In 2012, several bands that have seen their work repackaged many times over were reissued once again, often in satisfying new editions (EMI's Beach Boys series springs to mind, as do the deluxe Small Faces reissues). But some of the truly noteworthy 2012 reissues were from artists who have not seen their catalog repackaged before, including Sugar (a series of excellent double-CD expansions), the long-awaited My Bloody Valentine reissues, Billy Gibbons' first band the Moving Sidewalks, the early EPs of the Silver Jews, and underrated country-pop singer Mel McDaniel, who has never seen a proper CD retrospective prior to this year. Elsewhere, there were some pleasant surprises: Sir Douglas Quintet's new wave-riding Border Wave saw its first CD release, as did Mick Fleetwood's odd early-MTV rarity I'm Not Me; the Glaser Brothers' early '70s albums were paired on a fine two-fer; Alex Chilton's pre-Big Star recordings were anthologized on the terrific Free Again; and Little Willie John received the double-disc singles he always deserved. Add to this a bunch of strong hits collections and two-fers, and 2012 was a fine year for reissues.A.R. Kane - Complete Singles CollectionCan - The Lost Tapes
Alex Chilton - Free Again: The 1970 Sessions
Codeine - Frigid Stars
Dick Curless - The Long Lonesome Road
Dion - The Complete Laurie Singles
Every Mother's Son - Come on Down: The Complete MGM Recordings
Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man
Tompall & the Glaser Brothers - The Award Winners/Rings and Things
Lee Hazlewood - The LHI Years: Singles, Nudes & Backsides (1968-71)
Jackson 5 - Come and Get It: The Rare Pearls
Little Richard - Here's Little Richard
Little Willie John - Complete Hit Singles A's & B's
Tim Maia - World Psychedelic Classics, Vol. 4: The Existential Soul of Tim Maia
Mel McDaniel - Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On: His Original Capitol Hits
The Moving Sidewalks - The Complete Moving Sidewalks
My Bloody Valentine - EPs 1988-1991
Oneohtrix Point Never - Rifts
Dan Penn - The Fame Recordings
Tito Puente - Quatro: The Definitive Collection
R.E.M. - Document
Lou Ragland - I Travel Alone
Jerry Reed - The Unbelievable Guitar & Voice of Jerry Reed: Nashville Underground
Wendy Rene - After Laughter Comes Tears: Complete Stax & Volt Singles + Rarities 1964-65
Run-D.M.C. - Essential Run-D.M.C.
Silver Jews - Early Times
Small Faces - Small Faces
Sonic Youth - Smart Bar: Chicago 1985
Sugar - Copper Blue/Beaster
Tronics - Love Backed by Force
Deniece Williams - This Is Niecy
Listen to the best tracks from our favorite Reissues of 2012 in this playlist:
