It is that time of year again where I put together a list of my favorite songs of 2012.  This year was a tough year to get the sequencing (the fine art of placing songs in a particular order) down because sonically there was a lot of great R&B that sounded very similar.  

I did my best to break it up but Frank Ocean and the Weeknd had to make the list.

I hope you enjoy and please share with anyone who is a music lover.  Start a conversation, argue over a track, tell me what I missed but above all – have a music filled holiday season.

Macklemore “Thrift Shop” – Travis Piccard and Jason Prinzo sent this to me within a week of one another and upon one listen knew there was something special.  Then when I got a hold of the album I was blown away.  If you have not listened to “The Heist” go do that immediately.

Silversun Pickups “Make Believe” – Neck of the Woods was one of my favorite records out this year and while a lot of the songs resonated with me, the syncopated beat of this track stuck with me all year so “Make Believe” makes the list.

The Weeknd “High For This” – If you are not hip to the Weeknd, Trilogy might be a lot to take in all at once but each song is crafted in a way that is both mesmerizing and haunting.  Miguel may have the reigns right now at radio but The Weeknd won’t be far behind in 2013.

Sleigh Bells “Comeback Kid” – Here is the deal, if you are not a fan of this relentless wall of noise with sticky sweet vocals; I think you owe it another listen.  They are brilliant on this record and brilliant live.  If you have a chance to catch them, you should.

Nas “Daughters” – I remember telling Dan Hill that when this record came out, I felt later in the year it would have a profound meaning for me and after Evelyn was born – this song made a lot more sense.  While I have never been to jail, shot anyone, or dealt drugs…I still may kill her first boyfriend out of spite.

Of Monsters and Men “Little Talks” – No playlist of mine is complete without a trip to Iceland, so here we go.  Between the E.P. and the album again this was a tough choice but the story going on in “Little Talks” is intriguing and mildly creepy.

Schoolboy Q  “Hands on the Wheel” – So this is a very meta track because you have Lissie singing the hook of Kid Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness while Schoolboy Q and A$AP Rocky kill it lyrically and while Rocky’s Goldie is great, in the end this song won out.

Metric “Youth Without Youth” – Another brilliant release from the Canadians celebrating their 14^th year performing.

Chiddy Bang “Ray Charles” – I love these guys, more specifically I love Xaphoon Jones as he is one of the best producers in modern music.  Unfortunately, these guys have not gotten the break they deserve but that is the game, now go enjoy some Breakfast.

Atlas Genius “Trojans” – I am anxiously awaiting the full album from these guys but for now the E.P. has kept me satisfied.

Frank Ocean “Pyramids” – I was in a band in college and we messed around with the ability to mic the singer from the back of their head while they sang downward into a sink to get some natural reverb, so when I hear interesting recording tricks like looping the backbeat backwards I am instantly interested.  Add to that you being one part of the most notorious modern hip hop outfit on Earth – who happens to be a brilliant song writer I am all in.

Walk The Moon “Lisa Baby” – Walk the Moon was a band I had to get into because I hated Anna Sun, but the rest of the record is terrific and I am glad I took the time to check it out.  I dig the lyrics and overall sexiness for Lisa Baby as the song almost ungulates to the beat which I find cool.

 The Neighbourhood “Sweater Weather” – This was a lucky find this year and one I hope you have not heard and enjoy as much as I did the first time I heard it.

Soundgarden “Non-state Actor” – Soundgarden is back!

Beach House “Myth” – There are just songs that for one reason or another remind you of a time and place and this song just seems very comfortable and chill to me and I have spent a lot of time with the Beach House record writing lesson plans or just hanging around the house.

Lupe Fiasco “Around My Way” – My hope is Lupe isn’t really walking away from the game because there are some great tracks on Food and Liquor II, Around My Way is one of them and Battle Scars is starting to take on a life of its own at radio.  So, here is to another “Superstar” for Lupe.

Alabama Shakes “ Hang Loose” – Another kick ass band out of Athens, Georgia

Kanye West “Clique” – Cruel Summer was another brilliant outing by G.O.O.D Music and just about every track could have made the list but Clique and New God Flow were my two favs.  When do we get Cruel Winter?

Lana Del Rey “National Anthem” – Did she have a terrible outing on SNL?  Absolutely.  But that doesn’t take away the power of the record for me and this song is just brilliant.

Kendrick Lamar “Swimming Pools” – Why did Detox not come out THIS year?  Well, you can blame that on Kendrick but if you are fan of the Dre sound then you are probably good for another 12 months because this album lived up to the hype.  The concept is dope and Kendrick is everything the Game never was.

The XX “Sunset” – The second album Coexist is a great as the first, inspired by the band’s love of club music it has a cool vibe to it.

Civil Twilight “Fire Escape” – This song was sent to my inbox and while I normally take a minute to listen to random things sent to my inbox, I played it right away and fell in love with the sound.  The album is okay but this track is far and away the breakout of the bunch.

Ray Stinnett “You Make Me – Feel” – I literally know nothing about Ray other than someone found it and shared it on Spotify and I fell in love.  An awesome old school sound and I dig the guy’s voice.  Music discovery is a powerful thing.

Japandroids “The House that Heaven Built” – I LOVE this record, it is beautiful in its simplicity.

Mumford and Sons “The Boxer” – I have to have a cover on the playlist and what better than the brilliant cover of the Simon and Garfunkel classic “The Boxer”