Best albums of 2012
A concept album about one day in Compton, and a coming-out record disguised as a soul album, released months apart from the same Los Angeles orbit. Trap production crossed into pop the same year and has not left the charts since.
According to Riffiter listeners, the best album of 2012 is 1999 by Joey Bada$$, rated 4.5/5 by 25 listeners.
- 2
11ta Stock SoundKurdo · 20124.4 score · 4.5 avg · 13 ratings4.44.5 avg · 13 ratings
- 3
LonerismTame Impala · 20124.4 score · 4.5 avg · 20 ratings4.44.5 avg · 20 ratings
- 4
Vows RemixesKimbra · 20124.3 score · 4.7 avg · 5 ratings4.34.7 avg · 5 ratings
- 5
The Money StoreDeath Grips · 20124.3 score · 4.4 avg · 15 ratings4.34.4 avg · 15 ratings
- 6
Curdled MilkNicole Dollanganger · 20124.3 score · 4.8 avg · 3 ratings4.34.8 avg · 3 ratings
- 7
5280Russ · 20124.3 score · 4.8 avg · 3 ratings4.34.8 avg · 3 ratings
- 8
Holiday at Lake Bodom: 15 Years of Wasted YouthChildren of Bodom · 20124.3 score · 4.8 avg · 3 ratings4.34.8 avg · 3 ratings
- 9
The Wörld Is Ours, Vol. 2 (Anyplace Crazy as Anywhere Else)Motörhead · 20124.3 score · 4.8 avg · 3 ratings4.34.8 avg · 3 ratings
- 10
Koi No YokanDeftones · 20124.3 score · 4.4 avg · 18 ratings4.34.4 avg · 18 ratings
- 11
Mit KKraftklub · 20124.3 score · 4.5 avg · 7 ratings4.34.5 avg · 7 ratings
- 12
channel ORANGEFrank Ocean · 20124.2 score · 4.3 avg · 120 ratings4.24.3 avg · 120 ratings
- 13
Little Broken HeartsNorah Jones · 20124.2 score · 4.6 avg · 4 ratings4.24.6 avg · 4 ratings
- 14
Live 2012Coldplay · 20124.2 score · 4.2 avg · 266 ratings4.24.2 avg · 266 ratings
- 15
PlutoFuture · 20124.2 score · 4.4 avg · 7 ratings4.24.4 avg · 7 ratings
- 16
2Mac DeMarco · 20124.2 score · 4.5 avg · 5 ratings4.24.5 avg · 5 ratings
- 17
Lillie: F-65Saint Vitus · 20124.2 score · 4.5 avg · 5 ratings4.24.5 avg · 5 ratings
- 18
BelieveJustin Bieber · 20124.2 score · 4.3 avg · 28 ratings4.24.3 avg · 28 ratings
- 19
Advaitic SongsOm · 20124.2 score · 4.7 avg · 3 ratings4.24.7 avg · 3 ratings
- 20
Sugaring SeasonBeth Orton · 20124.2 score · 4.7 avg · 3 ratings4.24.7 avg · 3 ratings
- 21
good kid, m.A.A.d cityKendrick Lamar · 20124.2 score · 4.2 avg · 668 ratings4.24.2 avg · 668 ratings
- 22
Of Breath and BoneBe'lakor · 20124.2 score · 4.4 avg · 7 ratings4.24.4 avg · 7 ratings
- 23
ReloadedRoc Marciano · 20124.2 score · 4.4 avg · 7 ratings4.24.4 avg · 7 ratings
- 24
Days Go ByThe Offspring · 20124.2 score · 4.4 avg · 5 ratings4.24.4 avg · 5 ratings
- 25
TrickAlex G · 20124.2 score · 4.2 avg · 202 ratings4.24.2 avg · 202 ratings
- 26
Get What You GiveThe Ghost Inside · 20124.2 score · 4.5 avg · 3 ratings4.24.5 avg · 3 ratings
- 27
An Awesome Wavealt-J · 20124.2 score · 4.5 avg · 3 ratings4.24.5 avg · 3 ratings
- 28
Get DisownedHop Along · 20124.2 score · 4.5 avg · 3 ratings4.24.5 avg · 3 ratings
- 29
Apocalyptic LoveSlash · 20124.1 score · 4.4 avg · 4 ratings4.14.4 avg · 4 ratings
- 30
Uno...Dos...Tré!Green Day · 20124.1 score · 4.4 avg · 4 ratings4.14.4 avg · 4 ratings
- 31
City CobraChakuza · 20124.1 score · 4.4 avg · 4 ratings4.14.4 avg · 4 ratings
- 32
Murdered LoveP.O.D. · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 8 ratings4.14.3 avg · 8 ratings
- 33
Born To Die - The Paradise EditionLana Del Rey · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 8 ratings4.14.3 avg · 8 ratings
- 34
Up All Night: The Live TourOne Direction · 20124.1 score · 4.2 avg · 17 ratings4.14.2 avg · 17 ratings
- 35
BloomBeach House · 20124.1 score · 4.2 avg · 10 ratings4.14.2 avg · 10 ratings
- 36
Jake BuggJake Bugg · 20124.1 score · 4.1 avg · 25 ratings4.14.1 avg · 25 ratings
- 37
The Strange Case of...Halestorm · 20124.1 score · 4.2 avg · 7 ratings4.14.2 avg · 7 ratings
- 38
Reign SupremeDying Fetus · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 39
MonolithSylosis · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 40
Let the Fire BurnArt of Dying · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 41
The Manticore and Other HorrorsCradle of Filth · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 42
Old SchoolAlice Cooper · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 43
Samen SoloRoxeanne Hazes · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 44
KU:PALMPhotek · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 45
SomethingChairlift · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 46
The Best of Us BleedCryptopsy · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings4.14.3 avg · 3 ratings
- 47
TrilogyThe Weeknd · 20124.1 score · 4.1 avg · 183 ratings4.14.1 avg · 183 ratings
- 48
Love / Art MemoirsAlex Isley · 20124.1 score · 4.3 avg · 4 ratings4.14.3 avg · 4 ratings
- 49
House of Gold & Bones, Part 1Stone Sour · 20124.1 score · 4.1 avg · 18 ratings4.14.1 avg · 18 ratings
- 50
Wild OnesFlo Rida · 20124.1 score · 4.2 avg · 5 ratings4.14.2 avg · 5 ratings
Disagree with the ranking?
Rate these albums and the chart reshuffles around the community. Or collect your own pick of them into a list or tier.
Build a list or tier of your ownBest albums of 2012 by genre
The genres that carried the period here, each with what listeners rate highest inside it.
Best Rock albums of 2012
1,096 albums from 2012
Best Hip-Hop albums of 2012
835 albums from 2012
Best Electronic albums of 2012
721 albums from 2012
Best Pop albums of 2012
712 albums from 2012
Best Jazz albums of 2012
544 albums from 2012
The artists of 2012
Everyone who put a record out then, ordered by how listeners rate their catalog rather than by that one release.
2012, month by month
Not everything that came out, just where the weight fell. Some months carried a year; some were quiet and worth knowing about.
January
August
September
FAQ
- What are the best albums of 2012?
- On Riffiter, the highest-rated album of 2012 is 1999 by Joey Bada$$ (4.5/5). The ranking below orders the year's releases by community rating.
- How is the 2012 ranking decided?
- By Riffiter listeners. Each album's community rating sets its place. Until a release has enough ratings, its popularity stands in, and the order shifts as more people rate.
- Does the best-of-2012 list change?
- Yes. It's built from live community ratings, so the order updates as people rate 2012 releases. The page refreshes a few times a day.






























