2018 Albums of the Year Bracket Results

A couple weeks ago I posted the field of our 32 favorite albums of the year, which were bound to face each other in our annual albums of the year bracket showdown. Now, the results of this brutal contest are here. A quick refresher on Change the Rotation's bracketology: four of us (Dave Anians, Danny Collins, Steve O and myself) each submit a list of our favorite records of the year. Any record appearing on at least two of our lists automatically makes it onto the bracket. The remaining spots are divided evenly between the four of us. This year we had two leftover spots after this step, so we each chose an album to compete in a play-in round. Two of those four albums from the play-in round made it onto the bracket. So, there were 34 total albums on our bracket list this year, but still the usual 32 spots on the bracket itself. Stream all 34 albums through the links at the bottom of this post. Now, the results:

Gouge Away followed up their bracket-winning 2016 debut album with Burnt Sugar, which again made it through to the final four. Clearly a bracket committee favorite. Locals UGLYBoNES had a good showing with their new album. The heartbreaker for me was Fucked Up's excellent Dose Your Dreams going down in the first round.

HIRS beat out a ska record we all liked (The Interrupters), a ripping hardcore local entry (La Armada) and pop punk mainstays (Direct Hit). CHEW followed their play-in round win with a first round victory on the proper bracket.

Zeal & Ardor's Stranger Fruit came out of nowhere for most of us to take a spot in the final four. Local post hardcore group Kodakrome did well with their debut full-length.

Local hardcore group The Kreutzer Sonata made it through to the final four with their new album. Rent Strike's folk punk, Tolkien-inspired concept album had a solid run to the elite eight. Ship of Fools was the other play-in round winner.

This is a heavier final four than usual. It's not out of the ordinary for a hardcore record to make it this far, but for the entire final four to be comprised of heavy records is highly unusual. HIRS took out the 2016 champions in Gouge Away, while locals The Kreutzer Sonata advanced to the final.

The Kreutzer Sonata's The Gutters of Paradise is Change the Rotation's 2018 album of the year! This is only the second time a Chicago band has won the bracket (and the second consecutive year). The Gutters of Paradise joins our previous bracket champions: The Beauty Between by RVIVR (2013,) Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me! (2014,) Constructs of the State by Leftöver Crack (2015,) , Dies by Gouge Away (2016) and Rhombithian by Sincere Engineer (2017.) Congratulations to all the bands on this year's bracket. Stream all 34 records through the links below:

The Antidon'ts - We Reap What You Sow
La Armada - Anti-Colonial Vol. 1
Bad Moves - Tell No One
Bleach Party - NOLA
Brendan Kelly and the Wandering Birds - Keep Walkin' Pal
Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning
Direct Hit - Crown of Nothing
Dog Party - Hit & Run
Dollar Signs - This Will Haunt Me
Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams
Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar
HIRS - Friends, Lovers, Favorites
The Interrupters - Fight the Good Fight
Jeff Rosenstock - POST-
Kodakrome - Kodakrome
The Kreutzer Sonata - The Gutters of Paradise
Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers - Bought to Rot
Negative Scanner - Nose Picker
Night Birds - Roll Credits
Peach Kelli Pop - Gentle Leader
Rent Strike - IX
Retirement Party - Somewhat Literate
Sick of It All - Wake the Sleeping Dragon
Sloppy Jane - Willow
Super Unison - Stella
Surfbort - Friendship Music
Turnspit - Desire Paths
UGLYBoNES - Sunshine
War on Women - Capture the Flag
Zeal & Ardor - Stranger Fruit

Play in Round:

Blind Adam and the Federal League - Blind Adam and the Federal League
Ship of Fools - A Perfect Place for Harmony
CHEW - Feeding Frenzy
Press Club - Late Teens