'Hunger Games' And More: Best Film Soundtracks And Scores Of 2012

With all this year-end talk about the best of cinema, the topics that generally dominate the discussion and awards categories are recognition for acting, directing and writing.

We've been highlighting a few of our other favorite movie-related subjects like the best quotes, the most GIF-able moments and now the best in movie music. Where would we be without the emotional, sweeping orchestral accompaniment and new-artist discoveries that help a movie leave a lasting impression upon our psyche? We'd be bored and bothered by too much uncomfortable silence, that's where we'd be.

Here are our favorite movie soundtracks (comprised of music with words, written and performed by a variety of artists to accompany the action onscreen) and scores (instrumental only) of 2012:

Soundtracks
"The Hunger Games": In the midst of this movie's box-office-busting success, everyone was busy saluting the performances by lead actors Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, as well as the mostly seamless book-to-screen adaptation, but the soundtrack for "The Hunger Games" deserves just as much praise. It's a killer compilation of soulful, folksy music, with several tracks penned specifically for the film, like Taylor Swift's "Safe and Sound." Other favorites: "Kingdom Come" by the Civil Wars and "Come Away to the Water" by Maroon 5.

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2": The fifth and final "Twilight" soundtrack album featured an eclectic mix of artists new and established and complemented the intense and emotional themes of Edward and Bella's love story. There was an edgy emotive song by first-time contributors Green Day, a second helping of Christina Perri and an original tune penned by star Nikki Reed and her husband Paul McDonald.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower": How much do we love this soundtrack? Almost as much as we love the movie and its talented cast. Listening to this soundtrack is a perfect transport back to specific moments in the movie, like the excellently choreographed "living room routine" by Patrick and Sam at the school dance, as well as those looking for all the songs mentioned in the film like "Asleep" by the Smiths. Like the movie, it's indie enough to be both cool and satisfying.

"Pitch Perfect": This one is for those looking to continue the happiness high derived from watching the charming and talented stars sing their hearts out in "Pitch Perfect." Impressively, this soundtrack is a cappella only, crafted using just the vocal stylings of the cast and no backing instruments. You get to hear full versions of the songs featured in the film, as well as some new arrangements of the clever mash-ups. Holiday gift-giving tip: This is great for fans of a cappella or "Glee."

"Think Like a Man": This ensemble comedy was one of the most pleasant box-office surprises of the year, and so is its soundtrack. Anchored by John Legend's sensual catchy song "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)," which was recently nominated for a Grammy, the mostly R&B-themed soundtrack features a diverse mix of artists like Jennifer Hudson, Keri Hilson, Future and Marcus Canty.

"Les Misérables": This soundtrack is quickly becoming a best-seller of the year, due to the fan fervor over new recordings of songs from the beloved Broadway musical and the fact that the A-list actors in the cast do all the singing themselves. Anne Hathaway has virtually locked in an Oscar nomination, based on early reviews of her performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" alone, so if you're a fan of these solemn, theatrical songs and of hearing the vocal stylings of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen, this will be your favorite soundtrack of the year.