The Best Clubs in L.A., 2012

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Our Best Of issue just hit stands! We found our fairy tale, and now we present it to you: 435 of the most fabulous things in all of Los Angeles. From the city's most amazing restaurants to its tawdriest dive bars, from its edgiest art exhibits to the top spots for live music, we've got it all covered. It truly is the Best of L.A. -- and, in a city this awesome, that's really saying something.

Don't forget to download our super-useful Best Of app as well.

Below, peep our choices from the issue for best after-hours spot, best blues club, best all-ages venue, best all-ages venue (East L.A. edition), best country venue, best club changeover, and best folk club.

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The Best Parties in L.A., 2012

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Our Best Of issue just hit stands! We found our fairy tale, and now we present it to you: 435 of the most fabulous things in all of Los Angeles. From the city's most amazing restaurants to its tawdriest dive bars, from its edgiest art exhibits to the top spots for live music, we've got it all covered. It truly is the Best of L.A. -- and, in a city this awesome, that's really saying something.

Don't forget to download our super-useful Best Of app as well.

Below, peep our choices from the issue for best theme bash, best rooftop party, best drag club night, and best Eastside club night.

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The Best Musicians in L.A., 2012

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Our Best Of issue just hit stands! We found our fairy tale, and now we present it to you: 435 of the most fabulous things in all of Los Angeles. From the city's most amazing restaurants to its tawdriest dive bars, from its edgiest art exhibits to the top spots for live music, we've got it all covered. It truly is the Best of L.A. -- and, in a city this awesome, that's really saying something.

Don't forget to download our super-useful Best Of app as well.

Below, peep our choices from the issue for best rapper, best punk band, best Latin alternative band, best rap collective, best DJ, and best singer-songwriter.

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Top 10 Jukeboxes in Los Angeles

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For all the best of L.A. music, download our free Best Of Mobile app.

See Also: Best Hip Hop Jukebox in a Dive Bar

An amazing jukebox will tell exactly how connected bartenders and their bosses are to their patrons and the moods they want to create.

This list is composed of those heroes that wouldn't dare let you drink to the adolescent caterwauling of some bullshit Justin Bieber or nu metal. And those freewheeling digital jukeboxes that might allow an interloper to insert crap into your bar's precious soundscape? No way -- we omitted those bars for that very reason. But the following ten establishments understand exactly why you make well-curated music-making machines available to the masses.

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Top Ten Historic Rock Clubs in L.A.

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Timothy Norris
For all the best of L.A. music, download our free Best Of Mobile app.

See also: Top 10 Live Music Venues in L.A.: The Complete List

L.A. has some of the most iconic rock n' roll venues in the country. From the sparkly glam rock of the Sunset Strip to the grimy punk of dim clubs scattered throughout the city, we tend to host some of the biggest national acts on local stages first. When it comes to our important historic local clubs, some have shuttered, but these ten venues are still vibrant.


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Top 10 Best Karaoke Bars in L.A.: #5-1

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For all the best of L.A. music, download our free Best Of Mobile app.

See also: Top 10 Best Karaoke Bars in L.A.: #10-6

5. Max Karaoke Studio
For some of us, karaoke is all about either watching or being drink-sodden disasters -- specifically the kind poorly belting out ballads to a hooting crowd of strangers. For the non-voyeurs and the non-exhibitionists, the song's the thing, and Max Karaoke is the master of the song-centric private room karaoke. Max offers comfortable private "karaoke boxes" for groups up to 40. At $18 an hour, the song selection is vast and the staff couldn't be more polite. While not strictly for purists, there is an air of professionalism behind the karaoke-cabinets at Max -- they rank the popularity of song choices at all of their three locations online and most of the dazed-eyed clientele looks like they've been in there for the long haul. So, rent a room solo when your car just can't contain your private crooning, or grab a group and BYOB, 'cuz Max doesn't sell alcohol. --Paul Bradley

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Top 10 Best Karaoke Bars in L.A.: #10-6

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For all the best of L.A. music, download our free Best Of Mobile app.

To the rest of the country, L.A. is a city of wannabe stars chorusing, "Look at me!" But outside of Hollywood, most of us only want to be onstage when we're bombed. Lucky for us, L.A.'s karaoke bars are as diverse and plenteous as its people. We saw, we sipped, we sang, and chose the city's 10 best.


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Top 10 Best Live Music Venues in L.A.: #5-1

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For all the best of L.A. music, download our free Best Of Mobile app.

See also: Top Ten Best Live Music Venues in L.A.: #10 - #6

5. Music Box
See also: R.I.P. the Music Box? Legendary Hollywood Venue Shuttered [UPDATE: Short-term?]
News of the Music Box's overnight shuttering this month was met with shock, followed swiftly by disappointment. The gorgeous venue, which opened in 1926, hosted stars like Clark Gable and Marlene Dietrich. Even though it was recently renovated, the black-and-white checkered floor and thick red curtains made you feel you were stepping back in time. Perfect setup for shorties or those with a touch of claustrophobia -- wrangle one of the VIP wristbands that allowed you upstairs or hang back beside the elevated main bar. The legendary venue's website is frozen for now, very likely a wink from the old owners. "Can't stop the music," reads a banner. No buttons work, and the music player is paused with the words "Stand by" above. Oh, we will. -Rebecca Haithcoat


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Top 10 Songs to Annoy Your Neighbor

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Allied Artists Pictures
Freshman year in college, the albatrosses living next door would squawk into the wee hours of the night over their latest conquests or sorority happenings. And while, being night owls, we normally wouldn't take issue with the noise, every so often the ladies would play a song so loud that its bass line would thrash and shamble through our thin dorm room walls and thinner mental concentration. We can only imagine that it was some sort of dreary, tragic mating ritual or that the song, whose thudding offense sampled Zapp and Roger's "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)" was, in its own way, a lamenting swan song.

Living in a city like Los Angeles, tightly-packed with mixed tastes, doesn't provide any more freedom from neighboring annoyances. So, in the spirit of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em," here are our Top 10 Songs to Annoy Your Neighbor:

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