2005 labels

1 (13) Matinee Recordings
2 (-) Powertools
3 (-) Century Media
4 (-) On the Verge
5 (18) Domino
6 (16) 679
7 (-) Probe Plus
8 (-) V2
9 (28) Maximum Minimum
10 (35) Last Minute

11 (-) Fortuna Pop!
12 (-) Metal Blade
13 (-) Superconductor
14 (31) Zebra Traffic
15 (-) Breaking Down
16 (-) Defcon
17 (3) Son
18 (8) Scopitones
19 (-) RAW (Ripe Analogue Waveforms)
20 (-) Wolftown

21 (-) Emetic
22 (-) Slogan
23 (15) Casual [London]
24 (-) Steamhammer
25 (37) Yolk
26 (-) Island
27 (-) Cluster
28 (-) City Centre Offices
29 (34) Boot
30 (-) 4x4

31 (-) Konshus
32 (14) Relentless
33 (29) Heavy Bronx
34 (-) Lo-Max
35 (9) Elefant
36 (-) Xtra Mile
37 (-) Altered Ego
38 (-) Slam Jamz
39 (-) Sympathy for the Record Industry
40 (-) Polydor

41 (-) Dcypha
42 (-) Hydraulix
43 (-) Roadrunner

Last year's "placings" shown in brackets. Matinee won this by an absolute street, making up 12% of the list by volume: last year's "victor", XL, disappeared entirely, as did six others from last year's top 10. Of the other leading labels this year, only Powertools (Ant's own label) and Chris Liberator's Maximum Minimum really represented more than one record / artist.

We're sure that Polydor and Island were both delighted to join the fray this year, too, following on from the "success" of Virgin and Mercury who'd done so the year before. Indie ? Us ?