2018 Totals: Debuts

1. Justin Brown, Nyeusi (Biophilia) 8
2. Adam Hopkins, Crickets (Out of Your Head) 7
3. Quin Kirchner, The Other Side of Time (Astral Spirits) 6
4. James Francies, Flight (Blue Note) 5
5. Ben LaMar Gay, Downtown Castles Can Never Block the Sun (International Anthem) 5
6. McClenty Hunter Jr., The Groove Hunter (Strikezone) 4
7. Kevin Sun, Trio (Ectomorph Music) 4
8. John Bailey, In Real Time (Summit) 3
9. Stephanie Richards, Fullmoon (Relative Pitch) 3
10. Arianna Neikrug, Changes (Concord) 3
Owen Broder, Heritage: The American Roots Project (ArtistShare) 3
12. Adi Meyerson, Where We Stand (A:M) 2
13. Maisha, There Is a Place (Brownswood) 2
14. Miki Yamanaka, Miki (Cellar Live) 2
15. Henry Conerway III, With Pride for Dignity (self-released) 2
16. Maria Grand, Magdalena (Biophilia) 2
17. Corcoran Holt, The Mecca (Holthouse Music) 2
18. Big Heart Machine, Big Heart Machine (self-released) 2
19. Lumina, Lumina (Tuk Music) 1
20. Connie Han, Crime Zone (Mack Avenue) 1
This Is It!, 1538 (Libra) 1
21. Benjamin Boone & Philip Levine, The Poetry of Jazz (Origin) 1
22. Giuseppe Doronzo, Goya (Tora) 1
23. Mariel Austin Rock-Jazz Orchestra, Runner in the Rain (Mariel Austin) 1
24. Juan Andres Ospina Big Band, Tramontana (self-released) 1
25. On the Levee Jazz Band, Swinging New Orleans Jazz: For Dancing - Or Just Listening! (Big Al) 1
26. Caleb Wheeler Curtis, Brothers (self-released) 1
27. Orquesta Akokán, Orquesta Akokán (Daptone) 1
28. Chris Beck, The Journey (A.W.M.C.) 1
29. Lewis Wright, Duets (Signum) 1
Kamaal Williams, The Return (Black Focus) 1
30. Kate Reid, The Heart Already Knows (self-released) 1
31. Signe Emmeluth's Amoeba, Polyp (Øra Fonogram) 1
32. Park Jiha, Communion (Tak:til) 1
33. Wendy Eisenberg, The Machinic Unconscious (Tzadik) 1
34. Jesse Peterson Quartet, Man of the Earth (Industrial Road) 1
35. Cataclysmic Commentary, Audience Participation (Eschatology) 1
36. Ray Angry, One (JMI) 1
37. Mattias Risberg, Stamps (Clean Feed) 1
38. Tim Haldeman, Open Water as a Child (Woolgathering) 1
WildSonicBlooms, Where We Overlap (Rattle) 1
39. Erlend Olderskog Albertsen, Rodssal Neen Glassdor (Dugnad Rec) 1
40. Anteloper, Kudu (International Anthem) 1
41. Joe Armon-Jones, Starting Today (Brownswood) 1
42. The Maguire Twins, Seeking Higher Ground (Three Tree) 1
43. Nutria, Call to the Air (Breakfast for Dinner) 1
44. Jordan Pettay, First Fruit (Outside In Music) 1
45. Mark Kavuma, Kavuma (Ubuntu Music) 1
46. Liran Donin's 1000 Boats, 8 Songs (Cavalo) 1
47. Ryan Porter, The Optimist (World Galaxy/Alpha Pup) 1
Yokada, Stillness & Sirens (Disorder/Plugged) 1
48. Ethan Ardelli, The Island of Form (self-released) 1
49. Amanda Gardier, Empathy (Green Mind) 1
50. Don Kapot, Don Kapot (Mr. Nakayasi) 1
51. Ralph Peterson's Gennext Big Band, I Remember Bu (Onyx Productions) 1
52. Tony Tixier, Life of Sensitive Creatures (Whirlwind -17) 1
53. Irreversible Entanglements, Irreversible Entanglements (International Anthem/Don Giovanni -17) 1
54. R+R=Now, Collagically Speaking (Blue Note) 1
55. Jazzmeia Horn, A Social Call (Prestige -17) 1

Critics were asked to name one album apiece, with no point system.