For our 6th annual Highlighting feature, we're doing things a little differently. 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're splitting the year into TWO pieces -- January to June and July to December (Click here for Part 2). Also, we're making each list 15 artists/releases for a total of 30 in 2012. So, without further ado, we give you Highlighting First-Half 2012!

	13 of 15   #13. Fireflight Now Release Date: March 6, 2012 Don't let it sway you that our 2010 reigning Highlighting champions Fireflight are ringing it at #13 this year. It's not too surprising since For Those Who Wait wasn't quite the follow-up that Unbreakable deserved, but with a new drummer and an ambitious approach to songwriting for their fourth studio album, the record's first single "Stay Close" just may be proof that Now will be breaking promising new ground for the Floridian quintet.         - John DiBiase For Those Who Wait didn't quite live up to my hopes, but hey, this is my hometown band! Of course I'm looking forward to hearing whatever new music they've got. The first single "Stay Closer" sounds like a great return to form, and the new drummer should change things up a bit for the next chapter of Fireflight's career.         - Jen Rose For Those Who Wait was not quite as good as good as I wished for. So far, however, everything Fireflight has released from Now up till this point has been sublime. Hopefully, their fourth album will return to their Unbreakable form.         - Nathaniel Schexnayder Even before the release of 2010's For Those Who Wait, Fireflight became a mainstay in the rock circle. As a result, it's really hard not to get remotely interested when they put out something new, Now being no exception. Even with a new drummer in tow, I feel very assured that Now will be nothing less than appealing.         - Roger Gelwicks Visit our Fireflight page for more information about them... 2012 Countdown: 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 ©January, 2012 Jesusfreakhideout.com