2012 saw a long contenders list: 104 albums! Musicians across the spectrum seem to be very active, from punk legends PiL to NYC phenomena The Rapture to new wave master Joe Jackson. Picking just 31 from this list was not an easy task.
NEWCOMERS
Chairlift, Dynasty Electric, Eytan and The Embassy, Gossip, Gotye, Saint Motel, Stepdad, The Shins, White Rabbits, Yeasayer
FAMILIAR FACES, FRESH SOUNDS
Benjamin Gibbard, David Byrne & St. Vincent
SECOND-TIMERS
Say Hi, CHAPPO, Dum Dum Girls, Marina and The Diamonds, The Magnetic Fields, Two Door Cinema Club, We Have Band
RETURNING FAVORITES
Grace Potter, Ladyhawke, Oh Land, School of Seven Bells, Ben Folds, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Hives, Garbage, Marianne Faithfull, The Black Keys, Bloc Party, Metric
2012 Playlist
Track by track, with artist
- Everything Changes
EYTAN AND THE EMBASSY - Ketamine and Ecstasy
CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH - Octopus
BLOC PARTY - Wait a Minute
THE HIVES - Who
DAVID BYRNE & ST. VINCENT - I’m Not Me
WHITE RABBITS - Draw A Crowd
BEN FOLDS FIVE - I Feel Better
GOTYE - Will I Ever Dance Again?
STEPDAD - Wake Up
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB - All The Pretty Ones
SAY HI - Casualties of War
GOSSIP - The Divide
GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS - Met Before
CHAIRLIFT - White Wind
SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS - Anxiety
LADYHAWKE
- I Hate Love
GARBAGE - Synthetica
METRIC - Homewrecker
MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS - Electric Love
DYNASTY ELECTRIC - Human
OH LAND - Hell No
CHAPPO - Where Are Your People?
WE HAVE BAND - Port of Morrow
THE SHINS - Why Did We Have to Part
MARIANNE FAITHFULL - Bigger Than Love
BENJAMIN GIBBARD - Andrew in Drag
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS - Damaged Goods
YEASAYER - Teardrops On My Pillow
DUM DUM GIRLS - Puzzle Pieces
SAINT MOTEL - Gold On the Ceiling
THE BLACK KEYS - Yes, December
NERINA PALLOT
