May the year-end listomania commence! Earlier today we say MOJO’s Top 20 — a list that represented a broader range of styles than last week’s year-end list from metal outlet Decibel — and now indie mag Paste just let their 50 best albums of 2012. And unlike MOJO‘s list, Fiona made it! Scope the whole thing below.
50 Grimes – Visions
49 Kelly Hogan – I Like To Keep Myself In Pain
48 Lord Huron – Lonesome Dreams
47 Baroness – Yellow and Green
46 Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
45 Punch Brothers – Who’s Feeling Young Now?
44 Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!
43 Stars – The North
42 Bettye LaVette – Thankful N’ Thoughtful
41 Of Monsters And Men – My Head is an Animal
40 Todd Snider – Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
39 Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
38 Dr. John – Locked Down
37 Shovels & Rope – O Be Joyful
36 Cat Power – Sun
35 King Tuff – King Tuff
34 Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
33 Howler – America Give Up
32 Woods – Bend Beyond
31 The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter
30 David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant
29 Killer Mike – R.A.P Music
28 Divine Fits – A Thing Called Divine Fits
27 John K. Samson – Provincial
26 Bob Dylan – Tempest
25 Grizzly Bear – Shields
24 Justin Townes Earle – Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
23 Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Isn’t
22 Hospitality – Hospitality
21 The Lumineers – The Lumineers
20 The Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth
19 Rufus Wainwright – Out Of The Game
18 Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city
17 Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
16 Tame Impala – Lonerism
15 Jack White – Blunderbuss
14 The Walkmen – Heaven
13 The Shins – Port Of Morrow
12 El-P – Cancer 4 Cure
11 The Men – Open Your Heart
10 First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
09 Beach House – Bloom
08 Japandroids – Celebration Rock
07 Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
06 Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
05 Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
04 Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel …
03 Titus Andronicus – Local Business
02 Father John Misty – Fear Fun
01 Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
Read the breakdowns at Paste.
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I disagree with lots of things here!
Especially the lack of Swans, Death Grips, Metz, and Animal Collective.
Swans and Death Grips, yea, but I didn’t think Centipede Hz is worth consideration.
:—-(
Kendrick Lamar is so far back. Channel Orange #1, really? Japandroids and Beach House in the top 10… Of Monsters and Men making the list at all?
In before people say “it’s just their opinion!” I know that assmunchers. lol
better get used to seeing channel orange
Channel Orange is my number one by about a country mile. It’s been a while since the top album was such an easy choice for me.
+1 for middle school insults
I can’t help but believe that everyone who thinks Local Business is anything more than mediocre are deluding themselves. If TA’s previous album hadn’t been as good as it was, Local Business would been seen as the incredibly uneven and scattershot collection of ditties and occasional insights that it is, rather than fodder for album of the year lists.
It’s better than mediocre, but # 3 album of the year seems cray cray
I think it’s precisely because the Monitor was such a masterstroke that Local Business was so disappointing.
Where’s LDR?
in a dumpster somewhere.
what’s the highest rated comment ever?
It shall be this, if we all band together as one.
if my memory serves me right, i believe we have hit 100 before.
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I had a comment in with upvotes in the 40′s and I though “wow, I might get #1 this week.”
better luck next week
The Shins still exist?
In my top 5 actually.
Mercer has been killin it and I’ve got Port of Morrow in my top 5 as well.
Would either of you like to buy the oldest Shins shirt (adult men’s small, lightly used)?
They’ve changed; not for the better imho
PHEW AT LEAST YOU WERE HONEST
> PROPAGANDHI – Failed States <
LOL Paste get it together.
I’m surprised Mumford and Sons isn’t on here, they push those guys a bunch since their inception.
Dont’t be surprised. M&S simply renamed themselves as The Lumineers (#21).
We don’t take too kindly to Mumford and Sons here boy.
lmao :D
Happy to see Father John Misty so high up. Bummed to see Tame Impala, Grizzly Bear and Cloud Nothings so low.
Looks a decent list to me apart from Kendrick and Grizzly Bear being so low.
Okay, for some reason the hypothetical name “Lana Del Grizzly” sounds hilarious to me right now.
Oh my God, if you use her real first name it becomes “Lizzy Del Grizzly.” Yes!
Really hope someone recognises Deerhoof’s effort this year.
super bummed that grizzly bear, et al, are so low on this list! disappointing! #igetmyselfworthfromyearendlists
Oh just you wait, NME is perfectly capable of fucking your shit right up MUCH worse than this list!
Passion Pit and Tallest Man on Earth made some good music sounds! But actually for the most part this list is pretty neat, to me.
Wow, almost completely forgot There’s No Leaving Now was this year. I feel like I’ve known that album for ages.
Like Fiona, I think Grimes is another one who will appear on too few lists despite her being a complete meme all year.
Grimes on too few lists? I’ve seen her name on tons of lists already.
Nice to see Hospitality getting a mention… decent list all in all
So great to see Father John Misty so high up – I don’t think that album got the credit it deserves. In fact, I saw that and said “welp, guess I don’t need to read the rest of this list.” And I didn’t.
Hooray for putting Love This Giant on there, that was nice of them.
“nice of them” aptly sums up why it will end up on plenty of year-end lists.
Oh hush, it was a decent record, if a little underwhelming. I felt like a record coming from the heads of two auditory mad scientists would be this magnificent, grotesque exercise. But instead, we got high school band class. The best part about the collaboration though was Annie Clark using the brass band to perform her own catalog — seeing The Party and Marrow done live with the new arrangement was my favorite moment of any show this year.
ok, hushing
?
Surely How to Dress Well’s “Total Loss” deserves to be in the top 50
weird trickery going on here. Last I checked Paste, Ben Kweller’s Go Fly A Kite made a 9.0 and was set to be in this list by those standards… now it’s a 8.5 and not even in the top 50…. uh.
…..anyone remember Ben Kweller?
SEX REMINDS HER OF EATING SPAGHETTI!
an asteroid hit the earth and prematurely ended his career.
Happy to see First Aid Kit at 10. Great album. Also, I can see Mr. Ocean getting more than one first place nods.
I appreciate the first half of your comment. I can’t believe you wasted words on the second half. Obvious understatement of the year.
seeing this comment makes me so much less ashamed of putting the lion’s roar in my year-end top 10
Although I’m in favor of all lists in general, this is list really is pretty good. Also making me reevaluate some albums that I didn’t spend enough time on (First Aid Kit, Father John Misty).
*this list really is pretty good. Too many short ‘i’ sounds.
ALSO, NO METZ?
FUCK THIS SHIT
fuck it
NEXT!
Oh wow, hip-hop that isn’t Childish Gambino. That’s a step forward for Paste as far as I’m concerned.
No Twilight Sad!? That’s easily my number 1.
I think just out of respect for their history, everyone should relisten to Bloc Party’s album. How they failed to get any traction from Four is stunning. Is it their best work? Maybe not. But they’re too talented to be as forgotten as I fear they will be this End of Year season.
And between their LP and EP, Schol of Seven Bells had a very good year. If they released the best tracks from those two releases into one collection, they’d be receiving a lot more recognition. They deserve it too.
I have a feeling Perfume Genius and Iamamiwhoami will get snubbed this year, sadly.
Perfume Genius was one of my favorites too, not sure why it didn’t get more support
seeing alabama shakes in the top ten makes this list suspect. and NOT seeing lonerism in the top ten makes this list negligible.
Careful Jim, might get Alabama Shanked talkin’ like that round here pahts.
Sike, I’m pretty sure nobody’s really feelin em around here. To this I ask, why not?
well, to me it’s decent. but they are the epitome of live show not translating well onto record. their live show is what got them on the map. but to put it in the top ten when grizzly bear, tame impala, kendrick lamar, wild nothing, godspeed! you black emperor aren’t is no bueno. but of course, this is all subjective.
Having never actually listened to the full album, I have been throughout work today. I agree with you that it’s not as compelling as their live stuff. Overall a good album though so far, def really promising. Paste’s just givin it to em on their first effort, gotta make em work for it. I remember liking Wild Nothing checkin out a track, should give the album a listen. Find G!YBE very overrated but maybe post/instrumental rock just isn’t really for me.
Wild Nothing is sick but they/he sounds exactly like Deerhunter.
Happy to see Lord Huron, even if it is at #48. It’s a good album.
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extracurricular? right, because frank gets done with work, and only THEN is he into dudes.
Curious to see how many more people state this opinion as if they are the first….
It’s a pretty alright list of the best 50 albums, but the order makes no sense.
Ya I agree. I feel like an ‘in no particular order’ tag was forgotten.
Frank Ocean’s album is pretty good but not great I don’t think. There are some great tracks there and then some real mediocre filler.
You forgot Menomena.
It would make me real happy to see them on some lists but I’m not holding my breath
Yeah I like moms.
…the album.
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Am I the only one who likes RAP Music better than Cancer 4 Cure?
And I know it’s a mixtape, but Blue Chips was one of the best releases of the year.
I think I’m the only one who liked both Dr. Lector and Rare Chandeliers better than Blue Chips, maybe I need to revisit.
I was just glad to see Killer Mike get the much deserved nod, though he should have at least landed in the top 20. I would also put Kendrick in the top 10 but at least this list was better than Mojos.
As for the mixtape conversion, Joey Bada$$’s 1999 stands as one the most solid releases of the year.
No. I think R.A.P. Music is better than Cancer 4 Cure.
Maybe to some people, more featured rappers is a plus for a hip-hop album.
Personally, listening to Killer Mike go off over El-P’s beats has been the most magical hip-hop moment of 2012. A match made in adult swim heaven.
I think El-P’s strongest beats are on C4C but what Killer Mike does with them on R.A.P. Music is far more important.
Yeah, I was more into Killer Mike’s album than El-P’s. I think Mike brought more to the MC table than El-P did (But not by much, as both albums were pretty damn fantastic)
It’s too early for these lists. They could at least wait until December, damn.
End of the Year lists are the opiate of the masses.
The numbering of this list is wonky, plus there are a few glaring omissions: Swans, Converge, Metz. Kendrick Lamar and Killer Mike should definitely be higher on the list, but all in all it’s a solid list. You can’t go wrong with Channel Orange as your number 1 pick in my opinion.
Daughn Gibson’s album should be in the top ten. It’s not even on this Paste list.
really dug Vacationer and Kindness albums as well.
Aside from the lack of Lotus Plaza and Melody’s Echo Chamber, it’s a perfectly cromulent list. I probably would have had Tame Impala higher, though.
Yeah, Lotus Plaza! I’ve honestly never been that big into Deerhunter, but I loved the Atlas Sound album last year and the Lotus Plaza album is one of my favorites this year.
i’m upvoting you strictly for the use of the word “cromulent”. i didn’t even read the rest of your post after that word, honestly.
probably because it sounds kinda like tame impala 2.0, but i feel like melody’s echo chamber was criminally overlooked this year.
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Handful of observations…
Their #1 is Channel Orange but Kaliedescope Dream is nowhere to be found?
Nice to see Father John Misty so far up. 7.3 MY ASS Pitchfork
The list looks skewed toward veterans… why isn’t the amazing Dr John record further up then?
Alabama Shakes put out a decent album but way too spotty to be in the top 10.
Sharon Van Etten and First Aid Kit flew under my radar this year. I’ll be checking those out.
The David Byrne/St Vincent record felt too pretentious for me to enjoy. Down to the album cover.
Kaleidoscope Dream is SICK.
yeah where dafuq is miguel?
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Imagine Dragons? That album sucks – I almost reported myself to the police for illegally downloading it.
I see many people are hating you for the Imagine Dragons addition (what did you expect?) but I’m glad someone mentioned the Vaccines. Coming of Age was really solid. I’m thinking a reason they didn’t include it is because they found a younger Vaccines, named Howler, and frankly America Give Up is an amazing album, but I’m partial to their sound so that might not be a shared opinion.
I understand that music is subjective and this particular site seems to attract the pretentious music snobs that only listen the obscure and underground. Ive always been a eclectic when it comes to music, and even though Imagine Dragons was an overly heard band in all forms of medium this year, I honestly enjoyed their material, not one skippable song. I even listened to their EPs from 2010 and 2011. Its good stuff and unlike anything Ive heard in recent years. And if this band is now considered “mainstream” and played on the radio, then yeah, I will support it cause its endearing to hear quality music hit the mainstream again. It’s better than hearing transparently generic rock music or homogenized pop songs.
As for Soft Pack and Vaccines, Im really surprised how these bands have flown under the radar, even from their previous albums. Super catchy songs with a stripped down, retro 60s garage rock vibe. Overplayed genre? Yes, but certain bands are able to give it an original spin and instead of sounding like Strokes clones.
Caravan Palace introduced me to this new genre called ElectroSwing and its a breathe of fresh air when it comes to the electronic scene. And to be honest, I actually prefer it over dubstep cause a fusion of 30s swing music and dance beats is more enjoyable than listening to robots farting.
I understand your point- its all about perception and how the band is marketed. It’s always seemed like a strange double standard of the indie community/bloggerazzi to openly embrace mainstream R&B/hip hop records while immediately dismissing mainstream rock. It’s funny- I don’t ever have to defend my love of “Flockaveli” as much as “The Black Parade”.
There’s not a lot of other songs that brought that full-blast fist pumping joy of Walk the Moon’s “Anna Sun” and “Tightrope” this year, and it’s a shame that there’s a good segment of people that won’t give the songs a first listen.
Howler = a younger version of The Vaccines??? But didn’t The Vaccines released their debut album last year?
so happy to see shovels and rope on the list. great overlooked album.
I was gonna complain about the list, but then I noticed you all did that for me. Thanks! :)
paste is more my speed when it comes to year end lists. so nice to see father john misty at #2.
Cloud Npthings is absurdly low.
Godspeed you! Could be higher as well
Channel Orange at number 1: fine. Only listened to the album once and it didn’t blow my mind and thought there was some real filler but I haven’t given it too much of a chance so whatever.
good kid, m.A.A.d. city not in the top 3? Fuck that. From the last 5 years, people will remember two hip hop albums most: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and this album. Fuck that fuck that fuck that.
Also, it is a crime that Flying Lotus did not even make this list. A crime, I tell you.
I just imagined you verbalizing “fuck that” like Kendrick does in ADHD. How could you imagine otherwise?
I’m not sure where you’re from… But hip hop nerds don’t even really like My Dark Twisted Fantasy or Kendrick Lamar that much… I think you mean remembered by people who don’t really listen to hip hop that much. MDTF wasn’t even Kanye’s second best album, maybe not even his third. The Carter 3, Fishscale, Take Care, Hell Hath No Fury, below the heavens, and Gas Mask were all much better.
Nah – I think MBDTF is one of those rare albums that was unanimously praised by the mainstream, without upsetting the nerds one bit, cos yeah – it’s just damn fucking good.
I love K.Dot, but I don’t think GKMC is gonna hold up as well. It’s very very good, but I find myself going back to Section.80 more often. The lows on 80 are much much worse, but the highs are much more fun.
I am more of a hip hop production nerd; if you look at my profile you will find a lengthy (and in retrospect ill advised) rant about a stupid indie band using a sample Dilla used on Donuts. And MBDTF is not my favorite Kanye album (that would be College Dropout by a large margin). Partially because an annoying friend played it ad nauseum for 3 months after it came out, but I honestly think the album is a bit overproduced. You could probably take out a minute or two from a lot of the songs and not lose much. I specifically said “people will remember” for that reason.
As for GKMC, I think it will hold up in time. It’s too soon to tell, but I think it will hold up if for no other reason than I think Kendrick will have a very successful career and people will point to this album as the point where he really first came into his own. Section.80 is great, but there’s still some awkward moments/legitimately bad songs on there (can’t ever manage to get through The Spiteful Chant).
I would say The Carter 3 is far closer to “remembered by people who don’t really listen to hip hop that much” than either of the two albums I mentioned. Nobody I know who is hardcore into hip hop really cares much about that album, and I haven’t heard anyone mention that album much of anywhere in the last few years.
Also, for the record, Hell Hath No Fury came out in 2006, and is great, but not in the last 5 years.
Childish Gambino. That’s hip hop for people who don’t listen to hip hop.
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. FOH.
Logged in just to give this a thumbs up.
definitely gotta go with that palestinian chicken.
this is insensitive with regards to recent events
I’m just butthurt because of baroness is on a best of list
alabama shakes lol. Frank Ocean is alright. Find it hard to make it all the way through the album in one listen. I GENERALLY DISAGREE HMPH
I have a feeling these publications are going to regret releasing their lists prior to waiting for Big Boi’s new album to drop. In their efforts to be first they are omitting an album which has strong potential to be in the Top 10 based on the tracks released so far.
2 words…pure shit
Stoked to see “Van Etten” so far up there!
Ty Segall put out three albums that could easily make this list, and yet…
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Correction: YOU might not be listening to Channel Orange in two years (likely out of bitterness). I know I’ll be listening to it for quite a while.
Bitter because I don’t like a ridiculously over-praised record? Channel Orange is the result of someone who learned all the worst lessons from Stevie Wonder’s schlockiest songs and then confused observational lyricism for banal specificity. The album is bloated and aimless.
cool story, now tell me why the beatles are bullshit, why ice cream sucks, and how the godfather came to be the most overrated piece of crap put out in the last 50 years.
I like the Beatles, ice cream and The Godfather. Channel Orange is that shit I don’t like.
“over-praised”-Every hipster’s favorite way of saying of “I don’t seem to like this as much as everyone else and I can’t figure out why”
“learned all the worst lessons from Stevie Wonder’s schlockiest songs”- This is the oldest trick in the book for people looking to critique a work (ie. Turn on the Bright Lights just takes all the most dour elements of Joy Division’s sound and try’s to make an album out of them (BTW, this is something I’ve read and strongly disagree with regarding TotBL)) and ignores the diverse array of sounds that makes up Channel Orange.
“confused observational lyricism for banal specificity”- I think that’s fundamentally wrong. banal specificity suggests that the details in each song are there for their own sake and nothing else. I think almost every observational detail that Frank Ocean uses to tell a story works to really great end in fleshing out multi-dimensional, well-conceived characters and expertly crafting an argument or a mood that lifts the songs/stories above just mere observation.
“over-praised”-Every hipster’s favorite way of saying of “I don’t seem to like this as much as everyone else and I can’t figure out why”
You might disagree with my reasons, but I know exactly why I don’t like it, as stated above. Nice use of “hipster,” btw, it really stings.
The album is a pile over over-sung rambles that more often that not lacks strong melodies.
And banal does not mean “details in each song are there for their own sake and nothing else.”
Banal means boring and unoriginal.
Spiritualized? could be one of the more forgotten albums of the lists season this year
Way better list than Mojo’s…
The bar started off on the ground, and now it’s been raised up to a position slightly higher than that. But it’s still low enough to trip a hermit crab. Guess we’ll have to count on the Gummy Awards to set the bar high this year. I voted for Chromatics, so I’m doing my part.
Nice to see the love for First Aid Kit, those girls are teen Swede magic:) And EmmyLou is without question the Song of the Year…where’s Lana though? Ride added to her album makes it clearly top 15 worthy, that’s a bad omission.
obviously no love for Twin Shadow’s Confess and Wild Nothing’s Nocturne :>
Wild Nothing > Cloud Nothings
I can’t be the only one that really dug In Our Heads, can I?
I’m not one to complain about lists, but Alabama Shakes in the top 10? Come on, man. Come on.
How is Alt-J not on this list?
Seriously!
Because that crap is boring…
Fiona Apple…
Love Titus Andronicus but 3rd best album of the year? Maybe in their discog.
Tame Impala should be higher as well
Glad to see Punch Brothers getting some love
All We Love Paste Leaves Behind.
¿What about Bat For Lashes?
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Channel Orange is overrated. Can’t believe it made #1.
I don’t know who some of these bands are. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. I just honestly don’t know them. Which is exciting, because it means I get to go listen to them for the first time.
And in an update:
First Aid Kit: meh.
King Tuff: yes.
Of Monsters and Men: its ok I suppose. Prolly won’t listen to it on an everyday basis.
John K. Samson: Was kind of hoping for Brock Samson, but this is good too.
Betty Lavette: DAYUM.
The Lumineers: zombified rolk fock.
Lord Huron: zombies. folky zombies everywhere.
Damien Jurado: Jesus fucking Christ so many zombies.
Howler: From zombies to brit rock frankensteins.
Hospitality: She has so many friends.
Shovels and Rope: More fucking zomb…wait this is actually pretty good.
Todd Snider: Zombie’s revenge. But good stage banter and lyrics so free pass.
Father John Misty. I…I didn’t know. I DIDN’T KNOW!
Maybe I’m a just sucker for Tusk, but I’ve really enjoyed, Just Tell Me What You Want, the Fleetwood Mac tribute that came out a few months back. Didn’t expect to see it on many (or any) best-ofs but I figured this woulld be the best shot. Oh Well.
On another note, I’ve been expecting to be underwhelmed by the Sharon Van Etten album after every listen since February. Hasn’t happened yet.
I didn’t here any of these artists before this list .
I didn’t hear about any of these artists before this list
ohhhhhhhh wait i have heard about Jack White the former member of “The White strips ” which has been broken up recently. But except him i didn’t hear any of these artists
Never heard of Bob Dylan?
Go easy on him. He’s from Rohtak, a city in India. I had a college roommate who was from somewhere in Bangladesh, and he didn’t know the Beatles or the Beach Boys.
Cloud Nothings seem a bit too low for me.
Am I the only one who liked Wasteland Companion by M. Ward?
ALBUNS (10)
«An Awesome Wave», Alt-J
«Banga», PATTI SMITH
«Bloom», BEACH HOUSE
«Blunderbuss», Jack White
«Break it Yourself», Andrew Bird
«Django Django», Django Django
«Europe», Allo Darlin
«Orelha Negra», ORELHA NEGRA
«Rapressão 1», Chullage
«Kill for Love», Chromatics
SONGS (15)
«And I» (Xinobi edit), Nicolas Jaar
«Breezeblocks», ALT-J
«Dream girls», The Fresh & Onlys
«Get free», Major Lazer feat. Amber
«I wanna go», Summer Heart
«Into the night», The Raveonettes
«Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais», Rufus Wainwright
«Lazuli», Beach House
«Lonely Boy», The Black Keys
«Sleep alone», Two Door Cinema Club
«Swingin’party», Kindness
«Tonight», Saint Etienne
«Video games», LANA DEL REY
«Where do you belong?», DIGITS
«You’re the doctor», Ty Segall
…and by the way…my fav in movies…
CINEMA
The Artist, Michel Hazanavicius
The Kid with a Bike, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
THE SESSIONS, Ben Lewin
:)
OK, where’s Regina Spektor?
First!!
Channel Orange is going to become way more “controversial” than it has any right to be as year-end lists pile up, but I’ll put in my two cents. I’s AOTY like Merriwether Post Pavilion was in ’09. It dropped early, was unanimously named top-contender-to-beat, and nothing else really came along to dethrone it even though it’s already losing its “Wow” factor and will probably continue to do so.
I think the “WHY NO _____?” response to lists is lazy and overdone, but in this case: the lack of Swans makes this list humiliatingly impossible to look at.
This list is garbage by the way, and the rankings are all fucked up. I’ll pass.
1. channel orange
2. lonerism
3. gkmc
visions could be higher…
I guess I’m not shocked that the new A.C. Newman and Bob Mould records on Paste’s list, but I am surprised that no one has mentioned them as contenders in response to that list.
Made a Spotify playlist of the Top 50 in anyone is interested
http://open.spotify.com/user/greenplasticron/playlist/0Vm8lmqnwSxWQ56Ra0PIh6