Best Albums of 2002

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Listed below are the best albums of 2002 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 58,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 6 hours ago).

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2002 year summaryThe best artists of 2002 were Wilco, Interpol, Coldplay, The Flaming Lips, Queens Of The Stone Age, Broken Social Scene, Beck, Sigur Rós, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Boards Of Canada.

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61.

Details

Frou Frou

"This may be one of the most grossly underrated albums of the 21st. century." Reply

- thoughtful_salt | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

391

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

635

Overall Rank:

3,749

Average Rating:

75 (50 votes)

Comments:

62.

The Coral

"A cool beach. Hours after the rain and the world is still. The clouds are there and the place is quite empty because it's not the holiday. Dreaded November. There is reason to smile. 'Dreaming Of You' is holding onto hope with burnt hands. But it all doesn't matter. Miserable weather is what you ..." [+] Reply

- | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

133 charts

Rank Score:

386

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

642

Overall Rank:

3,783

Average Rating:

72 (163 votes)

Comments:

63.

One Beat

Sleater-Kinney

Share your opinion and help others discover this album. The top-voted comments are showcased in our aggregate charts!

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

117 charts

Rank Score:

383

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

648

Overall Rank:

3,809

Average Rating:

80 (97 votes)

Comments:

64.

Wonder What's Next

Chevelle

"Give this a chance. A great album." Reply

- DRP | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

44 charts

Rank Score:

380

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

654

Overall Rank:

3,835

Average Rating:

75 (92 votes)

Comments:

65.

Lord Willin'

Clipse

"Before commenting on the listening process, I have to confess my love for the cover of this album. One might argue that it's a completely irrelevant aspect, but here it's not so much about Its aesthetic value as a standalone piece of art, but more as an accurate representation of what you are abo...""Before commenting on the listening process, I have to confess my love for the cover of this album. One might argue that it's a completely irrelevant aspect, but here it's not so much about Its aesthetic value as a standalone piece of art, but more as an accurate representation of what you are about to hear. It has this refreshing attitude that is typical of the whole album. Even though they are dealing with serious and dark themes, like life on the streets and drugs, they never take themselves too seriously with many punchlines ( "I tried being humble, humble get no respect Now the first sign of trouble, that's a hole up in your neck", or "I could lose it all today, be back the next day Still up in the same way As I left ya, all in three gestures: down, up and aim I can define death better than Webster, wet ya") that hit hard and prove once more the well established axiom that the deepest truths are better told through a joke. But this observation doesn't have to do only with the lyrics, it is reflected on their sound too. They manage the rare combination of sounding rough and chill at the same time, if that makes any sense. Also, it sounds so 2002. I don't mean it in a negative way, it simply has this extra charm due to nostalgia. In terms of rapping, they sound very much alike and it's easy to mix them if you aren't familiar with them. After getting more used to them , I found myself developing a slight preference towards Pusha T. Noting the most remarkable moments of the album, Grindin' is the obvious one. A monumental beat with a little disco touch that remains irresistible and unmatched. The energy is out the roof. Some other highlights include Pusha T's introduction (the 1st verse of Intro), the horns in Young Boy (there are many instances throughout the album where they add a nice touch, but here they shine the brightest, and the destined for the clubs but with a jazzy twist When the Last Time. On the other hand Ma, I Don’t Love Her stands out as the weak link. Overall, I found the first half better than the second. If I had to point out some negatives, I didn't find any of the guests particularly awe-inspiring (even though FamLay Freestyle is better than you'd expect considering the absence of both No Malice and Pusha T). The two bonus tracks/Grindin' remixes were an overkill, I don't think they were necessary in any way. I am not sure how I'm feeling about the skits. Usually I don't have such a problem. (As a general rule I tend to enjoy them. On many occassions I have heard someone complaining about a skit and say that he likes an album despite its skits and I find myself thinking that I like it exactly because of them.) Here I fail to see how they add something more to the album." [+] Reply

- kokkinos | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

86 charts

Rank Score:

378

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

657

Overall Rank:

3,862

Average Rating:

78 (87 votes)

Comments:

66.

Riot Act

Pearl Jam

"I love this album, gotta say it's better than Backspacer, Lightning Bolt and "Avocado ?" should be ranked higher. Sure those rock harder but this is just much nicer and more interesting in a chill sorta way haha. Underrated, top tier Pearl Jam album!" Reply

ExTeaSea | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

115 charts

Rank Score:

373

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

666

Overall Rank:

3,896

Average Rating:

72 (241 votes)

Comments:

67.

Heathen Chemistry

Oasis

"From track 4 to track 9 you get a great listen, that EP would be 9/10 for me. But the first 3 tracks and the last 2 are definitely not my cup of tea." Reply

luigybetis | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

136 charts

Rank Score:

370

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

669

Overall Rank:

3,918

Average Rating:

64 (388 votes)

Comments:

68.

Fantastic Damage

El-P

"So, El-P - Fantastic Damage. Even though El-P has been one of the pioneers of the experimental/abstract hip hop rise right after the turn of the 21st century, which I am a big fan of, I have the tendency to terribly underrate him (I even called him a poor man's Aesop Rock once). Anyway, if you wa...""So, El-P - Fantastic Damage. Even though El-P has been one of the pioneers of the experimental/abstract hip hop rise right after the turn of the 21st century, which I am a big fan of, I have the tendency to terribly underrate him (I even called him a poor man's Aesop Rock once). Anyway, if you wanna get more into him, I guess this is a good starting point. The lyrics are at least very good with many moments of greatness, though they are at several points let down by the delivery, which leaves a lot to be desired. Production is the album's major attraction. Fantastic Damage is the opening track. Its futuristic (I read somewhere a criticism that the beats sound "mechanical", but that's more or less the point in the context of the album) vibe introduces us to a post-apocalyptic (or rather post- 9/11) scenery ("The Fabulous structure that's coaxed out of rubbles puddles splash Mechanisms burn with beeping sounds that own their humans sold as Ruthless rounds of radio dust, Cranial mush, men get flattened out Radials spun on dusted combatant joust") that is gonna be present throughout the whole album. It seamlessly transitions to Squeegee Man Shooting which sound-wise is a straight follow up to the previous track, even though the lyrics points to a different direction and among other stuff contain a little lovely nod to his father ("Dad played jazz when he drank, it's no accident Hands on the piano and make my foot tap to it Different path, same love, dad, thanks for passing it"). Deep Space 9mm is one of the highlights of the album. It is a protest againist modern society (" Monks hung halo teach Hung by the math where the cable reach A hundred and sixty-six channels lit The train that animal shit") but for me it mainly stands out because of its super-cool sound. The next song, Tuned Mass Damper, is also one of my favorites. It sounds so manic, but at the same time it has a ghoulish charm, so to speak (" You're not promised tomorrow "). In Dead Disnee the paranoia goes on ("Slayed Bambi, sprayed his whole family"), but some of his -at first glance more style than substance- references do make a point ("But look a little closer, the jails are not empty The rabbit hole, made for the meek and re-entry You're on the wrong side of the looking glass now Paw, face it"). I have a soft spot for Back to the Future, so I couldn't possibly dislike a song named Delorean. Speaking of Aesop, their back and forth interaction is highly enjoyable. In the following sequence, I get the impression that the songwriting gets more focused and direct, showing how life on the streets provides better education than any school ( Truancy - "Went with truancy and the bad apple, and it slowly formed my spirit So when I couldn't fit the scholastic structure of my peers I didn't fear it") or the consequences of war (The Hang, The Front, The Bush And The Shit - "Corpses act animate Walk around the back yard munching on brain cabinets Sad but erratic Irregular predator with bad brain magic") or Orwell-inspired politic/social commentary (Accidents don't happen - " City life is practice, casket truancy That's the rule of you and me, brash unmasked lunacy") or reflections on technology (Stepfather Factory - "Electric doodads and whizzer apps and such to keep the munchkins entertained But get replaced by newer versions or just break down systematically"). T.O.J. is as unique as a song about a broken heart can get, followed by Dr. Hellno And The Praying Mantus, where things get kinky. Although they are not bad as individual songs -especially T.O.J.-, they don't seem to fit the general theme. Considering that the albums suffers from being too long, maybe you could make a case for omitting them. Lazerfaces' Warning has some great lines, but it's another song I could do without, as it is rather forgettable. Innocent leader is an instrumental. It makes for a very interesting listen (it's sampling David Bowie after all), but it's way too short to be properly enjoyed. It's more promising than finished product. Constellation Funk is a big one. It is so aggressive, it comes determined to get stuck in your head. In Blood, the closing track, it's family business, so it gets personal and it is always nice getting to see a softer side, but the "Do right" concept is too repetitive and gets dangerously close to the point of becoming annoying." [+] Reply

- kokkinos | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

112 charts

Rank Score:

366

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

675

Overall Rank:

3,959

Average Rating:

79 (99 votes)

Comments:

69.

Title TK

The Breeders

"9 Years .... 9 years we Pixies/Breeders fans waited with bated breath for Kim's next move after 1993's seminal'Last Splash' and finally 'Title TK' (Journalistic short-hand for "title to come" ) appeared in 2002 T.T.K with Steve Albini back at the helm is a relatively low key affair that in no way..." [+] Reply

Brad1770 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

62 charts

Rank Score:

361

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

680

Overall Rank:

4,005

Average Rating:

73 (58 votes)

Comments:

70.

Does This Look Infected?

Sum 41

"This is the first album that I truely fell in love with as a 13 y/o teenager." Reply

givensisa | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2002

Appears in:

55 charts

Rank Score:

361

Rank in 2002:

Rank in 2000s:

682

Overall Rank:

4,011

Average Rating:

67 (90 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 7 of 100

Best Albums of 2002 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	16	2%
Nas	2	0%
The Mountain Goats	2	0%
Charlie Parker	2	0%
Nine Inch Nails	2	0%
Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.	2	0%
Johnny Cash	2	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	464	46%
	185	18%
	38	4%
	38	4%
	37	4%
	27	3%
	25	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	932	93%
Yes	69	7%

Live?	Albums	%
No	963	96%
Yes	38	4%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	984	98%
Yes	17	2%

« View best albums of 2001View best albums of 2003 »

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