NPR unveiled their selections for the best music of 2012. The non-profit radio network's lists were tabulated based on selections from their critics and voting from its listeners' poll.
Fiona Apple, Frank Ocean, and Kendrick Lamar have been dominating the best of lists and so it's no surprise to see them make NPR's top albums of 2012.
NPR also listed it's favorite 100 songs and it includes pop hits from acts including Fun. to more under the radar tracks from artists such as Sinkane. [BV]
NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2012
AB-SOUL - CONTROL SYSTEM
ALABAMA SHAKES - BOYS AND GIRLS
ALISA WEILERSTEIN/DANIEL BARENBOIM - ELGAR & CARTER CELLO CONCERTOS
ALT-J - AN AWESOME WAVE
ANDY STOTT - LUXURY PROBLEMS
ASTRO - ASTRO
SIMON RATTLE & THE BERLIN PHILHARMONIC - BACH: ST. MATTHEW PASSION
BOBBY WOMACK - THE BRAVEST MAN IN THE UNIVERSE
BOMBA ESTEREO - ELEGANCIA TROPICAL
BROOKLYN RIDER - SEVEN STEPS
CAFE TACVBA - EL OBJETO ANTES LLMADO DISCO
CARLA MORRISON - DEJENME LLORAR
CAT POWER - SUN
CODY CHESNUTT - LANDING ON A HUNDRED
DAN DEACON - AMERICA
DEATH GRIPS - NO LOVE DEEP WEB
DEBO BAND - DEBO BAND
DIRTY PROJECTORS - SWING LO MAGELLAN
DWIGHT YOAKAM - 3 PEARS
EXITMUSIC - PASSAGE
FIONA APPLE - THE IDLER WHEEL IS WISER THAN THE DRIVER OF THE SCREW AND WHIPPING CORDS WILL SERVE YOU MORE THAN ROPES WILL EVER DO
FLYING LOTUS - UNTIL THE QUIET COMES
FRANK OCEAN - CHANNEL ORANGE
FUN. - SOME NIGHTS
HOMEBOY SANDMAN - FIRST OF A LIVING BREED
IRIS DEMENT - SING THE DELTA
JANKA NABAY & THE BUBU GANG - EN YAY SAH
JAPANDROIDS - CELEBRATION ROCK
KARRIEM RIGGINS - ALONE TOGETHER
KENDRICK LAMAR - GOOD KID, M.A.A.D. CITY
KILLER MIKE - R.A.P. MUSIC
LEILA JOSEFOWICZ - SALONEN: VIOLIN CONCERTO
LEONARD COHEN - OLD IDEAS
MATT ULERY - BY A LITTLE LIGHT
MEEK MILL- DREAMCHASERS 2
MIGUEL - KALEIDOSCOPE DREAM
NENEH CHERRY AND THE THING - THE CHERRY THING
NOW, NOW - THREADS
PALLBEARER - SORROW AND EXTINCTION
PATRICK WATSON - ADVENTURES IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
P!NK - THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE
REGINA SPEKTOR - WHAT WE SAW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS
SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY/MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS - ADAMS: HARMONIELEHRE/SHORT RIDE IN A FAST MACHINE
SHARON VAN ETTEN - TRAMP
SWANS - THE SEER
TY SEGALL - TWINS
THE VERY BEST - MTMTMK
VIJAY IYER TRIO - ACCELERANDO
WADADA LEO SMITH - TEN FREEDOM SUMMERS
THE 2 BEARS- BE STRONG