the album must...
-have come out in that calendar year (to the best of the internet's knowledge)
-not be a best of (compliations and soundtracks ok)
-not have run in a previous tournament
-not be a best of (compliations and soundtracks ok)
-not have run in a previous tournament
is there a schedule?
Loosely! It all depends on Kent's availability, making sure there's enough time for everything, and other random things. For example, there was a run-off tournament for 2000 to determine the last eligible album. That lengthened the timeline.
The best way to know what's going on is to follow the newsletter. Issue 205 has a good rundown of how it usually goes.
This is all run by one person, so please have some grace.
The best way to know what's going on is to follow the newsletter. Issue 205 has a good rundown of how it usually goes.
This is all run by one person, so please have some grace.
the policy
(From "Interview: Kent Beeson":) The “Policy” [for when there is a suspicious upset] has essentially two parts. The first part is, did an album win with enough votes to win against any other album? Did it win with enough votes that it could theoretically win any and all matches? If so, that’s strike one. The second part is, did an album do that twice? That’s strikes two and three, and it’s out. There are exceptions to all this, but that’s basically it.
who are the brians?
If you find out, tell me, because no one has said anything concrete yet. I just know there are a lot of them. -Alana
what is it?
Welcome to the Best Album Brackets, where we pick a year, pick 128 albums, and put them through the bracket wringer until we emerge with a winner. We just finished crowning The Pixies' Doolittle as The Best Album of 1989 and are now determining The Best Album of 2001.
If you’d like to vote, help, or otherwise join the conversation, you can subscribe to the newsletter, leave comments on the newsletter archive, and/or hang out with us on Bluesky. Links above. Hope to see you there!
If you’d like to vote, help, or otherwise join the conversation, you can subscribe to the newsletter, leave comments on the newsletter archive, and/or hang out with us on Bluesky. Links above. Hope to see you there!
history
In Kent's words: "The summer of 2015, in my memory at least, was the peak of putting non-sports things into brackets and making a tournament out of it [...] So, me being me, I asked myself, How can I get in on this? This would be the 20th anniversary of every album that came out in 1995, and that sounded like as good an idea as any. [...] I found a blank bracket sheet, did some research to name 128 albums, figured out the seeding, and voila, I had the very first tournament, The Best Album of 1995."
Since then, Kent has run tournaments for each year of the 90s as well as a Best Album of the Nineties tournament. When that was completed, he moved on trying new methods of reaching people outside of Twitter. The tournament is currently alternating up and down from '99 and '90, respectively, and is primarily homed in a Buttondown newsletter and on Bluesky.
Since then, Kent has run tournaments for each year of the 90s as well as a Best Album of the Nineties tournament. When that was completed, he moved on trying new methods of reaching people outside of Twitter. The tournament is currently alternating up and down from '99 and '90, respectively, and is primarily homed in a Buttondown newsletter and on Bluesky.
previous winners
1990 - Public Enemy, Fear of a Black Planet
1991 - My Blood Valentine, Loveless
1992 - R.E.M., Automatic for the People
1993 - Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994 - Nas, Illmatic
1995 - GZA, Liquid Swords
1995 Redux - Radiohead, The Bends
1996 - Beck, Odelay
1997 - Radiohead, OK Computer
1998 - Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999 - Fiona Apple, When the Pawn...
Best of the Nineties - Radiohead, OK Computer
2000 - OutKast, Stankonia
1989 - The Pixies, Doolittle
1991 - My Blood Valentine, Loveless
1992 - R.E.M., Automatic for the People
1993 - Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994 - Nas, Illmatic
1995 - GZA, Liquid Swords
1995 Redux - Radiohead, The Bends
1996 - Beck, Odelay
1997 - Radiohead, OK Computer
1998 - Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999 - Fiona Apple, When the Pawn...
Best of the Nineties - Radiohead, OK Computer
2000 - OutKast, Stankonia
1989 - The Pixies, Doolittle
contact info
Kent (bestalbum): DCs, if you ask for editing access to a master-ish list and don't get a response in a day or two, general questions not on the website
Alana (lanna): website errors, you only have 1-2 albums to add to the list and don't think it's worth requesting access (but read the top of the list for formatting instructions and know that Spotify often lists the incorrect dates, double check your sources before adding an album)
Alana (lanna): website errors, you only have 1-2 albums to add to the list and don't think it's worth requesting access (but read the top of the list for formatting instructions and know that Spotify often lists the incorrect dates, double check your sources before adding an album)
news
KARAOKE IS COMING!!! Mark your calendars for June 14th and watch this space
The 1988 Masterish List is up and needs your help! If you'd like to view or add, please check out newsletter #477 for more details.
The 1988 Masterish List is up and needs your help! If you'd like to view or add, please check out newsletter #477 for more details.
2001 designated cheerleaders
"Designated Cheerleaders" are user-submitted opinions, stories, etc. on one particular album, usually in the hopes of swaying opinion. Anyone can submit a DC on any album. Kent writes more on the topic here.
So many people have submitted DCs this time that the website sidebar was looking a little ridiculous. I moved everything here.
So many people have submitted DCs this time that the website sidebar was looking a little ridiculous. I moved everything here.
what about a tie?/how do i abstain?
In event of a tie, the highest seed takes it.
To abstain:
1. Go to the voting page
2. Hit the box that registers your email
3. DON’T select an album, and just hit submit
This will register your vote as an abstention, and then there should be a link letting you view current results. You can always go back and change your vote.
To abstain:
1. Go to the voting page
2. Hit the box that registers your email
3. DON’T select an album, and just hit submit
This will register your vote as an abstention, and then there should be a link letting you view current results. You can always go back and change your vote.
behind the scenes
best album webring
LOOK, RENA, A WEB COUNTER