Summary: This week on All Songs Considered, Co-Hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton are joined by NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Ann Powers to take a step back, catch their breaths and consider the past six months of music. They share their favorite new artists, biggest surprises, favorite albums and songs of 2012, so far. This week's show features a batch of poptimistic, feel-good songs (along with a few tracks better heard alone in a dark, quiet room.) These favorite songs of the year are not necessarily the most delicately crafted, but the "awesomeist" songs. Kishi Bashi Album: 151A Song: Bright Whites Now, Now Album: Threads Song: Thread Hurray For The Riff Raff Album: Look Out Mama Song: Born to Win (Part One) Japandroids Album: Celebration Rock Song: Fire's Highway Sinead O'Connor Album: How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? Song: I Had A Baby Fiona Apple Album: The Idler Wheel... Song: Hot Knife Icona Pop Album: I Love It (Single) Song: I Love It Spiritualized Album: Sweet Heart Sweet Light Song: Hey Jane Exitmusic Album: Passage Song: City Regina Spektor Album: What We Saw From The Cheap Seats Song: Small Town Moon Bobby Womack Album: The Bravest Man In The Universe Song: Please Forgive My Heart Carly Rae Jepsen Album: Call Me Maybe [Single] Song: Call Me Maybe Patrick Watson Album: Adventures In Your Own Backyard Song: Adventures In Your Own Backyard Simone White Album: Silver Silver Song: Big Dreams and the Headlines Best Coast Album: The Only Place Song: The Only Place
