Best Rock Albums Of 2012

Best Rock Albums Of 2012

Feature Photo: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Our Best Rock Albums of 2012 list presents a sensational line-up of albums including a top 10 from artists that mostly originated in the 60s and 70s. Only one band in our top 10 did not get their start in either the decades of the 1960s or 1970s. While Audioslave may have originated in the 2000s, their sound though has always been inspired by 70s bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. The rest of the top 10 is presented by great new studio album releases by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Heart, Rush, Donald Fagan, Aerosmith, the return of David Lee Roth singing lead vocals for Van Halen, and even a new one from The Beach Boys. Now that’s what you call an impressive top 10 for a 21st-century year in music.

The Best Rock Albums of 2012 list is also represented by three new Green Day albums, a new Lynyrd Skynyrd record,  a new Kiss album, and another fantastic album from Van Morrison who just keeps releasing new music every year. Modern bands like Garbage, No Doubt, The Killers, and many more all continued to grow their younger fan bases by releasing hot new albums. In the need, 2012 was a great year for rock fans of all ages.

# 50 –  Port of Morrow – The Shins

Port of Morrow - The Shins

# 49 – Koi No Yokan – Deftones

Koi No Yokan - Deftones

# 48 – The 2nd Law – Muse

The 2nd Law - Muse

# 47 – Dark AdrenalineLacuna Coil

Dark Adrenaline - Lacuna Coil

# 46 –  Glad All OverThe Wallflowers

Glad All Over - The Wallflowers

# 45 – Push and ShoveNo Doubt

Push and Shove - No Doubt

# 44 – Battle BornThe Killers

Battle Born - The Killers

# 43 – Silver Age – Bob Mould

Silver Age - Bob Mould

# 42 – Dark Roots of EarthTestament

Dark Roots of Earth - Testament

# 41 – Rooster Rag Little Feat

Rooster Rag - Little Feat

# 40 – The View from the Bottom – Lit

The View from the Bottom - Lit

# 39 – Reign of Terror – Sleigh Bells

Reign of Terror - Sleigh Bells

# 38 – Apocalyptic LoveSlash

Apocalyptic Love - Slash

# 37 – Choice of WeaponThe Cult

# 36 – New HorizonsFlyleaf

New Horizons - Flyleaf

# 35 – The Afterman: AscensionCoheed and Cambria

The Afterman: Ascension - Coheed and Cambria

# 34 – Delayed Reaction Soul Asylum

Delayed Reaction - Soul Asylum

# 33 – Living ThingsLinkin Park

Living Things - Linkin Park

# 32 – Get What You GiveThe Ghost Inside

Get What You Give - The Ghost Inside

# 31 – The Strange Case Of…Halestorm

The Strange Case Of... - Halestorm

# 30 – Oceania – The Smashing Pumpkins

Oceania - The Smashing Pumpkins

# 29 – Born and RaisedJohn Mayer

Born and Raised - John Mayer

# 28 –  Old Ideas – Leonard Cohen

Old Ideas - Leonard Cohen

# 27 – Away from the WorldDave Matthews Band

Away from the World - Dave Matthews Band

# 26 – Charmer – Aimee Mann

Charmer - Aimee Mann

# 25 – Monster – Kiss

Monster - Kiss

# 24 – Uno! – Green Day

Uno! - Green Day

# 23 – ¡Tré! – Green Day

¡Tré! - Green Day

# 22 –  The Lumineers – The Lumineers

The Lumineers - The Lumineers

# 21 – Last of a Dyin’ BreedLynyrd Skynyrd

Last of a Dyin' Breed - Lynyrd Skynyrd

# 20 – ¡Dos!Green Day

¡Dos! - Green Day

# 19 – Havoc and Bright Lights Alanis Morissette

Havoc and Bright Lights - Alanis Morissette

# 18 – The Soul Sessions Vol. 2Joss Stone

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 - Joss Stone

# 17 – Not Your Kind of PeopleGarbage

Not Your Kind of People - Garbage

# 16 – Bring It On HomeJoan Osborne

Bring It On Home - Joan Osborne

# 15 – Blunderbuss – Jack White

Blunderbuss - Jack White

# 14 – Ringo 2012Ringo Starr

Ringo 2012 - Ringo Starr

# 13 – Handwritten – The Gaslight Anthem

Handwritten - The Gaslight Anthem

# 12 – Born to Sing: No Plan BVan Morrison

Born to Sing: No Plan B - Van Morrison

# 11 – The Idler Wheel…Fiona Apple

The Idler Wheel... - Fiona Apple

# 10 – That’s Why God Made the Radio – The Beach Boys

That’s Why God Made the Radio - The Beach Boys

# 9 –  Fanatic – Heart

Fanatic - Heart

# 8 – Clockwork Angels – Rush

Clockwork Angels - Rush

# 7 – Sunken Condos – Donald Fagen

Sunken Condos - Donald Fagen

# 6 – King Animal – Soundgarden

King Animal - Soundgarden

# 5 –  Psychedelic Pill – Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Psychedelic Pill - Neil Young & Crazy Horse

# 4 – Music from Another Dimension!Aerosmith

Music from Another Dimension! - Aerosmith

# 3 –  Tempest – Bob Dylan

Tempest - Bob Dylan

# 2 – Wrecking Ball – Bruce Springsteen

Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

# 1 – A Different Kind Of Truth – Van Halen

A Different Kind Of Truth - Van Halen

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