Songs about drinking have been around since humans discovered the quickest route to becoming a virtuoso is to toss back a few sips. Even the Star Spangled Banner owes its melody to an old drinking refrain. The tradition of singing about booze continues to this day, so we present here the top nine new releases of 2012 that fall into this category.

Some of these revolve entirely around the subject of tippling while others mention it in passing, but all of these tunes are pretty awesome. Scope the full Spotify playlist at the bottom of this post, and if you have another to nominate, let us know in the comments.

1) The Walkmen — Southern Heart
“Family comes from Kentucky and there's bourbon in the blood.”
A somber and sparse number slowly kicks off our playlist.

2) Purity Ring — Belispeak
“Grandma, my sleep is narrow. Did you bring me some strong drink?”
Like the rest of the album it’s featured on, Belispeak is dreamy, woozy and perfect for the beginnings of a night of drinking. Listen to the remix with Danny Brown for a different take.

3) Lushlife — Magnolia
“Henny drinker with a periwinkle tailor-made Balenciaga suit. Penny-loafer, Prada boot."
The hyper-literate Philadelphia rapper (and apparent Hennessy drinker) flexes his vocabulary on the opening track of Plateau Vision.

4) Japandroids — The Night of Wine and Roses
“So we down our drinks in a funnel of friends, and we burn our blends right down to the end.”
A rocking affair that, despite its title, would pair very well with whiskey. Lots of whiskey.

5) The Men — Animal
“Watch me drink. I want a drink.”
Harsh, frenetic and to the point — The Men are not interested in mincing words.

6) Miguel — How Many Drinks?
“How many drinks would it take you to leave with me?”
A smooth, sensual slow jam by the budding R&B star, set in a bar or lounge.

7) Frank Ocean — Pyramids
“Bubbles in my champagne, let it be some jazz playing."
This grand three-part opus certainly touches on a lot more than drinking, but it’s one of the best songs of the year.

8) A$AP Rocky — Goldie
“Cristal go by the cases, wait hold up that was racist. I would prefer the Aces, ain't no different when you taste it. A 40 ounce to chase it, that's just a understatement."
One of the cooler party anthems of the year, A$AP references hip-hop’s widely publicized beef with a certain champagne manufacturer before quickly moving onto an unnamed malt beverage.

9) Kendrick Lamar — Swimming Pools (Drank)
“Why you babysitting only two or three shots? Ima show you how to turn it up a notch. First you get a swimming pool full of liquor then you dive in it.”
Simultaneously an ode to and a warning about the perils of drinking, Swimming Pools showcases Kendrick’s robotic but mesmerizing flow and is one of the centerpieces to what some consider the album of the year.