Metacritic: Best Albums of 2002

> 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

74 Absentee
69 AC/DC
73 Ryan Adams
66 Trace Adkins
61 Akon
67 The Aliens
66 All That Remains
81 The Alps
92 Amadou & Mariam
80 Amon Amarth
66 Anastacia
73 Anathallo
66 Annuals
75 Antony And The Johnsons
58 David Archuleta
77 Aterciopelados
72 Attic Lights
80 Belle & Sebastian
62 Beyonce
80 Blitzen Trapper
69 Bloc Party
67 Brandy
73 Brightblack Morning Light
66 The Bronx
68 Ane Brun
50 Buckcherry
77 Lindsey Buckingham
92 Buena Vista Social Club
72 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
64 Castanets
62 Cat Power
67 Catfish Haven
66 Chairlift
65 Tracy Chapman
60 Kenny Chesney
64 Tony Christie
82 The Clash
66 Cold War Kids
67 Coldplay
53 Common
67 David Cook
70 Nikka Costa
61 Cradle Of Filth
65 Crooked Fingers
75 Crystal Stilts
72 Rivers Cuomo
69 The Cure
78 Danielson
72 Dead Confederate
72 The Dears
81 Deerhoof
80 Deerhunter
70 Brett Dennen
78 Department Of Eagles
68 Devin The Dude
73 Dido
79 Ani DiFranco
75 Dillinger Four
58 DJ Khaled
81 DJ/rupture
57 Dr. Dooom
61 Dragonette
85 Dub Colossus
79 Dungen
86 Bob Dylan
80 Eagles Of Death Metal
79 El Guincho
57 Electric Six
76 Brian Eno + David Byrne
64 Everlast
86 Fennesz
75 The Fireman
62 Ben Folds
69 Free Blood
74 Friendly Fires
85 Fucked Up
78 Gang Gang Dance
78 Morgan Geist
81 Girl Talk
69 Girls Aloud
72 Glasvegas
67 Gojira
83 Grails
70 Grampall Jookabox
66 Guns N' Roses
76 Hauschka
66 Headhunter
54 Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid
66 Her Space Holiday
75 High Places
49 Hinder
71 Jolie Holland
64 Howling Hex
58 Jennifer Hudson
78 Hush Arbors
81 Frida Hyvonen
67 I'm From Barcelona
63 The (International) Noise Conspiracy
68 Jack's Mannequin
72 Jake One
73 James
53 Japanese Motors
64 Jem
80 The Jesus And Mary Chain
80 Johann Johannsson
69 Grace Jones
63 Tom Jones
73 Justice
70 Kaiser Chiefs
64 Keane
76 Toby Keith
70 The Killers
63 Kings Of Leon
77 The Knux
77 Koushik
72 Mark Kozelek
76 Femi Kuti
74 Lady GaGa
72 Ladyhawke
75 Lambchop
73 Ray LaMontagne
74 Land Of Talk
68 John Legend
75 Jenny Lewis
71 Little Joy
60 The Little Ones
83 Los Campesinos!
76 Love Is All
68 Ludacris
79 Luomo
73 Madlib
65 Taj Mahal
66 Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
69 Maroon 5
64 The Matthew Herbert Big Band
76 Max Tundra
63 Megapuss
68 Mercury Rev
78 Metallica
57 Ingrid Michaelson
74 The Mighty Underdogs
76 Mogwai
77 Juana Molina
67 Monkey
83 Mount Eerie
46 Mudvayne
76 Murs
61 Nelly
79 Ne-Yo
48 Nickelback
60 The Nightwatchman
60 Noah And The Whale
66 Oasis
68 O'Death
71 Of Montreal
77 Old Crow Medicine Show
54 The Organ
77 Brad Paisley
82 Pale Young Gentlemen
78 Amanda Palmer
76 Parts & Labor
74 Passion Pit
93 Pavement
67 Peter Bjorn And John
51 Kellie Pickler
69 Pink
73 Benoît Pioulard
70 Pivot
54 Plain White T's
40 Daniel Powter
74 The Pretenders
51 Pussycat Dolls
83 Q-Tip
42 Queen + Paul Rodgers
74 Raglani
73 The Rapture
57 Razorlight
69 Lou Reed
71 Reefer
74 Religious Knives
65 Rise Against
74 The Rosebuds
66 Darius Rucker
83 Arthur Russell
81 Raphael Saadiq
85 Scarface
69 School of Seven Bells
75 The Sea And Cake
59 Seal
69 Seasick Steve
64 Secret Machines
81 Pete Seeger
71 Serena-Maneesh
74 Blake Shelton
79 The Sight Below
89 The Smiths
72 Todd Snider
68 Snow Patrol
64 Britney Spears
62 Spinto Band
68 Squarepusher
65 Starfucker
82 Marnie Stern
63 The Streets
81 Taylor Swift
74 T.I.
66 Talkdemonic
64 James Taylor
66 Ten Kens
72 Robin Thicke
67 Thievery Corporation
85 Thursday/Envy
79 Tindersticks
72 Tobacco
70 T-Pain
66 Travis
66 Trivium
88 TV On The Radio
81 Vic Chesnutt, Elf Power, And The Amorphous Strums
76 Vivian Girls
78 Volcano!
84 Butch Walker
57 Scott Weiland
74 Kanye West
73 White Denim
78 Wild Beasts
77 Wilderness
71 Hank Williams III
72 Lucinda Williams
67 Michelle Williams
73 Lee Ann Womack
76 Women
63 XX Teens
72 Rachael Yamagata
60 Yo Majesty
87 Neil Young

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

7. Akufen: My Way

8(tie). Various:2 Many DJ’s, As Heard on Radio Soulwax series; Various Artists: Disco Nouveau; Ellen Allien: Weiss Mix

9. The Parallax Corporation: Cocodisco

10. Nas: God's Son

Return to top of page

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists