Name & Position: Michael Cornish Jr., contributing writer and senior correspondent
Best Album: Guided By Voices – Class Clown Spots a UFO.  The title track alone is so good it would make Brian Wilson cry.  A classic mix of greasy, happy pop, disjointed yet brilliant Pollardness, and straight ahead rock and roll that makes GbV cooler than The Rolling Stones maybe ever were.
Honorable mention to Neil Young and Crazy Horse 2 disc set Psychedelic Pill.  Classic, raunchy, filthy Crazy Horse with them all well into their 60’s.
Best New Band: Hyrrokkin.  Having been familiar with Paul Larkowski and Brett Nagafuchi through their stint with the amazing band Kuan, and even earlier endeavors such as Infinity Cries, I could not wait to see what these two amazing musicians would come up with next.  And in walks Edward Ricart, the man who approaches this music with reckless abandon and was honestly the only thing Larkowski and Nagafuchi were ever missing.
Best Underappreciated Album: Mountain Goats – Transcendental Youth, or, Bob Dylan – The Tempest.  Have you heard all 13 ½ minutes of the title track from The Tempest in its entirety?  No?  Oh.  Then it really is underappreciated…
Honorable mention also goes to The Chris Robinson Brotherhood release Big Moon Ritual.  Overall, a truly great album.  “Tulsa Yesterday” and Rosalee” are two phenomenal tracks that most of the world has yet to hear. 
Best Reissue: The Iron Maiden Reissue Series.  EMI and UMe are rereleasing every Iron Maiden album on picture disc vinyl, starting in October and moving on into the next year.  The Number Of The Beast, Piece Of Mind, Powerslave!  Up the Irons!
Best Live Band: Phish.  My apologies to the trendy hipsters, but Phish is still the best goddamned live band on the planet.  Phish are not the best at what they do, they are the only ones who do what they do.  It’s true.  Just ask our editor.
Best Live Audience: Guided By Voices.  Getting the privilege to pack myself into The Canal Street Tavern in Dayton, Ohio this summer for Heedfest was an instant reminder that GbV have some of the most loyal fans in the world.  In attendance were those from all over the country and from several other countries such as England, Japan, and Sweden.  Energetic is an understatement when referring to the bunch of sweat drenched, beer soaked folks, all there in the name of rock and roll and a good time.
Best crowd ever.
Favorite Interview: This one.
Best Movie/TV show: The Walking Dead.  This show contains some of the best characters on TV.  And it’s a show about fucking zombies!
Biggest Surprise (Good): Guided By Voices released three new albums this year.  Three releases of all new material all in one year.  They also released 9 singles, and Robert Pollard released 2 solo albums as well.  2012 was a very good year for Pollard and Guided by Voices.  And an even better year for the fans.