The 25 Best Singles of 2012

25. Muse -- Madness

With a seductive electronic purr, Muse unleashed their best single since the Absolution days.



24. El-P -- The Full Retard

Brooklyn hip-hop savante Jaime Meline, otherwise known as El-P, did what he does best in 2012 -- laying down a barrage of incendiary beats that pretty much shook your eardrums until they broke.



23. Real Estate -- Easy

The title says it all. The first single from Real Estate's Days album, released at the very start of 2012, was a breezy, catchy bit of wonderfulness.



22. DIIV -- Doused

A lot of bands were still doing the propulsive 80s indie thing in 2012, but DIIV (pronounced "dive") did it better than just about anybody else. This single proves it.



21. Cat Power -- Cherokee

God bless Cat Power. That is all.

Tomorrow: 20-16