20 Favorite Songs of 2012
I started making a list of favorite albums AND favorite songs of the year but, because there was so much overlap, I just decided to go with favorite songs. Some fun stats: I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing OR producing interviews with 6 of these 20 artists, and I’ve seen 10 of them perform live at one point or another — including Pink, who I saw play all the way back in 2000 during her R&B phase.
My honorary album of the year is Garbage’s self-titled debut, which I listened to for the first time this year and played on repeat for many months. Should I have been a teenager in 1995, Garbage would’ve been my favorite band. (Instead, it was Blink 182, for better or for worse.)
Now, on to my favorite songs in 2012, in no particular order…
1. Aimee Mann
“Labrador” from Charmer
2. Islands
“This Is Not A Song” from A Sleep and A Forgetting
3. Tanlines
“Brothers” from Mixed Emotions
4. Sharon Van Etten
“Serpents” from Tramp
5. Frank Ocean
“Pyramids” from Channel Orange
6. First Aid Kit
“Emmylou” from The Lion’s Roar
7. Perfume Genius
“Take Me Home” from Put Your Back N 2 It
8. Killer Mike
Untitled from R.A.P. Music
9. Exitmusic
“The Modern Age” from Exitmusic
10. Amanda Palmer
“The Killing Type” from Theatre is Evil
11. Benjamin Gibbbard
“Bigger Than Love” (ft. Aimee Mann) from Former Lives
12. Burial & Four Tet
“Nova”
13. Rihanna
“Diamonds” from Unapologetic
14. Pink
“Try” from Thanks For Sharing
15. Le1f
“Wut” from Dark York
16. Azealia Banks
“1991” from 1991
18. Jens Lekman
“An Argument with Myself” from An Argument with Myself EP
19. Fiona Apple
“Hot Knife” from The Idler Wheel…
20. Kendrick Lamar
“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” ft. Lady Gaga
Nice, I hadn’t heard 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16.
I really like 6 a lot. Feels like old Rilo Kiley. Beautiful vocals.
I’ve actually never sat through a Rihanna or Pink song. I was stunned that I enjoyed the Rihanna song so much. I actually will put it on my running playlist. The Pink video was greatness. I love all the colors on their bodies.
I’ve never even heard of Killer Mike and I consider myself a Hip Hop head. I’m going to have to check him out, he went in on that track.
I make a top 3 albums list every year. Which drives me batty having to narrow it down.
Thanks for sharing the list with me.
I come to your blog by way of PCHH, mostly due to your rave review of Kyss Mig (it’s in my Netflix queue right now. I am eager). Glad to see Amanda Palmer on your list! Hers was my favorite album of the year, and her live show for it was perhaps the best concert I have ever seen.