Metacritic: Best Albums of 2002

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60 31Knots
71 The Academy Is...
75 The Accidental
68 Adele
70 Adem
67 The Airborne Toxic Event
70 Alkaline Trio
72 Alphabeat
77 Theresa Andersson
74 Apollo Sunshine
52 Ashanti
84 Bajofondo
56 David Banner
76 The Baseball Project
77 Beck
77 Black Affair
59 Black Ghosts
76 Black Kids
73 Brazilian Girls
90 The Bug
56 Caesars
70 Glen Campbell
75 Brendan Canning
69 The Charlatans
72 Coldplay
78 The Cool Kids
65 Alice Cooper
77 Rodney Crowell
65 CSS
67 Miley Cyrus
45 Dandy Warhols
81 Danny!
73 Death Vessel
79 Damien Dempsey
58 Dirty Pretty Things
57 Disturbed
72 Dr. Dog
82 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
75 Jakob Dylan
77 Earlimart
77 Brian Eno + David Byrne
83 Alejandro Escovedo
62 The Faint
56 Feeder
65 The Fiery Furnaces
87 Fleet Foxes
64 iForward, Russia!
61 The Fratellis
73 The Futureheads
59 G Love & Special Sauce
65 The Game
74 Inara George With Van Dyke Parks
74 Giant Sand
80 Girl Talk
61 Golden Animals
64 Mike Gordon
42 G-Unit
79 GZA
64 Albert Hammond, Jr.
67 Ed Harcourt
78 Emmylou Harris
86 Harvey Milk
73 Juliana Hatfield
61 Hawthorne Heights
86 Hercules And Love Affair
82 High Places
76 Zach Hill
85 The Hold Steady
63 Vanessa Hudgens
70 Human Highway
77 James Hunter
68 Ice Cube
66 Ida Maria
69 Jaguar Love
69 Jewel
76 Joan As Police Woman
81 Jamey Johnson
70 Jonas Brothers
59 Judas Priest
57 Kerli
73 Ladytron
72 Leila
76 Lykke Li
82 Lil Wayne
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Jackie
60 Lloyd
55 Los Lonely Boys
74 Love As Laughter
79 Aimee Mann
80 Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
76 John Mellencamp
71 The Melvins
71 Men Without Pants
74 Mirah
63 Alanis Morissette
56 Motley Crue
74 The M's
84 The Music Tapes
54 The Music
71 My Brightest Diamond
70 My Morning Jacket
63 N.E.R.D. [The Neptunes]
71 Nas
79 Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis
51 New Kids On The Block
84 Randy Newman
78 Nine Inch Nails
75 The Notwist
75 Conor Oberst
52 The Offspring
80 One Day As A Lion
75 Oneida
82 Opeth
62 The Orb
75 Oxford Collapse
43 Katy Perry
74 Lee "Scratch" Perry
84 Sam Phillips
72 Plies
73 Robert Pollard
81 Ponytail
64 Primal Scream
78 Ra Ra Riot
48 The Rascals
71 Ratatat
63 Re-Up Gang
48 Gavin Rossdale
71 The Rumble Strips
65 RZA
74 Scars On Broadway
70 Ron Sexsmith
85 Shearwater
39 Shwayze
81 Sigur Rós
78 Silver Jews
69 Slipknot
74 Sloan
79 Patti Smith and Kevin Shields
72 Solange
69 Son, Ambulance
63 Sam Sparro
65 Rick Springfield
65 Staind
47 Stereo MC's
72 Stereolab
69 The Stills
75 Subtle
83 Sugarland
67 Supergrass
69 Matthew Sweet
77 Irma Thomas
84 Teddy Thompson
57 Three 6 Mafia
73 Tilly And The Wall
64 The Ting Tings
72 Tittsworth
63 James Jackson Toth
72 Randy Travis
92 Underoath
58 UNKLE
58 David Vandervelde
71 The Verve
69 The Virgins
69 Loudon Wainwright III
77 Martha Wainwright
81 The Walkmen
67 The Watson Twins
67 Ben Weaver
81 The Week That Was
64 Weezer
77 Paul Weller
76 White Denim
71 Brian Wilson
79 Cassandra Wilson
87 Dennis Wilson
76 Wire
78 Wolf Parade
61 XX Teens
66 Young Jeezy
55 Yung Berg
66 The Zutons

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

The following table displays the highest-scoring albums for the year in Metacritic's database with a minimum of 7 reviews. Also listed at the bottom of the page are year-end top ten lists provided by various critics and publications.

You may also view an index of all albums in our database alphabetically by artist.
In addition, you may view the top-rated albums by year: All | 2007 | '06 | '05 | '04 | '03 | '02 | '01 | '00

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year
1	Original Pirate Material by The Streets	2002	90
2	Alice by Tom Waits	2002	90
3	Songs For The Deaf by Queens Of The Stone Age	2002	89
4	Kill The Moonlight by Spoon	2002	88
5	Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco	2002	87
6	Phrenology by The Roots	2002	87
7	The Creek Drank The Cradle by Iron & Wine	2002	87
8	Rings Around The World by Super Furry Animals	2002	86
9	OST by 24 Hour Party People	2002	86
10	Didn't It Rain by Songs: Ohia	2002	85
11	Don't Give Up On Me by Solomon Burke	2002	85
12	Source Tags & Codes by ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead	2002	85
13	One Beat by Sleater-Kinney	2002	85
14	The Last Broadcast by Doves	2002	85
15	Geogaddi by Boards Of Canada	2002	84
16	No! by They Might Be Giants	2002	84
17	S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. by Out Hud	2002	84
18	Veni Vidi Vicious by The Hives	2002	84
19	Blood Money by Tom Waits	2002	84
20	Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips	2002	84
21	The Beginning Stages Of... by The Polyphonic Spree	2002	84
22	We Love Life by Pulp	2002	84
23	Cobblestone Runway by Ron Sexsmith	2002	84
24	In Search Of... [Second Version] by N.E.R.D. [The Neptunes]	2002	83
25	God's Son by Nas	2002	83
26	Skyscraper National Park by Hayden	2002	83
27	() by Sigur Rós	2002	82
28	Blacklisted by Neko Case	2002	82
29	Cookie: The Anthropological Mix Tape by Me'Shell NdegéOcello	2002	82
30	Come Away With Me by Norah Jones	2002	82

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Village Voice 2002 Pazz & Jop Poll (a survey of 695 critics) Read The Full Results
1	Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2	Beck: Sea Change
3	The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
4	The Streets: Original Pirate Material
5	Sleater-Kinney: One Beat
6	Bruce Springsteen: The Rising
7	The Roots: Phrenology
8	Eminem: The Eminem Show
9	Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head
10	Missy Elliott: Under Construction

Blender

1. Eminem: The Eminem Show

2. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

3. Pink: M!ssundaztood

4. VA: The Best Bootlegs In The World Ever

5. Beck: Sea Change

6. Dixie Chicks: Home

7. The Roots: Phrenology

8. Missy Elliott: Under Construction

9. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

10. Tori Amos: Scarlet's Walk

Urb
(Note: Ranking of albums was not specified; listed in alphabetical order)

Atmosphere: God Loves Ugly

EL-P: Fantastic Damage

Felix Da Housecat: Kittenz And Thee Glitz

High Contrast: True Colors

J-Live: All Of The Above

Timo Maas: Loud

N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

Recloose: Cardiology

DJ Shadow: The Private Press

Underworld: A Hundred Days Off

The Onion A.V. Club
(Andy Battaglia)

1. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

2. Recloose: Cardiology

3. Kylie Minogue: Fever

4. Michael Mayer: Immer

5. 2 Many DJ's: As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2

6. Metro Area: Metro Area

7. Fennesz, O'Rourke, Rehberg: The Return Of Fenn O'Berg

8. MRI: All That Glitters

9. Clipse: Lord Willin'

10. Spoon: Kill The Moonlight

The Onion A.V. Club
(Josh Modell)

1. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2. Low: Trust

3. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

4. The Promise Ring: Wood/Water

5. Ugly Casanova: Sharpen Your Teeth

6. Beck: Sea Change

7. McLusky: McLusky Do Dallas

8. Pedro The Lion: Control

9. Radar Brothers: ...And The Surrounding Mountains

10. Hot Hot Heat: Make Up The Breakdown

The Onion A.V. Club
(Noel Murray)

1. Spoon: Kill The Moonlight

2. Josh Rouse: Under Cold Blue Stars

3. Life Without Buildings: Any Other City

4. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

5. The Reigning Sound: Time Bomb High School

6. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

7. Rhett Miller: The Instigator

8. Lambchop: Is A Woman

9. Hot Hot Heat: Make Up The Breakdown

10. Cornelius: Point

The Onion A.V. Club
(Keith Phipps)

1. Beck: Sea Change

2. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

3. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow

4. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

5. Josh Rouse: Under Cold Blue Stars

6. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

7. Tom Waits: Alice

8. The Roots: Phrenology

9. Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up On Me

10. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising

The Onion A.V. Club
(Nathan Rabin)

1. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow

2. Count Bass D: Dwight Spitz

3. The Roots: Phrenology

4. People Under The Stairs: O.S.T.

5. J-Live: All Of The Above

6. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

7. Common: Electric Circus

8. Cody Chesnutt: The Headphone Masterpiece

9. Devin The Dude: Just Tryin' Ta Live

10. Talib Kweli: Quality

The Onion A.V. Club
(Stephen Thompson)

1. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

2. Me'Shell NdegéOcello: Cookie: The Anthropological Mix Tape

3. Josh Rouse: Under Cold Blue Stars

4. Andrew W.K.: I Get Wet

5. Rhett Miller: The Instigator

6. Iron & Wine: The Creek Drank The Cradle

7. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow

8. Sigur Rós:( )

9. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

10. Ron Sexsmith: Cobblestone Runway

Playlouder

1. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

2. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster: Horse Of The Dog

3. Doves: The Last Broadcast

4. Queens Of The Stone Age: Songs For The Deaf

5. Sonic Youth: Murray Street

6. Eminem: The Eminem Show

7. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

8. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

9. McLusky: McLusky Do Dallas

10. Idlewild: The Remote Part

Stylus

1. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

3. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

4. 2 Many DJs: As Heard on Radio Soulwax Part II

5. Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights

6. City of Caterpillar: City of Caterpillar

7. Xinlisupreme: Tomorrow Never Comes

8. Various Artists: Improvised Music From Japan Box Set

9. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

10. Super Furry Animals: Rings Around the World

Pop Matters
(Sarah Zupko, PopMatters Editor & Publisher)

1. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

2. Steve Earle: Jerusalem

3. The Libertines: Up The Bracket

4. The Coral: The Coral

5. Ms. Dynamite: A Little Deeper

6. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

7. Doves: The Last Broadcast

8. Common: Electric Circus

9. The Vines: Highly Evolved

10. Idlewild: The Remote Part

Mixer

1. Timo Maas: Loud

2. Underworld: A Hundred Days Off

3. High Contrast: True Colors

4. Royksopp: Melody A.M.

5. Miss Kittin & The Hacker: The First Album

6. Jurassic 5: Power In Numbers

7. Metro Area: Metro Area

8. DJ Shadow: The Private Press

9. Felix da Housecat: Kittenz and Thee Glitz

10. ILS: Soul Trader

E! Online

1. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

2. Norah Jones: Come Away with Me

3. Beck: Sea Change

4. Missy Elliott: Under Construction

5. Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up on Me

6. Elvis Costello: When I Was Cruel

7. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

8. David Gray: A New Day At Midnight

9. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising

10. Beth Orton: Daybreaker

E! Online
(David Adelson)

1. Eminem: The Eminem Show

2. Ralph Stanley: Ralph Stanley

3. Norah Jones: Come Away with Me

4. Audioslave: Audioslave

5. Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up on Me

6. Jurassic 5: Power In Numbers

7. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

8. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

9. Foo Fighters: One by One

10. Nirvana: Nirvana

The Wire

1. Sonic Youth: Murray Street

2. Derek Bailey: Ballads

3. Boards of Canada: Geogaddi

4. Asa-Chang & Junray: Jun Ray Song Chang

5. Various Artists: Improvised Music From Japan

6. Jim O'Rourke: Insignificance

7. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Yanqui UXO

8. Cecil Taylor Feel Trio: 2 Ts For A Lovely T

9. DJ/Rupture: Minesweeper Suite

10. Philip Jeck: Stoke

Uncut

1. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

2. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising

3. EL-P: Fantastic Damage

4. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

5. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

6. Lambchop: Is A Woman

7. My Computer: Vulnerabilia

8. Beck: Sea Change

9. Suicide: American Supreme

10. David Bowie: Heathen

Entertainment Weekly
(David Browne)

1. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

2. Elvis Costello: When I Was Cruel

3. Starsailor: Love Is Here

4. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

5. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising

6. Audioslave: Audioslave

7. Sonic Youth: Murray Street

8. Moby: 18

9. Clipse: Lord Willin'

10. Norah Jones: Come Away With Me

Entertainment Weekly
(Tom Sinclair)

1. Stew: the Naked Dutch Painter... And Other Songs

2. The Soundtrack of Our Lives: Behind The Music

3. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

4. The Mooney Suzuki: Electric Sweat

5. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

6. Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up on Me

7. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

8. Bruce Springsteen: The Rising

9. The Greenhornes: Dual Mono

10. Robert Randolph and the Family Band: Live at the Wetlands

Spin

1. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

2. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

3. Beck: Sea Change

4. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

5. Eminem: The Eminem Show

6. Weezer: Maladroit

7. Missy Elliott: Under Construction

8. Queens Of The Stone Age: Songs For The Deaf

9. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

10. The Hives: Veni Vidi Vicious

Mojo

1. Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up on Me

2. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

3. Queens Of The Stone Age: Songs For The Deaf

4. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

5. Beth Gibbons and Rustin' Man: Out of Season

6. Supergrass: Life On Other Planets

7. Beck: Sea Change

8. Brendan Benson: Lapalco

9. N.E.R.D.: In Searh Of

10. The Coral: The Coral

Inkblot

1. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow

2. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

3. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

4. Gomez: In Our Gun

5. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

6. Common: Electric Circus

7. Paul Westerberg: Stereo/Mono

8. And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: Source Tags And Codes

9. FC/Kahuna: Machine Says Yes

10. Extra Glenns: Martial Arts Weekend

Metacritic.com | Music Editor

1. Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights

2. Spoon: Kill The Moonlight

3. The Delgados: Hate

4. Cornelius: Point

5. Sonic Youth: Murray Street

6. Wire: Read & Burn 01 / Read & Burn 02

7. Ladytron: Light & Magic

8. Out Hud: S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D.

9. Sing-Sing: The Joy of Sing-Sing

10. Clinic: Walking With Thee

CultureDose.com

1. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

2. Beck: Sea Change

3. The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

4. Elvis Costello: When I Was Cruel

5. The Roots: Phrenology

6. Blackalicious: Blazing Arrow

7. Frank Black & The Catholics - Black Letter Days

8. And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: Source Tags And Codes

9. Coldplay: A Rush Of Blood To The Head

10. Iron & Wine: The Creek Drank The Cradle

New York Magazine

1. Raphael Saadiq: Instant Vintage

2. DJ Shadow: The Private Press

3. Jason Moran: Modernistic

4. Queens Of The Stone Age: Songs For The Deaf

5. The Streets: Original Pirate Material

6. Bright Eyes: Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists