Year in Rock 2012: Song Of The Year

When considering nominees for Year in Rock 2012's Song Of The Year, I tried not to think purely in terms of singles. With so many solid albums this year, and so few rock "hits" that catch my interest, I found myself perhaps more so than usual eschewing the obvious choices, and choosing songs that better represent their albums. In fact, almost half of them weren't released as singles (or hadn't been at the time of nomination). By selecting deep albums tracks over singles, I hoped to convey the message that the album is still a viable, maybe even important, way for artists to express themselves.

And then I picked a single as Song Of The Year...
Congratulations Arctic Monkeys! R U Mine is Year in Rock 2012's Song Of The Year!

In my defense, Arctic Monkeys didn't release an album at all this year. What they did was close the door on a very good but commercially disappointing album (2011's Suck It And See) by dirtying up their sound, not caring what people thought, and creating their best song yet. Sure, there are detractors who want them to go back to a sound they helped get noticed in the mid aughts, but why get nostalgic about a style is pretty much played out at this point? With R U Mine, Arctic Monkeys weren't looking back; they were tumbling headlong into a future where anything is possible and thrills are guaranteed. When they drop their fifth album sometime in 2013, it's anyone's guess what it will sound like. However, if R U Mine bears the slightest hint of what to expect, I'm going to need new underwear.

Also, to the other songs that made the shortlist and were seriously considered for the title, please accept these lovely parting gifts. The other nine songs to receive consideration were:

DEAD SARA - Weatherman
JACK WHITE - Sixteen Saltines
BARONESS - Eula
THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM - Biloxi Parish
BAND OF HORSES - Knock Knock
PIG DESTROYER - The Diplomat
STONE SOUR - Taciturn
THE SWORD - Apocryphon
DEFTONES - Tempest

REMINDER: Top 25 Albums of 2012 on Boxing Day, followed two days later by a 2013 preview. Giddy up.

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