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

Listening Post

From what's absolutely one of the best albums of the year so far, here's the astonishing Chan Marshall, AKA Cat Power, with Cherokee.

Listening Post

One of the most passionate, desperate, balls-out powerful love songs ever written -- and if this mind-blowing live performance of it doesn't give you chills, you have no heart.

Here's the great Otis Redding, live from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, doing I've Been Loving You Too Long.



And as a bonus, here's Cat Power's gorgeous, torch song-ish cover of it.

Listening Post

This woman's voice just breaks my heart.

Here's Chan Marshall, AKA Cat Power -- Living Proof.



And as a bonus, a live performance of her stunning take on Joni Mitchell's Blue.