Another post, another list! Today we visit the year 2012 and highlight twenty-five excellent offerings from the world of faith-based music. The albums span musical stylings from hip-hop, to singer-songwriter—pop-punk, hard rock, Americana, and indie-rock to avant-garde modern worship. There’s a comeback album, a final album, a one-hit wonder, a magnum opus, and plenty more. Ultimately, I ranked them in order of my enjoyment, but these are what I would deem the cream-of-the-crop for Christian music in its fifth full decade. So strap on your seatbelt, because away we go into the Christian Music time machine to 2012!

P.S. Look for a few other year based lists linked at the bottom of this post.

25. Heath McNease – Thrift Store Jesus

24. Trip Lee – The Good Life

23. Children 18:3 – On the Run

22. Showbread – Cancer

21. Project 86 – Wait for the Siren

20. Andrew Osegna – Leonard the Lonely Astronaut

19. Future of Forestry – Young Man Follow

18. The Classic Crime – Phoenix

17. Bebo Norman – Lights of a Distant City

16. Brandon Heath – Blue Mountain

15. Flyleaf – New Horizons

14. Propaganda – Excellent

13. Mewithoutyou – Ten Stories

12. Anberlin – Vital

11. Beautiful Eulogy – Satellite Kite

10. The Vespers – The Fourth Wall

Sister harmony and Americana stylings make for something a little different, and excellent. “Better Now” is my overall favorite track.

9. Paper Route – The Peace of Wild Things

Indie pop with that chill kinda vibe I dig. May move higher on a list like this and make the Top 100 of the 10s list one day. It’s growing on me.

8. Lecrae – Gravity

“Violence” “Fakin” and my overall favorite Lecrae song “Tell the World” make for a solid album.

7. Sixpence None The Richer – Lost in Transition

Sixpence with Country leanings? It works, and I like it. 4 Star album!

6. Sons – Keep Quiet

Post-hardcore just like I like it that I stumbled on a few years ago at Jesusfreakhideout. I highly recommend, especially for fans of another terrific band—Attalus.

5. Gungor – A Creation Liturgy (Live)

My pick for their overall best work, Michael’s guitar prowess really stands out.

4. David Crowder Band – Give Us Rest

An epic double album to end a top-notch career as the DC*B. They were the best worship-leaning band of their era hands down.

3. Young Oceans – Self Titled

Relaxing indie worship full of space and moments to soak in the grandeur of God.

2. House of Heroes – Cold Hard Want

My pick for the third best album of their catalogue, but there are some really strong songs present here. The a capella start of “A Man Who’s Not Afraid,” “Remember the Empire,” “Touch This Light, “The Comfort Trap” and closer “I Am a Cymbal” are my Top 5, but the run from beginning through track eight is really hard to beat.

1. Andrew Peterson – Light for the Lost Boy

His magnum opus, Peterson’s typical poetic story songs get some electric guitar oomph to spice things up. “Don’t you Want to Thank Someone” is worth the price of the whole album. 5 stars!

What about you?! What are your favorites from 2012?

Other year based lists: 20 Albums from 2002, 1997: 25 Albums Celebrate 25 Years, 1996: 25 Albums Celebrate 25 Years, 1995: 25 Christian Albums 25 Years Later