25. Strife - Witness a Rebirth
This album makes tha list based purely on it sounding like a Strife album and tha numetal credentials of Marc Rizzo guest appearances. Strife was always ahead of tha curve and in 2012 they sound more relevant than ever.
24. Sleigh Bells - Reign of Terror
Tha dichotomy between tha crunching guitars and pop grace on this album is awesome and they really hone their craft with what was started on their last release.
23. Grimes - Visions
My obsession with cybergoth brought me to Grimes' video for tha song "Genesis" (which is tha most cybergoth shit I've ever SEEN) and at first came off as a novelty to me but really this album is dense in layers of different moods and atmospheres that really are pretty cool and more than just a cyborg pop gimmick.
22. Xibalba - Hasta La Muerte
21. Minus tha Bear - Infinity Overhead
20. Every Time I Die - Ex-Lives
19. Insane Clown Posse - Tha Mighty Death Pop
18. Dirty Ghosts - Metal Moon
17. Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity
Cattle Decapitation are legends at this point in their career and could easily rest on their laurels but this might be tha best in their discography. Tha riffs are catchy, tha lyrics skip from animal liberation to casting spells, and tha songs feel more brutal than ever. Best metal album of tha year by far.
16. Propagandhi - Failed States
15. Stone Sour - House of Gold and Bones, Part 1
I never liked Stone Sour before and always saw it as one of tha weaker Slipknot side projects especially compared to Murderdolls and I was right but a few albums deep they have finally NAILED it. This album is so impressive between tha songwriting and textures that it makes everything else they'd been doing prior like a demo. Excited to hear if they can keep up tha momentum with Part 2 in 2013.
14. Big K.R.I.T. - Live from tha Underground
13. Cher Lloyd - Sticks + Stones
12. Papa Roach - Tha Connection
Papa Roach's early work, namely "Infest" was huge for me in my early years but I really hadn't been able to connect (get it?) with their last 2 or 3 albums. With "Tha Connection" they added a slight, tasteful electronic element to tha music which isn't overpowering but is enough to give them a fresh take on what they had been kind of phoning in tha past few years. Anthemic choruses and uptempo instrumentals add to it to make songs like "Still Swinging" some of tha best of tha year.
11. Twiztid - Abominationz
10. Bridgit Mendler - Hello My Name Is...
9. Fabolous - S.O.U.L. Tape 2
8. Carly Rae Jepsen - Kiss
Yeah, you assholes pretend you didn't sing along to "Call Me Maybe" all summer.
7. Loztprophetz - Weapons
Loztprophetz have always been one of my favorite bands. "Weapons" combines tha raw take "Fakesoundofprogres", the brilliant riffs of "Start Something", and tha pop sensibility of "Revolution Transmission" and really plays on all their strengths.
6. Birthday Massacre - Hide and Seek
5. Game - Jesus Piece
Somewhat of a concept album, Game shows a mellower side production-wise on this album but he's as aggressive and hungry as ever. Almost every single song features at least one guest appearance which I at first was turned off by but it actually gives each track a fresh feel.
4. Deftones - Koi No Yokan
3. Linkin Park - Living Things
Linkin Park isn't one of my favorite bands yet I truly feel they are tha best band in tha world. They are completely aware of their abilities and strengths and execute tha sound they want to. They've never put out a bad song...they've put out songs I don't LIKE...but not ones that are bad. Living Things may very well be their greatest album. Nothing will ever touch tha right place right time perfection of Hybrid Theory but this is LP hitting their stride.
2. G.O.O.D. Music - Cruel Summer
1. Ke$ha - Warrior
Like there was any chance of any other album being my number one. Ke$ha is tha best artist out today, period. You can't convince me otherwise. She has infectious pop songs that are fun and serious when they need to be but most importantly RELATABLE. No, fuck that; most importantly POSITIVE. ENCOURAGING. Music illicits emotion. Tha world is fucked up. Warrior makes me feel like I can win and that is why it's my #1 album of 2012.
