2024 Metafile Legend

Two data files, meta.txt and rmeta.txt, the former for new releases, the latter for reissues, compilations, vault music. Fields separated by '|':

  1. Points: Make does a numeric sort on this field as first key.
  2. Artist: Last name '_' first name, such that make can do an alpha sort on this as second key.
  3. Title: Album title.
  4. Label: Label; may be preceded by dates (e.g., 1972 or 1972-74) and comma; may be followed by format (e.g., EP, or 2CD).
  5. Release date: Written as MM-DD, including '0' to pad to two digits. "-16" indicates a 2016 release date.
  6. Flags: Used to specify genre, also whether I have heard the record. More than one may be set:
    • 1: I own a hard copy of the album (could be CDR).
    • 2: I've heard the record from a streaming or download source.
    • 3: I've done limited sampling of the record, or I'm grading a reissue from an earlier release.
    • B: Blues/Gospel/R&B
    • C: Country/Americana/Folk
    • E: Electronica
    • H: Hip-Hop/Rap
    • J: Jazz
    • K: Classical
    • M: Metal
    • W: World, both pop and folk, including Latin
  7. Data: Multiple segments, each separated by comma (','), preferably sorted alphabetically. Each segment consists of a key (alpha abbreviation), optionally followed by colon (':') and a number, which is the rank position of the record on the list, or a plus ('+'), which indicates an unranked point, or '*N' for N points. There are two series of data: one from major sources which are scored 5 (1st place), 4 (2-5th), 3 (6-10th), 2 (11-20th), 1 (anything above 20th); then following a semicolon, one from minor sources which are generally scored 3 (1st place), 2 (2-5th), 1 (anything above 5th). The keys are listed in the legend data file (legend-data.txt). Ties aren't marked this year (in previous years they were marked '*'; sorry, I screwed up). If a list contains multiple records in a numeric slot (often by same artist), each are credited (subject to notes below). The distinction between major and minor is somewhat arbitrary, but long lists tend to count as major (even if by idiots), and short and/or unranked lists as minor.
  8. Comment: Anything else considered a comment. These appear in the output, but aren't counted.

The legend-data.txt file also consists of fields separated by '|'. They are:

  1. Key: The key for the list, used in data above.
  2. Type: How the list is counted, if any rank in the list gets more than one point: empty means everything gets one point; extra points are noted by the cutoff rank, with comma separating each tier -- e.g., "20,1" gives 2 points to everything ≥ 20 except 3 points ≥ 1.
  3. Name: The plain name for the list.
  4. URL: Where to find the list (often just the top of the list.
  5. Alt URL: An alternate (unofficial) source for the list (often these are easier to work with than the actual URL.)
  6. Comment: Any additional comments. Within this the following subfields (comma-separated) are noted:
    • RX:# Robert Christgau letter grades (points: A:5, A-:4, B+/***: 3, **: 2 *:1, B or less: 0)
    • MT:# Michael Tatum letter grades (points same as RC)
    • TH:# Tom Hull letter grades (points same as RC)

Since I don't have corresponding lists to work off of, and since I value their reviews highly, I've decided to score RC, MT, and TH as: A/A+ 5, A- 4, B+/*** 3, ** 2, * 1; omitting the 2014 (and earlier) releases. I haven't sucked up all of TH's letter grades -- only those mentioned by others.

Some general guidelines on which lists were counted (and which not):

  • Where separate "international" and "national" lists are provided, only "international" is counted. Similarly, "local" (state or city) lists are not counted.
  • Most genre lists are counted, except classical, soundtracks, Christian. I have virtually no interest in metal but have almost always counted metal lists.
  • Honorable mentions or unranked extras added to lists are generally counted, with '+' instead of rank numbers. Same for unranked lists (although unless explicitly stated, unnumbered lists are generally assumed to be top-down).
  • Format-specific lists (e.g., EPs, mixtapes) are usually ignored. EPs occurring in general lists are counted, but singles are generally not.
  • Don't bother with lists that are aggregates of other lists, figuring they're just approximations of this aggregate. Also don't bother with reader polls (although I make a couple exceptions).

Lists

The following lists have been counted:

  1. [45] The Forty-Five [UK] (45,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+()
  2. [AAJ] All About Jazz () -- +4 stars (); mid-year
  3. [AD] The Arts Desk () -- AOTY 80+(11-18)
  4. [Al] Albumism (50) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+
  5. [AMG] Angry Metal Guy () -- AOTY 80+()
  6. [AS] American Songwriter [US] () -- AOTY 80+(06-05)
  7. [AV] AV Club [US] () -- mid-year; AOTY 80+(06-10)
  8. [BB] Billboard (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year
  9. [Blb] Blabbermouth.net () -- AOTY 80+()
  10. [BPM] Beats Per Minute () -- AOTY 80+
  11. [BV] Brooklyn Vegan () -- mid-year
  12. [BV_r] Brooklyn Vegan: Rap () -- mid-year
  13. [C] Crack [UK] (50,20,10,5,1) -- AOTY 80+()
  14. [Cl] Clash [UK] () -- AOTY 80+(06-05)
  15. [ClR] Classic Rock [UK] () -- AOTY 80+()
  16. [CM] Chris Monsen (Perfect Sounds Forever) () -- mid-year
  17. [Cmp] Complex [US] (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year
  18. [Cos] Cosmopolitan () -- mid-year [Samantha Olson]
  19. [CS] Consequence [of Sound] [US] (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year 30 (top 10 ++)
  20. [D] Dork () -- AOTY 80+
  21. [Db] Decibel [US] (40,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  22. [DiS] Distorted Sound () -- AOTY 80+() -- metal, skipped some early
  23. [DIY] DIY () -- AOTY 80+
  24. [DW] Dan Weiss [Riot Riot] () -- so far (05-29).
  25. [Dz] Dazed [UK] (,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  26. [Ev] Evening Standard () -- AOTY 80+()
  27. [Ex] Exclaim! [Canada] (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year 25 (top 10 ++); AOTY 80+
  28. [FO] Far Out [UK] () -- AOTY 80+
  29. [G] Guardian [UK] () -- AOTY 80+(06-16), but not all classical; mid-year
  30. [GB] Gorilla Vs Bear [US] (40,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year (top 10 ++)
  31. [Gl] Glide [US] (20) [link] -- top 20: ++, HM: +
  32. [GTV] God Is in the TV () -- AOTY 80+
  33. [HDX] HipHopDX [US] () -- AOTY 80+(08-31)
  34. [HG] Hip-Hop Golden Age () -- mid-year [Oct 31]
  35. [HV] Humanizing the Vacuum [US]: Alfred Soto () -- The best albums of 2024: Part 1
  36. [I] The Independent [UK] (,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+()
  37. [IT] The Irish Times () -- AOTY 80+()
  38. [JW] Jazzwise [UK] (,20,10,5,1) [link]
  39. [K] Kerrang! (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+()
  40. [KC] KCRW (30,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  41. [LBF] The Line of Best Fit [UK] (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+
  42. [LQ] Loud and Quiet [UK] (,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+
  43. [LW] Louder Than War [UK] () -- AOTY 80+, mid-year
  44. [MH] Metal Hammer () -- AOTY 80+()
  45. [MI] Metal Injection () -- AOTY 80+()
  46. [Mj] Mojo [UK] (75,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+
  47. [MO] MusicOMH [UK] () -- AOTY 80+(06-05)
  48. [MSuk] Metal Sucks () -- AOTY 80+
  49. [Ne] The Needle Drop () -- AOTY 80+, mid-year
  50. [NME] NME [UK] (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+, mid-year
  51. [NR] No Ripcord [UK] () -- AOTY 80+()
  52. [NT] Northern Transmissions [CAN] () -- AOTY 80+(), mid-year
  53. [O] The Observer () -- AOTY +80()
  54. [Ov] Overblown () -- AOTY 80+
  55. [P] Paste () -- AOTY 80+(06-11), mid-year
  56. [Pf] Pitchfork (50,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+(06-05)
  57. [PM] PopMatters () -- AOTY 80+, mid-year
  58. [PO] Phil Overeem () [link] -- to May 1, Oct. "very favorite"
  59. [Qt] The Quietus [UK] () -- MC 80+, mid-year
  60. [RC] Record Collector [UK] () -- AOTY 80+
  61. [Rf] RIFF Magazine (35,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  62. [RS] Rolling Stone [US] () [link] -- AOTY 80+(06-11); + mid-year
  63. [RSUK] Rolling Stone [UK] () -- AOTY 80+
  64. [RT] Rough Trade [UK] (100,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- mid-year
  65. [S] Spin [US] () [ref link] -- AOTY 80+(11-03); "albums of the year" unranked, but only 7, so +++
  66. [SC] Spectrum Culture () -- AOTY 80+, mid-year
  67. [Sg] Stereogum [US] (50) [link] -- mid-year (++: 1-10; +: 11-50)
  68. [Sk] The Skinny [UK] () -- AOTY 80+()
  69. [Sl] Slant [US] () -- AOTY 80+(), mid-year
  70. [SLi] Still Listening () -- AOTY 80+(), mid-year
  71. [Sp] Spill () -- AOTY 80+
  72. [Spk] Sputnik Music [US] () -- AOTY 80+()
  73. [SpL] Semipop Life (Brad Luen) () -- min A- (**), min * (*) {5:19-7:14,11:03}
  74. [SSt] Shatter the Standards () -- mid-year
  75. [STi] The Sunday Times (25,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  76. [T] The Telegraph [UK] () -- AOTY 80+
  77. [TO] Time Out (250,20,10,5,1) [ref link]
  78. [Tr] Treblezine [US] () [link] -- mid-year
  79. [U] Uncut [UK] (80,20,10,5,1) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+
  80. [UCR] Ultimate Classic Rock () -- mid-year
  81. [Up] Uproxxh () [link] -- mid-year
  82. [Up_h] Uproxx: Hip-Hop () [link] -- mid-year
  83. [UR] Under the Radar [US] () -- AOTY 80+
  84. [V] Variety () -- mid-year (AOTY)
  85. [W] The Wire () -- MC 80+
  86. [WM] Written in Music (40,20,10,5,1) [link]
  87. [XCI] Christian Iszchak () -- min A- (**), min * (*) {01:19-11:29}
  88. [XJS] John Smallwood () -- Facebook [09-29]
  89. [XSN] XS Noize [IRL] () -- AOTY 80+
  90. [am] AllMusic [US] (100) [ref link] -- AOTY 80+()
  91. [asp] The Associated Press (10) [ref link]
  92. [bb6] BBC Radio 6 [UK] () [ref link]
  93. [bi] Business Insider (20,5,1) [ref link]
  94. [bl] Bleep [UK] (10,5,1) [ref link]
  95. [bv_c] Brooklyn Vegan: country () -- mid-year
  96. [cmp] Complex [UK] () -- mid-year (++: 1-10; +: 11-25); folded into Cmp
  97. [e] Esquire [US] () -- mid-year
  98. [hpo] Huffington Post () [ref link]
  99. [hyb] HypeBeast (10) [ref link] -- top ten ++
  100. [jcm] AAJ: Chris May () [link]
  101. [jdm] JCP/AAJ: Dan McClenaghan (10,5,1) [link]
  102. [jfk] JCP: Fred Kaplan [Slate] (10,5,1) [link]
  103. [jgy] JCP: Gene Seymour (10,5,1) [link]
  104. [jjc] JCP: John Chacona (10,5,1) [link]
  105. [jlp] AAJ: Lawrence Peryer (10,5,1) [link]
  106. [jmc] AAJ: Mark Corroto (10,5,1)
  107. [jmju] AAJ: Mike Jurkovic () [link]
  108. [jnj] Jazz Not Jazz [via Jazzism] () [ref link]
  109. [js] PJRP: John Smallwood (10,5,1)
  110. [ny_s] New York Times [US]: Hank Shteamer (Jazz) (10,5,1) [link]
  111. [odb] Out Da Box Media () -- best hip hop/soul albums: top 1/3 (no EPs) {1-5}
  112. [ra] Resident Advisor () -- MC 80+
  113. [s_t] Spin: 10 Records You Should Have Heard but Didn't (10) [link]
  114. [scm] Saving Country Music () -- 8.0+
  115. [so_d] Sound Opinions: Jim DeRogaitis (20,5,1) [ref link]
  116. [so_k] Sound Opinions: Greg Kot (20,5,1) [ref link]
  117. [ti] Time [US] (10,5,1) [ref link] -- + mid-year
  118. [tms_j] The Times: jazz () -- mid-year
  119. [vjk] PJRP: Jennifer Kelly (10,5,1) -- [no HM yet]
  120. [vma] PJRP: Michael Azerrad (10)
  121. [vrt] PJRP: Roy Trakin (10,5,1)
  122. [vu] Vulture: Craig Jenkins () [link] -- mid-year
  123. [wrti] WRTI [Greg Bryant] () -- mid-year
  124. [xco] EW: Clifford Ocheltree (10,5,1) -- Facebook (07-01,10-08,11-30)
  125. [xhs] PJRP: Hardin Smith (10)
  126. [xjdc] PJRP: Jeffrey D Callahan () -- FB recent listening reports, min B+ {2-9,12}
  127. [xsp] Expert Witness: Stan Piccirilli () -- recent listening ≥B+ {3-7}
  128. [xtj] PJRP: Tomand Jerry (10,5,1)
  129. [xtr] VV: Ray Troper (10,5,1) -- Facebook: ++ for top ten, + for HM
  130. [ysp] Steve Pick () [link] -- {1-5}
  131. [yzp] PJRP: Zach Phillips (10,5,1)

Sources