Songs of 2012

With the coming of the new year, it's time to say goodbye to 2012.

And what better to send it off than to list the best songs I've heard from the past year.

Note that these songs aren't necessarily published in 2012; they might be from a movie I've just recently watched or maybe from an album or a band I've never listened to before this past year.

And it's going to be a classic top 10 :)

Enjoy as I repeatedly overuse adjectives.

#10. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz - Thrift Shop

Now here's a song that just makes me want to dance. I don't usually enjoy songs that have gone mainstream, but Thrift Shop is just something else: pure, creative lyrics with a natural and catchy beat. Kudos to the duo for making it to the top of the itunes album sales charts, an amazing feat for an independent act. Sure some people blame the declining overall album sales, but it still takes something special and Macklemore is definitely that.

#9 Muse - Panic Station

Yes, Muse's sound has changed a lot with 2nd Law, and I can't say that I enjoy every song in the album. But Panic Station is incredible; proof that Muse still has potential to churn out hard hitting songs. I'm no expert, but I can definitely hear a heavy Queen influence in the bass licks and vocals, something that I welcome very much.

#8 Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil & Gene Pritsker - Cloud Atlas End Title

I'll be honest here: definitely an epic movie, but not the best I've seen by a long shot (it has the best trailer ever though). Yet the soundtrack just blew me away. Just the pure simplicity of it, the way it radiates love and desperation, without trying too hard to impress. Whenever I listen to this, I feel inspired to take the leap and be brave for once, and embrace life as it is a beautiful thing.  

#7 Andrew Bird - Imitosis

This song led to my discovery of the song-writing magician Andrew Bird. His original sound and the fact that he is a very capable multi-instrument musician just furthers my awe of the man. Definitely one that deserves more recognition than he is getting.

#6 Joe Hisaishi - Spirited Away Reprise 

The way I found this movie was by an amazing stroke of chance: I was searching in the discount bin in Blockbuster as a young lad and happened to come across this gem. It was definitely fate. The genius of Miyazaki's animation paired with Hisaishi's brilliant scoring is a match made in heaven and this masterpiece is definitely one to savor. I put this in the 2012 charts because I only recently found the reprised version of the main theme, with a melody (0:01-0:33) that I've been looking around for for a long time.

#5 Punch Brothers - Clara

2012 was definitely a year for my discovery indie folk, catalyzed most probably by this song. There's just something about folk music that just hits the feels for me. Maybe it's the smooth and sultry lyrics, or the creativity in the music. Any way or another, I've become a huge fan and am definitely remaining one for a long time.


#4 The Killers - Miss Atomic Bomb

The Killers never fail to impress. This song is another recent gem that gives epic a new meaning. Sure, you could say otherwise, and maybe my definition of epic isn't as demanding as others, but Brandon's vocals and the delicious use of the floor toms make for an amazing song. Apparently the video acts as a prequel to Mr. Brightside, and if you listen carefully you'll hear the riff from Mr. Brightside in this song.


#3 Mika - Elle Me Dit 

I'm never one to be too critical of an artist's sound change, but Mika dissapointed me with his latest album. I miss the days of Life in Cartoon Motion where you could listen to the whole album without needing to skip songs; it was that brilliant. Nevertheless, this song is a representation of the Mika I love: a massive vocal range, a catchy chorus, and great music to match


#2 Kodaline - All I want

This is a gem that definitely deserves more recognition.  The emotion that this song channels really touches you deep, before hitting you with a finale that will give anyone an ear-gasm. I really hope to see more from this band, especially if every song is going to be this good.

#1 Jukebox The Ghost - Schizophrenia

Jukebox the Ghost is hands-down the best band I've ever accidentally discovered. Their combination of creative piano riffs and unique vocals encapsulates nearly everything I hope from a band's sound. I had to choose a favorite out of many great songs, so I chose this one as it best represents what I love so much about Jukebox the Ghost. As one anonymous youtube user once put it: it just shows what pop music can achieve if some effort was put into it.

Honorable Mentions

I made this list out of pure randomness, so there are a few that I'm sure that I've missed. But here are songs that were brilliant but just missed the cut.

Imagine Dragons - On Top Of The World
The Lumineers - Big Parade
Garry Schyman - Trip The Light (feat. Alicia Lemke)
Jason Mraz - Frank D. Fixer
Linkin Park - Until It Breaks
Alabama Shakes - I Ain't The Same
New Heights - Time