Before I get into what I deem my "favorites" of 2012, I'd like to preface it with the fact that I have mixed feelings about end of year lists. I do enjoy reflecting, sharing and hearing what others enjoyed this year. But, at the same time, what if I change my mind? What if I hear or see something in January or even December 2013 that came out in 2012 that was better that something I put on my list? So, just as a disclaimer, you should know that these are my favorites as of right now, this very moment in time. I haven't listened to every album or seen every movie that's come out this year. Though, until time travel is possible, my favorite live shows for 2012 is pretty solid. So, here it is...

TORI'S FAVORITES OF 2012.

Albums

Girls & Boys/Alabama Shakes
Lex Hives/The Hives
The Carpenter/The Avett Brothers
Blunderbuss/Jack White
Carry Me Back/Old Crow Medicine Show
The Way We Move/Laghorne Slim
Wilderness/The Features
The Lumineers/The Lumineers
Fear Fun/Father John Misty
The Sheepdogs/The Sheepdogs
Be the Void/Dr. Dog
O' Be Joyful/Shovels and Rope
Heavy Mood/Tilly and the Wall


EPs

Foreign Spells/The Young Evils
Willy Moon EP/Willy Moon
Ahoy!/Punch Brothers
Benchwarmers/Finn Riggins


Live Shows

Jack White
The Hives


Movies

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Liberal Arts
Moonrise Kingdom
Ruby Sparks
Hitchcock
Jiro Dreams of Sushi


And now here's a compilation of good songs from 2012

No big surprises here. Some of my favorite bands and musicians released new music this year, which is always exciting. I haven't posted this due to the nagging feeling that I have forgotten plenty. I am a forgetful person. Also, I keep discovering music. It never ends. However, these are the things that kept me company throughout the year. Thanks, music and things. 
 Love, Christina 

 Favorite 20 Albums (in no particular order, really.) 
 1. Circa Survive- Violent Waves
 2. Benjamin Gibbard- Former Lives
 3. Say Anything- Anarchy, My Dear
 4. Sucre- A Minor Bird 
 5. The Avett Brothers- The Carpenter
 6. Passion Pit- Gossamer
 7. Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do 
8. Sufjan Stevens- Silver & Gold 
9. The Walkmen- Heaven 
10. First Aid Kit- The Lion’s Roar 
11. Anthony Green- Beautiful Things
 12. Good Old War- Come Back as Rain 
13. The Avett Brothers- The Carpenter
 14. Father John Misty- Fear Fun
 15. M. Ward- Wasteland Companion 
16. Best Coast- The Only Place
 17. Titus Andronicus- Local Business
 18. Andrew Bird- Break it Yourself 
19. Bad Books- II
 20. Japandroids- Celebration Rock 

Songs: 
 1. One of my Kind- Conor Oberst 
2. Cry for Judas- Mountain Goats
 3. The Only Place- Best Coast 
4. MariKKKopa- Desaparecidos
 5. Simple Song- The Shins
 6. The North- Stars (both)
 7. Cherokee- Cat Power
 8. Lost River- Murder By Death
 9. 192 Days- Eisley 

 Best new discoveries: 
1. Laura Gibson
 2. St. Vincent 
3. Mutemath
 4. Titus Andronicus 
5. Japandroids
 6. Frank Ocean 

 Favorite TV Shows: 
1. Gossip Girl 
2. New Girl
 3. Ben and Kate 
4. 90210 (Don’t judge me.)
 5. Hart of Dixie 

 Favorite Movies: 
1. Dark Knight Rises
 2. Beginners 
3. Midnight in Paris 
4. Young Adult 
5. Moonrise Kingdom 
6. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 

 Favorite Books (that I read in the last few months…)
 1. The Sea is My Brother- Jack Kerouac 
2. The Marriage Plot- Jeffrey Eugenides
 3. Freedom & The Corrections- Jonathan Franzen 
4. Newlyweds- Nell Freudenberger
 5. Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
 6. Incendiary- Chris Cleave 
7. Interpreter of Maladies- Jhumpa Lahiri
8. Plainsong- Kent Haruf

1. Heaven - The Walkmen
2. Fear Fun - Father John Misty
3. The Carpenter - The Avett Brothers
4. S/T - Hospitality
5. Mirage Rock - Band of Horses
6. The Lion's Roar - First Aid Kit
7. Break it Yourself - Andrew Bird
8. II - Bad Books
9. Mariqopa - Damien Jurado
10. Gossamer - Passion Pit
11. Former Lives - Benjamin Gibbard
12. Local Business - Titus Andronicus 
13. Ten Stories - mewithoutYou
14. The Idler Wheel... - Fiona Apple
15. The North - Stars

1. One of My Kind - Conor Oberst and the MVB
2. The Only Place - Best Coast
3. House That Heaven Built - Japandroids
4. We Can't Be Beat - The Walkmen
5. Fun Times in Babylon- Father John Misty
6. Cry For Judas - The Mountain Goats
7. The North - Stars
8. Simple Song - The Shins
9. In a Big City - Titus Andronicus 
10. Runaways - The Killers
11. Emmylou - First Aid Kit
12. Stars - Fun.
13. Lost River - Murder By Death
14. Friendly Advice - Bad Books
15. Take a Walk -  Passion Pit
16. "45" - Gaslight Anthem
17. MariKKKopa - Deciparicidos
18. Hang Loose - Alabama Shakes
19. Cherokee - Cat Power
20. Honeycomb - Animal Collective 

Favorite Music of 2012

Albums

Bloom – Beach House
Moms – Menomena
Heaven – The Walkmen
Slaughterhouse – Ty Segall Band

Songs 

The House That Heaven Built – Japandroids
Hey Jane – Spiritualized
Yet Again – Grizzly Bear
Fete d’Adieu - Deerhoof
Apocalypse Dream – Tame Impala