Miguel Is Living The Dream
Sex takes center stage on his sophomore album
By Brian McManus
Frank Ocean's Sea Change
His musical and personal honesty made waves in 2012
By Eric Sundermann
A Trip Through Fiona Apple's Wheelhouse
The singer-songwriter wrestles with the idea of mind as machine
By Audra Schroeder
Kendrick Lamar, Finally Compton's Most Wanted
It took quite some time for the rapper to become an overnight success
By Jeff Weiss
The Confounding, Inexplicable Splendor of Rapper Future
Space is the place
By Rob Harvilla
Pazz & Jop: Taylor Swift, Grimes, and Lana Del Rey: The Year in Blond Ambition
How dare they have an image
By Jessica Hopper
You Don't Know Jack (White)
After a dozen years in the public eye, the man proves he can still surprise us
By Alan Light
Riff Raff Is Keeping It Surreal
He's believable as a hip-hop star because nothing he says is true
By Ben Westhoff
Travel Tips From Touring Bands
By Kiernan Maletsky
A Note on Crap
True art lives where no one is paying attention. Or probably not.
By David Thorpe
Defend Your Ballot: Rob Harvilla
Defend Your Ballot: Eric Sundermann
Defend Your Ballot: Drew Millard
Defend Your Ballot: Nick Greene, Who Didn't Get a Pazz and Jop Ballot
Top 40 Albums
The year's big albums, from Frank Ocean on down
Top 42 Singles
"Call Me Maybe" kicks off the top of the pops
Pazz & Jop Comments
The who, the what, the where, and the why, why, why
The Top 25 Album Covers
A lovingly hand-assembled gallery
Tabulation Notes
Weak consensus versus inspiring diversity
By Glenn McDonald
Music Editor Brian McManus Managing Editor Nick Murray Head Designer Jesus Diaz Web Development Manager Mike Uchtman Copy Editor Amanda Woytus Online Editors Nick Greene Online Editorial Assistance Jeremy Krinsley, Nick Lucchesi
Poll tabulated by Glenn McDonald - http://furia.com/pjs/
Thanks to all 500 voters, commenters, and essayists.