Metacritic: Best Albums of 2003

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60 31Knots
82 Abe Vigoda
71 The Academy Is...
53 The Airborne Toxic Event
79 Alias
77 Theresa Andersson
78 Annuals
76 Apollo Sunshine
47 The Automatic
79 Azeda Booth
75 Joan Baez
84 Bajofondo
56 David Banner
76 The Baseball Project
77 Beck
77 Black Affair
59 Black Ghosts
74 Black Kids
79 Blitzen Trapper
74 Bodies Of Water
71 Brazilian Girls
72 Brightblack Morning Light
66 The Broken West
50 Buckcherry
79 Lindsey Buckingham
90 The Bug
56 Caesars
78 Calexico
70 Glen Campbell
70 Brendan Canning
74 Castanets
63 Cats In Paris
74 The Chemical Brothers
65 Cold War Kids
69 Alice Cooper
79 Rodney Crowell
63 CSS
67 Miley Cyrus
46 Dandy Warhols
65 Kimya Dawson
73 Dead Confederate
72 Death Vessel
83 Deerhoof
78 Delta Spirit
79 Damien Dempsey
79 Ani DiFranco
58 DJ Khaled
66 The Donkeys
72 Dr. Dog
80 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
77 Dungen
92 Bob Dylan
73 Brian Eno + David Byrne
62 The Faint
67 The Fiery Furnaces
63 Ben Folds
64 iForward, Russia!
72 Friendly Fires
71 Fujiya & Miyagi
65 The Game
74 Inara George With Van Dyke Parks
74 Giant Sand
79 Girl Talk
83 Glasvegas
61 Golden Animals
64 Mike Gordon
68 Gym Class Heroes
77 GZA
66 Neil Halstead
64 Albert Hammond, Jr.
72 Juliana Hatfield
61 Hawthorne Heights
81 High Places
77 High Places
73 Zach Hill
85 The Hold Steady
80 Jolie Holland
83 David Holmes
81 Horse Feathers
68 Howling Hex
58 Jennifer Hudson
71 Human Highway
70 Ice Cube
66 Ida Maria
68 Jack's Mannequin
69 Jaguar Love
73 James
81 Jamey Johnson
70 Jonas Brothers
78 Damien Jurado
83 Kasai Allstars
57 Kerli
89 B.B. King
65 Kings Of Leon
67 Ladyhawke
77 Lambchop
73 Leila
54 Levellers
74 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Jackie
58 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
60 Lloyd
60 The Lord Dog Bird
81 Patty Loveless
76 John Mellencamp
71 The Melvins
69 Mercury Rev
78 Metallica
71 Metronomy
74 Mirah
75 Mogwai
64 Motorhead
66 Mugison
78 Nico Muhly
75 Murs
84 The Music Tapes
71 Nas
65 Nelly
79 Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis
50 New Kids On The Block
77 The New Year
85 Randy Newman
80 Ne-Yo
57 Nightmares On Wax
65 The Nightwatchman
78 Nine Inch Nails
62 Noah And The Whale
68 Oasis
75 Conor Oberst
78 Okkervil River
77 Old Crow Medicine Show
80 One Day As A Lion
75 Oneida
73 Joan Osborne
75 Oxford Collapse
85 Paavoharju
78 Amanda Palmer
65 Parenthetical Girls
89 Aaron Parks
73 Lee "Scratch" Perry
51 Kellie Pickler
70 Pivot
58 Plain White T's
89 Plush
78 The Pretenders
64 Primal Scream
52 Pussycat Dolls
75 Ra Ra Riot
71 Ratatat
62 Re-Up Gang
62 Rex The Dog
68 Rise Against
76 Roots Manuva
71 Darius Rucker
72 The Rumble Strips
81 Raphael Saadiq
57 Sam Champion
73 Scars On Broadway
81 Pete Seeger
70 Ron Sexsmith
68 The Shaky Hands
39 Shwayze
58 Jessica Simpson
69 Slipknot
80 Patti Smith and Kevin Shields
73 Solange
69 Son, Ambulance
59 Spinto Band
65 Rick Springfield
65 Staind
47 Stereo MC's
72 Stereolab
82 Marnie Stern
71 The Stills
63 The Streets
73 The Subways
83 Sugarland
70 Matthew Sweet
75 T.I.
72 Robin Thicke
71 Thievery Corporation
77 Irma Thomas
79 Tindersticks
71 Tittsworth
90 Shugo Tokumaru
74 Emiliana Torrini
67 James Jackson Toth
72 Randy Travis
70 Tricky
89 TV On The Radio
78 The Uglysuit
92 Underoath
56 UNKLE
61 David Vandervelde
77 Chad VanGaalen
71 The Verve
75 Vivian Girls
78 Volcano!
68 Loudon Wainwright III
81 The Walkmen
66 Ben Weaver
83 The Week That Was
77 Paul Weller
70 Brian Wilson
76 Wire
63 XX Teens
60 Yo Majesty
71 Young Jeezy
55 Yung Berg

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	How The West Was Won by Led Zeppelin	2003	97
2	Elephant by The White Stripes	2003	92
3	Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by OutKast	2003	91
4	Rounds by Four Tet	2003	89
5	Neon Golden by The Notwist	2003	89
6	Yours, Mine & Ours by Pernice Brothers	2003	88
7	Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins	2003	88
8	Up In Flames by Manitoba	2003	88
9	Where Shall You Take Me by Damien Jurado	2003	88
10	Decoration Day by Drive-By Truckers	2003	87
11	World Without Tears by Lucinda Williams	2003	87
12	Stumble Into Grace by Emmylou Harris	2003	87
13	Phantom Power by Super Furry Animals	2003	87
14	One Word Extinguisher by Prefuse 73	2003	86
15	You Forgot It In People by Broken Social Scene	2003	86
16	The Decline Of British Sea Power by British Sea Power	2003	86
17	Quicksand / Cradlesnakes by Califone	2003	86
18	Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains Of Wayne	2003	86
19	Feast of Wire by Calexico	2003	86
20	The Lemon Of Pink by The Books	2003	86
21	The Wind by Warren Zevon	2003	86
22	The Intercontinentals by Bill Frisell	2003	86
23	Holopaw by Holopaw	2003	85
24	Magnolia Electric Co. by Songs: Ohia	2003	85
25	Hail To The Thief by Radiohead	2003	85
26	Streetcore by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros	2003	85
27	The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place by Explosions In The Sky	2003	85
28	Happy Songs For Happy People by Mogwai	2003	85
29	Run To Ruin by Nina Nastasia	2003	85
30	Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie	2003	85

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Village Voice 2003 Pazz & Jop Poll (a survey of 732 critics) Read The Full Results
1	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
2	The White Stripes: Elephant
3	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
4	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
5	Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever To Tell
6	The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
7	The New Pornographers: Electric Version
8	Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
9	Drive-By Truckers: Decoration Day
10	Dizzee Rascal: Boy In Da Corner

Almost Cool
1	Broken Social Scene: You Forgot It In People
2	Do Make Say Think: Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn
3	Sufjan Stevens: Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State
4	Ellen Allien: Berlinette
5	Matmos: The Civil War
6	Four Tet: Rounds
7	The Books: The Lemon Of Pink
8	1 Mile North: Minor Shadows
9	Manitoba: Up In Flames
10	B. Fleischmann: Welcome Tourist

Blender
1	The White Stripes: Elephant
2	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
3	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
4	Ryan Adams: Rock n Roll
5	Justin Timberlake: Justified
6	The Libertines: Up The Bracket
7	Beyonce Knowles: Dangerously In Love
8	Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever To Tell
9	50 Cent: Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
10	Evanescence: Fallen

Dotmusic
1	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
2	Super Furry Animals: Phantom Power
3	Blur: Think Tank
4	Four Tet: Rounds
5	Jay-Z: The Black Album
6	The Rapture: Echoes
7	The White Stripes: Elephant
8	Dizzee Rascal: Boy In Da Corner
9	I Am Kloot: I Am Kloot
10	Manitoba: Up In Flames

Drowned In Sound
1	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
2	The Darkness: Permission To Land
3	Cat Power: You Are Free
4	Blood Brothers: Burn Piano Island, Burn
5	Muse: Absolution
6	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
7	Funeral For A Friend: Casually Dressed and in Deep Conversation
8	Zwan: Mary Star Of The Sea
9	Hell Is For Heroes: The Neon Handshake
10	Elbow: Cast of Thousands

E! Online
1	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
2	The White Stripes: Elephant
3	Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
4	Cat Power: You Are Free
5	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
6	Damien Rice: O
7	Death Cab For Cutie: Transatlanticism
8	Missy Elliott: This Is Not A Test
9	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
10	Death In Vegas: Scorpio Rising

Entertainment Weekly (Chris WIllman)
1	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
2	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
3	Johnny Cash: Unearthed [box set]
4	Dixie Chicks: Top of the World Tour
5	Lucinda Williams: World Without Tears
6	Elvis Costello: North
7	Liz Phair: Liz Phair
8	The White Stripes: Elephant
9	Patty Loveless: On Your Way Home
10	The Distillers: Coral Fang

Entertainment Weekly (David Browne)
1	The White Stripes: Elephant
2	Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
3	Beyonce feat. Jay-Z: "Crazy In Love" [single]
4	The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
5	Kelis: "Milkshake" [single] and Kylie Minogue: "Slow" [single]
6	Zwan: Mary Star Of The Sea
7	Ms. Dynamite: A Little Deeper
8	Jeff Buckley: Live at SIn-e: Legacy Edition
9	Caesars: "Sort It Out"
10	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Metacritic.com \| Music Editor
1	British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power
2	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
3	The Postal Service: Give Up
4	Grandaddy: Sumday
5	Beulah: Yoko
6	Broadcast: Haha Sound
7	Manitoba: Up In Flames
8	The Clientele: The Violet Hour
9	Four Tet: Rounds
10	Death Cab For Cutie: Transatlanticism
The Best Album of 2002 That We Didn't Hear Until 2003: The Notwist: Neon Golden

Mojo
1	The White Stripes: Elephant
2	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
3	Blur: Think Tank
4	The Strokes: Room On Fire
5	My Morning Jacket: It Still Moves
6	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
7	Emmylou Harris: Stumble Into Grace
8	Robert Wyatt: Cuckooland
9	Evan Dando: Baby I'm Bored
10	Wire: Send

New York Magazine
1	OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
2	Bubba Sparxxx: Deliverance
3	Matthew Dear: Leave Luck To Heven
4	The Fiery Furnaces: Gallowsbird's Bark
5	The White Stripes: Elephant
6	Ricardo Villalobos: Alcachofa
7	Richard Thompson: The Old Kit Bag
8	Michael Mayer: Speicher
9	Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever To Tell
10	(tie) Four Tet: Rounds and Manitoba: Up In Flames

No Ripcord
1	M83: Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
2	Manitoba: Up In Flames
3	British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power
4	Four Tet: Rounds
5	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
6	The Microphones: Mount Eerie
7	Cat Power: You Are Free
8	Dizzee Rascal: Boy In Da Corner
9	The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
10	The Postal Service: Give Up

The Onion (Andy Battaglia)
1	Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash
2	Matthew Dear: Leave Luck To Heven
3	Ricardo Villalobos: In The Mix: Taka Taka
4	Various Artists: Schaffelfieber 2
5	Bubba Sparxxx: Deliverance
6	The Fiery Furnaces: Gallowsbird's Bark
7	The Rapture: Echoes
8	Michael Mayer: Fabric 13
9	Dizzee Rascal: Boy In Da Corner
10	El Guapo: Fake French

The Onion (Josh Modell)
1	Death Cab For Cutie: Transatlanticism
2	The Decemberists: Her Majesty The Decemberists
3	Cat Power: You Are Free
4	Crooked Fingers: Red Devil Dawn
5	The Postal Service: Give Up
6	Clem Snide: Soft Spot
7	The White Stripes: Elephant
8	Danko Jones: We Sweat Blood
9	Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
10	Electric Six: Fire

The Onion (Noel Murray)
1	The Constantines: Shine A Light
2	Fountains Of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
3	June Carter Cash: Wildwood Flower
4	Josh Rouse: 1972
5	The Rosebuds: The Rosebuds Make Out
6	Cursive: The Ugly Organ
7	The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow
8	Sun Kil Moon: Ghosts Of The Great Highway
9	Pernice Brothers: Yours Mine & Ours
10	The Fiery Furnaces: Gallowsbird's Bark

The Onion (Keith Phipps)
1	The New Pornographers: Electric Version
2	The White Stripes: Elephant

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists