Yo ok so my dude and co-contributor here at Daily Beat, Trev Zumpano (Samperand), and I put together one of those obligatory "Best of 2012" lists. It's by lightyears the best one I've seen (here's looking at you, Rolling Stone), and that's only kind of because I helped make it. We used the term "Alternative" loosely, basically to mean shit we thought was awesome, regardless of genre. Which is how it should be, anyway. Enjoy:

1. Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! -- Godspeed You! Black Emperor
2. Good Kid, m. A. A. d City -- Kendrick Lamar
3. Slaughterhouse -- Ty Segall Band
4. Channel ORANGE -- Frank Ocean
5. Confess -- Twin Shadow
6. Shields -- Grizzly Bear
7. Smalhans -- Lindstrom
8. Lonerism -- Tame Impala
9. Shrines -- Purity Ring
10. Spooky Action at a Distance-- Lotus Plaza
11. Gossamer -- Passion Pit
12. All We Love We Leave Behind -- Converge
13. Swing Lo Magellan -- Dirty Projectors
14. No Love Deep Web -- Death Grips
15. Habits and Contradictions -- Schoolboy Q

Honorable Mentions:

Alt-J -- An Awesome Wave
Mount Eerie -- Clear Moon/Ocean Roar

So yeah. Check these out if you haven't. Happy Nu Yrs.

--Yrstruly/Samperand