Lana Del Rey, ‘Born to Die’ – Top Albums of 2012

No artist has been as divisive -- or as readily press-generating -- as the artist formerly known as Lizzie Grant. The ample-lipped starlet built an underground following before 'Born to Die' dropped back in January 2012, and since then each single (plus each subsequent remix and video) has generated waves across the blogosphere.

'SNL' meltdowns aside, she has some serious media acumen. The videos, replete with crocodile humping, skateboards, and home movies, have all given Lana Del Rey her share of the limelight. She makes songs, too. The girl’s partial to the come-hither pout-rap, which reaches its furthest fruition on tracks like ‘Blue Jeans,' and she can also open up those vocal cords and belt one out -- her pipework on ‘Carmen’ draws as much drama as imitating Jackie O or those rumors she was dating Axl Rose.