This past year we had a chance to listen to some real great records. Narrowing down our "Best of 2012" was a bit challenging. Along with trying to narrow down our best albums, we also had a chance to see some incredible shows. We reached out to some of Denver's prominent movers and shakers in the music community and asked them to chime in as well! Here is Our Best of 2012!!!!
Amanda Spilos | Editor In Chief | Ultra5280
Top 5 Albums (In no particular order)
1. Beach House | Bloom
2. Mumford and Sons | Babel
3. The xx | Coexist
4. The Rolling Stones | GRRR!
5. Lana Del Rey | Born To Die
Top 5 Shows
1. Bon Iver | Red Rocks Amphitheatre
2. Madonna | Pepsi Center | Denver, Colorado
3. Wilco | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
4. fun. |The Ogden Theatre | Denver, Colorado
5. Big Freedia and The Divas | UMS 2012 | Denver, Colorado
Robert Castro | Managing Editor | Ultra5280
Top 5 Albums
1. Beach House | Bloom
2. Frank Ocean | Channel Orange
3. Tame Impala | Lonerism
4. Kendrick Lamar | GOOD KID, M.A.A.D CITY
5. DIIV | Oshin
Top 5 Shows
1. Mumford and Sons | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
2. M83 | The Ogden Theatre | Denver, Colorado
3. Jack White | Austin City Limits Taping | Austin, Texas
4. Radiohead | 1st Bank Center | Broomfield, Colorado
5. Japandroids | The Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado
Maddie Casey | Staff Writer & Photographer | Ultra5280
Top 5 Albums
1. Imagine Dragons | Night Visions
2. Gotye | Making Mirrors
3. John Mayer | Born and Raised
4. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis | The Heist
5. Taylor Swift | Red
Top 5 Shows
1. Taking Back Sunday/ Bayside | Summit Music Hall | Denver, Colorado
2. Devotchka w/ Colorado Symphony | Denver, Colorado
3. Gotye w/ Missy Higgins | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
4. Mat Kearney | The Black Sheep | Colorado Springs, Colorado
5. Warped Tour 2012 (All Dates)
Danny Sax | Talent Buyer/Booking | The Gothic and Moe's BBQ
Top 5 Albums
1. Wintersleep | Hello Hum
2. Pinback | Information Retrieved
3. Gojira | L'Enfant Sauvage
4. Purity Ring | Shrines
5. Stolen Babies | Naught
Top 5 Shows
1. Summer Grind 2012- Gothic Theatre/Moe's | Leftover Crack, The Dwarves, Stolen Babies + many more. | Englewood, Colorado
2. The Oh Sees/Ty Segall/Deerpeople | The Gothic Theatre | Denver, Colorado
3. Wintersleep | SXSW | Trinity Hall | Austin, Texas
4. Die Antwoord | Lollapalooza Late Night | Congress Theatre | Chicago, Illinois
5. Purity Ring | Larimer Lounge | Denver, Colorado
Sarah Slaton | Singer/Songwriter: Manager (Vinefield Agency)
Top 5 Albums
1. The Lumineers | The Lumineers
2. The Stationary Set | Haunt On
3. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis | The Heist
4. Alabama Shakes | Boys and Girls
5. Daughter | The Wild Youth EP
Top 5 Shows
1. Mumford and Sons | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
2. Bon Iver | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
3. Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre and Hologram Tupac | Coachella Music Festival | Indio, California
4. Milo Greene | The Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado
5. This Will Destroy You | SXSW | Austin, Texas
Mike Trujillo | Guitarist | Take To The Oars
Top 5 Albums
1. Baroness | Yellow & Green
2. Epilogues | Cinematics
3. In The Whale | Cake
4. Imagine Dragons | Night Visions
5. Local H | Hallelujah! I'm a Bum
Top 5 Shows
1. Film On The Rocks | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy feat Take To The Oars | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | Morrison, Colorado
2. The Gracious Few, Candlebox | SXSW | Antone's | Austin, Texas
3. Middle Class Rut | Marquis Theatre | Denver, Colorado
4. Paul Banks (of Interpol) | The Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado
5. The Hate | UMS 2012 | Moe's BBQ | Denver, Colorado
Cobraconda | Graham Nation and Spencer Foreman | Denver, Colorado
Top 5 Albums
1. Die Antwoord | Ten$ion
2. A$AP ROCKY | Fucking Problems (Single)
3. Ca$h Out | Ca$hin' Out
4. Curren$y | Jet Life
5. Pa$$ion Pit | Go$$amer
Top 5 Shows
1. Waka Flaka Flame | The Ogden Theatre | Denver, Colorado
2. Dawes | Folks Fest | Planet Bluegrass | Lyons, Colorado
3. Guttermouth | Summit Music Theatre | Denver, Colorado
4. Speedwolf | The Marquis Theatre | Denver, Colorado
5. Tin Horn Prayer, The Gammits, and Photo Atlas | The Bluebird Theater | Denver, Colorado
In The Whale | Eric Riley and Nathaniel Valdez | Denver, Colorado
Top 5 Albums
1. Epilogues | Cinematics
2. Deftones | Koi No Yokan
3. Little Hurricane | Homewrecker
4. Every Time I Die | Ex Lives
5. Foxy Shazam | The Church of Rock and Roll
Top 5 Shows
1. Mutemath | The Gothic Theatre | Englewood, Colorado
2. Foxy Shazam | The Marquis Theatre | Denver, Colorado
3. The Darkness | Summit Music Hall | Denver, Colorado
4. Switchfoot | Summit Music Hall | Denver, Colorado
5. In The Whale BBQ Show | Larimer Lounge | Denver, Colorado