Metacritic: Best Albums of 2004

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60 31Knots
82 Abe Vigoda
71 The Academy Is...
53 The Airborne Toxic Event
79 Alias
77 Theresa Andersson
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
70 Brazilian Girls
72 Brightblack Morning Light
66 The Broken West
50 Buckcherry
78 Lindsey Buckingham
90 The Bug
56 Caesars
78 Calexico
70 Glen Campbell
70 Brendan Canning
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
84 Deerhoof
74 Delta Spirit
79 Damien Dempsey
78 Ani DiFranco
58 DJ Khaled
66 The Donkeys
72 Dr. Dog
80 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
77 Dungen
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
78 GZA
66 Neil Halstead
64 Albert Hammond, Jr.
72 Juliana Hatfield
61 Hawthorne Heights
81 High Places
77 High Places
76 Zach Hill
85 The Hold Steady
83 David Holmes
80 Horse Feathers
74 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
75 Lambchop
73 Leila
54 Levellers
74 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Jackie
60 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
60 Lloyd
60 The Lord Dog Bird
85 Patty Loveless
76 John Mellencamp
71 The Melvins
70 Mercury Rev
77 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
68 The Nightwatchman
78 Nine Inch Nails
62 Noah And The Whale
66 Oasis
75 Conor Oberst
78 Okkervil River
76 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
76 The Pretenders
64 Primal Scream
50 Pussycat Dolls
75 Ra Ra Riot
71 Ratatat
62 Re-Up Gang
62 Rex The Dog
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
65 Rick Springfield
65 Staind
47 Stereo MC's
72 Stereolab
71 The Stills
61 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
69 Tricky
89 TV On The Radio
78 The Uglysuit
92 Underoath
56 UNKLE
61 David Vandervelde
77 Chad VanGaalen
71 The Verve
76 Volcano!
68 Loudon Wainwright III
80 The Walkmen
66 Ben Weaver
83 The Week That Was
77 Paul Weller
70 Brian Wilson
76 Wire
63 XX Teens
54 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	SMiLE by Brian Wilson	2004	97
2	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn	2004	97
3	Madvillainy by Madvillain	2004	93
4	The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads [2004 Version] by Talking Heads	2004	93
5	Boy In Da Corner by Dizzee Rascal	2004	92
6	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets	2004	91
7	Funeral by The Arcade Fire	2004	90
8	HoboSapiens by John Cale	2004	89
9	Last Exit by Junior Boys	2004	89
10	Ta Det Lugnt by Dungen	2004	88
11	College Dropout by Kanye West	2004	88
12	Rejoicing In The Hands by Devendra Banhart	2004	88
13	From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith	2004	88
14	Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds	2004	88
15	Showtime by Dizzee Rascal	2004	87
16	The Dirty South by Drive-By Truckers	2004	87
17	Now, More Than Ever by Jim Guthrie	2004	87
18	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand	2004	87
19	Favourite Colours by The Sadies	2004	87
20	Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens	2004	87
21	Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts by M83	2004	86
22	Beautifully Human: Words And Sounds Vol. 2 by Jill Scott	2004	86
23	The Futureheads by The Futureheads	2004	86
24	Cee-Lo Green Is The Soul Machine by Cee-Lo	2004	86
25	Murs 3:16 The 9th Edition by Murs	2004	85
26	Bubblegum by Mark Lanegan Band	2004	85
27	The Real New Fall L.P. (Formerly Country On The Click) by The Fall	2004	85
28	Crimes by The Blood Brothers	2004	85
29	Medulla by Bjork	2004	84
30	Blue Cathedral by Comets On Fire	2004	84

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Village Voice 2004 Pazz & Jop Poll (a survey of 793 critics) Read The Full Results
1	The College Dropout by Kanye West
2	Smile by Brian Wilson
3	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
4	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
5	American Idiot by Green Day
6	Funeral by Arcade Fire
7	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
8	How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
9	Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
10	The Grey Album by Danger Mouse

Almost Cool
1	Sung Tongs by Animal Collective
2	Fabulous Muscles by Xiu Xiu
3	Morals And Dogma by Deathprod
4	The Blue Notebooks by Max Richter
5	Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens
6	Virðulegu Forsetar by Jóhann Jóhannsson
7	It's All Around You by Tortoise
8	Lycanthropy by Patrick Wolf
9	Thunder, Lightning, Strike by The Go! Team
10	Funeral by Arcade Fire

Blender
1	The College Dropout by Kanye West
2	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
3	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
4	Confessions by Usher
5	More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley
6	You Are The Quarry by Morrissey
7	The Diary Of Alicia Keys by Alicia Keys
8	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
9	Get Away From Me by Nellie McKay
10	A Ghost Is Born by Wilco

Cokemachineglow
1	Smile by Brian Wilson
2	The Slow Wonder by A.C. Newman
3	Madvillainy by Madvillain
4	Funeral by Arcade Fire
5	The Blue Notebooks by Max Richter
6	The Folded Palm by Frog Eyes
7	The Milk-Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom
8	Hypnotic Underworld by Ghost
9	From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith
10	Nino Rojo and Rejoicing In The Hands by Devendra Banhart

Drawer B
1	Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen
2	Antics by Interpol
3	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
4	The Futureheads by The Futureheads
5	Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
6	Last Exit by Junior Boys
7	i by Magnetic Fields
8	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
9	Smile by Brian Wilson
10	You're A Woman, I'm A Machine by Death From Above 1979

Drowned In Sound
1	Antics by Interpol
2	Hot Fuss by The Killers
3	From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith
4	Logic Will Break Your Heart by The Stills
5	The Futureheads by The Futureheads
6	Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins
7	Miss Machine by The Dillinger Escape Plan
8	You Are The Quarry by Morrissey
9	Panopticon by Isis
10	Scissor Sisters by Scissor Sisters

Dusted (Otis Hart)
1	The Milk-Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom
2	Too Much Guitar by Reigning Sound
3	The Shining Example is Lying On the Floor by The Hotel Alexis
4	Espers by Espers
5	Bring The Neon War Home by Yellow Swans
6	Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Soft Pink Truth? by The Soft Pink Truth
7	Nouvelle Vague by Nouvelle Vague
8	Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens
9	Where I Am Today by Max de Wardener
10	Colorseries by Donnacha Costello

Entertainment Weekly (David Browne)
1	The Grey Album by Danger Mouse
2	Our Shadows Will Remain by Joseph Arthur
3	Rubber Factory by The Black Keys
4	The College Dropout by Kanye West
5	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
6	Afrodisiac by Brandy
7	Uh Huh Her by PJ Harvey
8	From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith
9	American Idiot by Green Day
10	Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen

Entertainment Weekly (Tom Sinclair)
1	Fly Or Die by N.E.R.D.
2	Harder And Harder by The Paybacks
3	Love Songs For Patriots by American Music Club
4	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
5	Rubber Factory by The Black Keys
6	Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes by TV On The Radio
7	Who Killed The Zutons by The Zutons
8	How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
9	Daddy Wants A Cold Beer And Other Million Sellers by The A-Bones
10	Survival Of The Sickest by Saliva

Filter
1	Funeral by Arcade Fire
2	A Ghost Is Born by Wilco
3	From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith
4	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
5	Hot Fuss by The Killers
6	Now Here Is Nowhere by Secret Machines
7	Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts by M83
8	Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
9	Madvillainy by Madvillain
10	Up All Night by Razorlight

Junkmedia
1	Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen
2	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
3	N'ecoutez Pas by Le Fly Pan Am
4	The Grey Album by Danger Mouse
5	Backstroke by Matthew Dear
6	Rendezvous by Luna
7	Antics by Interpol
8	Invisible Architecture 08 by Taylor Deupree / Christopher Willits
9	Power by Q And Not U
10	Special Gunpowder by dj/rupture

Los Angeles Times (Robert Hilburn)
1	The College Dropout by Kanye West
2	How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
3	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
4	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
5	Want Two by Rufus Wainwright
6	Funeral by Arcade Fire
7	Uh Huh Her by PJ Harvey
8	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
9	Encore by Eminem
10	Confessions by Usher

Los Angeles Times (Consensus)
1	Uh Huh Her by PJ Harvey
2	American Idiot by Green Day
3	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
4	The College Dropout by Kanye West
5	Smile by Brian Wilson
6	Funeral by Arcade Fire
7	More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley
8	Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn
9	(tie) From A Basement On The Hill by Elliott Smith
9	(tie) Real Gone by Tom Waits

Lost At Sea
1	Funeral by Arcade Fire
2	Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
3	Madvillainy by Madvillain
4	Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes by TV On The Radio
5	Sonic Nurse by Sonic Youth
6	Blueberry Boat by The Fiery Furnaces
7	Fabulous Muscles by Xiu Xiu
8	Misery Is A Butterfly by Blonde Redhead
9	Sung Tongs by Animal Collective
10	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand

Magnet
1	Real Gone by Tom Waits
2	Good News For People Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse
3	Conductor by Comas
4	The Slow Wonder by AC Newman
5	Blue Cathedral by Comets On Fire
6	Half Smiles Of The Decomposed by Guided By Voices
7	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
8	Bubblegum by Mark Lanegan Band
9	Rubber Factory by Black Keys
10	Ambulance Ltd by Ambulance Ltd

Metacritic.com Music Editor
1	The Futureheads by The Futureheads
2	Funeral by Arcade Fire
3	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
4	The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads [2004 Version] by Talking Heads
5	Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen
6	The Power Out by Electrelane
7	ONoffON by Mission Of Burma
8	Sonic Nurse by Sonic Youth
9	Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.
10	Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes by TV On The Radio
Great 2003 Album Not Heard Until 2004: Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts by M83

Mojo
1	Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
2	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
3	Smile by Brian Wilson
4	Rejoicing In The Hands and Nino Rojo by Devendra Banhart
5	Bubblegum by Mark Lanegan Band
6	Medulla by Bjork
7	Chutes Too Narrow by The Shins
8	The Delivery Man by Elvis Costello & The Imposters
9	Now Here Is Nowhere by Secret Machines
10	Trampin' by Patti Smith

The New York Times (Jon Pareles)
1	How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb by U2
2	Egypt by Youssou N'Dour
3	Smile by Brian Wilson
4	Medulla by Bjork
5	American Idiot by Green Day
6	Tres Cosas by Juana Molina
7	The College Dropout by Kanye West
8	Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes by TV On The Radio
9	In Exile Deo by Juliana Hatfield
10	Sung Tongs by Animal Collective

NME
1	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
2	The Libertines by The Libertines
3	A Grand Don't Come For Free by The Streets
4	Scissor Sisters by Scissor Sisters
5	The Futureheads by The Futureheads
6	The Grey Album by Danger Mouse
7	The College Dropout by Kanye West
8	Up All Night by Razorlight
9	Lesser Matters by The Radio Dept.
10	No Cities Left by The Dears

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists