the Fool - How Long
19. You Blew It! - Grow Up Dude
20. Chromatics - Kill for Love

 

Haha nah it's fair! That was the initial appeal to me