It's December, and you know what that means... the holiday season is here. Before you're bombarded with an earful of holiday cheer (we can hear the echoes of "Jingle Bell Rock" in our heads), we want to offer you a glimpse into some of the finer musical stylings that 2012 had to offer.

And who better to offer their takes on this year's cream of the crop than the folks behind the the mics? We asked the on-air staff to come up with their picks for 2012, and the result is an eclectic take on what our staff was digging this year. That's right, we've got a run down of the musical can't-misses from the past year, just in time to add them to your holiday wish list. So just what was it that struck the fancy of your beloved KGSR jocks this year? You'll just have to read on to find out!

Kristen

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1.Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel... 

2.Alex Clare - The Lateness of the Hour

3.Fionn Regan - The Bunkhouse Vol 1: Anchor Black Tattoo

4. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

5. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

6.Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

7. The Eastern Sea - Plague

8. Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

9.Sara Bareilles - Once Upon a Time EP

10.No Doubt - Push & Shove 

 

 

Andy

Top 20 Albums of 2012

(In no particular order)

Heartless Bastards - Arrow

Lyle Lovett - Release Me

Ben Kweller - Go Fly A Kite

Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

Elle King - the Elle King EP

Rhett Miller - The Dreamer

Jack White - Blunderbuss

Kat Edmonson - Way Down Low

Dr. John - Locked Down

Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

Walkmen - Heaven

Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten

Thenewno2 - thefearofmissingout

Cat Power - Sun

Japandroids - Celebration Rock 

Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love this Giant

Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day

 

Loris

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

2. The Black Keys - El Camino

3. Patti Smith - Banga   

4. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls 

5. Best Coast - The Only Place

6. Bonnie Raitt - Slipstream

7.Dr. John - Locked Down

8. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

9. Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal

10. Mumford and Sons - Babel

 

 

Kelly Jordan

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Mumford and Sons - Babel

2. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

3. Bruno Mars - Unorthodox Jukebox

4. Fun. - Some Nights

5. Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

6. Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal

7. Ed Sheeran - +

8. Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire

9. Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

10. Phillip Phillips - World from the Side of the Moon 

 

 

Autumn

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1.Walt Wilkins - Plenty

2. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

3. Father John Misty - Fear Fun

4. Seth Walker - Time Can Change

5. Autumn Boukadakis - Low & Sweet

6. Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal

7. Tempest - Bob Dylan

8. Alabama Shakes - Boys & Girls 

9. Mumford and Sons - Babel

10. Justin Beiber - Believe

 

Kelly

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1.Santigold - Master of My Make-Believe

2. Yeasayer - Fragrant World

3.Twin Shadow - Confess

4. Walk the Moon - Walk the Moon

5.No Doubt - Push & Shove 

6.Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

7.  Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

8. Hot Chip - In Our Heads

9. Mumford and Sons - Babel

10. Geographer - Myth

 

 

Forrest

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1.Shovels and Rope - O’ Be Joyful 

2. Dinosaur Jr. - I Bet On Sky

3. Kat Edmonson - Way Down Low

4. OFF! - OFF!

5.  Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

6.Mission of Burma - Unsound

7. Cat Power - Sun

8. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

9. Father John Misty - Fear Fun

10. Regina Spektor - What We Saw From the Cheap Seats

 

 

Randall

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Mumford and Sons - Babel

2. Ryan Bingham - Tomorrowland

3. Fun. - Some Nights

4. Willie Nelson - Heroes

5. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

6. Of Monsters and Men - My Head is an Animal

7. The Lumineers - The Lumineers

6.Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

9. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Here

10. Trampled By Turtles - Stars and Satellites

 

 

Barbara Jo

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Mumford and Sons - Babel

2. Avett Brothers - The Carpenter

3. Willie Nelson - Heroes

4. Gary Clark Jr. - Blak and Blu

5. The Dunwells - Blind Sighted Faith

6. Brandi Carlile - Bear Creek

7. The Killers - Battle Born

8. Keane - Strangeland

9.  Snow Patrol - Fallen Empire

10. Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

 

 

Roger

Top 10 Albums of 2012

1. Willie Nelson - Heroes

2. South Austin Moonlighters - Live at the Saxon

3. Beaver Nelson - Macro/Micro

4. Trishas - High, Wide and Handsome

5. Uncle Lucius - and you are me

6. Kat Edmonson - Way Down Low

7. Ray Wylie Hubbard - The Grifter’s Hymnal

8. Bill Kirchen - Word to the Wise

9.  Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell - Kin

10. Graham Weber - Women