Annual Game Music Awards 2015 – Albums of the Year

We are proud to present the winners in the ‘Albums of the Year’ category of the Annual Game Music Awards 2015. These panel-voted, officially-recognised awards provide a thorough and wide-reaching recognition of achievement in game music over the last year. The panelists have selected their choices by carefully considering the merit of the game music created this year — as art and entertainment, as part of in-game experiences and as part of stand-alone albums. Congratulations to all winners, runners-up, and nominees.

Best Album — Soundtrack CD

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U -A Smashing Soundtrack-

For the first time since the series began, people from outside Japan got to get hold of an official soundtrack album for Super Smash Bros. Combining original music and franchise arrangements from the recent Wii U and 3DS releases, the Super Smash Bros soundtrack CD is not one to be missed for Nintendo fans.

Runners-Up

God Eater 2 & God Eater 2 Rage Burst Original Soundtrack

Xenoblade X Original Soundtrack

Other Nominations

Broken Age Original Soundtrack

Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- Original Soundtrack

Hotline Miami 2 -Wrong Number- Original Soundtrack

Muramasa Rebirth -Genroku Legends- Original Soundtrack

Splatoon Original Soundtrack -Splatune-

Best Album — Arranged Album

Final Symphony: music from Final Fantasy VI, VII and X

The long-awaited commercial release of the London Symphony Orchestra’s Final Symphony does not disappoint. It features lengthy, classically-influenced arrangements of scores from three beloved Final Fantasy games, capturing their narratives and spirit with great depth and complexity.

Runners-Up

Seiken Densetsu Legend of Mana Arrange Album -Promise-

Okami Arrangement Collection Vol.2 -Jazz-

Other Nominations

Angel Beasts 1st Beat Piano Arrange Album -Holy-

Chris Huelsbeck: The Piano Collection

Legacy Sessions: Game Generation 5

To Far Away Times: Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross Arrangement Album

Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies Volume II

Best Album — Band / Remix Album

Re:Birth II Ren -SaGa Battle Arrange-

The third album from the popular Re:Birth series, Re:Birth II -Ren- features stirring rock arrangements of battle themes from the SaGa series. Mainly a blend of electric guitars and retro synths, as well as explosive vocals in several tracks, Kenji Ito has crafted an album that will certainly please fans old and new alike.

Runners-Up

Rockman Dystopia

The Spectrum Works / Aria’s Ascent: Crypt of the Necrodancer Metal Soundtrack (tie)

Other Nominations

2 Nights 2 Remember

Hiro 30th Anniversary Album -Thank You for Listening-

Gamadelic -Rebooot!!-

Okami Arrangement Collection Vol. 3 -Lounge-

Best Album — Fan-Arranged

Determination

This year’s AGMA-winning score for Undertale was also the subject of an officially-approved arranged album from Ace Waters and RichaadEB. The double album explores the emotions of Undertale with a mix of rocking battle covers and ethereal area theme interpretations.

Runners-Up

SquareLove

Final Fantasy IX: Worlds Apart

Other Nominations

Fair Judgment

Fate’s Delusion

Seven Songs for Seventh Saga

DJ Cutman Volume III

Kijin Shokuaku ~Evil People as the True Object of Salvation~

Best Album — Compilation Album

Gust 20th Anniversary CD Box

Gust commemorated its history with a staggering release showcasing their flagship Atelier series and lesser known titles. With a whopping 44 discs, it sets a record for largest video game music release while showcasing a breadth of music styles from its top quality sound team.

Runners-Up

Street Fighter II The Definitive Soundtrack

Masaya Game Music Collection Vol. 1 -Langrisser I II III-

Other Nominations

Commando & Bionic Commando Original Sound Collection

Final Fantasy XI: Priceless Remembrance

Mouryou Senki Madara 1 & 2 Soundtrack Returns

Nekketsu High School Sound Club SFC Compilation

Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 10th Anniversary Box

Best Album — Vinyl Record

The Last of Us

2015 really brought the vinyl revival to video game music, with numerous impressive releases. However, the very best of these is Mondo’s beautifully-designed, meticulously-recorded 4xLP set featuring Gustavo Santaolalla’s complete score for The Last of Us.

Runners-Up

Battletoads Original Soundtrack

Hotline Miami 2 -Wrong Number- Original Soundtrack

Other Nominations

Bit.Trip’s Greatest Chips

Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture

Fallout 3 Original Game Soundtrack

FEZ Original Soundtrack

MOTHER

Best Album — Chiptune Album

Clay Memory

Deceptively simple on the surface, Clay Memory is another chiptune masterwork from Ubiktune. Utilizing samples of over 300 instruments and taking direct inspiration from Mother 3, composer fluidvolt combines everything from jazz to traditional Japanese sound into the most charming chiptunes of 2015.

Runners-Up

Retro-Active Pt. 1

Velocity

Other Nominations

Chiptunes = WIN Volume 4

Force de Frappe

Midinize II

Höllental

The Blossoming Years

Best Album — Original Album

Phantasm

Junya Nakano’s first original album is in vein with his many game music works, featuring ethereal atmospheres and subtle textures. Modestly released on Bandcamp, it is an evocative musical journey filled to the brim with emotion and strong imagery throughout.

Runners-Up

The Woman Astronaut

Tomorrow is the Name of the Continuing World

Other Nominations

Doomsday

follow slowly

Memory of the Green

The Owl and I

one

Winner descriptions by Christopher Huynh, Chris Greening, Joe Hammond, KT Wong, Don Kotowski, and Oliver Jia.

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Chris Greening. Last modified on February 13, 2016.