It’s that time of year again. After collectively listening to hundreds of records and attending what seemed like another hundred concerts, we’ve asked the ReverbNation staffers to share their favorite albums and songs released in 2012. What we got in return is a very diverse selection with indie favorites, top 40 sweethearts, dubstep beat droppers, classic rockers, R&B breakout star, and others.
Take a look at our picks, and feel free to let us know who topped YOUR 2012 list in the comments below, on Facebook or Twitter!
Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, The Weeknd, Father John Misty
In alphabetical order:
Andrew. billing| rookie dubstep dj | edm fan | customer satisfaction extraordinaire
Dubstep’s US popularity is clear, as American hip hop artists Cypress Hill released a collaborative EP with dubstep producer Rusko (above) in Summer 2012.
- Brown & Gammon – Dirty Doris EP
- Rusko – Songs
- Borgore – Decisions
- Subscape – Elements
- Netsky – 2
- Nostalgia – The Other Side
- Shift Key – Let You Down
- Bassnectar – Vava Voom
- Eptic – Slime City
Brian. quality assurance | bug finder extraordinaire | you can find him air guitaring and drumming on the back of chairs every now and then
- House of Heroes – “Remember the Empire” (Best anthem)
- Phillip Phillips – “Home” (Most authentic performance)
- Good Luck Varsity – “Liars & Thieves” (Caught me by surprise)
- Summertime Dropouts – “Full Time Cutie” (Cheesiest)
- Benjamin Dunn & The Animal Orchestra – “My Name Is Eustace!” (Most eclectic)
- Owl City – “Good Time” (Fun all-around)
- The Classic Crime – “You and Me Both” (Most glad I Kickstartered)
- Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe” (Guilty pleasure)
- Thrice – “Promises” (Hardest hitting)
- sosaveme – “Gentle Slope” (Hate-to-fav)
Honorable mentions: Thousand Foot Krutch – Be Somebody (Most likely to bring tears to my eyes); Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars – Safe & Sound (Best rendition); SONS – Doubt (Best re-release); Capital Lights – Coldfront Heatstroke (Best wordplay).
Glenn. product | “everyday i’m grafflin” is his motto | promises to beat jed in chili cook-off… one day soon
Josh Tillman’s (aka Father John Misty) ‘Fear Fun’ was released following Tillman’s departure from Fleet Foxes
- Father John Misty – Fear Fun
- Chairlift – Something
- Delta Spirt – Delta Spirit
- Soundgarden – King Animal
- Little Hurricane – Homewrecker
- Mondo – Electric Guest
- Jack White – Blunderbuss
- Grizzly Bear – Shields
- Miike Snow – Happy to You
- David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
Justin. customer service | pf flyers connoisseur | invisible watermelon kiwi kool-aid = best drink of all time
- Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City
- Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
- Nas - Life is Good
- The Weeknd – Trilogy
- Tame Impala - Lonerism
- Curren$y - The Stoned Immaculate
- Jessie Ware - Devotion
- The XX - Coexist
- Big K.R.I.T. - Live From the Underground
- Electric Guest - Mondo
Lou. co-founder | hurricane sandy took away a few dozen of his frank zappa vinyl albums (some rare) | ”if i see her, she dies!”
)- Tame Impala – Lonerism
- Howler – America Give Up
- Shovels & Rope – O Be’ Joyful
- Lumineers – The Lumineers
- Frank Zappa – 60 re-issues
Mariana. marketing | avid concert-goer | non-professional dancer | hates carrying bags | wants to backpack across the world
Click to watch our interview with Vintage Trouble at SXSW ’12.
- Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”
- Matrimony – “Obey Your Guns” (click to watch live performance at ReverbNation HQ)
- Vintage Trouble – “Nobody Told Me”
- fun. – “Some Nights”
- Dr. Dog – “How Long Must I Wait?”
- White Sea – “Overdrawn”
- Mumford & Sons – “I Will Wait”
- Delta Rae – “Bottom of the River”
- Lost in the Trees – “Red”
- Jens Lekman – “Become Someone Else’s”
Neal. customer service | sneaker aficionado | carolina basketball super fan
- Skyzoo – Theo vs. JJ (Dreams vs. Reality)
- Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
- Nas – Life Is Good
- Curren$y – The Stoned Immaculate
- Jack White – Blunderbuss
- Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
- King Mez – My Everlasting Zeal
- The Weeknd - Trilogy
- Big Boi (of Outkast) – Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumors
- Joey Bada$$ – 1999
Patrick. digital distribution| prefers early mornings and highlight reels
After the release of ‘Channel Orange’, Pitchfork said Frank Ocean is “among the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation.”
- Father John Misty – Fear Fun
- The Weeknd – Trilogy
- Tame Impala – Lonerism
- Jack White – Blunderbuss
- Woods – Bend Beyond
- Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
- The Walkmen – Heaven
- Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes
- Michael Kiwanuka – Home
- The Human Eyes – Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Parker. customer service | fierce beard | seger specialist | likes cats and dogs
- Father John Misty – Fear Fun
- High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
- The Sword – Apocryphon
- Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
- The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
- Rush – Clockwork Angels
- Aesop Rock – Skelethon
- Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet On Sky
- Bob Mould – Silver Age
- Pallbearer – Sorrow and Extinction
Honorable mentions: Old Crow Medicine Show – Carry Me Back; Bob Dylan – Tempest
Reverb Live NYC. Hailing from all across the east coast, this diverse group of business savvy music-lovers is a big supporter of live music and wanted to share with you some of the epic shows that topped their list this year.
- 12/12/12 Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
- Mumford & Sons at Pier A (Hoboken, NJ)
- Rodger Waters at Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY)
- Animal Collective at Terminal 5 (New York, NY)
- Radiohead at the Prudential Center (Newark, NJ)
- Explosions in the Sky at Governor’s Ball (New York, NY)
- Sigur Rós at the Mann Center (Philadelphia, PA)
- Girl Talk at Catalpa Music Festival (New York, NY)
- Björk at the New York Hall of Science (Queens, NY)
- Tool at the Izod Center (East Rutherford, NJ)
Robert F. developer | lover of dogs, beer, and motorcycles, but not at the same time | resident reverbnation smiley guy
- Jon Watts – Clothe Yourself in Righteousness
- Artemis - Sephyra
- Anji Bee - Put Some Music On (it’s just a single, but it’s good stuff)
- Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes
- Data Romance - Caves
- Lazy Hammock - Natural High
- Submotion Orchestra - Fragments
- Various - Chilled Summer Break, Vol. 1
- All India Radio - Red Shadow Landing
- Kid Koala - 12 Bit Blues
Sam. customer service | rocker/roller | gramatical/syntactical nutjob | loves seinfeld more than he probably should
- Tame Impala – Lonerism
- Liars – WIXIW
- Menomena – Moms
- Jenny Besetzt – Only
- Grizzly Bear – Shields
- Thee Oh Sees – Putrifiers II
- Lower Dens – Nootropics
- Gross Ghost – Brer Rabbit
- Mac Demarco – 2
- Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
Honorable mentions: Beach House – Bloom; Daniel Rossen – Silent Hour/Golden Mile; DIIV – Oshin; Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action at a Distance; Tamaryn – Tender New Signs.
Now it’s your turn! We want to learn a little bit about you. What were your favorite albums and songs of 2012? Which Reverb employee has a similar music taste to yours? Leave your answers in the comments below!