Using my record label formula, here were my favorite labels of 2012

Here are some interesting stats on the list and year 2012

• I bought a full length LP from 76 different labels
• I bought 2 or more LPs on 16 different labels in 2012.   XL had the most with 4 LPs
• For labels with at least two LPs, Count Your Lucky Stars had the highest average song rating (4.28).
• For labels with at least two LPs, Count Your Lucky Stars had the highest average album rating (4.28) – weird coincidence with above
• I bought EPs from 22 different labels.  Topshelf had the most with 3 EPs
• I listened to Topshelf records more than any other label in 2012.  I spent 33 hours listening to Topshelf records.
• I listened to Rumbletowne songs on average the most times.   Each song i had on Rumbletowne i listened to on average 42 times.

Here are my top 10 labels of 2012:

1.  Count Your Lucky Stars – 9.511 (4 artists, 3 LPs, 1 5-Star LP, 1 4-Star LP)

2.  Bandcamp – 7.846 (29 artists, 10 LPs, 4 4-Star LP)

3. Topshelf – 7.675 (8 artists, 3 LPs, 1 4-Star LP)

4.  Tiny Engines – 7.457 (5 artists, 3 LPs, 1 4-Star LPs)

5.  Asian Man – 7.352 (4 artists, 2 LPs, 2 4-Star LPs)

6.  Quote Unquote – 7.313 (3 artists, 2 LPs, 2 4-Star LP)

7.  Self Released – 7.081 (25 artists, 5 LPs)

8.  Epitaph – 6.733 (4 artists, 1 LP, 1 4-Star LP)

9.  Thrill Jockey – 6.606 (2 artists, 2 LPs, 1 4-Star LPs)

10.  Say 10 – 6.572 (6 artists, 1 LPs, 1 4-Star LP)

I followed my process from last year for picking favorite songs.   While most frequent listens is a good barometer of my favorite songs, it is clearly not the only measure (particularly with high counts coming to songs my wife or kids love).

So, I adjusted the process.   I had two rules when assembling the list:

1. Song must have 5 stars (152 songs)
2. Could not duplicate artist

Then I listed to the songs and picked the ones that stuck with me the most.    I really did my best to pair the list down (I did cut 121 5-star songs), but still have 31 phenomenal songs.    This list of my favorite songs of 2012 is below in alphabetical order by artist.    All great songs, I hope you enjoy.   Let me know your thoughts on any standouts or omissions.

Annabel’s Anti-Decisions from Youth in Youth (Count Your Lucky Stars)

Cheap Girls’ Cored to Empty from Giant Orange (Rise)

Coping’s Love Tigress from Nope (Bandcamp)

Defiance, Ohio’s I’m Against the Government from the Calling (Self Released)

Downtown Struts’ Postcards from Victoria (Pirates Press)

Dowsing’s Terminals’ from It’s Still Pretty Terrible (Count Your Lucky Stars)

Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)’s Turbo Stasis from Arrow/Empire Split (Count Your Lucky Stars)

Eric Ayotte’s Big Bully from Causality (Bandcamp)

Listen here

Erica Freas’ Demon from Belly (Rumbletowne)

Listen here

Hard Girls’ Hot for the Halo from Isn’t It Worse (Quote Unquote)

Hop Along’s Kids on the Boardwalk from Get Disowned (Bandcamp)

Jeff Rosenstock’s Snow Changes from I Look Like Shit (Quote Unquote)

Joi De Vivre’s At Least I Tried from We Are Better Than This (Count Your Lucky Stars)

Joyce Manor’s See How Tame I Can Be from Of All Things I will Soon Grow Tired (Asian Man)

Luke Roberts’ His Song from The Iron Gates at Throop and Newport (Thrill Jockey)

Marietta’s Yeah Yeah Yeah from Couples Therapy (Bandcamp)

The Men’s Candy from Open Your Heart (Sacred Bones)

The Menzingers’ Good Things from On The Impossible Past (Epitaph)

Meridian’s The Catalyst from Aging Truths (Bandcamp)

Modern Baseball’s Its Cold Out Here from Couples Therapy (Bandcamp)

Our Sunday Affairs’ Hate Parade from City of Dogs (Bandcamp)

Paws’ Catherine 1956 from Cokefloat (Fat Cat)

Prawn’s Spring River from Ships (Topshelf)

Red Collar’s American Me from Welcome Home (Tiny Engines)

Spraynard’s Can I Borrow A Feeling from Exton Square (Asian Man)

Sun Kil Moon’s Sunshine in Chicago from Among the Leaves (Caldo Verde)

Swearin’s Hundred and Thousands from Self Titled (Salinas)

Tim Barry’s Fine Foods Market from 40 Miler (Chunksaah)

Tony Clark’s Cat Crawl from As Dark As a Moonless Night (Bandcamp)

Why the Wires’ Another Lung from All These Dead Astronauts (Rorschah)

You Blew It’s Medal of Honor from Grow Up, Dude (Topshelf)