# Official Top Ten Albums of 2002 Thread~!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128 "2002-12-11T22:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Polite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@Johnny\_Polite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Polite)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/1 "2002-12-11T22:58:19Z")
2002 was a very strong year for music even though record label execs would disagree. Anyway, here is my top ten list of this year. 1. “The Last Broadcast” DOVES 2. “By the Way” RED HOT CHLII PEPPERS 3. “The Guest” PHANTOM PLANET 4. “The Eminem Show” EMINEM 5. “Veni, Vidi, Vicious” THE HIVES 6. “White Blood Cells” THE WHITE STRIPES 7. “Sea Change” BECK 8. “Maladroit” WEEZER 9. “Power in Numbers” JURASSIC FIVE 10. “Cheer Up” REEL BIG FISH Very tough list to make. There are probably twenty albums that deserve to be in any top ten list. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/2 "2002-12-11T23:50:29Z")
I’ll just do a top five since I didn’t get that many albums this year… 1. **Mesh** Who Watches Over Me? 2. **Assemblage 23** Defiance 3. **VNV Nation** Futureperfect 4. **Apoptygma Berzerk** Harmonizer 5. **Nine Inch Nails** And All That Could Have Been (Two Disc version) ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/3 "2002-12-11T23:53:05Z")
I’ll have to go with two, because I _really_ haven’t bought a lot of music lately. **( )** by Sigur Ros **Power in Numbers** Jurassic Five ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/4 "2002-12-12T00:16:14Z")
By far, the best pop album release of the year is _Yankee Hotel Foxtrot_ by Wilco. IMHO, everything else pales in comparison. Here’s a list of 10 runners-up, in no particular order:[ul][li]_Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots_ by The Flaming Lips.[/li][li]_()_ by Sigur Ros.[/li][li]_Lost in Space_ by Aimee Mann.[/li][li]_Blood Money_ by Tom Waits.[/li][li]_Alice_ by Tom Waits (again).[/li][li]_Belly of the Sun_ by Cassandra Wilson.[/li][li]_Songs for the Deaf_ by Queens of the Stone Age.[/li][li]_Sea Change_ by Beck.[/li][li]_Pennies from Heaven_ by the Susie Arioli Swing Band.[/li][li]_Yanqui U.X.O._ by Godspeed You Black Emperor![/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/5 "2002-12-12T01:12:13Z")
**Sigur Ros** - () **VnV Nation** - Futureperfect **Interpol** -Turn on Bright Lights **NIN** - And All that could of Been **NON** - Children of the Black Sun **Mesh** - Who Watches over me **Dryft** - the mytotyc exyt **And you will Know us by the trail of the dead** - Source Tags and Codes **Sparta** - Wirtetap Scars **Pretty Girls Make Graves** - Good Health ---
**Author:** ![krazy\_kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@krazy\_kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krazy_kat)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/6 "2002-12-12T01:50:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny Polite \* > \*\*2002 was a very strong year for music even though record label execs would disagree. Anyway, here is my top ten list of this year. > > 1. “Veni, Vidi, Vicious” THE HIVES > 2. “White Blood Cells” THE WHITE STRIPES > \*\* Both VERY good albums, but [nipick] they came out in 2000 and 2001, resp. (the release date on WS is 2002, but it came out in July, 2001) [/nitpick] 1. The Instigator: Rhett Miller 2. Coldplay: A Rush of Blood to the Head 3. Eminem: The Eminem Show 4. Spoon: Kill the Moonlight 5. Badly Drawn Boy: About a Boy 6. The Coral: The Coral 7. Sea Change: Beck 8. Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (yes, I know it’s a reissue,. but it’s one of my favorite records ever) 9. Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots: The Flaming Lips 10. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/7 "2002-12-12T02:44:17Z")
**Stevie Wonder** The Definitive Collection **Eminem** The Eminem Show. Um. Those are the only ones that impressed me, so that’s all I bought. Frankly, I can’t stand 99% the crap out there now. I’m only 22 and I think I’m already too old for popular culture. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/8 "2002-12-12T02:57:05Z")
1. **Wilco** - _Yankee Hotel Foxtrot_ 2. **Beck** - _Sea Change_ 3. **Warren Zevon** - _My Ride’s Here_ 4-10. I’ll let you know when I stop listening to the first three. ---
**Author:** ![Sublime54465](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sublime54465](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublime54465)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/9 "2002-12-12T03:10:16Z")
you LIE: take maladroit off. i didnt buy many new albums this year, but there are the ones that should make it. the strokes: is this it? rhcp: by the way coldplay: rush of blood to the head wilco: yankee hotel foxtrot beck: sea change the hives: veni vidi vicious queens of the stone age:songs for the deaf jimi hendrix: live from the isle of wright eminem: the eminem show [not a fan of rap, but give him credit…hes skilled] jimi hendrix: the baggy’s rehersal session ---
**Author:** ![TripleAnt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TripleAnt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleAnt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/10 "2002-12-12T03:28:39Z")
Weezer “Maladroit” Weezer “Lion and Witch EP” Flaming Lips “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” RHCP “By the Way” That’s all I got right now ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/11 "2002-12-12T03:32:21Z")
I only have one: **Degradation Trip** by Jerry Cantrell. It’s as close to a new AiC album as we’ll ever get, and it’s excellent. -brianjedi ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/12 "2002-12-12T03:34:36Z")
I haven’t made a list yet this year, and I haven’t listened to as much as I usually do. I’d have to be original and put Wilco in the top spot, I think. I’d also agree with Beck and the Flaming Lips (whose double-bill show is the concert I wish had made it within a few hundred miles of me). I’d have to put three Phish-related items on my list–their new “Round Room”, Trey Anastasio’s eponymous album, and Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke’s “Clone”. (Vida Blue was OK but not Top 10 material, and I haven’t heard Pork Tornado. I won’t count any of the Live Phish releases.) A few other albums I liked: Apples in Stereo, “Velocity of Sound” Asylum Street Spankers, “My Favorite Record” Ryan Adams, “Demolition” Josh Rouse, “Under Cold Blue Stars” Elf Power, “Creatures” I’ll think of more once I hit “submit”. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/13 "2002-12-12T04:40:53Z")
All I recall buying this year - Coldplay Eminem Tenacious D “Tenacious D” Dave Mathews “Busted Stuff” Silverchair “Diorama” Elvis Costello “When I was Cruel” ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/14 "2002-12-12T04:57:57Z")
I think most of mine have been mentioned already. In no particular order: OK Go - OK Go Beck - Sea Change Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Ben Kweller - Sha Sha Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter Spoon - Kill the Moonlight Willy Porter - Willy Porter David Gray - New Day at Midnight Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales I know there are others that would take the place of these ones, but I haven’t scraped up the money to buy them yet. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/15 "2002-12-12T05:09:41Z")
Here’s my list: 1. **Demons Dance Alone** – The Residents 2. **Distressed Signals** – Cruelty Campaign 3. **Ingermanland** – Lucisferrato 4. \*\*Ownliness \*\*–Beequeen 5. **Radio 1940** – Wilt 6.\*\* Man with Woman Face\*\* —Nurse with Wound 6. \*\*Miserie \*\*-- Karjalan Sisset 7. \*\*Submers \*\*-- Loscil 8. **Sun Phase/ Moon Phase** --New Cult of the Sun Moon 9. **All the King’s Horses** – Legendary Pink Dots ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/16 "2002-12-12T05:10:37Z")
Ahem. The Vines - Highly Evolved. A very good debut album. Sigur Ros - (). ---
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/17 "2002-12-12T05:53:33Z")
1. Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot [nitpick] This album was released in 2001, via the group’s website. [nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/18 "2002-12-12T06:01:01Z")
I don’t listen to much new music, certainly nothing considered “popular” by anyone, and since Tenacious D’s album was released _last_ year, I only have two I really liked. Aimee Mann _Lost in Space_ Guided by Voices _Universal Truths and Cycles_ I would nominate And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead as certainly having the coolest bandname of the year. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/19 "2002-12-12T06:57:53Z")
Ben Folds Live. It was excellently mixed (completely putting Billy Joel’s live double CD to shame), contained a great mix of songs, and came with a DVD (always a plus). It’s the only CD I’ve bought since Rockin’ The Suburbs came out last September. ---
**Author:** ![rmbnxs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@rmbnxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rmbnxs)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128/20 "2002-12-12T09:02:17Z")
My two favorite CDs of 2002 are: _Fashionably Late_ Ñ Linda Thompson _Don’t Give Up On Me_ Ñ Solomon Burke [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/official-top-ten-albums-of-2002-thread/142128.md?page=2)