The common thinking in creating a best of the year list is only new releases for that year excluding reissues, greatest hits/singles collections and Various Artists comps.

I think that might be off a bit. The two records I listen to the most this year are the reissued Entertainment and the Basement Jaxx singles collections, so why shouldn't I say they are my two favorite records?

You can, but the common thinking is more sound because with your method lists would risk being prdeominantly reissues. Comparing those current-year lists to prior years before reissues became prevalent would be meaningless.

You could always seperate it out, as many do. And as a personal list, you could always just do a most-listened-to list. And a discovered-this-year-but-released-priorly list.

Then make a list of your year-end lists.

Exactly.