Best Live Bands of 2012

The best live bands of 2012 include many well-established musicians and some newcomers. Whether it's the straight up rocking live shows of music vets like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band or Neil Young & Crazy Horse, or the new, unique, bluesy sounds of the Alabama Shakes, each band or musician on this list gave everything to fans at live shows in 2012. Who do you think deserves the title of best live band of 2012? Time to vote! Also, if you saw a great live band this year that isn't listed, be sure to add them.

A truly great live band manages to inhabit the stage completely, capturing an audience's attention and keeping it for hours. Whether it's catchy pop songs or long, meandering jams, the best live bands in 2012 brought it all to the stage. Some of the bands listed here were headliners at major music festivals, including the likes of Coachella, Pink Pop, Bonnaroo and the New Orleans JazzFest. Attending these sorts of festivals can be an excellent way to discover new and exciting live acts.

Not every band on this list was a headliner in 2012. Some, like the Alabama Shakes, opened up for much more well-known acts (like Neil Young & Crazy Horse). But every great band starts somewhere, right? Muse, for example, opened for U2 on the 360 Tour a few years back. Now, the band is lighting up stadiums all over the world as the featured performer.

Enjoy thgis list of 2012's best live bands, and be sure to add your favorite acts too.