MuchMusic.com

Lauren’s top 5 albums of 2012:

5. fun. – Some Nights

This album reminds me of a futuristic Broadway show and its solid, quirky anthems make me feel like partying. fun. had one of the biggest songs of the year with “We Are Young” and won me over immediately. But it’s the title track “Some Nights” that wins for my fave song on the album because when I listen to it, it just makes me feel like I’m drinking in a bar with the whole band and my best friends and we’re having the time of our lives.

Top Track: “Some Nights”

4. Kanye West – GOOD Music Presents: Cruel Summer

The opening of Kanye’s GOOD Music compilation is “To the World” featuring R. Kelly and I love it. Putting your middle fingers up to the world seems too easy on one hand, but somehow they make it poetic. That’s R. Kelly for you! From then on you’re in with Kanye and his crew on a musical journey. For me it completes an unintentional trilogy that all started with Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy followed by Jay-Z and Kanye’s Watch The Throne and Cruel Summer is the epic ending.

Top Track: “To the World”

3. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist

My new obsession is Macklemore & Ryan Lewis…they are a match made in music heaven and their collaboration album The Heist is one helluva masterpiece. These dudes have drive and dedication and the songs on The Heist prove their work ethic is unlike anyone else in hip hop or in all of pop music for that matter. Not to mention Ben and Ryan have done everything themselves from their web design, CD packaging, photography, and music video direction. “Ten Thousand Hours” is the opening track and my fave on the album – and I’m sure they’ve put in way more hours than that to make their dreams a reality. Look out because Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are taking over!

Top Track: “Ten Thousand Hours”

2. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick’s album had so much hype and expectation riding on it from fans and critics alike. I just wanted so badly for it to be the best thing I had heard in a long time. And it is. There are basically no hip hop albums of recent years that I listen to all the way through. But Kendrick’s good kid m.A.A.d city holds you. It’s hard to pick just one favorite song, but if I have to, it would be “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe.”

Top Track: “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe”

1. Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE

Frank Ocean had a breakthrough year and is no doubt the most talked about artist of 2012. He broke new ground in so many ways and channel ORANGE is taking the number one spot on every “best of” list out there. He deserves every bit of praise. I am truly addicted to this album and I’m really, really addicted to “Crack Rock”. Luckily it’s just a song.

Top Track: “Crack Rock”