Here at Exclaim!, we've seen a little of everything in 2012. From landmark albums to tragic deaths to brave expressions of self to controversial court cases, this year has had no shortage of memorable news stories.
We've taken a look back on the year that was and compiled a list of the year's 10 most notable newsmakers. There are the artists who, for reasons either good or bad, kept popping up in headlines and in discussions around the water cooler. And while there are plenty of noteworthy stars who didn't make our list (Whitney Houston, Amanda Palmer, deadmau5 — we're looking at you), these are the artists who truly came to define 2012.
Exclaim!'s Top 10 Newsmakers of 2012:
10. The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips didn't release gummy skulls or endure stage collapses in 2012, but the Oklahoma psych enthusiasts still had a characteristically crazy year. After recruiting the likes of Bon Iver, Ke$ha, Tame Impala and Coldplay's Chris Martin for a much-publicized collaborations comp, they gave the record a limited-edition, blood-filled reissue. A NSFW video from that album sparked a feud with Erykah Badu, so the Lips replaced her contribution with Amanda Palmer. They broke a world record by playing eight shows in different cities within 24 hours, contributed to a King Crimson covers album, unveiled a radio drama, and prepped their Yoshimi musical. And to cap of their wild year, Wayne Coyne inadvertently shut down the Oklahoma airport by bringing a grenade with him.
9. Against Me!
Here's one we definitely didn't see coming: a decade and a half into Against Me!'s career, frontman Tom Gabel came out as transgender and began living as Laura Jane Grace. The band have since been working on their latest album, the appropriately named Transgender Dysphoria Blues. It was definitely a brave move for Laura Jane Grace, and aside from getting her teeth smashed during a live show, we'd say she had a good year.
8. Kanye West
As usual, Kanye West generated a ton of buzz in 2012, as he embarked upon collaborations, waged court battles, pissed off PETA and plotted a host of possible projects. He also released Cruel Summer, both as a Kid Cudi-featuring film and a star-studded G.O.O.D. Music compilation, and reports have suggested that Cruel Winter will be close behind. But arguably West's most headline-grabbing move happened when he began dating socialite and reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
7. Green Day
Pop-punk lifers Green Day released three albums plus a documentary in 2012, but all of this was overshadowed by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong's very public meltdown. When the band's iHeartRadio Music Festival performance was cut short, the singer threw a hissy fit and smashed his guitar before landing in rehab. They cancelled their tour and endured insults, putting a damper on what was meant to be a triumphant year.
6. Chief Keef
Chicago rapper Chief Keef (aka Keith Cozart) emerged as one of rap's biggest new talents in 2012, and his music has now been linked to big names like Pusha T, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross and Young Jeezy. He signed with Interscope and released the album Finally Rich. But it wasn't all smooth sailing for the 17-year-old phenom; in September, the Chicago police investigated him for a possible role in the drive-by shooting of a rival rapper Joseph "JoJo" Coleman.
5. Death Grips
Sacramento doom-rap crew Death Grips made an unexpected move by signing with Epic Records prior to their first album of the year, The Money Store. Scarcely a month later, they cancelled their tour in order to work on the follow-up, No Love Deep Web, which they leaked online as a free download, much to their label's chagrin. Adding to the group's apparent petulance was the fact that the album cover featured a close-up picture of an erect penis. After sharing some angry letters from Epic with the public, the band were unexpectedly dropped from their deal.
4. Lamb of God
Metal titans Lamb of God started their year on the right foot by releasing their album Resolution and landing on the Exclaim! cover. Things went suddenly and shockingly sour, however, when frontman Randy Blythe was arrested on manslaughter charges stemming from an alleged 2010 altercation at a concert in Prague. He remained in Czech prison for five weeks before being released and heading home to await trial. Blythe denies the charges and, despite being indicted, plans to fight them in court.
3. The Beastie Boys
Having battled cancer for a fews years, beloved Beastie Boys rhymer Adam Yauch sadly succumbed to the disease back in the spring. Making matters worse, the group's grieving was interrupted by a lawsuit over allegedly uncleared samples. They subsequently sued Monster Energy Drink for using their music in a promotional video. Meanwhile, the tributes to Yauch poured in, and a Brooklyn park was named after him.
2. Frank Ocean
Odd Future have had an iffy track record as far as homophobia is concerned, with many taking offence to their inflammatory lyrics. It rocked the music world, therefore, when one of the hip-hop collective's own, R&B crooner Frank Ocean, opened up about a previous same-sex relationship. It didn't hurt that his debut album, Channel Orange, earned rave reviews when it was released soon after the revelation. Naturally, the music critics of the world analyzed the album's masculine and feminine pronouns to death. Oh, and to add some icing to that cake, Ocean was nominated for a bunch of Grammys.
1. Pussy Riot
In 2012, no artist generated more debate around the world than Russian punk activists Pussy Riot. After performing a protest song targeted at leader Vladimir Putin at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in February, three of the band members were arrested and Amnesty International called for their release. Musicians around the world took up the cause, but the Pussy Riot members were still handed prison sentences. Even Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev spoke out against the sentencing, and one of the members, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released. The group were short-listed for Time Magazine's Person of the Year and a documentary will emerge next year at Sundance Film Festival. It's not often that a band can make their mark on the world of international politics, but Pussy Riot pulled it off.
We've taken a look back on the year that was and compiled a list of the year's 10 most notable newsmakers. There are the artists who, for reasons either good or bad, kept popping up in headlines and in discussions around the water cooler. And while there are plenty of noteworthy stars who didn't make our list (Whitney Houston, Amanda Palmer, deadmau5 — we're looking at you), these are the artists who truly came to define 2012.
Exclaim!'s Top 10 Newsmakers of 2012:
10. The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips didn't release gummy skulls or endure stage collapses in 2012, but the Oklahoma psych enthusiasts still had a characteristically crazy year. After recruiting the likes of Bon Iver, Ke$ha, Tame Impala and Coldplay's Chris Martin for a much-publicized collaborations comp, they gave the record a limited-edition, blood-filled reissue. A NSFW video from that album sparked a feud with Erykah Badu, so the Lips replaced her contribution with Amanda Palmer. They broke a world record by playing eight shows in different cities within 24 hours, contributed to a King Crimson covers album, unveiled a radio drama, and prepped their Yoshimi musical. And to cap of their wild year, Wayne Coyne inadvertently shut down the Oklahoma airport by bringing a grenade with him.
9. Against Me!
Here's one we definitely didn't see coming: a decade and a half into Against Me!'s career, frontman Tom Gabel came out as transgender and began living as Laura Jane Grace. The band have since been working on their latest album, the appropriately named Transgender Dysphoria Blues. It was definitely a brave move for Laura Jane Grace, and aside from getting her teeth smashed during a live show, we'd say she had a good year.
8. Kanye West
As usual, Kanye West generated a ton of buzz in 2012, as he embarked upon collaborations, waged court battles, pissed off PETA and plotted a host of possible projects. He also released Cruel Summer, both as a Kid Cudi-featuring film and a star-studded G.O.O.D. Music compilation, and reports have suggested that Cruel Winter will be close behind. But arguably West's most headline-grabbing move happened when he began dating socialite and reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
7. Green Day
Pop-punk lifers Green Day released three albums plus a documentary in 2012, but all of this was overshadowed by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong's very public meltdown. When the band's iHeartRadio Music Festival performance was cut short, the singer threw a hissy fit and smashed his guitar before landing in rehab. They cancelled their tour and endured insults, putting a damper on what was meant to be a triumphant year.
6. Chief Keef
Chicago rapper Chief Keef (aka Keith Cozart) emerged as one of rap's biggest new talents in 2012, and his music has now been linked to big names like Pusha T, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross and Young Jeezy. He signed with Interscope and released the album Finally Rich. But it wasn't all smooth sailing for the 17-year-old phenom; in September, the Chicago police investigated him for a possible role in the drive-by shooting of a rival rapper Joseph "JoJo" Coleman.
5. Death Grips
Sacramento doom-rap crew Death Grips made an unexpected move by signing with Epic Records prior to their first album of the year, The Money Store. Scarcely a month later, they cancelled their tour in order to work on the follow-up, No Love Deep Web, which they leaked online as a free download, much to their label's chagrin. Adding to the group's apparent petulance was the fact that the album cover featured a close-up picture of an erect penis. After sharing some angry letters from Epic with the public, the band were unexpectedly dropped from their deal.
4. Lamb of God
Metal titans Lamb of God started their year on the right foot by releasing their album Resolution and landing on the Exclaim! cover. Things went suddenly and shockingly sour, however, when frontman Randy Blythe was arrested on manslaughter charges stemming from an alleged 2010 altercation at a concert in Prague. He remained in Czech prison for five weeks before being released and heading home to await trial. Blythe denies the charges and, despite being indicted, plans to fight them in court.
3. The Beastie Boys
Having battled cancer for a fews years, beloved Beastie Boys rhymer Adam Yauch sadly succumbed to the disease back in the spring. Making matters worse, the group's grieving was interrupted by a lawsuit over allegedly uncleared samples. They subsequently sued Monster Energy Drink for using their music in a promotional video. Meanwhile, the tributes to Yauch poured in, and a Brooklyn park was named after him.
2. Frank Ocean
Odd Future have had an iffy track record as far as homophobia is concerned, with many taking offence to their inflammatory lyrics. It rocked the music world, therefore, when one of the hip-hop collective's own, R&B crooner Frank Ocean, opened up about a previous same-sex relationship. It didn't hurt that his debut album, Channel Orange, earned rave reviews when it was released soon after the revelation. Naturally, the music critics of the world analyzed the album's masculine and feminine pronouns to death. Oh, and to add some icing to that cake, Ocean was nominated for a bunch of Grammys.
1. Pussy Riot
In 2012, no artist generated more debate around the world than Russian punk activists Pussy Riot. After performing a protest song targeted at leader Vladimir Putin at Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral in February, three of the band members were arrested and Amnesty International called for their release. Musicians around the world took up the cause, but the Pussy Riot members were still handed prison sentences. Even Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev spoke out against the sentencing, and one of the members, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released. The group were short-listed for Time Magazine's Person of the Year and a documentary will emerge next year at Sundance Film Festival. It's not often that a band can make their mark on the world of international politics, but Pussy Riot pulled it off.
