10. Run Till Its Dark – Public Enemy – Despite miscalling the Presidential Election, this is a masterful piece of statistic bashing agit prop with the family feud reference making it so much more relevant
9. Girl Next Door – Claire's Diary – More agit prop with a killer solo and riot-grrrl redux lyric by two of three Care Bear's all grown up and willing to bring it to another level.
8. Crayon – G-Dragon – Electro-pop swagga's and rap, throws in sound effects on top of synths on top of beats and adds a tag to beat all tags: "Why so serious". Turned me right round on K-Pop. A hugely significant song.
7. If That Ain't Love – Iris Dement – This song is perfection: the rolling church like piano, the down home twangy voice and the deeply felt deeply healing words: "Daddy loved the smell of the hills…"
6. Honolulu Blues – Craig Finn – A Christian song the way Three Days, not to mention Tim McGraw, couldn't dream of. It is a song of faith that converts because it is a wide open nightmare of dream, Craig deserves the "the cross reminds us he died for me and you" line. He takes you on a trip that makes it so much more than a cliche.
5. The Old Grey Hat – Jack Phillips – Absolutely timeless rag time about standing up for yourself and taking pride in yourself and maintaining your integrity at all costs. And yeah, that's the lyric but it is also the song. It sounds like what it is. The solo is… I am running out of superlatives.
4. In A Big City – Titus Andronicus – There are four songs I could chose from the album to place in my top ten, this is just what I am listening to right this minute. The break, which works like another song interrupting and I could listen to for an hour or so, "takes it to another level" which isn't necessary at all.
3. R.A.P. Music – Killer Mike – "I've never really had a religious experience in a religious place, the closest I've ever come to seeing God is listening to rap music". Off the best rap album by the best rap live act of 2012.
2. Bulletproof Pride – K'Naan, Bono – This is the great anthem of 2012, the entire chorus is just a perfect pleasure to sing along and to raise your voice with. The rest of the album is nothing much, but this is the way big songs, stuff like U2's "Please", are. The emotions are very subjective but the emotions are rousing.
1. Am I That Lonely Tonight – Justin Townes Earle – "That I don't know?" From the first line where he is listening to his pop on the radio as he drives aimlessly and aimlessly wonders if he has simply had enough., this is a softly heartbreaking song with winding horns blowing softly and a feather light drum plus a timorous and tender self portrait: "I thought I'd be a better man". From a great, great album
11. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift – So sarcastic, but lost in its poppy finesse
12. Impregnable Question – Dirty Projectors – A love song
13. Shape I Was In – Spider Bags
14. How – Regina Spektor – Her best song since "Ink Stain" is similar in a sense: the desperate anti-Semitism of the latter is mirror'd in the desperate heartbreak of "How", And both chill on the idiosyncrasies.
14. Ruin – Cat Power – This song has the best chorus of the year, beaten only by Friends. And this one has better singing.
16. New Year's Eve AT The Gates Of Hell – Ray Wylie Hubbard
12. Some Nights – fun. Their live performance of this song at T5 was an exact evocation of a bands breakthrough hit. It was a joy.
17. Duquesne Whistle – Bob Dylan – A memory song
18. Madness – Muse _FINALLY, they make their case to be n=the next Coldplay.
19. . Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
20. I Feel Good – Fred Hammond
Sorry – Friends – Actually from 2010 but is second in the lineup on their debut album.
Train Station – The Moms – The spirit of rock and roll lives on and if you read their tour diary you will know exactly what I mean: between the days without showers and the nights without gigs, they released a killer EP. This is the best song.
Angels – The xx
Hot Knife – Fiona Apple – Sexy as fuck.
Simona La Ramona – Spider Bags – From the best rock album of the year.
Seek It Out – Fang Island – Second best rock album of the year.
You Won't regret It – Ceu
Honolulu Blues – Craig Finn
Angels – The xx
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen – BREAKTHROUGH!!!
Five Seconds – Twin Shadow
Around My Way – Lupe Fiasco
Trash Tongue Talk – Jack White
The Best Place – Best Coast – Best line? "We have fun when we please…"
Snow White – Odd Future
The House That Heaven Built – Japandriods – best indie rocker since Superchunk's "Digging For Something".
VIP – Sinead O'Connor
Crying/Laughing – Wesley Wolfe
One Note (Excerpt One) – Dr. D.R. – Catch the Buzzcocks sample.
Unforgivable Blackness – Diggy
As Is – Van Halen
Sidecars – Kathleen Edwards – I like her more now I've seen her live
Ray Charles – Chiddy Bang
Wasted Days – Cloud Nothings – A great collab with Steve Albini
Die In Your Heart – Justin Bieber – Channels MJ better than Mikes brothers managed.
Am I That Lonely Tonight – Justin Townes Earle – Hears his Dad on the radio and wants to call him on the phone.
Get A Job – Neil Young
.Boyfriend – Justin Bieber
Born At Zero – Deer Tick
A Little Love (That's All I Want From You) – Dr. Vegas
Honeycomb – Animal Collective
Good Morning To The Night – Pneu And Elton John
Eyes Open – Taylor Swift
My God – James Fortuna
Old And Gray – Maps And Atlases
Comeback Kid – Sleigh Bells
Moving On – Justin Townes Earle
It All Belongs To Me – Monica And Brandy – The surprise r&b album of the year and an equally surprising reunion.
Girl Gone Wild – Madonna
Simple Feeling – Heartless Bastards
Who – David Byrne And St. Vincent – Second best moment on the album.
Balcony – Craig Finn
.Emmylou – First Aid Kit
No Love Lost – Wiley
Terminally Unique – Lamb Of God
Gone Tomorrow – Lambchop
Disease tobacco Free – Margot and the Nuclear So And Sos
Pointed Into Zoom – Love On A Real Train
Welcome To The Ballroom – Rufus Wainwright
Sex On The Regular Train – Miniature Trees
88 – Diggy
Spiteful Intervention – Of Montreal
Vegas Girl – Conor Maynard – The modern boy toy
Open Your Heart – The Men – Off a great old school rock album.
A Commotion – Mastadon/Feist
Everybody Talks – Neon Trees
Secrets – Obie Trice
Greenway – The Fall
Celebration – Tyga
Vampires – Maps & Atlases – Should be a very big song for them
I Fink You Freaky – Die Antwood
These Days – Dr. Dog
Stay Useless – Cloud Nothings – So, yes, they can still nail a melody.
Intersteller – Frankie Rose
Mira – Melody Gardot
Runaway – Imperial Teen
This Is Pil – PiL
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go – Miley Cyrus
She's Gold – Josh Blaze
Starships – Nicki Minaj
Pink Diamonds – Dustin Wong
Ruby Are You Mad At your Man – Carolina Chocolate Drops
It All Means Nothing – Screaming Females
We Made It – de La Soul
Hysteria – Ceremony
Dope Bitch – The Dream – You know, he wrote "1+1"
Amnesia – Jon B
Back In Time – Pitbull
Heaven – Macachu And the Shapes
Following – Phenomenal Handclap Band
Am I the Only One – Dierks Bentley
How They Want To Be – Best Coast
Simple Twist Of Fate – Diana Krall
Silence – The Ting Tings
Turn It Round – The Men
Show Me The Place – Leonard Cohen
Boom Boom – Rye Rye
You Can Keep The Wheels – Toddlers
There's A Key – M. Ward
Easy Money – Bruce Springsteen
High Of Life – WZRD
You Don't Have To Love Me – Blues Travellers
Payphone – Maroon 5
Maps – Macy Gray
The Whip Hand – the Mars Volta
Small Town Moon – Regina Spektor – Stop, stop, what's you're hurry?
You Don't Have To Love Me – Blues Travelers
Dreamer – Elizabeta
P – Odd Future
International (Serious) – Estelle
Swan Lake – Blackilicious
Cool Breeze – Long Miles- Gorgeous reggae
When Your Garden's Overgrown -Paul Weller
Super Rich Kids – Frank Ocean
You, Man? Human??? – The Flaming Lips – Nick Cave sounds terrific.
Laura – Bats For Lashes
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction – Make em a star
Standing On A Curb – Spider Bags
Beekeeper's Daughter – The All American rejects
Wide Awake – Katy Perry – Very real
Sleeping Ute – Grizzly Bear
Pride – Amy McDonald
The Thief – Liann Smith
Out Of Time – Elvis Costello – One of the best Stones covers I've ever heard, up there with Steve Earle's "Dead Flowers".
Control – Garbage
Va Va Voom – Bassnectar – Along with Rye Rye, pure pop as electronic dance.
Jackson – Florence + The Machine
Lost – Joker
His Eye Is On The Sparrow — WHitney Houston – Of course she didn't have the voice she once did, she was a crack addict
Time To Move On – Monica
Me And Bobby McGee (Demo) – Janis Joplin
Fall Of 82 – The Shins
All The Rowboats – Regina Spektor – Down here only because it's the THIRD track I've pulled off the album. Only Justin has an equal amount. Two from Craig Finn and Maps And Atlases.
Let's Have A Kiki – Scissor Sisters The album is new to me
Sixteen – Rick Ross
Till I Die – Chris Brown
Cameron – Mike Stern
XTC – Boyz Noize
Settle Down – No Doubt
Home – Phillip Phillips
Landslide – ANtony
Keys To The City – Spider Bags
Yatton – Beak
Oh Well – Billy Gibbons
War Begins With You – Emmure
So Fly – Elle Varner
When The Ship Comes In – Outernationals
Last Of A Dying Breed – Lynrd Skynrd
Nothin's Gonna Stop Us – The Darkness
Do It Like You – Diggy
Anything Could Happen – Ellie Goulding
Throw Down – Slaughterhouse
Huricane – Mr Ms
The Chimera – Smashing Pumpkin
I Need A Man – Lael Summer
Fire Escape – Civil Twilight – Only one good song, but it's a goodie.
Amen – Meek Mill
Everybody Talks – Neon Trees
Manhattan – Cat Power
No Hope – The Vaccines – Great opening for all important second album.
Narrow Way – Bob Dylan
Do It With A Rockstar – Amanda Palmer
Nuclear Family – Green Day
Comfortable – Ian Hunter
Pon T Loca – Daddy Yankee – Reggaeton is back with a backbeat
Clique – Kanye West
Charmer – Aimee Mann – Great album as well
I'm Not The Same Without You – Donald Fagin – Return to full strength
Knock Knock – Band Of Horses
Sober – Little Big Town
Tiny Little Bows – Carly Rae Jepsen
Creepers – kid Cudi – His best since his first album
That's Why I Pray – Big & Rich
Venus – Anais Mitchell
Ploughing Out, Part 2
From Here On Out – The Killers
I Will Wait – Mumford And Sons
It All Comes Back Someday – Yo La Tengo
Outside Of Space And Time – David Byrne And St. Vincent – Best song off the disappointing new one.
I Will Break You – Skunk Anansie
Bob Dylan Sings Charles In Charge – Jimmy Fallon
Doesn't Anybody Know – Bobby Brown
Rusty Stab – Shinobi Ninja
Bottom Dollar – Lizard Kisses
I Read Your Texts For The Fourth Time Today – Nicole Kidman
Gangham Style – PSY
Panic Station – Muse
Grow Up – Cher Lloyd
Losing You – Solange
Gamma Ray – Aimee Mann
All Too Well – Taylor Swift
No Hope – The Vaccines
Hypocritical Kiss – Jack White
How Dare You – Lupe Fiasco
What You Want – Boys Noize
Cry For Judas – The Mountain Goats
Now – Matt & Kim
Hostages – A.C. Newman
Reached The Sky – The Brew UK
Music To Walk Home By – Tame Impala
Don't You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia
Apathy – Trash Talk
Bulletproof Pride – K'Naan, Bono
Still Life With Hot Deuce On Platter – Titus Andronicus
I Will Wait – Mumford And Sons
Wild Boy – MGMT
It Gets Dark – Holy Ghost
Sweet Nothing – Calvin Harris and Florence Welch
Popular Song – MIKA
Fall Into Arms – The Bottom Dollars
Hurry, Hurry – Air Traffic Controller
Golden Revolver – San Cisco
Two Fingers – Jake Buggs
When My Train Pulls In – Gary Clark Jr
Wide Eyed And Legless – Georgie Fame
Fuck Your Stuff – P.O.S.
Are We All We Are – Pink
Joy – Tracey Thorne
Breezeblock – Alt J
Third Rock From The Sun/If You Love Me Like You Say – Gary Clarke Jr.
River – Tracey Thorne
Fuck You – Bad Religion
Stand Up – All That Remains
Street Jesus – Aerosmith – Shame they didn't play it live
Go On Ahead And Go Home – Iris DeMent One of many
Fantastic Baby – BIGBANG
Slide Through – E-40, Too Short
Let's Have A Party – E-40, Too Short – Left their pistols at home
The Boxer – Mumford And Son
Last Love Song – ZZ Ward
Wow! That's Loud – Green Day
Amy – Green Day – For Amy Winehouse of course
YOUNGBLOOD – 3!OH!3
We Neh Tek Bad Up – Beenie Man, Elephant Man
NFWGDJSH – Mellowhype
Death Proof – Kate Nash
God Save Rock N Roll – Kid Rock
Misery – Madness
There's A Whole Lotta Heaven – Iris DeMent
Merry Go Round – Kacey Musgraves
God Neva Fail – Elephant Man
So Alive – Madness
Hurts Like Heaven Live – Coldplay
Walk Like A giant – Neil Young
We Are All Illegals – Outernational
Swimming Pools (Drank) – Kendrick Lamarr
Timshel (Africa Mix) – Mumford And Sons
Ready Go! – Juniel
Hurt So Good – Carly Rae Jepsen
Want U Back – Cher Lloyd
Pour It Up – Rihanna
Long Emotional Ride – Graham Parker And The Rumour
Tears Always Win – Alicia Keys
Drivin Around – Wu Block
Losing You – Solange
Comment: Killer Mike is proof that a great concert will change the way you feel about recordings and Justin Townes Earle is proof that a poor concert won't always ruin a great recording. This hasn't been an album year, we have lived in one track after another till it accumulated to a pretty good year.