Metacritic: Best Albums of 2008

> Switch to Advanced Search

New & Current Releases
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

Upcoming Release Calendar
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Music In Our Forums

sort by name

sort by score

64 A Camp
78 Akron/Family
73 Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women
74 Amazing Baby
62 Tori Amos
54 The Answer
74 Anti-Flag
74 Art Brut
71 Au Revoir Simone
65 Zee Avi
70 Bachelorette
77 Bat For Lashes
68 Big Business
76 Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses
67 Black Dice
57 Black Eyed Peas
74 Black Moth Super Rainbow
71 Blank Dogs
65 Booker T.
54 The Boxmasters
65 The Boy Least Likely To
74 Brakes [aka brakesbrakesbrakes]
68 British Sea Power
66 Jeff Buckley
75 Busdriver
59 Busta Rhymes
64 Cage The Elephant
82 Bill Callahan
80 Camera Obscura
68 Cam'ron
79 Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
58 Chester French
82 The Church
61 Ciara
72 Clues
69 The Coathangers
74 Jarvis Cocker
90 Leonard Cohen
70 Elvis Costello
66 Graham Coxon
76 Crippled Black Phoenix
71 The Crocodiles
69 Cryptacize
71 Crystal Antlers
56 The Crystal Method
69 Dananananaykroyd
76 Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse
71 De La Soul
77 Death Cab For Cutie
68 Deer Tick
81 Deerhunter
70 Depeche Mode
78 Dinosaur Jr.
85 Dirty Projectors
86 DJ Quik & Kurupt
77 Doves
68 Dredg
76 Bob Dylan
82 Steve Earle
70 Eels
62 El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez
58 Eminem
60 Empire Of The Sun
54 The Enemy
67 Jeremy Enigk
68 Nathan Fake
85 The Felice Brothers
79 The Field
65 Fink
60 Fischerspooner
77 Flatlanders
62 Flo Rida
64 Franz Ferdinand
77 Gallows
72 Melody Gardot
59 Ginuwine
71 Golden Silvers
61 Gomez
69 Grand Duchy
73 Great Lake Swimmers
59 Great Northern
72 Green Day
86 Grizzly Bear
75 The Handsome Family
69 Ben Harper And Relentless7
75 PJ Harvey & John Parish
66 Heaven & Hell
85 Levon Helm
74 The Hold Steady
79 Patterson Hood
75 Jon Hopkins
82 The Horrors
69 Hanne Hukkelberg
74 Ida Maria
65 Immaculate Machine
75 The Intelligence
76 Iron & Wine
79 Isis
68 It Hugs Back
88 J Dilla aka Jay Dee
61 Jadakiss
86 Japandroids
61 Joan Of Arc
84 Joe Lovano Us Five
72 John Doe & The Sadies
70 Joker's Daughter
62 Jonas Brothers
53 Mike Jones
71 The Juan Maclean
76 Junior Boys
68 Kasabian
74 Diana Krall
56 Lady Sovereign
43 Ben Lee
68 The Lemonheads
76 Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard
77 Lindstrom & Prins Thomas
65 Little Boots
79 The Low Anthem
67 Jason Lytle
75 The Maccabees
76 Magik Markers
80 Major Lazer
70 Malajube
71 Manchester Orchestra
85 Manic Street Preachers
57 Marilyn Manson
66 The Mars Volta
68 Dave Matthews Band
62 Maximo Park
70 Meat Puppets
80 Method Man & Redman
77 Metric
75 Micachu & The Shapes
69 Chrisette Michele
76 Miike Snow
67 Mika Miko
75 Rhett Miller
49 Mims
72 Mr. Lif
72 Moby
78 Moderat
70 Mandy Moore
80 Mos Def
70 Bob Mould
74 Nadja
72 New York Dolls
72 Nite Jewel
67 NOFX
76 Noisettes
60 Paolo Nutini
67 Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band
74 Papercuts
76 Passion Pit
74 Peaches
71 Pet Shop Boys
68 Peter Bjorn And John
82 Phoenix
76 Pink Mountaintops
63 Placebo
66 Pomegranates
64 Iggy Pop
67 Prefuse 73
61 Prince
62 Prince
81 Ramblin' Jack Elliott
76 Rancid
54 Rascal Flatts
68 Lionel Richie
77 Alasdair Roberts
73 Rick Ross
55 Asher Roth
72 Savath & Savalas
61 Polly Scattergood
65 The Shortwave Set
60 Shout Out Out Out Out
66 Silversun Pickups
85 Todd Snider
78 Sonic Youth
72 The Soundcarriers
61 The Sounds
74 Regina Spektor
63 Spinal Tap
65 Spinnerette
81 St. Vincent
59 Still Flyin'
58 Street Sweeper Social Club
87 Sunn O)))
82 Sunset Rubdown
84 Super Furry Animals
74 Richard Swift
78 Taking Back Sunday
85 Tanya Morgan
81 Otis Taylor
71 Telekinesis
70 Telepathe
80 Thee Oh Sees
79 The Thermals
74 Rob Thomas
64 Thunderheist
74 Tiga
57 Tinted Windows
72 Tortoise
82 Allen Toussaint
71 Trembling Bells
69 Two Fingers
84 UGK
68 Keith Urban
49 Bria Valente
71 John Vanderslice
85 The Vaselines
74 The Veils
73 Viva Voce
63 Patrick Watson
79 White Denim
77 White Rabbits
57 The Whitest Boy Alive
74 Wilco
80 Wildbirds & Peacedrums
78 Wolves In The Throne Room
65 The Wooden Birds
67 Wooden Shjips
81 Yeah Yeah Yeahs
70 Pete Yorn
93 Neil Young
60 Neil Young
72 Yusuf

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

The following table displays the highest-scoring albums for the year in Metacritic's database. Also listed at the bottom of the page are year-end critic top ten lists culled from various music publications.

Albums must have at least 7 reviews to qualify for high score lists. Reissues, "best-of" compilations and box sets are not eligible for inclusion. Year of release reflects U.S. release date unless title has not yet been released in the U.S.

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	London Zoo by The Bug	2008	90
2	Fed by Plush	2008	89
3	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio	2008	88
4	Exit by Shugo Tokumaru	2008	88
5	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver	2008	88
6	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes	2008	87
7	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds	2008	87
8	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair	2008	86
9	Robyn by Robyn	2008	86
10	What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective by Steinski	2008	86
11	Harps And Angels by Randy Newman	2008	86
12	Fortress by Protest The Hero	2008	86
13	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan	2008	86
14	Rook by Shearwater	2008	85
15	Life...The Best Game In Town by Harvey Milk	2008	85
16	Third by Portishead	2008	85
17	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady	2008	85
18	Laulu Laakson Kukista by Paavoharju	2008	85
19	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up	2008	85
20	Emeritus by Scarface	2008	85
21	The Airing Of Grievances by Titus Andronicus	2008	84
22	Sugar Mountain: Live At Canterbury House 1968 by Neil Young	2008	84
23	Tronic by Black Milk	2008	84
24	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne	2008	84
25	Don't Do Anything by Sam Phillips	2008	84
26	A Piece Of What You Need by Teddy Thompson	2008	84
27	One Kind Favor by B.B. King	2008	83
28	In The 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head Of His Enemy By Magic by Kasai Allstars	2008	83
29	Real Animal by Alejandro Escovedo	2008	83
30	Skeleton by Abe Vigoda	2008	83

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Almost Cool
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Amazon.com [Editors' Picks]
1.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
4.	Lay It Down by Al Green
5.	19 by Adele
6.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
7.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
8.	Shine by Estelle
9.	Trouble in Mind by Hayes Carll
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Austin Chronicle (Roaul Hernandez)
1.	Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
2.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
3.	II Trill by Bun B
4.	Graveyard by Graveyard
5.	Ten Stones by Wovenhand
6.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
7.	Nudge It Up a Notch by Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Attack & Release by The Black Keys
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Austin Chronicle (Austin Powell)
1.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2.	You & Me by The Walkmen
3.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
6.	Songs in A&E by Spiritualized
7.	Temper by Benoit Pioulard
8.	Retribution Gospel Choir
9.	Ferndorf by Hauschka
10.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu

Austin Chronicle (Audra Schroeder)
1.	Devotion by Beach House
2.	Vapour Trails by Tuxedomoon
3.	Third by Portishead
4.	Meanderthal by Torche
5.	Silence Is Wild by Frida Hyvonen
6.	The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In by Thee Oh Sees
7.	Free Gold by Indian Jewelry
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
10.	Women by Women

Billboard
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
6.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
6.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
7.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
8.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
9.	19 by Adele
9.	Rockferry by Duffy
10.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Blender
1.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
2.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
5.	Made In The Dark by Hot Chip
6.	Robyn by Robyn
7.	Skeletal Lamping by of Montreal
8.	Harps And Angels by Randy Newman
9.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
10.	Folie A Deux by Fall Out Boy

Cokemachineglow
1.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
2.	Tronic by Black Milk
3.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
4.	Women by Women
5.	Shapeshifters by Invincible
6.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
7.	You & Me by The Walkmen
8.	Laulu Laakson Kukista by Paavoharju
9.	Vivian Girls by Vivian Girls
10.	In Flesh Tones by Azeda Booth

Boston Globe [Joan Anderman]
1.	The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Ode To Sunshine by Delta Spirit
6.	Modern Guilt by Beck
7.	Accelerate by R.E.M.
8.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
9.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
10.	Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket

Boston Globe [James Reed]
1.	Devotion by Beach House
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Alegranza by El Guincho
4.	Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis
5.	The Troubles by Faces On Film
6.	Parplar by Larkin Grimm
7.	Lust Lust Lust by The Ravonettes
8.	Shine by Estelle
9.	Cold Fact by Rodgriguez
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

Boston Globe [Sarah Rodman]
1.	Volume One by She & Him
2.	Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses
3.	Rising Down by The Roots
4.	Love On The Inside by Sugarland
5.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
6.	Lay It Down by Al Green
7.	Rain by Joe Jackson
8.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
9.	The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

Delusions of Adequacy [DOA]
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Nouns by No Age
5.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
6.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
9.	The Stand Ins by Okkervil River
10.	Real Emotional Trash by Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Drowned In Sound
1.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
2.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
3.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
4.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
6.	Third by Portishead
7.	Alopecia by Why?
8.	Friendly Fires by Friendly Fires
9.	Midnight Boom by The Kills
10.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver

Dusted [Picks of co-editor Otis Hart]
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Love Is Overtaking Me by Arthur Russell
3.	Primary Colours by Eddy Current Suppression Ring
4.	When Horses Die... by Thomas Brinkmann
5.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
6.	Sleight of Heart by Malcolm Middleton
7.	Where You Go I Go Too by Lindstrom
8.	Margins Music by Dusk + Blackdown
9.	The Mandé Variations by Toumani Diabate
10.	Recomposed Vol. 3 by Carl Craig & Moritz von Oswald

EW [Leah Greenblatt]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce
3.	Santogold by Santogold
4.	Robyn by Robyn
5.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
6.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
7.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
8.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
9.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
10.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros

EW [Chris Willman]
1.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
2.	Robyn by Robyn
3.	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan
4.	Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch
5.	The Renaissance by Q-Tip
6.	Call Me Crazy by Lee Ann Womack
7.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
8.	A Little Bit Longer by The Jonas Brothers
9.	Detours by Sheryl Crow
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

Filter
1.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Fate by Dr. Dog
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Antidotes by Foals
6.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
7.	Volume One by She & Him
8.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
9.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
10.	Missiles by The Dears

Hartford Courant
1.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
4.	Brighter Than Creation's Dark by Drive-By Truckers
5.	Distortion by The Magnetic Fields
6.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
7.	808's & Heartbreak by Kanye West
8.	Re-Arrange Us by Mates Of State
9.	City Of Refuge by Castanets
10.	I, Flatland by Ry Coder

Los Angeles Times [Ann Powers - no particular order]
	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
	Back To Now by Labelle
	I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too by Martha Wainwright
	Santogold by Santogold
	The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq
	Sounds So Good by Ashton Shepherd
	Remind Me In 3 Days by The Knux
	Love And Life by Eric Benet

Lost at Sea [Staff Consensus]
1.	Alopecia by Why?
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Los Angeles by Flying Lotus
5.	Third by Portishead
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros
9.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
10.	In Ear Park by Department Of Eagles
10.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne

Magnet
1.	Other People by American Princes
2.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3.	Lucky by Nada Surf
4.	Nouns by No Age
5.	Mission Control by The Whigs
6.	Parallel Play by Sloan
7.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
8.	Re-Arrange Us by Mates Of State
9.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
10.	The Visiter by The Dodos

Mojo
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	The Age Of The Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets
3.	22 Dreams by Paul Weller
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
6.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
7.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
8.	The Week That Was by The Week That Was
9.	London Zoo by The Bug
10.	Home Before Dark by Neil Diamond

MusicOMH
1.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
5.	Third by Portishead
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
8.	Alas I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling
9.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
10.	Street Horrrsing by Fuck Buttons

NME
1.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	Antidotes by Foals
6.	Nights Out by Metronomy
7.	Santogold by Santogold
8.	Twenty One by Mystery Jets
9.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
10.	Friendly Fires by Friendly Fires

New York Magazine
1.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Modern Guilt by Beck
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

The New York Times [Jon Pareles]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	The Mande Variations by Toumani Diabate
4.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
5.	In Ear Park by Department Of Eagles
6.	That Lonesome Song by Jamey Johnson
7.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Alas, I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling
10.	Santogold by Santogold

NoRipcord
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
5.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
6.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
7.	Rook by Shearwater
8.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
9.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
10.	Songs in A&E by Spiritualized

Now Toronto (Benjamin Boles)
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
3.	Jim by Jamie Lidell
4.	808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West
5.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
6.	Double Night Time by Morgan Geist
7.	Sessions by Carl Craig
8.	We are Beautiful, We Are Doomed by Los Campesinos!
9.	Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams by Solange
10.	Where You Go I Go Too by Lindstrom

Now Toronto (Tim Perlich)
1.	Rituals by Nicola Conte
2.	Flowers, Birds And Home by Heidi Happy
3.	The Dreamer by Jose James
4.	Sahara Swing by Karl Hector & The Malcouns
5.	Focus Level by Endless Boogie
6.	Parkdale by Elizabeth Shepherd
7.	Fragments Of The Universe Nurse by Human Eye
8.	Welcome To Mali by Amadou & Mariam
9.	1965 by Larry Jon Wilson
10.	Here by The Golden Hands Before God Conducts Incrediable Magic Band & The Spirits

Now Toronto (Michael Hollett)
1.	Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis
2.	Heads Off by The Hellacopters
3.	Attack & Release by The Black Keys
4.	Rockferry by Duffy
5.	The Renaissance by Q-Tip
6.	Sebastien Grainger And The Mountains
7.	Simply Grand by Irma Thomas
8.	Parallel Play by Sloan
9.	Seeing Sounds by N.E.R.D.
10.	Partie Traumatic by Black Kids

Observer Music Monthly [OMM]
1.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
2.	Welcome To Mali by Amadou & Mariam
3.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
4.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
5.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
6.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West
9.	Third by Portishead
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

The Onion AV Club [Staff Consensus]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
3.	You & Me by The Walkmen
4.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino
5.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
6.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
10.	Third by Portishead

Paste Magazine
1.	Volume One by She & Him
2.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros
3.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	The Stand Ins by Okkervil River
6.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
7.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
8.	April by Sun Kil Moon
9.	Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
10.	Microcastle by Deerhunter

The Phoenix
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Black Sea by Fennesz
3.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
4.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
5.	Drawn in Basic by Populous WIth Short Stories
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	Dragging A Dead Dear Up A Hill by Grouper
8.	Lust Lust Lust by The Ravonettes
9.	Third by Portishead
10.	Action Silence Prayers by Stefano Pilia

Pitchfork
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Nouns by No Age
4.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
6.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
9.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
10.	Uproot by DJ/rupture

Popmatters
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
5.	London Zoo by The Bug
6.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
9.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
10.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino

Q
1.	Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	Glasvegasby Glasvegas
6.	Rockferry by Duffy
7.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
8.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
9.	Consolers Of The Lonely by The Raconteurs
10.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Rolling Stone
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan
3.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
4.	Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket
5.	Life Death Love and Freedom by John Mellencamp
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
8.	Modern Guilt by Beck
9.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

Slant Magazine
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Robyn by Robyn
3.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
6.	Kleerup by Kleerup
7.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Santogold by Santogold
10.	Alopecia by Why?

Spin
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
3.	Third by Portishead
4.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
5.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Made In The Dark by Hot Chip
9.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Sputnikmusic [Staff Consensus]
1.	Traced In Air by Cynic
2.	Some Blood by Off Minor
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Late Night Cinema by Blue Sky Bkack Death
5.	Deathconsciousness by Have A Nice Life
6.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
7.	It's Not Me, It's You! by pg.lost
8.	Los Angeles by Flying Lotus
9.	Fortress by Protest The Hero
10.	Sycamore Meadows by Butch Walker

The Guardian
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
6.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
9.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
10.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas

Tiny Mix Tapes
1.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
5.	Music Tapes for Clouds & Tornadoes by The Music Tapes
6.	Devotion by Beach House
7.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
8.	Rip It Off by Times New Viking
9.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
10.	Lost Wisdom/Dawn by Mount Eerie

Uncut
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
6.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
7.	Stainless Style by Neon Neon
8.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
9.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
10.	22 Dreams by Paul Weller

Under The Rader [Staff Consensus]
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
3.	The Visiter by The Dodos
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Neptune by The Duke Spirit
6.	Volume One by She & Him
7.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
8.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
9.	Flight Of The Conchords by Flight Of The Conchords
10.	Missiles by The Dears

The Wire
1.	London Zoo by The Bug
2.	Sand by Philip Jeck
3.	Hairdryer Peace by The Hospitals
4.	Resonant Spaces by John Butcher
5.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
6.	Other Channels by The Advisory Circle
7.	Hello, Voyager by Evangelista
8.	Real English Tea Made Here by William S Burroughs
9.	Imperial Wax Solvent by The Fall
10.	Persistent Repetition Of Phrases by The Caretaker

NOTES: Asterisks above indicate that the album appeared in an alphabetical, unranked top ten list.

Artists Appearing on Multiple Top Ten Lists Above
Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Third by Portishead
Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
Volume One by She & Him
Devotion by Beach House
Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
Microcastle by Deerhunter
Saturdays=Youth by M83
Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
London Zoo by The Bug
Alopecia by Why?
Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
Other People by American Princes
Rituals by Nicola Conte
Traced In Air by Cynic
The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis

Metacritic Users' Year-End Lists

Metacritic.com Users Consensus: Top Albums of 2008
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
4.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
5.	Third by Portishead
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	The Visiter by The Dodos
8.	You & Me by The Walkmen
9.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
10.	Hometowns by The Rural Alberta Advantage
11.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
12.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
13.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
14.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
15.	Alopecia by Why?
16.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
17.	Skeletal Lamping by of Montreal
18.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino!
19.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
20.	Rook by Shearwater

Metacritic.com Users Consensus: Top Songs of 2008
1.	Fleet Foxes - "White Winter Hymnal"
2.	Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"
3.	Deerhunter - "Nothing Ever Happened"
4.	MGMT - "Time To Pretend"
5.	Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor
6.	Portishead - "The Rip"
7.	M83 - "Kim & Jessie"
8.	MGMT - "Kids"
9.	The Walkmen - "In The New Year"
10.	Frightened Rabbit - "The Modern Leper
11.	Blitzen Trapper - "Furr"
12.	Animal Collective - "Water Curses"
13.	Fleet Foxes - "Mykonos"
14.	Beach House - "Gila"
15.	Sigur Ros - "Gobbledigook
16.	The Dodos - "Fools"
17.	TV On The Radio - "Halfway Home"
18.	Ra Ra Riot - "Ghosts Under Rocks"
19.	The Hold Steady - "Constructive Summer"
20.	Hercules & Love Affair - "Blind"

Rankings above reflect the combined Top-20 lists of Metacritic.com users submitted in Metacritic's Discussion Forums. View users' individual album lists... View users' individual song lists...

Return to top of page

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Metacritic Users' Year-End Lists