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Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

60 31Knots
74 Absentee
71 AC/DC
70 The Academy Is...
72 Ryan Adams
79 Alias
67 The Aliens
66 All That Remains
46 Brett Anderson
75 Theresa Andersson
66 Annuals
79 Antony And The Johnsons
76 Apollo Sunshine
78 Apse
58 David Archuleta
76 Aterciopelados
72 Attic Lights
47 The Automatic
75 Joan Baez
79 Belle & Sebastian
66 Beyonce
80 Blitzen Trapper
69 Bloc Party
83 Bound Stems
73 Brightblack Morning Light
64 The Broken West
65 The Bronx
74 Ane Brun
50 Buckcherry
77 Lindsey Buckingham
92 Buena Vista Social Club
56 Caesars
78 Calexico
70 Glen Campbell
73 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
64 Castanets
63 Cats In Paris
66 Chairlift
63 Tracy Chapman
73 The Chemical Brothers
60 Kenny Chesney
82 The Clash
66 Cold War Kids
67 David Cook
70 Nikka Costa
60 Crooked Fingers
78 Rodney Crowell
76 Crystal Stilts
70 The Cure
46 Dandy Warhols
59 Kimya Dawson
72 Dead Confederate
72 The Dears
74 Death Vessel
81 Deerhoof
81 Deerhunter
78 Delta Spirit
79 Damien Dempsey
70 Brett Dennen
78 Department Of Eagles
73 Angela Desveaux
68 Devin The Dude
73 Dido
79 Ani DiFranco
58 DJ Khaled
82 DJ/rupture
66 The Donkeys
54 Dr. Dooom
66 Dragonette
77 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
79 Dungen
86 Bob Dylan
82 Eagles Of Death Metal
81 Mathias Eick
78 El Guincho
57 Electric Six
73 Brian Eno + David Byrne
64 Everlast
67 The Fiery Furnaces
62 Ben Folds
69 Free Blood
74 Friendly Fires
84 Fucked Up
71 Fujiya & Miyagi
65 The Game
77 Gang Gang Dance
78 Morgan Geist
74 Giant Sand
79 Girl Talk
69 Girls Aloud
82 Glasvegas
75 Gojira
61 Golden Animals
83 Grails
61 Growing
67 Gym Class Heroes
75 GZA
72 Juliana Hatfield
76 Hauschka
65 Her Space Holiday
75 High Places
49 Hinder
71 Jolie Holland
79 David Holmes
81 Horse Feathers
64 Howling Hex
58 Jennifer Hudson
71 Human Highway
78 Hush Arbors
67 Ice Cube
70 I'm From Barcelona
68 Jack's Mannequin
69 Jaguar Love
73 James
59 Japanese Motors
64 Jem
80 The Jesus And Mary Chain
81 Johann Johannsson
67 Grace Jones
74 Damien Jurado
69 Kaiser Chiefs
64 Keane
76 Toby Keith
83 B.B. King
63 Kings Of Leon
79 The Knux
78 Koushik
74 Lady GaGa
72 Ladyhawke
75 Lambchop
72 Ray LaMontagne
74 Land Of Talk
68 John Legend
75 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Joy
60 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
75 Love Is All
81 Patty Loveless
79 Luomo
73 Madlib
65 Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
68 Mercury Rev
78 Metallica
70 Metronomy
57 Ingrid Michaelson
76 Mogwai
77 Juana Molina
67 Monkey
75 Moondoggies
63 Motorhead
79 Mount Eerie
46 Mudvayne
66 Mugison
73 Murs
84 The Music Tapes
61 Nelly
51 New Kids On The Block
77 The New Year
79 Ne-Yo
53 Nickelback
57 Nightmares On Wax
60 The Nightwatchman
62 Noah And The Whale
66 Oasis
76 Jennifer O'Connor
68 O'Death
70 Of Montreal
79 Okkervil River
77 Old Crow Medicine Show
54 The Organ
65 Joan Osborne
77 Brad Paisley
84 Pale Young Gentlemen
78 Amanda Palmer
65 Parenthetical Girls
89 Aaron Parks
76 Parts & Labor
74 Passion Pit
73 Lee "Scratch" Perry
67 Peter Bjorn And John
64 The Peth
51 Kellie Pickler
69 Pink
73 Benoît Pioulard
70 Pivot
54 Plain White T's
89 Plush
40 Daniel Powter
77 The Pretenders
51 Pussycat Dolls
84 Q-Tip
42 Queen + Paul Rodgers
75 Ra Ra Riot
71 Rafter
74 Raglani
57 Razorlight
69 Lou Reed
74 Religious Knives
62 Rex The Dog
65 Rise Against
76 Roots Manuva
74 The Rosebuds
66 Darius Rucker
83 Arthur Russell
80 Raphael Saadiq
60 Sam Champion
67 School of Seven Bells
75 The Sea And Cake
60 Seal
69 Seasick Steve
65 Secret Machines
81 Pete Seeger
71 Serena-Maneesh
68 The Shaky Hands
72 Blake Shelton
39 Shwayze
58 Jessica Simpson
68 Slipknot
88 The Smiths
72 Todd Snider
68 Snow Patrol
72 Solange
62 Spinto Band
68 Squarepusher
53 Staind
65 Starfucker
72 Stereolab
82 Marnie Stern
64 The Stills
62 The Streets
73 The Subways
70 Matthew Sweet
81 Taylor Swift
75 T.I.
66 Talkdemonic
64 James Taylor
66 Ten Kens
72 Robin Thicke
67 Thievery Corporation
79 Tindersticks
88 Shugo Tokumaru
75 Emiliana Torrini
72 T-Pain
65 Travis
70 Tricky
68 Trivium
88 TV On The Radio
77 The Uglysuit
92 Underoath
56 UNKLE
74 Chad VanGaalen
71 The Verve
76 Vivian Girls
79 Volcano!
67 Loudon Wainwright III
84 Butch Walker
79 The Walkmen
82 The Week That Was
73 White Denim
77 Wild Beasts
78 Wilderness
71 Hank Williams III
72 Lucinda Williams
67 Michelle Williams
70 Brian Wilson
73 Lee Ann Womack
63 XX Teens
72 Rachael Yamagata
60 Yo Majesty
72 Young Jeezy

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Best Albums of 2002

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 Burk