Album Power Rankings 2012

And on the 200th day of 2012, the Power Rankings returned! I must admit, I don't quite remember how my ranking system worked. Was it based on my personal favorites? What I was playing the most? What I felt was, artistically, amazing and needed to be highlighted? Perhaps it was a combination of all of these. At least that's my hope, because that is what I am going with on this edition.

First: a few Honorable Mentions. They are just off the board at the moment, but this being the first week of rankings means they are certainly candidates to jump onto the leader board.


Dreamchasers 2: Meek Mill
Live From the Underground: Big KRIT
Pineapple Now & Later: BJ The Chicago Kid
Habits & Contradictions: Schoolboy Q
Welcome to the Fishbowl: Kenny Chesney


10. Lookin 4 Myself: Usher

The lone pop entry on the list. I'd be lying if I said "Scream" isn't my summer jam for 2012. And the Pharrell assisted "Twisted" is a blueprint to making a good pop song.

09. Port of Morrow: The Shins

Its been a couple years since that Broken Bells album was released, so we were due for some new music from the Shins frontman. Port of Morrow doesn't disappoint. I bet this album would sound great in Natalie Portman's giant headphones.

08. Blunderbuss: Jack White

I've never been a big Jack White/White Stripes fan, but this album straight up rocks.

07. Bloom: Beach House

The indie special on the Power Rankings. Beach House's latest is also their best.

06. RAP Music: Killer Mike

Until a week ago, this was the best hip-hop album I had heard from 2012. Killer Mike attacks the mic with so much aggression and intensity, you become genuinely worried he might be in the room with you. Good thing his lyrics are much deeper than his name would suggest.

05. Celebration Rock: Japandroids

I can't put my finger on what it is about the Japandroids that I like, but I like them. They rock really hard for a band made up of only two members. Their lyrics are simple, but its as though they're self aware of that fact and are in on the joke with you. Top rock album in this week's rankings.

04. Born And Raised: John Mayer

Its been WAY too long since we last heard the smooth blues of Mr. John Mayer. Why does he have to keep destroying his vocal chords!? We need to take that Tupac hologram technology and apply it to JM and have hologram him sing and real him just play guitar on stage next to each other. Who wouldn't pay to see that?

03. Uncaged: Zac Brown Band

The next three albums were all released with a week of each other. Talk about an overload of great music. The highest ranked and only country album on our rankings belongs to Zac Brown Band. The group never disappoints, and they are incredibly appealing because their music is a melting pot of American music-- Southern Rock, Folk, Blues, R&B, and of course, Country. Definitely pick this one up.

02. Life Is Good: Nas

Nassir Jones. Nasty Nas. The Don. Esco. Escobar. Nastradamus. I consider him to be the overall best rapper of all time. And his latest album is his best in a decade. Now a older and wiser man, Nas looks back on where he started, where he is today, and the woman he lost along the way. And there is a track with Amy Winehouse on here, as the two were fans of each other. Amazing production paired with the always on point lyrics of Nas, life truly is good with this album in it (see what I did there?). 

01. channel Orange: Frank Ocean

It is going to take something very very special (probably from Kanye) in order to knock this album off the #1 spot this year. I think its near perfect. Frank is a very special artist. No review can capture how I feel about this one. Just go get it.