Words by LargeUp Crew—

For our Top 10 dancehall singles of 2012, we’ve put together a cross-section of the biggest, most undeniable and ubiquitous tunes of the year, along with some gems we just genuinely loved, regardless of their commercial status. The goal, overall, was to compile a list of tracks that we expect to keep hearing for years to come.

As is often the case in dancehall, some of the biggest hits this year were actually released in the year prior. Songs released in 2011 were eligible to be included in our 2012 Top 10, but only if they weren’t already in last year’s Top 10. Hence the absence of Vegas’ “Bruk it Down”—arguably the year’s biggest dancehall tune, but also No. 10 on last year’s chart. That said, read on for our picks for the best dancehall singles of 2012.