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Harry! · 17-12-2012, 08:51 PM

Shaun can I say I have enjoyed reading your top 100 songs. A great mix!

Shaun · 17-12-2012, 08:51 PM

Thanks Harry

Jamie585 · 17-12-2012, 09:15 PM

Youtube video

Does anyone else like this?

MY favorite song from this year

Apple202 · 17-12-2012, 09:29 PM

brokenhearted is amazing jamie

Jords · 18-12-2012, 11:20 AM

Grimes

Shaun · 18-12-2012, 03:05 PM

#40 - "Red", Taylor Swift

Who'dathunkit? A good Taylor Swift album. Ignore the naysayers.

Spoiler:

#39 - "Fall to Grace", Paloma Faith

Cunningly released just prior to her decision to drain all life out of INXS' Never Tear Us Apart, at least the first half of 2012 was spent thinking "oh isn't this weird girl lovely? What a nice voice. What nice songs."

Spoiler:

#38 - "Confess", Twin Shadow

Not quite the most exciting thing to emerge out of dark, indie synthpop this year but a bloody good contender. Think Kele Okereke if his solo album wasn't crap.

Spoiler:

#37 - "True", Solange

Garish artwork aside, a solid album from the Knowles family's second most interesting export.

Spoiler:

#36 - "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded", Nicki Minaj

Another understated year here for Ms. Minaj rounded off quite nicely by a strong selection of amazing pop songs. Shame about the overall consistency of the rap ones.

Spoiler:

#35 - "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats", Regina Spektor

Nothing she can do will ever disappoint me... and whilst this didn't quite seize me in the same spirit that songs like Samson, Us or Fidelity did, it was an intriguing, visceral and powerful record from start to finish.

Spoiler:

#34 - "Looking 4 Myself", Usher

The decision to work with producers like Luke Steele, Danja and Diplo rather than a saturated Max Martin or Dr. Luke schedule was an inspired one, as it contributed towards arguably Usher's career high. A very, very good album.

Spoiler:

#33 - "(III)", Crystal Castles

A couple of gorgeous songs here and there reassured fans of their continuity and quality, but for me this was their weakest album yet. That's a little like saying The Red Shoes is your favourite Kate Bush album though, because there's always going to be something interesting, peculiar and sinister on tap.

Spoiler:

#32 - "ƒin", John Talabot

The album appears to be one of the most mutually agreed-upon classics of the year by your average critic, and for me whilst I'm not quite as tapped into the Barcelona house scene as some, it's a strong and over-the-top production that's worth a listen.

Spoiler:

#31 - "Warrior", Ke$ha

The heartiest of "fuck off!"s to her detractors, this album is flawless pop music.

Spoiler:

Tom4784 · 18-12-2012, 03:10 PM

Twin Shadow <3. I've yet to listen to Crystal Castles' latest album yet though, keep meaning to get around to it.

Shaun · 18-12-2012, 06:07 PM

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-...ks-of-2012/10/

brb just beating pitchfork to the post with my top two

Me. I Am Salman · 18-12-2012, 06:12 PM

Looking 4 Myself

Me. I Am Salman · 18-12-2012, 06:14 PM

Solange's album cover makes my eyes hurt

Fetch The Bolt Cutters · 18-12-2012, 07:12 PM

does kin feature?

Doogle · 18-12-2012, 07:16 PM

Yes Kesha & Twin Shadow

Shaun · 19-12-2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sassy Claus

does kin feature?

no 2baha

Fetch The Bolt Cutters · 19-12-2012, 12:16 PM

Shaun · 19-12-2012, 12:19 PM

it would've been like 52nd if that helps

Shaun · 19-12-2012, 03:30 PM

#30 - "Icona Pop", Icona Pop

Just in case you needed any further proof that Sweden is the best country in the world, 2012 again saw the frosty nation dominate pop music. This, their newest export, is Icona Pop, and they came here to party.

Spoiler:

#29 - "Reign of Terror", Sleigh Bells

I believe I may have made the mistake of labeling this as one of those albums superior to their debut - because it's not - but at the same time it was a confident, noisy, anarchic 36 minutes and what's not to love about that.

Spoiler:

#28 - "Ill Manors", Plan B

Angry, political and meaty, this album didn't exactly hold back and saw Plan B demonstrate some intense and insightful observations. The film wasn't much cop though, was it

Spoiler:

#27 - "The Money Store", Death Grips

Their slightly more legal and proper album of 2012 - ie. the one that wasn't leaked without the label's consent and had an erect dick on the cover - Death Grips' breakthrough seems to be the critics' favourite of their two 2012 offerings. For me, it's not, but that's a bit like saying vanilla isn't my favourite ice cream flavour. It's excellent.

Spoiler:

#26 - "Halcyon", Ellie Goulding

Not quite as replayable or pretty as her 2010 album Lights, but that was its strength. A number of melodic, stripped bare tracks that showcased her ability to bedazzle with romance rather than tunes. But if you wanted tunes then 'Anything Could Happen' was more than enough.

Spoiler:

#25 - "Playin Me", Cooly G

How many other dub/triphop albums this year did you see with the balls to cover Coldplay's Trouble? Effortlessly cool, really chilled and a quintessentially British artist. Lovely.

Spoiler:

#24 - "Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors", Big Boi

Yet again a star-studded showcase from the most dependable half of Outkast. Perhaps not the most cohesive of albums, but it has enough going on and enough quality to make it worth more than a couple of listens.

Spoiler:

#23 - "Master of my Make-Believe", Santigold

In retrospect I can see why it was met with a bit of a lukewarm reception: she made the mistake of releasing the album's 3 most exciting and snappy tracks - Big Mouth, Go! and Disparate Youth - months prior to the rest. It's not a write-off, though, and Santi White is still more than capable of getting people dancing.

Spoiler:

#22 - "Sun", Cat Power

Her and Regina might as well be crowned the most dependable women in modern folk music, because yet again Cat Power bedazzled us with angsty, mystifying music this year.

Spoiler:

#21 - "Words and Music by Saint Etienne", Saint Etienne

hook hook hook hook hook catch. Faultless album.

Spoiler:

Shaun · 20-12-2012, 09:17 AM

#20 - "In Our Heads", Hot Chip

It might not have contained floor-fillers of the same spirit as Over and Over or Ready for the Floor, but the fourth Hot Chip album was as solid and unusual as ever.

Spoiler:

#19 - "Fantasea", Azealia Banks

We're still awaiting the first proper album from Ms. Banks so I suppose it's testament to the awesome ferocity of 212 that this year still saw her succeed, headline festivals and dominate the online music community. This mixtape - the first thing of any real length - was kooky, bumpy, aquatic and mesmerising.

Spoiler:

#18 - "Shrines", Purity Ring

Just a really ****ing dark and weird album.

Spoiler:

#17 - "Attack on Memory", Cloud Nothings

Although tired by the latter half of the 00s, indie rock has enjoyed a couple of really fantastic albums this year. None less excellent than the forward-thinking, melodic, well-crafted Cloud Nothings, whose third album pretty much impressed everyone. Get it if you love the Libertines or Strokes. And who doesn't.

Spoiler:

#16 - "No Love Deep Web", Death Grips

Must see these live.

Spoiler:

#15 - "Devotion", Jessie Ware

More than enough wonderful pop songs here for a debut, Jessie Ware was basically the most-talked about British female this year (well, ignoring the Adele fallout). With good reason.

Spoiler:

#14 - "Given to the Wild", The Maccabees

I'd never listened to the band prior to January's release of this, their third album. JUST RLY BLOODY GOOD. Naturally Pitchfork hated it, because it's British, but **** them.

Spoiler:

#13 - "Celebration Rock", Japandroids

Singlehandedly shook the cobwebs off of post-punk music.

Spoiler:

#12 - "Mature Themes", Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Too much going on in this album for me to even begin to tackle. Really rich, weird sound.

Spoiler:

#11 - "Lonerism", Tame Impala

I'm not actually sure about placing it this low. I cannot find one bad thing in this... I think it's just on the basis of it not quite seizing me emotionally as much as my top ten.

Spoiler:

Shaun · 20-12-2012, 05:14 PM

#10 - "Django Django", Django Django

Youtube video

The segues of the tracks into each other build and ebb majestically, and give the UK band a debut album to be proud of. Think the Beach Boys get given a remixing by Fatboy Slim.

Shaun · 20-12-2012, 05:19 PM

#9 - "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do", Fiona Apple

Youtube video

I'd never bothered to delve into the highly-revered but slightly feminist-centric Fiona Apple back catalogue, but this is a pretty convincing argument to break routine. Staunchly powerful and emotionally weighty songwriting

ty scott

Jords · 20-12-2012, 05:22 PM

Awful album name

Jords · 20-12-2012, 05:22 PM

I need to listen to Tame Impala

Shaun · 20-12-2012, 05:23 PM

#8 - "Blunderbuss", Jack White

Youtube video

Although a certain number of his other side-projects were a little iffy - see the Raconteurs - there was nothing to fear this year when Mr. White ditched his sister and went solo. A really fantastic album, and classic blues rock.