I did this back in 2011 (Click!) and a few other times before that.  So after skipping a couple years, here we are again.  Basically, since just over half the year is over now, let's sum up the "Best of 2013" in VGM so far.  My main reason for posting this.. I feel like I've been out of the game music loop for a while so I'm hoping this thread can give me an idea of what's been going on this year.  I'll try to list my own top 5 but it's gonna be a struggle, haven't listened to many new releases this year..

5) ROCKMAN Xover ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
4) Metal Gear Rising Revengeance Vocal Tracks
3) LIGHTNING RETURNS FINAL FANTASY XIII Pre Soundtrack
2) Fire Emblem Kakusei Original Soundtrack
1) Hotline Miami Soundtrack

1) FFCT-0027 | Ciel nosurge Original Soundtrack Vol.1 ~Oto to Sekai no Jushinkiroku Sec.1~
2) k-music-54 | Eikoku Tantei Mysteria Soundtrack "Mysterious Symphony"
3) KSLA-0089 | Little Busters! / Kud Wafter Piano Arrange Album "ripresa"
4) GUN-0025 | Karanoshojo The Second Episode. Original Soundtrack
5) KDSD-00619 | SOUL SACRIFICE Original Soundtrack

I still haven't listened to the Atelier Escha & Logy album (stuck in customs), so this might change the above ranking a bit.

1. Toki To Towa ~Tokitowa~ Original Soundtrack

Glorious battle themes, smooth jazz, and more. 'Memory Disorder' is over-the-top epicness Chaos Legion fans should check out.

2. Dodonpachi Saidaioujou Arrange Album

This has the most frenetic energy I've heard from an arranged soundtrack. It also has nice peaceful music to calm things down at the end of the disc. There are only a few duds (one of which is a track that starts off great but then gets very generic by adding guitar).

3. n/a
4. n/a
5. n/a

I liked that 'Paris' track from Hotline Miami's soundtrack a lot. Not sure about the rest of the album.

Haven't heard much new VGM this year... These two are awesome:

1. Final Fantasy VI: Balance and Ruin
2. Shin Sekaiju no Meikyuu Millennium no Shoujo Original Soundtrack

That's it so far.

Been really enjoying Koshiro & Hibino as far as new releases -- top quality stuff across the board. Yet again, a SekaQ soundtrack and its lofty production values captures my spirit again. I feel Namco Music Saloon was really not given the credit it deserves in the VGM community. So much wonderful instrumentation as well as arranges from Namco games on there.

Namco Music Saloon ~From Go Vacation
Shin Sekaiju no Meikyuu Millennium no Shoujo Original Soundtrack

I'll honorably mention Noriyuki Kamikura and his "Zanmai" series. Other than that, still a weak year for arrangement soundtracks. I don't play many current games so I skip a lot of soundtracks unless they're artists I can't miss out on.

So far for the year I've got three that I'd put on a best list:

- Final Fantasy VI: Balance and Ruin
- Chrono Trigger Symphony Vol. 1
- Remember Me OST

Shin Sekaiju no Meikyuu Millennium no Shoujo and Soul Sacrifice didn't do much for me and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Compilation Album I like the fifth disc but don't like the idea of having to double-dip on the OST pieces on the other four.  Will have to check out some of the others mentioned here.

I hope it doesn't end up being this slow a year for VGM.

I enjoyed Balance and Ruin so much I had desperately hoped to get a physical copy out of their panel at Otacon, but their day moved from Saturday to Friday and I could not get off work for the first day... and then when I got there Saturday I had my wallet stolen only good thing about Otacon was getting to see Yoko Kanno perform.

One soundtrack I really enjoyed that isn't even posted on vgmdb is for The Last Door.  Playing the demo I literally just left the game on in the background to hear "A Secret Deep Buried" on loop.  I only wish the tracks were looped once when you download.

I also did enjoy Hotline Miami, but did not buy the soundtrack.  Perhaps I should have to find out, but I am not sure if I would enjoy the music as much outside of the experience in the game.

I'm playing catch up as always, but it has been a little disconcerting that all those are download soundtracks and I don't have a single physical album for 2013 yet.

Oh, La Mulana was just put on Steam earlier this year and that was enjoyable and is on bandcamp, but I guess it was released in 2012 so doesn't count.

Suffice to say, I really haven't bought much this year, but it seems that the general consensus is favoring Balance and Ruin.

Also, XLord007 posted a little gem called The Spectrum of Mana. For those disappointed in "Genesis", this essentially is the polar opposite of that (even though I didn't mind it as much). Very good effort and end result for the vast music team they assembled.

http://www.soundtrackcentral.com/forums … hp?id=7275

The only 2013 release I have on my "keep" shelf is Ginga Force. I did order Tokitowa recently and Spectrum of Mana. I hope they can also rest majestically on the shelf.

Lower your expectations for that one...

It's curious how Koshiro can amaze and disappoint me. I'm trying very hard to like Tokitowa, but it's so damned boring.

I have found another 2013 album I enjoy, like Ginga Force, except this one delivers unbounded happiness:

http://vgmdb.net/album/38376

Eh. What do you think of disc 2 of Tokitowa, Jodo, as that's the better side?

I cannot express how incredible the soundtrack to Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet is! http://vgmdb.net/album/38745. I bought it on a random whim and I love it!

@jb: Agreed, agreed! I didn't include this, since Mike was putting the focus on game music in the entry post. Maybe we should create another "top give anime releases" thread.

It is quite good.  I was listening to the first disc (the orchestral one) and thinking "Hey, this is nice," then I got to the second disc (smaller scale instrumental pieces with some lovely violin bits) and was like, "Wow, this is even nicer!"  Thanks for the heads-up on this one.

Once we get closer to the end of the year I'll try a poll and we'll see how it goes.  Feel free to post new threads for any recommended albums you might have in the meantime!

If anybody has more picks for their top releases of the year please mention them here (or in separate threads).  I'll be opening the year-end poll come the end of the month, and as I always find myself scrambling to check out everyone else's picks it'd be nice to get an idea of what's out there.

As for my own picks, Chrono Trigger Symphony Vol. 2 is the only solid VGM addition I have to my previous three picks.  Spectrum of Mana shows potential, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (released commercially this year) a bit less - I need to give both soundtracks closer listens.  The OCR arranged albums for Bionic Commando and Gunstar Heroes also have some good material on them.

Dancing Dad is good.

There was again this year lot of great releases from all genres (for me mostly in anime and drama) so it is really hard to select top five, but I played most these releases:

ANIME
The Unlimited Hyobu Kyosuke (KOTARO NAKAGAWA)
Magi (SHIRO SAGISU)
Kakumeki Valvrave (AKIRA SENJU)
Psycho-Pass (YUGO KANNO)
Code Breaker (TAKAYUKI HATTORI)
-------------------------------------
Discovery of the year GO SAKABE (Date a Live)
Honorable mention: Symphogear G, Vividred Operation, JoJo, Ixion Saga, Beast Saga, Mondaiji Tachi...

DRAMA
Nobunaga no Chef (YOSHIHIRO IKE)
Woman (KAZUNORI MIYAKE)
Kakusho - Keishicho Sosa 3 Ka (JUN ICHIKAWA)
Otenki Oneesan (KENICHIRO SUEHIRO)
Take Five (Yugo Kanno)

Just a heads-up that I'll be posting the poll for top game soundtracks of 2013 in a day or two, along with a separate poll for favorite tracks of the year.  Everybody be thinking about your picks.