Though there were a lot of great albums released throughout the entire year, it seemed that the biggest concentration of great albums were found in the early summer and early fall. Among releases mentioned earlier in the list, those such as Walk The Moon, Best Coast, and The Temper Trap stood out as superior summer releases, while The Script, Matchbox Twenty, and P!nk got their turns in my playlist when the leaves turned outdoors. In these next ten albums, comprising numbers 30 through 21 in my year-end list, many of the artists represented were the soundtracks to my summer semester at school and the beginning of my junior year.

Continue reading “Kurt’s Favorite Albums of 2012: #30–21”

The second set of my favorite albums from 2012 is a good musical microcosm of my overall tastes this year. The ten albums that follow, ranking from #40 to #31, showcase a mixed bag of indie rock, mainstream alternative, a massive pop band, a splash of country, and a bit of jazz as well. I have grown to listen to new music without as much predetermined judgment based on genre as I did in my younger years, and it has led to a greater appreciation for a large number of different artists.

Continue reading “Kurt’s Favorite Albums of 2012: #40–31”

2012 has brought a lot of new music for me to discover and enjoy, from a multitude of genres and artists. This year marked a conscious shift in my tastes from typical teenage pop/rock to an expansion that included practically all genres, from folk and blues to hip-hop and R&B. There’s a whole lot of great music out there, and being open to all different types and artists has allowed me to discover many more gems than I have in previous years. This year alone, I listened to at least 100 new albums and EPs from veterans and beginners alike, finding many new artists to champion and new music to put on my ever-expanding playlists. Many of these new discoveries were rewarding, with some of my favorite releases of 2012 coming from artists who were completely unknown to me beforehand. This week, I’m sharing fifty of my favorite albums of the year, with the hope that you will find something new to discover and enjoy as well as the year comes to a close. The list kicks off today with albums #50 through #41.

Continue reading “Kurt’s Favorite Albums of 2012: #50–41”