Annual Game Music Awards 2018 – Albums of the Year

We are proud to present the winners in the ‘Albums of the Year’ category of the Annual Game Music Awards 2018. These panel-voted, officially-recognized 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

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Original Soundtrack

Released by Procyon Studio, this massive soundtrack came in three editions: a digital repository shaped as the iconic Zohar from the Xeno universe, a limited edition version that came with piano arrangements of select tunes, and a regular edition which contained the music for the game. This multi-composer effort brought all the stops and was definitely our favorite CD release of a game that was released in a prior year.

Runners-Up

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Original Soundtrack

Other Nominations

Fighting EX Layer Soundtracks

Kurokishi to Shiro no Maou Original Soundtrack

Splatoon 2 Original Soundtrack -Octotune

Best Album — Official Arranged Album

Symphonic Suite “Suikoden”

This five CD release chronicles JAGMO’s (Japan Game Music Orchestra) two day concert series in which music from each main game in the series was performed and recorded live and brought the music of Konami’s iconic RPG series to life, in suite format, to wondrous results.

Runners-Up

NieR Gestalt & Replicant Orchestral Arrangement Album

Resurrection: Panzer Dragoon Saga 20th Anniversary Arrangement Soundtrack

Other Nominations

Ch’illout

Square Enix Jazz Vol. 2

Stardew Valley Piano Collections

Best Album — Fan-Arranged

Children of Termina

With Children of Termina, Rozen captures a sound as somber, subtle and elegant as the N64 classic that inspired it. This album is not only one of the best musical tributes to Majora’s Mask to date, but also one of Rozen’s best tributes to The Legend of Zelda as a whole.

Runners-Up

Zelda & Chill

Other Nominations

Arcadia Legends

Castellum Sanguis LXVIII: A Castlevania X68000 Tribute Album

OMEGA: A Tribute to Xenogears

Best Album — Chiptune Album

Nighty Night Stories – scythe

scythe’s second full length album is an amazing follow-up to his debut album, Chipscape. Featuring powerful melodies and an album that flows perfectly from start to finish, it’s an album that managed to shine with its bright and dreamy atmosphere and airs of nostalgia.

Runner-Up

Soundchip Salad – kulor

Other Nominations

Magenta – Seajeff

pop- xyce

Reviver – Kris Keyser

Best Album — Original Album

Across the ridge to heaven – ASTURIAS (Yoh Ohyama)

Yoh Ohyama’s ASTURIAS group, a combination of his two other prog rock groups, Acoustic Asturias and Electric Asturias, tells a compelling musical story through two suites that blend acoustic and rock elements through strong melodies, stunning atmosphere, and excellent pacing.

Runner-Up

Real Racing Roots 2019 – Andrew Elmore

Other Nominations

∀rkadia – sakuzyo

GALAXY VOYAGER REMIXES -BEHIND THE MASK)- – Various Artists

Memories of Tokyo-to: An Ode to Jet Set Radio – 2mello

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Emily McMillan. Last modified on February 12, 2019.