Best 2012
Kendrick Lamar’s *Good Kid, M.A.A.D City* offers a detailed exploration of life in Compton during his teenage years. The album’s complex lyrical storytelling vividly depicts contrasting experiences—the innocence and aspirations of "Good Kids" alongside the dangers and realities of street life repres...
Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season 1 is an interactive drama adapting Robert Kirkman's comic book series. Players experience the story through choices that directly impact Lee Everett and Clementine’s survival in a zombie-infested world. This critically acclaimed game revived the choice-based advent...
Why this score?
Landmark episodic narrative game with major GOTY recognition, high critic scores, and enduring influence despite limited mechanics.
Scoring methodology
Mahoutsukai no Yoru, officially translated as Witch on the Holy Night, is a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon and released for Windows in 2012. Written by Kinoko Nasu, it is an origin story for the expansive universe known as the Nasuverse, specifically focusing on the characters Aoko Aoz...
Why this score?
Exceptional presentation, atmosphere, characterization, and prose underpin strong critical and user acclaim; limited interactivity and deliberate pacing constrain broader appeal.
Scoring methodology
Manny Pacquiao faced Juan Manuel Marquez for the fourth time in a December 2012 welterweight boxing match held in Las Vegas. The bout is notable for Marquez’s dramatic knockout victory over Pacquiao in round six, marking a significant upset. Boxing fans and observers interested in this historic riva...
Why this score?
Dramatic rivalry finale, multiple knockdowns, iconic Marquez knockout, and major modern classic reputation.
Scoring methodology
Kendrick Lamar’s *good kid, m.A.A.d city* is a critically acclaimed concept album exploring themes of adolescence and urban life in Compton, California. Released in 2012, it presents a detailed narrative through interconnected tracks depicting the struggles and complexities faced by young men within...
"The Hunt" (Danish: "Jagten") is a 2012 drama film directed by Thomas Vinterberg. The story centers on Lucas, played by Mads Mikkelsen, a kindergarten teacher in a small Danish town who is falsely accused of sexually abusing a child. As the rumor spreads, the close-knit community turns against him,...
Why this score?
Internationally acclaimed Vinterberg drama, Cannes acting win, high critic ratings; black-comedy classification is secondary.
Scoring methodology
The 2012 Formula One season witnessed a critical rivalry between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Vettel’s victory with Red Bull Racing by only three points over Alonso's Ferrari secured him his fourth consecutive World Championship. This intense competition highlighted the strategic battles an...
Alive is a Korean-language extended play by BigBang, released in 2012 through YG Entertainment, rather than a full studio album. It includes the singles "Blue," "Bad Boy," and "Fantastic Baby," combining electronic dance music, hip-hop, pop, and slower melodic material. The release was followed by t...
Why this score?
Major international breakthrough with strong singles and reputation as one of BigBang's defining releases.
Scoring methodology
Celebration Day is a concert film documenting Led Zeppelin’s 2012 performance at the O2 Arena. It captures a full evening of the band's iconic rock music and theatrical stage presence. The recording offers fans a detailed recreation of their live show, particularly valuable for those interested in e...
Cytus is a mobile rhythm game created by Rayark. It utilizes touch screen controls to synchronize with fast-paced electronic music tracks. The game’s notable features include a complex scoring system and an extensive library of songs from various artists. Cytus is primarily designed for players who...
Lumines: Electronic Symphony presents a unique rhythm game experience on the PlayStation Vita. Players manipulate falling blocks of color to create patterns synchronized with dynamic electronic music tracks. The game’s notable touch controls and innovative gameplay combine puzzle solving with precis...
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F is a rhythm game utilizing touch controls on the PlayStation Vita. It features songs performed by the popular Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku. The game’s notable challenge and extensive song library appeal to fans of rhythm games and those interested in the Vocaloid musi...
"Born to Die" is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, released in 2012. It blends cinematic orchestration with hip-hop rhythms and melancholic pop melodies, exploring themes of tragic romance, glamour, and despair. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 20...
Why this score?
Initially divided critics but exceptional long-term fan reputation, defining aesthetics, enduring songwriting, and enormous influence drove major reassessment.
Scoring methodology
Sherlock is SHINee's fourth Korean-language extended play, released in March 2012 through SM Entertainment. Its title track, "Sherlock (Clue + Note)," is a hybrid remix constructed from two other songs on the release, "Clue" and "Note," giving the project an unusually explicit structural concept. Th...
Why this score?
Highly acclaimed for inventive hybrid title track, tight concept, and SHINee's reputation for experimental pop precision.
Scoring methodology
DJ-Kicks: Bonobo is a DJ mix compilation released in 2013 as part of the long-running DJ-Kicks series published by Studio !K7. The mix was assembled by British electronic musician Simon Green, who records under the name Bonobo. It blends downtempo, house, and tracks drawing from various global music...
Why this score?
Polished organic-electronic mix with strong pacing; less daring than series landmarks.
Scoring methodology
This 2012 boxing match was a light flyweight title fight where Nicaraguan champion Roman Gonzalez defended his WBA championship against Mexican challenger Juan Francisco Estrada. Gonzalez won the 12-round contest by unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards. The bout is recognized as a competitiv...
Why this score?
Excellent first Chocolatito-Estrada fight with elite volume and skill, foundation of a celebrated rivalry.
Scoring methodology
Robert Glasper’s *Black Radio* is a 2014 jazz album notable for its innovative fusion of jazz traditions with hip-hop and electronic music production. The work features complex arrangements and textures, exploring themes of identity and emotion through the musical contributions of Glasper and his en...
The Radio Music Society presents Esperanza Spalding’s album offering a compelling exploration of modern jazz. Spalding's talent as a bassist and vocalist is highlighted through intricate compositions that seamlessly merge bossa nova, funk, and classical elements. This collection is particularly appe...
Grisaia no Meikyuu is a 2012 Japanese visual novel by Frontwing, notable for serving as the sequel to The Fruit of Grisaia and focusing on the backstory of protagonist Yuuji Kazami.
Why this score?
Praised for expanding the cast and delivering Yuuji's compelling backstory; fragmented side stories and dependence on the original reduce standalone impact.
Scoring methodology
“Cheias de Charme,” a Brazilian daytime soap opera produced by Rede Globo, centers on the lives and romantic entanglements of three wealthy sisters navigating business ventures and personal relationships within Rio de Janeiro’s high society.
Why this score?
Major Brazilian popular success, strong ensemble comedy, memorable music and social themes; later plotting drew some criticism.
Scoring methodology
Sabres of Infinity is a 2012 interactive-fiction game by Paul Wang, published through Hosted Games and developed with ChoiceScript. The player creates and directs a young officer in a fictional setting, making decisions about military service, battlefield conduct, relationships, and political loyalt...
Why this score?
Highly regarded Hosted Games military fantasy with strong worldbuilding, stat integration, and consequential decisions; restrictive protagonist options narrow its appeal.
Scoring methodology
SpaceX CRS-1 was the first operational cargo mission flown by SpaceX to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. Launched in October 2012 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, the uncrewed Dragon spacecraft delivered supplies and experiments to the station and later re...
Why this score?
Historic first operational commercial ISS cargo mission succeeded despite an engine failure and secondary payload loss; strong resilience and program significance.
Scoring methodology
The King 2 Hearts is a South Korean television drama set in an alternate history where North and South Korea remain divided. The story follows a young prince and a female intelligence agent as they navigate political intrigue within the military and forge a complex romantic connection. It’s notable...
The Formula 1 rivalry between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso was a defining narrative of the early 2010s motorsport seasons. Driving for Red Bull and Ferrari respectively, the two drivers frequently competed directly for the World Drivers' Championship. Their 2012 season battle is particularly...
Why this score?
High-level championship rivalry with contrasting machinery and styles, especially compelling in 2010 and 2012, though rarely fought directly on track.
Scoring methodology
Clockwork Angels is the nineteenth and final studio album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 2012. It is a concept album centered on a young man's journey through a strictly controlled, steampunk-inspired dystopian world. Capping off the band's nearly four-decade recording career, the recor...
Why this score?
Strong late-career farewell with high fan respect, ambitious concept, and some production loudness criticism.
Scoring methodology
MS Costa Concordia was a large Italian cruise ship operated by Costa Crociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. On January 13, 2012, the vessel struck an underwater rock formation while attempting a close-in sail-past maneuver near Isola del Giglio, Italy, tearing a gash in its hull and p...
Why this score?
Globally visible modern cruise disaster, strong legal notoriety, and media saturation, with relatively low death toll.
Scoring methodology
The Blinding Knife (2012) is the second novel in Brent Weeks's Lightbringer fantasy series, published by Orbit Books. It continues the story of Prism Gavin Guile, who is progressively losing his ability to draft specific colors of magic even as the Color Prince's rebellion gains momentum across the...
Why this score?
Generally considered Lightbringer's high point, praised for action, reveals, and magic development.
Scoring methodology
Red Country is a standalone fantasy novel by Joe Abercrombie published in 2012 and set in the First Law world, roughly a decade after the events of the original trilogy. The plot follows Shy South as she pursues a group of kidnappers who abducted her younger siblings across a lawless frontier, blend...
Why this score?
Strong western-inflected fantasy with admired characters; somewhat less central and explosive than other First Law standalones.
Scoring methodology
Metz is the eponymous debut studio album by the Canadian noise rock band Metz, released in 2012 through the Sub Pop label. The record consists of ten tracks characterized by highly distorted guitars, aggressive percussion, and shouted vocals, drawing heavy influence from 1990s post-hardcore and nois...
Why this score?
Acclaimed noise-rock debut with relentless energy, sharp production, and strong consistency; limited dynamic range and punishing volume constrain accessibility.
Scoring methodology
Telltale’s The Walking Dead is an interactive drama horror game released in 2012. Players navigate a zombie apocalypse through branching narratives shaped by their decisions. This title gained recognition for its strong storytelling and impactful character development, appealing to fans of narrative...
