Since 2012 is slowly (but surely) approaching its end, I thought about compiling a list of my favorite soundtrack albums from the first half of the year (so January to June).

January:
VPCG-84916 | Chihayafuru Original Soundtrack & Character Song Album 1

February:
BSPE-1040~1 | Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai! S Music Collection
TRCD-10108~9 | Photokano ~original sound tracks~
SQEX-10302 | PIANO OPERA FINAL FANTASY I/II/III

March:
SQEX-10303 | Piano Collections NieR Gestalt & Replicant
WPCL-11075 | Ozma Original Soundtrack

April:
SQEX-10304~6 | KINGDOM HEARTS Dream Drop Distance Original Soundtrack
ESCL-3874 | Kids on the Slope Original Soundtrack
AQMC-005~6 | WHITE ALBUM2 Original Soundtrack ~introductory~

May:
ESCL-3897 | Play Ball/Sakamichi no Melody / YUKI
CPCA-10259~60 | BIOHAZARD Operation Raccoon City ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

June:
GUSTCD-10007~9 | Atelier Ayesha ~Alchemist of the Ground of Dusk~ Original Soundtrack
SVWC-7859 | Persona4 The GOLDEN Original Soundtrack
FCCV-0031 | Laylania [Limited Edition] / Akiko Shikata

Some additional album which don't really qualify as soundtrack:
EAR004 | Imagineering [Limited Edition] / Module
KDSD-00548 | Koboreru Suna no Aria / Haruka Shimotsuki

What are your favorites? Please try to stick to soundtrack releases and limit yourself to like three albums per month.

Greeets,
lq

Since I have organized my collection chronologically, it is extraordinarily simple to review what I have from each year and choose my favorites.

My favorites from 2012, so far, are:

Bare Knuckle Original Soundtrack WM-0691~4
FALCOM BOSS ZANMAI NW10102990
Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai! S Music Collection BSPE-1040~1
Mushihimesama Special Arrange Album CVAS-010
Okami Goju no Onchou CPCA-10275
Re:Birth II / Romancing SaGa Battle Arrange SQEX-10327
Sekaiju no MeiQ⁴ *denshou no kyoshin* Super Arrange Version FVCG-1209
Timesplitters 2 Original Soundtrack N/A
Timesplitters Original Soundtrack N/A
Under Defeat HD "NEW ORDER" Soundtrack N/A
ZONE OF THE ENDERS ReMIX EDITION GFCA-322

Bare Knuckle is the best remastered album I have yet heard (in all of vgm). The Timesplitters soundtracks were released years ago, but I missed those releases and purchased the FLAC versions from Bandcamp this year.

My favorite single track from those albums is "Evil Shaman" from FALCOM BOSS ZANMAI.

I greatly prefer the Etrian Odyssey 4 SAV over the OST.

JANUARY
"Nihon Retto Ikimonotachi no Monogatari" - Takayuki Hattori
"Berserk Ogon Jidai-Hen I: Hao no Tamago" - Shiro Sagisu
"Kajiri Kamui Kagura" - Keishi Yonao

FEBRUARY

MARCH
"Pretty Rhythm Aurora Dream Prism Music Collection" - Seikou Nagaoka
"Le Labyrinthe de la Grisaia" - Elements Garden
"Moretsu Uchu Pirates - OST vol.1" - Elements Garden

APRIL
"Senki Zessho Symphogear - OST vol.1" - Elements Garden
"Shinen - Music from Akatsuki WORKS Kuro" - Barbarian On The Groove
"Space Brothers" - Takayuki Hattori
"WHITE ALBUM2 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK -introductory-" - Various

MAY
"Strike Witches Theatrical Edition" - Seikou Nagaoka
"Dirty Mama" - Yugo Kanno
"Shini nin no Teki ga Iru!"  - Kei Haneoka

JUNE
"Toshokan Senso - Kakumei no Tsubasa - (Movie)" - Yugo Kanno
"Jormungand" - Taku Iwasaki
"Acchi Kocchi" - Masaru Yokoyama

January
nothing

February
Genso Suikoden Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki Original Soundtrack
Shinigami no Testament ~menuet of epistula~ Original Soundtrack

March
Otome ga Tsumugu Koi no Canvas Original Soundtrack

April
nothing

May
Hatsuyuki Sakura Complete Soundtrack
Eiyu＊Senki Original Soundtrack
Mahoutsukai no Yoru Original Soundtrack
Original Soundtrack of Katahane
Original Soundtrack of Vanitas

June
Namima no Kuni no Faust Original Soundtrack

May was the best month in terms of quantity
February was the best month in terms of quality
Not much inbetween.

Based off what was released this year? I would have to give the nod to Rebirth II: Romancing SaGa Battle Arranges. But I'd say overall, 2012 was a step back from 2011. Hoping 2013 will be better. Or at least luckier

Edit - Noticed this is first half 2012. Unfortunately I didn't listen to much released content then. I'll take everyone's word that what was out was pretty good.