The Shelf Criteria

(Talk about percentages to pass reviews to shelf, emphasising on albums and how the number 85% is decided. Show table and elaborate. Talked about how it was confirmed at start and a later confirmation last year led to such a phenomenon. Link to Ikimono and Aki-chan albums for reference on how this is executed. Also mention about specific exceptions developed over the years for example split compilations like Aqua Timez from last year and accepting it as a whole instead of separate compilations and thus it's either both or none, though this can be changed in the future?)

Hey. It's time. To reveal everything. Well, this is big enough of a reveal, in my opinion.

You know of Klassic Note. You know of that shelf residing in my room that has all the singles and albums I loved because I reviewed them and selectively chose to get them. But why them? Why not every single song in the compilation? I mean, if you think the 200+ songs per year comes from like, a dozen CDs of on average half a dozen tracks you must be crazy. So yes, there are requirements, and I've not been able to talk about it. I mention it from time to time, which probably makes people confused. In view of the biggest review of Klassic Note yet (which is Ikimonogakari's best album FYI) (and add that to Aki-chan's new album), I decide to talk about it. The lucky percentage number of today, is:

"85%"

THE CRITERION

Why this number, you might ask? Before the year 2012 (ie. Klassic Note 5th year) this does not have much of a meaning. Because back then I wasn't earning money, so I wasn't spending any too. But then the flood gates released within the year and my thoughts of online purchase from Japan can get fulfilled. Then came one question: How do I make sure I get the best out of the many releases I have listened to? Then came an immediate and simple answer: Set a bar. Set a bar such that anything below this percentage of songs that are on my list I exclude them. So that sounds pretty easy, huh. But then two years after that around last year then I question myself: Is this justified? (Yah I know I ask myself a lot of questions) And then I noticed this might be a problem. So I did some math.

THE MATH

See, in the table I tried the number against a lot of track numbers (for obvious reasons one track wasn't in it) for releases. I generally agreed that anything above 85% (highlighted in yellow) can be  good benchmarks because they generally require most releases at track numbers below half a dozen to need the whole album to be on my list in order to be given the thumbs up. I ended up reducing the top percentage considering that it sets minimum track amount to exclude, which should be one excluded track up and until 13-track albums (read one left before every 100%, and read two before after 14 tracks), which are typical for most full albums. This also means I can only exclude one song until I get a large enough album that I will be able to exclude two tracks in order for it to be on my shelf. This eventually sets the criterion to be around 85% yet again, confirming my initial benchmark.

THE EXAMPLES

Okay, so this release. The good thing about this (as you will find out in the next paragraphs) compilation is that it doesn't come separate, meaning it's definitely all or nothing, and yes, the 3CD Regular Edition is a 45-track album. Hell a lot in my opinion and it even went off the table above, but considering them being on my Ultimate Collection and me knowing of more songs than they ever have on this album, there isn't much of a problem. Over the previous weekend I have confirmed the order, and reached the golden percentage number. 

Because 39/45 = 86.7%

I'm ready to give a couple more, so the number probably will go up by the time I do up the full review here. Now you know why I keep posting the Tweets about the tracklist and the associated ratings? It's for this.

Didn't notice I miss THIS much of Ikimonogakari songs.

Well, it's time to give (most of) them now. Ten years, man. pic.twitter.com/JVJc8baWEH

— Kaineng (@KlassicNote) March 19, 2016

Also, for Aki-chan, she has a 12-track album, which also means out of the remaining 5 new tracks I just need to give 4 of them in order for her album to be on my shelf. And yes for now it's the first track, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to give that one too haha

So 11/12 = 91.7%

THE EXCEPTIONS

Of course, with any rule in Klassic Note there have been exceptions. In the past there has been the problem of singles with Anime covers (just because) typically being the Regular Edition and that has been resolved. But then other problems include the type of releases. In 2013 I approved of a 16-track LIVE CD - yes read the text again - from SPECIAL OTHERS and stated the reason that it's hard to find their albums in quality online and it's hard to find best compilations from them and this is the next best way to give them. 

(For this it's 14/16 = 87.5%, which explains the math above)

This also explains why sphere's first live CD released at the start of the year is not included in my review because (1) I cannot review it online lol and (2) SPECIAL OTHERS is an exception. I can guarantee sphere has released a best compilation, and if you may recall, is already on my shelf last year.

Also in the exception list are split best compilations. Unlike Ikimonogakari's new best compilation, from last year came Aqua Timez's 10th year compilations. Yes, plural. It came in two separate releases, and mind you as I mention now Tomacchan's new best albums also come in a pair. *sigh* Anyways, so the problem then comes in when one of the two compilations (namely RED) fulfil the criterion while the other does not. Then how? Checking back at past experiences, the first such case I did was for YUI back in 2012, and then I gave both because both fulfilled the criterion, so there is nothing to worry. Unfortunately if I calculate both compilations together for Aqua Timez they do not reach 85%. And this is where I conclude for best compilations that come together they both have to be on my shelf. It's an all or none thing. And yes, this is the standard I shall follow for Tomacchan until I derive a new rule for this to not happen. But for now, I think this is a good case to prove that this number need not always hold. It can depend on the big picture.

I guess this is it. I'm tired for now, and actually decided to spend some time to push this out in preparation of the album reviews probably this weekend. I hope this gives you a little more insight (or maybe it's just for me) into how simple math contributes to decisions I make in Klassic Note, so to control the amount of releases I can and am able to purchase today. I mean, I can do the digital downloads thing in the future, but seeing a limited budget I guess this will have to do for now. Until next time then.