The magazine cited Thomas's recording of Mahler's Ninth Symphony with the San Francisco Symphony; Graham's appearance on CD as Dido in Berlioz's Les Troyens and her French song collection Pomes de l'amour; Villaz‹n's disc of Gounod and Massenet arias; Jacobs' CDs of Haydn's The Seasons and Scena di Berenice; Hamelin's two-disc set of Alb_niz; and Mutter's recordings of Korngold and Tchaikovsky concertos and Dutilleux's Sur le mê_me accord.
Fans may vote until August 3 through the Gramophone web site. The winner will be announced on September 29.
Last season's artist of the year was mezzo-soprano Magdelena Kozenš; in 2003-04 it was conductor Marin Alsop.