2012 felt like a particularly good year for music. There were new artists who established themselves as more than just hype and familiar names who proved to be as vital as ever. No matter what your listening preferences are, whether it’s futuristic R&B, hardcore punk, or Top 40 pop, it seemed like every month saw the release of an album or two that demanded your attention. There was so much good music this year that cutting our list of favorite records down to 10 (even after tacking on an Honorary Mention spot) was much harder than we thought it would be. Albums that would've made it any other year — Chairlift's “Something,” Grimes' “Visions,” and Killer Mike's “R.A.P. Music” — failed to make the cut. But that’s just a testament to the quality of this year's releases.

To see what albums and EPs made ARTINFO’s Top 10 of 2012, click on the slideshow.