PenguinJoe

Phoenix, Kanye West, Black Sabbath, Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, QoTS

And all these came out are coming out in the first 6 months of the year. This has to be some sort of record for big releases.

then you have new stuff by Drake and Lady Gaga coming out later this year.

auto

It's a good year, but I wouldn't get too excited yet.

Why So Blu?

Not necessarily due to "new" music per se, but due to me embracing vinyl and actually giving a shit about music again, is what's making it a stellar year for tunes.

Michael Corvin

I know a bunch of my favorites (Dream Theater, Ayreon, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, James Labrie solo) supposedly have albums slated for this year so I'm pumped.

Supermallet

Bowie and Nick Cave as well. I do think this has been a great year for music so far.

JeffTheAlpaca

Alice In Chains and Black Sabbath

Too early to tell but I thought 2008 was pretty good.

maxfisher

This kind of thing is ridiculously subjective, but for my tastes, it's been an ok year so far, with not a lot of interest announced for the back half. Looking at my ranking lists from the past handful of years, I can't see this year topping 2010 or 2012. It may top 2011, which had a handful of really great albums and a bunch of mediocre ones.

rw2516

The new Eric Burden, 'Til Your River Runs Dry, gets my vote for best so far this year.

astrochimp

The Flaming Lips "The Terror" is another strong one.

I am liking this year musically so far.

Tarantino

When is Detox coming out?

cdollaz

Also OMD, Chelsea Light Moving, They Might Be Giants, Tomahawk. It's been a pretty good year.

Hokeyboy

I'm really looking forward to the Black Star Riders debut album, and the new Arcade Fire album later in the year. Yeah, and Sabbath's "13" as well. God Is Dead? has grown on me.

I also like white women.

bluetoast

If we get Liquid Swords II then I'll start to agree. Though I do love Bowie's latest.

Ky-Fi

I'm really digging Johnny Marr's The Messenger the more I listen to it.

Why So Blu?

We park our cars in the same garage.

Dan1boy

New Placebo album is coming out this year.

so, yes, 2013 is an amazing one.

CRM114

Meh. The only records that interested me so far are Bowie, Camper Van Beethoven, Dawes, Flaming Lips, Foxygen (best album of the year so far), Robyn Hitchcock, and Vampire Weekend.

Oliver Clothesoff

for the "comeback" albums alone, this year is the best in a decade: My Bloody Valentine, Bowie, Nick Cave, Suede, Wire, Daft Punk... hopefully, the Boards of Canada continue the trend.

Some really big disappointments peppered in there for me (Flaming Lips, Strokes, National), but otherwise first half of the year has been amazing.

inri222

Now that would be something.

Mike86

Not for me personally. I've hardly bought any new albums this year. The highlights have been She & Him: Volume 3 and Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City so far.

Dan1boy

The Strokes was a disappointment? I found it to be one of the most refreshing and fun records I've heard this year. And I listen to a LOT of current music. Interesting.

cdollaz

That Strokes album is a huge disappointment.

Oliver Clothesoff

Yeah, it was not my thing at all. And I liked Angles a lot too.

Supermallet

The Strokes are only disappointing if you ever expected anything good from them, which I don't.

dekker

I've enjoyed several albums-The Strokes, Phoenix, David Bowie, Steven Wilson and My Bloody Valentine. Great stuff.