2012 Recap: Songs of the Year

Now that the calendar has turned over another year, we at Keep Calm and Carry On like to take a step back and look at what the past 52 weeks have brought us. If you haven't taken a look at our respective top 15 lists, you can find Don's and my personal lists to the left of the page. But the best songs of the year don't come from the same album. In fact, some of the best songs weren't even from albums or were from albums that didn't even make our lists. With that said, I have compiled a list of my personal top 30 songs of the year, with a few additions from Don. If you disagree with our list, feel free to tell us below, or share some of your favorite songs so we can check them out.


30.   Me Vs. The Highway- The Wonder Years

The Wonder Years, although they did not release a studio full-length, remained busy as always in 2012. This track, which takes on their road-weariness and a bit of nostalgia, comes from the band’s split 6” with Stay Ahead of the Weather.


29.   We Take Care Of Our Own- Bruce Springsteen

One of the best straightforward rock tracks of the year, “We Take Care Of Our Own”, with the a style that calls back to “Born In The USA” (with bitter, biting verses giving way to an anthemic  “pseudo-patriotic” chorus) proves that The Boss was not only back in 2012, but he was fighting for the 99% as well.


28.   Ambulance- My Chemical Romance

One of the most pleasant surprises of the year, My Chemical Romance released a series of EPs, called Conventional Weapons, of songs that were scrapped before Danger Days. The jewel of the bunch is this rousing Queen-esque semi-ballad from Conventional Weapons 2.


27.   I Will Wait- Mumford And Sons

Don’t go into your first listen of I Will Wait expecting anything other than a classic Mumford and Sons song. “I Will Wait” doesn’t flip the script for what Mumford can do as a band, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the best folk-pop song I heard all year.


26.   Disassemble- Make Do And Mend

The highlight of the mainstream rock leaning Everything You Ever Loved, “Disassemble” is a fiery blast of energy, with frontman James Carroll growling over top of a frenzy of instrumentation.


25.   Who You Are Is Not Enough- Athletics

A personal favorite of mine, this spot is sort of a wild card pick because I used to the entire 34 minute long EP in this slot. But I have reason for this: The entire EP is intended as one long song, spanning five different parts. The EP is haunting, beautiful and a downright powerful listen.


24.   Always Summer- Yellowcard

Yellowcard continues to write perfect summer anthems. The world keeps on spinning.


23.   The Forecast- Like A Habit

Speaking of summer anthems, “Like A Habit” is still a song that routinely gets stuck in my head 8 months later. I can’t help but sing along to Shannon Burns belting “You’re more like a habit”.


22.   Little Talks- Of Monsters And Men

Welp, I’ll be damned. I found a better folk-pop song than “I Will Wait”. The fact that I can’t pronounce a single one of their names doesn’t stop Icelandic indie-folk group Of Monsters and Men from producing this indelible single which our friends in Radio 104.5 helped to bring to the mainstream.


21.   Mercy- Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz

“But wait, you guys are the emo show, you’re not allowed to like rap music.” Hey, stereotypical viewer of this blog, you are wrong. We here at Keep Calm and Carry On have been blasting the hell out of this jam from the best in the game and a few of his closest associates.


20.   Outlines- All Time Low ft. Jason Vena of Acceptance

This song really makes me want Acceptance to make a new album. I don’t know if that was All Time Low’s goal, but if it was they succeeded. And in the process they released their best song since at least “Weightless.”


19.   So Cold- Further Seems Forever

Remember when Dashboard Confessional released “Vindicated” and people said it was Chris Carrabba’s best vocal performance of his career? Well, now I’m going to say the same thing about Further Seems Forever’s comeback single “So Cold.”


18.   Thrift Shop- Macklemore ft. Ryan Lewis

Has there been a more irreverent, wild, and downright fun single in rap music than this ode to finding new threads at the local Goodwill? Definitely not this year.


17.   Time Capsules- Misser

A song that I have grown to absolutely adore as this year went along. The back-and-forth vocals between Brad Wiseman and Tim Landers recall old-school Taking Back Sunday. And the vocal rhythm in the chorus is one of the coolest of the year.


16.   It’s Time- Imagine Dragons

Okay, this might be a little biased because the first time I heard the song was in the trailer for the movie adaptation of my favorite book (Perks of Being a Wallflower), but I fell in love with “It’s Time” from the moment I heard it, and I loved it more and more with each listen.


15.   Runaways- The Killers

In my review of Battle Born, I compared this song to Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road”. If the rest of Battle Born was up to this song’s level, the album would’ve been a top 5 record.


14.   The Birth Of The Economic Hitmen- Circa Survive

So, Circa Survive decided to begin their fourth studio full length with a seven-minute song. Risky decision right? Well, after listening to it, I don’t think any decision Circa can make is risky anymore. “Birth” is inarguably one of the best songs the band has released in years.

13.  I Like It- Foxy Shazam
This wild, dare I say it, zany Foxy Shazam single features one of the best choruses in recent memory, with vocalist Eric Sean Nally belting “That’s the biggest black ass I’ve ever seen and I like it, I like it a lot.” It might be awkward to listen to in front of your girlfriend, but damn if it isn’t loads of fun.


12.   Gangnam Style- Psy

“Oppan Gangnam Style” indeed.  The first song ever to reach 1 billion views on Youtube, and every one is well deserved. “Gangnam Style” is a song so infectious that it reached #2 on the Hot 100 despite no one in America really knowing any of the lyrics besides “Eyyyy, Sexy Lady."


11.   Go To Hell- Go Radio

I don’t think there are many things in the world more fun that singing along to Jason Lancaster’s song and imitating his heavy Tallahassee, Florida accent. This song has plenty of that, but it’s also the standout track from the band’s tremendous album Close the Distance as well.


10.   Carry On- Fun.

This underrated third single from Fun.’s mega-huge album Some Nights might just be the best song on the album. Those of you who listen to this blog’s accompanying radio show (Friday’s 9-11 at wtsr.org starting January 25) know it as the song that closes out our promo.


9.      The Obituaries- The Menzingers

“The Obituaries” features without a doubt the best chorus of the year. The repeated affirmation “I will fuck this up, I fucking know it,” speaks to just how relatable On The Impossible Past was.


8.      Transit- I Told You So

I couldn’t not include this song in the top 10. A re-recording of my personal favorite Transit song, “I Never Told That to Anyone”, this track takes the emotion associated with the original and kicks the energy up in typical Transit form.


7.      Somebody That I Used To Know- Gotye ft. Kimbra

There was just something about pop songs this year that just made them… better. I listened to an insane amount of pop songs this year, but this mid-tempo breakup song from the previously unknown Belgian-Australian Gotye stands out on the strength of the singer’s vocal performance. Probably my personal second favorite pop song of the year.


6.       In Currents- The Early November

“In Currents”, a song that will begin a string of top 10 songs which also happen to be their album’s title tracks, was The Early November’s affirmation that they were officially back. Kudos to Radio 104.5 for another great exclusive, providing the worldwide debut of this track.


5.       Call Me Maybe- Carly Rae Jepsen

Everyone and their mother loves this song. And it’s damn well deserved. From the moment I typed that first sentence, I have been belting the chorus out. I will probably continue to do so for a couple of minutes now. No shame.


4.       Handwritten- The Gaslight Anthem

“Here in the dark, I cherish the moonlight / I’m in love with the way you’re in love with the night / and it travels from heart to limb to pen.” The bridge of this song, from which the above words are ascribed, displays Brian Fallon’s undisputed crown as the best lyricist in the scene.


3.       Some Nights- Fun.

Remember when I said “Somebody That I Used to Know” was my favorite pop-song of the year? Yeah, well this is number 1. Possibly ever (Take that Mr. Brightside.)


2.       Self-Starter- Anberlin

This song could alternatively have been titled “Listen to Nate Young destroy everything vaguely resembling a drum for 3 minutes and 17 seconds.” Not exactly the most concise title, but it would certainly capture the spirit of this aggressive and riotous opening track of Vital.


1.       45- The Gaslight Anthem

I have told this story before, and I will tell it again. Don and I were lucky enough to attend the filming of the “45” music video in Asbury Park. Not having listened to the track too many times, I was genuinely afraid I would overplay it. Well, while waiting in line to enter the Stone Pony, I heard the song playing from within the venue at least 40 times. And not once did I get tired of hearing it. From that moment, I knew it would be the song of the year.