The wait is over

So here it goes, here it goes again: my annual-when-I-can-be-arsed-to-blog look at the subjectively-best music of the recent year, in this case 2012. You’ll should know the typical rules of my fatty music charts by now, but for those new here: it’s a ranking of the tunes I’ve legitimately got hold of in the relevant 12-month span, ranked from the ones I liked enough to listen to on a permanent basis (bottom of the chart) to the ones I really bloody liked quite a bit actually (the top end). As ever, stuff I’ve heard on telly/radio but which hasn’t made it into my CD stack or MP3 inbox doesn’t make the cut, this is why Biffy Clyro’s Stingin’ Belle – not officially released until 2013 – didn’t make the list, and also explains the dearth of X Factor types in my rundown (though Rihanna squeaks in, sort of…) There have been some controversies this year, such as whether to count a B-side towards its parent track or separately, and whether to include an old track which was reissued to much more success in 2012, so I may have to change the way I do these (if I bother to do this needless crap again), but for now, these are my eighty (approx.) favourite (to an extent) audio tracks of 2012. And, in a freaky diversion, this year I’ve posted it twice, once as the old-style raw-data countdown but first with some words of justification for most of the tracks, should you wish to hear me explain what it is I actually like about the music. (I used to like talking about music, and maybe I’ll get to do it again one day.) Want to hate on these, or tip me in the direction of something I should’ve jumped on sooner? Comment box and Twitter are, time of writing, functional. Now let’s chart this…

1 — The Maccabees — Ayla
> How could it not be? From the album Given To The Wild, which got a little lost in the rush at the end of last year, comes this barnstormer, released as a single in the early summer, which just builds and builds to a proper power crescendo that’ll always have you feling lifted. Elegant, intelligent, soaring – a thing of true quality. Many tunes have caught my ear this past year – well, about eighty, as you’ll see here – but Ayla’s been rooted to my playlist pretty much the whole way since release because, while the track came close to being matched, it couldn’t be bettered – if someone wants to hear a tune which encapsulates the best of recent music in one shot, Ayla is the one you really need to play them.
2 — Kodaline — All I Want
> Simply a gorgeous tune: these Irish newcomers also delivered the video of the year – an office ‘outsider’ (denoted by his distorted features) working up the bravery to defend his longed-for sweetheart by stepping up to confront the sleazy coworkers who think they’ve got the right to treat her like an object. Stripped from its accompanying film, though, the tune is a soaring lilt that reminds us music can be beautiful – at a time when everything is shouting really loudly to be heard amongst the media muck, here’s something much more beautiful and wonderful to behold. Their album’s out in March.
3 — Haim — Don’t Save Me / Send Me Down
> Yes, the BBC ‘sound of 2013’ winners start their journey into my music file right here, as a band I discovered thanks to the decade-old and much-beloved 6 Music, when Adam and Edith were among those tipping these San Fernando ladies for future success. A controversial wrinkle in my chart compilation came from B-side Send Me Down being the first Haim track I heard, and almost warranted its own entry here until I realised that this random inclusion of a non-lead track may open the floodgates for all sorts of mayhem in future countdowns, downloads having skewed my old analogue view of singles and album tracks. In the event, to save my hair from being pulled out, I decided to, for the first time ever, combine my ‘votes’, such as it were, for both tracks to give a single placing to the complete single package. I may have to rethink how I do these, if I do this again. Still, a nice blend of classic pop stylings with a fresh, modern touch earns Este, Alana and Danielle a place on my rundown. Should’ve earned them two, but there’s the breaks.
4 — Frightened Rabbit — State Hospital
> A real contender for tune of the year – hence its presence up my top-end – and additional kudos for releasing this as a proper physical EP as well as on a download, something sadly so very close to dying out. As for the tune, the word ‘epic’ doesn’t really do it justice – a really rousing, emotion-filled anthem, well worth your time in its own right but a particular tonic in a year dominated by samey R&B which can’t really hold a candle to this gem, an evocative tale of broken Britain belted out with real emotion.
5 — The Temper Trap — Need Your Love
> Back with a big new tune that’s had a pretty consistent place on my playlist through much of the year: classic-style indie-pop with a proper hook.
6 — The xx — Angels
> This stripped-back track proved that, despite what most of the other tunes in this (and other) charts may tell you, you don’t need overproduced, overblown or autotuned gunk clogging up your song – a simple, mellow backing and tender vocals provided an oasis of beauty in a pop world too ready to be too nasty. A tune everyone needs in their collection.
7 — Lower Than Atlantis — Love Someone Else
> Proving that rock’s far from dead, these guys played a blinder this year, and this was no-messing route-one rock that didn’t outstay its welcome.
8 — S.C.U.M. — Whitechapel
> Ooh, this is controversial – this track from the band fronted by the fella now best known as the father of Peaches Geldof’s kid was actually released at the back-end of 2011, but came into my purview early in 2012, too late to make last year’s chart. Still, it’s a modern-day anthem, one of the classiest tunes I’ve heard in a fair while, and it’d be unfair to boot it out of my charts altogether, so here it is.
9 — Muse — Madness
> Devon’s finest still pushing the envelope, this cracker – from new album The 2nd Law – married soaring vocals to an inescapable bassline to create a real body-mover.
10 — The Cribs — Glitters Like Gold
> Back and still cranking out the tunes, the Yorkshire boys haven’t lost any of their swagger.
11 — Rudimental ft. John Newman — Feel The Love
> Dubstep? Nearly making my top ten? Truly, these times they are a’changing, but you have to admit, this was an absolute boomer, building through its four minutes to an utterly chaotic climax. If you haven’t thrown some shapes to this, you haven’t really thrown shapes at all.
12 — Karmin — Brokenhearted
> Proper big ballsy pop from an actual couple. No, really: Nick and Amy proved pop isn’t all bad with this tune, jaunty despite its tale of agony awaiting love. Uh-huh, that’s right, cheerio.
13 — Dog Is Dead — Teenage Daughter
> One of those big chanty indie anthems that in all honesty should be higher up this chart, but was hobbled in part by its release late in the year, giving me time to adore those above, but still worthy of the hands going into the air. Altogether now: “I get used to it…”
14 — Ellie Goulding — Anything Could Happen
> Ee-ee-ee-eep! Big glossy electric pop from the multitalented blonde, who hasn’t let high-profile relationships – seriously, she dated Skrillex, that makes Swift/Styles look OK – distract her from pulling out tunes that knock the oversold, internationally-hyped R&B-lite stars into a cocked hat
15 — The Killers — Runaways
> Brandon and the boys, back with Battle Born, unleashed this monster as the lead single, and absolutely owned it – only a few acts can get away with rock histrionics on this scale, and these guys have really earned their spurs. Whether they’ll ever really topple Mr Brightside as their signature song remains to be discussed…
16 — Of Monsters and Men — Little Talks
> Hey!
17 — Band of Horses — Feud
> The fact this indie disco favourite only hit number 17 – when in most years it’d be itching for a top-10 place – suggests how much actually-alright music was released this year. Perhaps if I’d done less whining about the charts and opened my ears more, it’d have been even lower, in a good way…
18 — Fenech-Soler — All I Know
> This and Dog Is Dead only just about squeaked in here, being released towards the end of the year, but as you’ll know from my previous big charts I’ve always got houseroom for a bit of FS…
19 — Two Door Cinema Club — Sun
20 — Spector — Celestine
> If I recall correctly, this was one of the ‘Playlist’ tracks the week that Unnamed Woman was on Sunday Brunch. She’s the only person that can get me out of bed at a decent hour on a Sunday, you see. Good to see big glammy pop-rock still going, anyway.
21 — The Vaccines — Teenage Icon
22 — All American Rejects — Beekeeper’s Daughter
> I’ve loved a bit of AAR right back since the Swing Swing era, and this was a nice big pop-rock stomper that just about anyone can enjoy. Unless they hate music, in which case why are they reading this?
23 — Robbie Williams — Candy
> Hey ho, here we go. Too old for Radio 1, apparently, but I’m never too old for a bit of proper pop, and the sometime-Take Thatter resumed his solo career with something well-crafted, suggesting the ‘difficult’ Bodies/Rudebox years are finally behind him: that stint back with Gary and the gang served him well, it seems.
24 — Family of the Year — Diversity
25 — Mull Historical Society — The Lights
> Colin Macintyre swaps back from his real name to his previous pop persona, and continues to pull out some lovely tunes from his vantage point on a tiny Scottish island, proving it’s not just the urban massive who can make hits.
26 — Miike Snow — Paddling Out
27 — TOY — Make It Mine
28 — Tanlines — All of Me
29 — Enter Shikari — Warm Smiles Do Not Make You Welcome Here
30 — OK Go — Needing/Getting
> Spotted this on Tuune – another brilliant video from the YouTube pioneers, here enlisting a car to play the song on carefully-positioned instruments and noisemakers. You can, should you wish, download that version separately and independently from the studio take listed here…
31 — Scissor Sisters — Only the Horses
32 — Jessie Ware — Wildest Moments
> Ware? Right here. Ithangyew.
33 — The Maccabees — Pelican
34 — Cosmo Jarvis — Love This
35 — Everything Everything — Cough Cough
> Man alive, they’re back. Next single ‘Kemosabe’ is even better, but while it got some airplay at the butt-end of 2012 it’s not officially released until this month (January), so there’s one slot in next year’s chart sorted if I do this again…
36 — Ladyhawke — Black White & Blue
> First heard this while sat outside New Look in Dartford, eating my lunch. Beat that.
37 — Maximo Park — Hips and Lips
38 — Public Enemy — Harder Than You Think
> If putting a track technically from 2011 in here agonised me, here’s one that definitely probably shouldn’t be in a best-of-2012 list given its release in 2007; however, this cut from the rap kingpins gains its place thanks to its role in the C4 coverage of the Paralympics, which was one of my favourite things about an otherwise-grotty 2012…
39 — Stooshe — Black Heart
> Proper big billowy Motownish harmony pop from the girls, and if Stooshe’s young fans start investigating the Dionne Warwick/Petula Clark backcatalogue as a result that’s no bad thing…
40 — Fang Island — Sisterly
41 — Yellowcard — Here I Am Alive
> One of those arms-aloft, roof-down tunes – always good to have some of these in the chart…
42 — Taylor Swift — We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
> The more-than-acceptable face of country pop returns with another quirky chart stomper, her noticeable twang now drenched in cheeky pop sensibilities on one of the earworms of the year, and a track which broke records with the ferocity at which it was downloaded.
43 — Lower Than Atlantis — Deadliest Catch
> It’s clear that those punky sods LTA have been one of my bands of the year, innit? Didn’t put their Christmas single on here as it was a fun festive one-off rather than part of the proper campaign (and would’ve made the numbers go funny), but I loved that too.
44 — Example — Say Nothing
45 — Admiral Fallow — The Paper Trench
46 — Two Door Cinema Club — Sleep Alone
47 — Run From Robots — Wolf Spider
48 — Daley ft. Jessie J — Remember Me
> You should know by now I like covers (even Marcus Collins’ take on Seven Nation Army came close to hitting this chart) and here’s a 90s rave anthem reworked by the Gorillaz collaborator and the Price Tag-toter in unison. Yes, even the geng-geng-g-geng bits.
49 — Labrinth — Last Time
50 — Birdy — 1901
> Yeah, another cover, but this blissy version of the recent-classic from Phoenix proved how a song can be reworked almost completely without losing the magic. Nice work.
51 — Kids Unique — Love Tunnel
52 — Coldplay feat. Rihanna — Princess of China
> Clash of the chart titans, as the Brit guitar band it’s still OK to like team up with Barbados’ own industry-owner, allowing Ms. Fenty to continue her near-uninterrupted chart reign of recent years.
53 — Wretch 32 feat. Ed Sheeran — Hush Little Baby
54 — Andy Grammer — Fine By Me
> Couple of minutes of inoffensive, plinky-plonk, early-Maroon 5-ish pop. Nowt wrong with that, and useful to clean the ear-palate after some heavy bangers.
55 — Pink — Try
> A track with real meaning and a great rhythm – Alecia knocks it out the park once again. Just because it burns, doesn’t mean you’re gonna die.
56 — Labrinth ft. Emeli Sande — Beneath Your Beautiful
> Emeli was everywhere in 2012, and this team-up with Lab was a sweet, positive song which proved not all tracks in the ‘urban’ subsector were about gold-diggers in bikinis. More of this sort of thing and I might actually start listening to a bit of R&B…
57 — fun. feat Janelle Monae — We Are Young
> I’ll carry… you home… tonight.
58 — Blur — Under the Westway
> Reunited, albeit briefly, but always good to welcome a stalwart of my CD racks back to action. And this also means they’ve now outlived Oasis, if you’re still keeping score…
59 — alt-J — Something Good
> Mercury Prize-winners, with a song which actually lives up to its name for once…
60 — Paloma Faith — Picking Up the Pieces
61 — Charlotte O’Connor — Treasure Island
> Another one of the several tracks on this list I discovered by tuning into Tuune. I’m so thankful there’s still an outlet for lesser-known artists, not just in indie-rock but also, as here, in wistful soul-pop. Charlotte’s not as well-known as, say, Rihanna, but is well worth your consideration.
62 — Beta Wolf — Domino
63 — Zulu Winter — Silver Tongue
64 — Stubborn Heart — Starting Block
65 — Paul Weller — That Dangerous Age
66 — Vince Kidd — Sick Love
> Heard this on Loaded TV, of all places, as I continued my difficult quest to find places that played non-Rihanna music videos.
67 — We Are Augustines — Chapel Song
68 — Arctic Monkeys — R U Mine?
> Still looking good on the dancefloor, then. Bonus points for the limited-release purple vinyl, but minus points for not making the MP3, which is what I was stuck with, purple too…
69 — Snow Patrol — In The End
70 — Lana del Rey — National Anthem
71 — Dot Rotten — Overload
> Sampling a 90s classic – in this case Robert Miles’ ‘Children’? That’ll buy you a few minutes of my time…
72 — Garbage — Blood For Poppies
73 — Pixie Lott — Kiss The Stars
74 — Keane — Silenced by the Night
75 — Gaz Coombes — Hot Fruit
> Ex-Supergrass man strikes out solo. It’s not ‘Alright’, but it’s alright…
76 — Muse — Survival
> Teignmouth’s finest were roped into the Olympics both as torchbearers and songbearers, though hardly anyone heard this on TV as the Beeb looped their own theme, Elbow’s ‘First Steps’, in the gaps instead…
77 — Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen — Good Time
> ‘Fireflies’ hitmaker Adam (yes, Adam) served up a solid slice of summer pop which picked up plenty of traction as pretty Canadian vocalist Jepsen’s post-‘Call Me Maybe’ project
78 — Vanilla Gorillaz — Wilderbeast
79 — Alex Clare — Too Close
> That song from the Windows advert got under everyone’s skin this year. Apparently including mine. Ah well.
80 — David Guetta ft. Sia — Titanium
> Yeah, one of the big dance tunes of the year, which I briefly found quite bangin’, hampered slightly by being utterly everywhere but boosted by its proper mini-movie of a video. ‘Ave it.

And for those who don’t give a fig about my opinions, and just want hard raw data, here’s the same list all over again, but without my commentaries appended.

1 — The Maccabees — Ayla
2 — Kodaline — All I Want
3 — Haim — Don’t Save Me
4 — Frightened Rabbit — State Hospital
5 — The Temper Trap — Need Your Love
6 — The xx — Angels
7 — Lower Than Atlantis — Love Someone Else
8 — S.C.U.M. — Whitechapel
9 — Muse — Madness
10 — The Cribs — Glitters Like Gold
11 — Rudimental ft. John Newman — Feel The Love
12 — Karmin — Brokenhearted
13 — Dog Is Dead — Teenage Daughter
14 — Ellie Goulding — Anything Could Happen
15 — The Killers — Runaways
16 — Of Monsters and Men — Little Talks
17 — Band of Horses — Feud
18 — Fenech-Soler — All I Know
19 — Two Door Cinema Club — Sun
20 — Spector — Celestine
21 — The Vaccines — Teenage Icon
22 — All American Rejects — Beekeeper’s Daughter
23 — Robbie Williams — Candy
24 — Family of the Year — Diversity
25 — Mull Historical Society — The Lights
26 — Miike Snow — Paddling Out
27 — TOY — Make It Mine
28 — Tanlines — All of Me
29 — Enter Shikari — Warm Smiles Do Not Make You Welcome Here
30 — OK Go — Needing/Getting
31 — Scissor Sisters — Only the Horses
32 — Jessie Ware — Wildest Moments
33 — The Maccabees — Pelican
34 — Cosmo Jarvis — Love This
35 — Everything Everything — Cough Cough
36 — Ladyhawke — Black White & Blue
37 — Maximo Park — Hips and Lips
38 — Public Enemy — Harder Than You Think
39 — Stooshe — Black Heart
40 — Fang Island — Sisterly
41 — Yellowcard — Here I Am Alive
42 — Taylor Swift — We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
43 — Lower Than Atlantis — Deadliest Catch
44 — Example — Say Nothing
45 — Admiral Fallow — The Paper Trench
46 — Two Door Cinema Club — Sleep Alone
47 — Run From Robots — Wolf Spider
48 — Daley ft. Jessie J — Remember Me
49 — Labrinth — Last Time
50 — Birdy — 1901
51 — Kids Unique — Love Tunnel
52 — Coldplay feat. Rihanna — Princess of China
53 — Wretch 32 feat. Ed Sheeran — Hush Little Baby
54 — Andy Grammer — Fine By Me
55 — Pink — Try
56 — Labrinth ft. Emeli Sande — Beneath Your Beautiful
57 — fun. feat Janelle Monae — We Are Young
58 — Blur — Under the Westway
59 — alt-J — Something Good
60 — Paloma Faith — Picking Up the Pieces
61 — Charlotte O’Connor — Treasure Island
62 — Beta Wolf — Domino
63 — Zulu Winter — Silver Tongue
64 — Stubborn Heart — Starting Block
65 — Paul Weller — That Dangerous Age
66 — Vince Kidd — Sick Love
67 — We Are Augustines — Chapel Song
68 — Arctic Monkeys — R U Mine?
69 — Snow Patrol — In The End
70 — Lana del Rey — National Anthem
71 — Dot Rotten — Overload
72 — Garbage — Blood For Poppies
73 — Pixie Lott — Kiss The Stars
74 — Keane — Silenced by the Night
75 — Gaz Coombes — Hot Fruit
76 — Muse — Survival
77 — Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen — Good Time
78 — Vanilla Gorillaz — Wilderbeast
79 — Alex Clare — Too Close
80 — David Guetta ft. Sia — Titanium

There’ll be another of my big scribbly ones along in a few weeks, though I am planning to change the way I do this in the longer term. For the moment though, thanks very much for listening, and goodbye!