The Matchups

First the list. If you'd like more detail, read to the end:

Weakerthans - Left and Leaving vs. The Killers, Hot Fuss (2004)

Low "Things We Lost in the Fire" vs. Robyn, Body Talk

Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More - - 2010 vs. Brian Jonestown Massacre: Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

Gogol Bordello, Super Taranta! - - 2007 vs. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'Fever To Tell' (2001)

The Black Angels: Passover vs. Jay Brannon: Goddamned

Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot vs. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief

Brandi Carlile, The Story vs. The Decemberists, Picaresque - - 2005

Arcade Fire--The Suburbs vs. Cake, Comfort Eagle - - 2001

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Arcade Fire, Funeral (2004) vs. The Decemberists: Crane Wife

Massive Attack "Mezzanine" vs. Surfjan Stevens - Michigan (or Say Yes to Michigan)

Low – Trust vs. TMBG: Science is real

Primal Scream "XTRMNTR" (2000) vs. Gorillaz "Demon Days"

The Eastman Wind Ensemble: Danzante vs. Kanye West--808s and Heartbreak (2008)

Ben Folds Five: The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner vs. Regina Spektor--Begin to Hope (2006)

Cloud Cult, Light Chasers - - 2010 vs. Wilco – Summer Teeth (1999)

Green Day, American Idiot (2004) vs. HEM: Eveningland

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Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans vs.Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Pedro the Lion - The Only Reason I Feel Secure vs. The Decemberists, The King Is Dead (2011)

MeShell Ndegeocello, Bitter vs. DJ Dangermouse--The Grey Album (2004)


Tom Waits: Mule Variations vs. Ray LaMontagne, Gossip in the Grain

The National – Boxer (2007) vs. Rachel Ries, For You Only - - 2005

Blink 182: Enema of the state vs. Telekinesis '12 Desperate Straight Lines' (2011)

Friendly Fires (2009) Friendly Fires vs. Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

Vampire Weekend--Contra (2010) vs. Moby "Play"

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Radiohead, OK Computer vs. Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Up from Below - - 2010

Penguin Cafe Orchestra: Preludes Airs and Yodels vs. The Postal Service--Give Up (2003).

Stars - Set Yourself on Fire vs. The Verve 'Forth' (2008)

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 'B.R.M.C.' (2002) vs. Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmastime

U2--All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) vs. Swell Season, Strict Joy

Cibo Matto--Stereotype A (1999) vs. The White Stripes, Elephant (2003)

Iron and Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days vs. Radiohead: In Rainbows

The New Pornographers, Together (2010) vs. Neutral Milk Hotel – In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea (1998)

This is simple rather than fancy. I gave each submission 10 points for a top choice, 9 for second, etc., and then added the points together for those albums submitted >1 time. If people submitted different albums from the same artist, then I gave the album 1 point for each submission of a different album from the same artist. [If you're wondering about the reasoning, this was also simple: three different albums were submitted for The Decemberists, but it was possible that none of the three would have made the bracket of 64, and that didn't seem right; there were a few other artists facing the same problem, and I thought they should be rewarded.] I sorted the albums by total points, trimmed the list to 64, and then I paired them up by seed (1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, etc., with second round being 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, if seeds hold...which they won't). There were a few ties for the last few slots, and those were rewarded based on who submitted a list first, though I excluded my own list.