I realize this subject has been beaten to death before, so I started a new thread for this discussion, so that whoever wants to ignore it can. What are the guidelines on this forum for determining if an album qualifies for inclusion on that year's list?

I seem to recall from some of what I read here is that the consensus is that if an album had a legitimate release in 2006, and you heard it first in 2006, then it could be included. I realize the latter criterion is subject to the honesty of the individual, but since most people want to feel that their lists are legitimate to the only critic who matters (yourself), I don't think this is a concern.

So, for example, anyone who didn't hear Arcade Fire in 2004, but picked up the UK version in 2005 could have included it on their list, just as many UK publications did. However, since this list seems to be primarily dominated by North American folks, it didn't make the Metacritic Users year end list. Basically the qualification issue then becomes a sort of consensus-by-design.

By the same criteria, if someone wanted to include the Bill Fay album, that was recorded 30 years ago but never released until 2005, on their list, they could have, but since most participants aren't as liberal with their rankings as this, an album such as this wouldn't stand much of a chance.

Are my interpretations correct?

I apologize, but I just didn't have the patience to sift through the Best of 2005 forum to find the answer to my question.

I don't know if there's a consensus view even amongst Forum regulars, but my take is this:

If an album was reissued in 2006 but originally released in, say, 1986, it can't be included in a "Best of 2006" list (unless you want to run a Best Reissues list!). If it was recorded in 1986 but never saw the light of day until 2006, it's a new release as far as I'm concerned. SMiLE was a 2004 release for me even though I had heard most of the original.

The import/domestic stuff is always slippery. I buy a lot of UK imports and so I'm sometimes putting things that don't get US releases until 2006 on my 2005 list. Honesty is simply assumed on my part: I'm not sure what I would have to gain by putting the record by Editors on both my 2005 (UK release) and 2006 (US release) lists.

My only criteria for inclusion in a 2006 list is that the record had SOME SORT of 2006 release. Picking up London Calling for the first time in 2006 (and not some new version, but the previously released version) and finding it a fave does not make it a Best Record of 2006. It might be a qualifier for a different list (records I enjoyed most in 2006?) but unless it has some kind of legit release in 06 , I don't count it personally.

I don't include compilations unless all of the tracks are new for 2006 (not likely). Again, reissues wouldn't count on the list, since it isn't 'new' material for the year.

And finally, I count U.S. releases as my 2006, so Editors' "Back Room" could qualify to my 2006 list...if I had liked it, lol.
This is because I'm really not likely to get my hands on an album import, and I don't really do the illegal downloading thing.

I'm an AmeriCAN, not an AmeriCANT!

Okay so maybe if I can get some input, here are some things I would welcome input on:

1. What if a record was only previously issued as a limited edition CD-R only release and then re-released by a larger label, and it happens a few years or a year apart. I'm thinking of how on last year's best of lists The Wire included the Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice record Buck Dharma that came out on CD-R in 2003 and then was reissued on Kill Rock Stars in 2005. With the fact that the record's initial run was probably so small that nearly no one except fanatics heard it in it's initial run, does it count for a year end list?

2. I'm facing a similar problem with the Phonophani self-titled record that came out on Rune Grammofon this year. Initially it was released in only 500 copies on the artist Biosphere's Biophon label in 1998, but is something like that up for grabs for 2006 since it was reissued with bonus tracks?

Personally, I would feel comfortable including both. Tapes n' Tapes are in kind of the same boat, and I expect to see them on more than few year-end lists.

Hey, it's always nice to have some variety on the lists.

Have you checked your PMs lately, jb?

Now Playing: "Sledgehammer" Peter Gabriel So

I say with those limited-edition/re-issued albums that you get to choose as long as it was originally released (on some kind of limited basis) within the last 2 years. Any longer and that (like pE's Londong Calling example) and I don't think it belongs.

quote:

Have you checked your PMs lately, jb?

Oh yeah.....