Includes favorite new releases, reissues and compilations

Reissues that make this list are usually of good pressing/mastering quality

Purchased LP or EP unless otherwise stated BD, SACD, DVD-A or CD (*don't own)

2024 List (So Far)

Favorite New Releases

• Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP)
• Grandaddy - Blu Wav (2024, Opaque Light Blue LP)
• Judas Priest - Invincible Shield (2024, EU iMusic LEx1000 "Hot Pink" 2xLP)
• Rolling Stones - Live at The Wiltern (2024, Amazon Exclusive Bronze/Black 3xLP)
• Sean Ono Lennon - Asterisms (2024,LP)

Favorite Reissues

• AC/DC - For Those About to Rock... (1981,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
• AC/DC - Highway to Hell (1979,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
• AC/DC - Back in Black (1980,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Metallic Gold LP)
• AC/DC - Live (1992,2024 50th Walmart Exclusive Gold LP)
• Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster (1970, 2024 Green Translucent MOV LP)
• Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1975, 2024 Black/White Split VMP Exclusive LP)
• Fleetwood Mac - Mirage (1982, 2024 Translucent Purple Swirl VMP Exclusive LP)
• Fleetwood Mac - Tango in the Night (1987, 2024 Green Swirl VMP Exclusive LP)
• Fu Manchu - Go For It...Live! (2003,2024 Neon Orange + Neon Yellow 2xLP)
• Gentle Giant - The Missing Piece (1977,2024 Opaque Green LP Steven Wilson Remix)
• Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006,2024 "Crocodile Green" Swirl Deluxe 2xLP)
• Steely Dan - Guacho (1980,2024 MFSL UHQR AP 45rpm Clear 2xLP)
• UFO - Lights Out (1977, 2024 RM LP + Live at The Roundhouse, London, April 1977 2xLP)

Not sure yet...

• Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP)
• Les Claypool - Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years (2024, Color 7xLP Box Set)
• Pineapple Thief - It Leads to This (2024,LP)
• The Quill - Wheel of Illusion (2024, Opaque Red LP)
• Sean Ono Lennon - Asterisms (2024,LP)
• Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)

Top 10 2024 Favorite New Releases TBD

Top 10 2024 Favorite Reissues TBD

Best Sound (Nice Pressing + Great Mastering = Sublime Sound)

• Fu Manchu - Go For It...Live! (2003,2024 Neon Orange + Neon Yellow 2xLP)
• Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)

Special note: 2024 Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic Vinyl series of vintage jazz recordings mastered by Kevin Gray. These all-analog pressings are manufactured at RTI and are reliably flat and quiet.

Favorite 4.0 / 5.1 Multichannel

Favorite Color Vinyl

• Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP)
• Rodrigo y Gabriela - Rodrigo y Gabriela (2006,2024 "Crocodile Green" Swirl Deluxe 2xLP)
• Strfkr - Parallel Realms (2024,"Kelly Green & Cobalt Blue Cornetto w/Pink Splatter" 2xLP)

Favorite Cover Art

• Richard Thompson - Ship to Shore (2024,LP)

Worst Cover Art

• Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP)

Presentation Standouts

Special note: All of the 2024 Blue Note Tone Poet Series of vintage jazz recordings.

Presented on high-quality laminated Stoughton "Tip-On" gatefold jackets printed on heavy card stock.

Disappointments

• Blackberry Smoke - Be Right Here (2024,"Monarch Edition" Red/Orange Marble LP) - big Smoke fan and this was a disappointment for me. My wife liked it. The orange vinyl is pretty.
• Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards (2024,Amazon Exclusive Opaque Orange LP) - The music is great for the most part, but wow shameful horrible production on this one. Wall of obnoxious sound! Sounds like a brickwalled CD of yesteryear. Let it breath a little and this gets 4 or 4.5 stars from me.
• Kacey Musgraves - Deeper Well (2024,Amazon Exclusive Translucent Green Splatter LP) - not bad, but a bit mediocre. Not willing to shell out $35 for this ugly Amazon exclusive, so returned it.

Bad Pressings and Other Annoyances

Best Sale of the Year

In Memorium 2024

• Eric Carmen (The Raspberries)
• Jim Beard (Keyboardist, Steely Dan)
• Mary Weiss (The Shangri-La's)
• Melanie
• Mojo Nixon
• Steve Lawrence
• Toby Keith