The Top Five Labels of 2004 - Pop Playground

Merge was my #1 of the year, too. Don't forget Richard Buckner, David Kilgour, and the great 15th-year compilation.

Suprising (and nice!) to see a Canadian label up there. Sonic Unyon has been rock solid for years and years, and if you count the fact that they distribute stuff like Frank Black and Jens Lekman up here, they get even better.

My top 5: 1. Mush 2. Warp 3. Crouton Music 4. Big Dada/Ninja Tune 5. Matador

I'd go with TVT myself; independent label (sort of) that released albums by Pitbull, Ying Yang Twins, Lil Jon, Teedra Moses, Jacki-O, the crunk classics comp, and that horrible 213 album.

I'd have to add the Touch label to this list. Stellar releases by Biosphere, Thomas Koner, Johan Johannsson, Oren Ambarchi, AND Fennesz translate to some pretty amazing music from one little label!

No DFA makes me a sad panda.

Kranky were pretty solid this year, too.

This list was compiled using reviews that appeared on Stylus over the past calendar year. It's statistically oriented.