For our 7th annual Highlighting feature, we split the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December. Normally, we select our top 25 most anticipated releases for the whole year, but we realize that it's tough to really gauge EVERYTHING that may release throughout a given year when we're making the list in January. So, for 2012, we split the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December, and we're using this format again for 2013. Also, each list contains 15 artists/releases for a total of 30 in total for 2013. So, without further ado, we give you Highlighting First-Half 2013!

	7 of 15   #7. Plumb Need You Now Release Date: February 26, 2013 This record has undergone a name change (after the tragic Sandy Hook school shooting) and a delay on the release date, but that doesn't change the fact that Plumb should be releasing one of this year's top pop/rock albums. "I Need You Now" is already getting tons of airplay and the remainder of the album promises to be just as good.         - Michael Weaver A much-delayed album that has now even undergone a last minute album title change, Need You Now returns Plumb to form and should appease many longtime fans (like myself) as well as hopefully earn a few new listeners. (And may I just say that "Invisible" is one of the best tracks that will release this year.)         - John DiBiase The poor, unfortunate Plumb. First her album gets delayed numerous times over the last two years because of personal issues, and then it finally sees the light of day after a name change (Faster Than A Bullet was appropriately dropped after December's terrible elementary school shooting). The new title, Need You Now, was also used recently for a hit country album by Lady Antebellum. As for the music? "Drifting," with Plumb's former label-mate Dan Hasteltine of Jars of Clay, is a great song and "Unlovable" is a tough look at modern-day Pharisees and legalism.         - Alex "Tincan" Caldwell Visit our Plumb page for more information about them... 2013 Countdown: 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 ©January, 2013 Jesusfreakhideout.com