It has become my tradition to publish a year-end “Top 30 Albums” list — at least it’s a tradition if three years in a row makes a tradition. Last year I posted my Top 30 Albums of 2011 and the year before I had my Top 30 Albums of 2010.

While I love doing this to help others discover great music, it’s actually more important for me personally as it drives me to stay on top of new music all year long. In fact, next week I’ll start building my “Top 30 Albums of 2013” list!

I’m really happy with the 2012 list. Lots of new acts — Jack White is probably the closest to a mainstream rock act on the list — and lots of geographic diversity with bands from Canada and the US abut also Iceland, Norway, Sweden, The UK, and Australia. Hell, I’ve got two bands from Iceland in my Top 30. I’m also happy I ended up with 10 or so female vocalists without any conscious effort on that front.

Here you go! Enjoy!

Note these are in alphabetical order. I could never rank these absolutely — it would change daily.

• Break It To Yourself by Andrew Bird
• Bloom by Beach House
• Everyday Kingdom by Ben Howard
• The Bravest Man In The Universe by Bobby Womack
• Sun by Cat Power

• Kill For Love by Chromatics
• Here by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
• Pale Fire by El Perro Del Mar
• The Lion’s Roar by First Aid Kit
• channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean

• The Ghost In Daylight by Gravenhurst
• Visions by Grimes
• A Cynic’s New Year by Horse Feathers
• Blunderbuss by Jack White
• Celebration Rock by Japandroids

• ƒin by John Talabot
• good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
• Born To Die by Lana Del Rey
• Lonesome Dreams by Lord Huron
• The Lumineers by The Lumineers

• My Head Is An Animal by Of Monsters And Men
• Gossamer by Passion Pit
• Adventures In Your Own Backyard by Patrick Watson
• Shrines by Purity Ring
• Valtari by Sigur Rós

• Lonerism by Tame Impala
• Trouble by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
• Gone by Vacationer
• Coexist by The xx
• An Awesome Wave by ∆

And as I did with my Top 3o Albums of 2010 Mixtape and 2011 Mixtape, I’ve done a Top 30 Albums of 2012 Mixtape featuring one favourite track from each of these thirty albums.

I’d love to know what albums we have in common and which ones you think should have made my list but didn’t. Use the comments people, don’t be shy!