Metacritic: Best Albums of 2001

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60 31Knots
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
77 Black Affair
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
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
89 B.B. King
65 Kings Of Leon
67 Ladyhawke
77 Lambchop
54 Levellers
74 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
58 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
60 Lloyd
60 The Lord Dog Bird
81 Patty Loveless
76 John Mellencamp
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
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
62 Re-Up Gang
62 Rex The Dog
68 Rise Against
77 Roots Manuva
71 Darius Rucker
72 The Rumble Strips
81 Raphael Saadiq
57 Sam Champion
73 Scars On Broadway
81 Pete Seeger
68 The Shaky Hands
39 Shwayze
58 Jessica Simpson
69 Slipknot
73 Solange
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	Love And Theft by Bob Dylan	2001	93
2	Canto by Los Super Seven	2001	91
3	Is This It? by The Strokes	2001	90
4	Since I Left You by The Avalanches	2001	89
5	Miss E... So Addictive by Missy Elliott	2001	89
6	Wicked Grin by John Hammond	2001	88
7	Vespertine by Bjork	2001	88
8	The Blueprint by Jay-Z	2001	88
9	Leaves Turn Inside You by Unwound	2001	87
10	The Argument by Fugazi	2001	87
11	Cold House by Hood	2001	87
12	Things We Lost In The Fire by Low	2001	87
13	Ágætis Byrjun by Sigur Rós	2001	87
14	Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch	2001	86
15	Fixed::Context [EP] by Labradford	2001	86
16	Blues Dream by Bill Frisell	2001	86
17	White Blood Cells by The White Stripes	2001	86
18	Little Sparrow by Dolly Parton	2001	86
19	Ocean's Eleven OST by David Holmes	2001	86
20	The Convincer by Nick Lowe	2001	86
21	Party Music by The Coup	2001	85
22	Girls Can Tell by Spoon	2001	85
23	Pause by Four Tet	2001	85
24	Tenacious D by Tenacious D	2001	85
25	Old Ramon by Red House Painters	2001	84
26	Change by Dismemberment Plan	2001	83
27	Isolation Drills by Guided By Voices	2001	83
28	lilac6 by The Lilac Time	2001	83
29	Idiology by Mouse On Mars	2001	83
30	Poses by Rufus Wainwright	2001	82

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Village Voice 2001 Pazz & Jop Poll (a survey of 621 critics) Read The Full Results
1	Bob Dylan: Love And Theft
2	The Strokes: Is This It?
3	Björk: Vespertine
4	The White Stripes: White Blood Cells
5	Radiohead: Amnesiac
6	Ryan Adams: Gold
7	Jay-Z: The Blueprint
8	The Coup: Party Music
9	Lucinda Williams: Essence
10	Rufus Wainwright: Poses

Alternative Press

1. Radiohead: Amnesiac

2. Tool: Lateralus

3. Björk: Vespertine

4. Squarepusher: Go Plastic

5. Clinic: Internal Wrangler

6. Jimmy Eat World: Bleed American

7. theStart: Shakedown!

8. Air: 10,000 Hz Legend

9. System Of A Down: Toxicity

10. Lars Frederiksen and The Bastards: S/T

Alternative Press

1. Radiohead: Amnesiac

2. Tool: Lateralus

3. Björk: Vespertine

4. Squarepusher: Go Plastic

5. Clinic: Internal Wrangler

6. Jimmy Eat World: Bleed American

7. theStart: Shakedown!

8. Air: 10,000 Hz Legend

9. System Of A Down: Toxicity

10. Lars Frederiksen and The Bastards: S/T

Entertainment Weekly
(David Browne)

1. The Strokes: Is This It?

2. Mary J. Blige: No More Drama

3. Leonard Cohen: Ten New Songs

4. Eve: Scorpion

5. Eliza Carthy: Angels & Cigarettes

6. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

7. New Order: Get Ready

8. Loudon Wainwright III: Last Man On Earth

9. Lucinda Williams: Essence

10. Spiritualized: Let It Come Down

Entertainment Weekly
(Chris Willman)

1. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

2. Kirsty MacColl: Tropical Brainstorm

3. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live In New York City

4. Dave Matthews Band: [The Lillywhite Sessions]

5. Destiny's Child: Survivor

6. Ben Folds: Rockin' The Suburbs

7. Gillian Welch: Time (The Revelator)

8. Angie Stone: Mahogany Soul

9. Buddy & Julie Miller: Buddy & Julie Miller

10. Jon Brion: Meaningless

Los Angeles Times
(Robert Hlburn)

1. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

2. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

3. Angie Stone: Mahogany Soul

4. Lucinda Williams: Essence

5. Jill Scott: Experience: Jill Scott

6. The Coup: Party Music

7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: B.R.M.C.

8. Mercury Rev: All Is Dream

9. Radiohead: Amnesiac

10. Alicia Keys: Songs In A Minor

Los Angeles Times
(Consensus)

1. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

2. (tie) Björk: Vespertine

2. (tie) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: B.R.M.C.

4. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

5. Radiohead: Amnesiac

6. Joe Henry: Scar

7. India.Arie: Acoustic Soul

8. (tie) Gorillaz: Gorillaz

8. (tie) System Of A Down: Toxicity

10. Alicia Keys: Songs In A Minor

Magnet

(Magnet only provides a Top 20 list, with no order designated among the 20)

Air: 10,000 Hz Legend

Frank Black & The Catholics: Dog In The Sand

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: B.R.M.C.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: No More Shall We Part

Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

Guided By Voices: Isolation Drills

Idlewild: 100 Broken Windows

Minders: Golden Street

Minus 5: Let The War Against Music Begin

Mogwai: Rock Action

New Pornographers: Mass Romantic

Portastatic: Looking For Leonard

Radiohead: Amnesiac

Sparklehorse: It's A Wonderful Life

The Strokes: Is This It??

Varnaline: Songs In A Northern Key

Rufus Wainwright: Poses

Webb Brothers: Maroon

White Stripes: White Blood Cells

Steve Wynn: Here Come The Miracles

Mixer

1. Gorillaz: Gorillaz

2. Daft Punk: Discovery

3. Zero 7: Simple Things

4. Basement Jaxx: Rooty

5. Groove Armada: Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)

6. Larry Heard: Love's Arrival

7. Aphex Twin: Drukqs

8. Charles Webster: Born on the 24th of July

9. Tricky: Blowback

10. The Crystal Method: Tweekend

Mojo

1. Super Furry Animals: Rings Around The World

2. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

3. The Strokes: Is This It??

4. Gillian Welch: Time (The Revelator)

5. Rufus Wainwright: Poses

6. Sparklehorse: It's A Wonderful Life

7. Björk: Vespertine

8. Nick Lowe: The Convincer

9. Ryan Adams: Gold

10. Radiohead: Amnesiac

New Musical Express

1. The Strokes: Is This It??

2. Spiritualized: Let It Come Down

3. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

4. Jay-Z: The Blueprint

5. Starsailor: Love Is Here

6. Slipknot: Iowa

7. Mercury Rev: All Is Dream

8. Rufus Wainwright: Poses

9. Andrew WK: I Get Wet

10. Aphex Twin: Drukqs

The Onion
(Andy Battaglia)

1. Herbert: Bodily Functions

2. Björk: Vespertine

3. Ryan Adams: Gold

4. Jay-Z: The Blueprint

5. Destroyer: Streethawk: A Seduction

6. Basement Jaxx: Rooty

7. Jan Jelinek: Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records

8. Radiohead: Amnesiac

9. Daft Punk: Discovery

10. Circulatory System: Circulatory System

The Onion
(Josh Modell)

1. The Dismemberment Plan: Change

2. Crooked Fingers: Bring On The Snakes

3. Clem Snide: The Ghost Of Fashion

4. Low: Things We Lost In The Fire

5. Fugazi: The Argument

6. Danko Jones: I'm Alive And On Fire

7. Clinic: Internal Wrangler

8. Radiohead: Amnesiac

9. Jeff Mangum: Live At Jittery Joe's

10. Death Cab For Cutie: The Photo Album

The Onion
(Noel Murray)

1. Spoon: Girls Can Tell

2. Pernice Brothers: The World Won't End

3. American Analog Set: Know By Heart

4. Whiskeytown: Pneumonia / Ryan Adams: Gold

5. The New Pornographers: Mass Romantic

6. Daft Punk: Discovery

7. Rufus Wainwright: Poses

8. The Strokes: Is This It??

9. Electric Light Orchestra: Zoom

10. Stephen Malkmus: Stephen Malkmus

The Onion
(Keith Phipps)

1. Björk: Vespertine

2. The New Pornographers: Mass Romantic

3. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

4. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

5. Radiohead: Amnesiac

6. Stephen Malkmus: Stephen Malkmus

7. Pernice Brothers: The World Won't End

8. R.E.M.: Reveal

9. Rufus Wainwright: Poses

10. Nick Lowe: The Convincer

The Onion
(Nathan Rabin)

1. Aceyalone: Accepted Eclectic

2. The Coup: Party Music

3. Atmosphere: The Lucy Ford LP

4. Timbaland & Magoo: Indecent Proposal

5. Masta Ace: Disposable Arts

6. Tha Liks: X.O. Experience

7. J-Zone Presents: The Old Maid Billionaires: Pimps Don't Pay Taxes

8. DJ Hi-Tek: Hi-Teknology

9. Stephen Malkmus: Stephen Malkmus

10. Various Artists: The Funky 16 Corners

The Onion
(Stephen Thompson)

1. Microphones: The Glow, Pt. 2

2. Fennesz: Endless Summer

3. The Avalanches: Since I Left You

4. Unwound: Leaves Turn Inside You

5. Circulatory System: Circulatory System

6. Radiohead: Amnesiac

7. Mum: Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK

8. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

9. The New Pornographers: Mass Romantic

10. Prefuse 73: Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives

Playlouder

1. The Strokes: Is This It??

2. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells

3. Squarepusher: Go Plastic

4. Mercury Rev: All Is Dream

5. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: No More Shall We Part

6. Mogwai: Rock Action

7. Spiritualized: Let It Come Down

8. Super Furry Animals: Rings Around The World

9. Beta Band: Hot Shots II

10. Daft Punk: Discovery

Rolling Stone

1. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

2. Alicia Keys: Songs In A Minor

3. Mick Jagger: Goddess In The Doorway

4. Björk: Vespertine

5. Jay-Z: The Blueprint

6. Garbage: Beautiful Garbage

7. Manu Chao: Proxima Estacion:Esperanza

8. The Strokes: Is This It??

9. O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Soundtrack

10. Radiohead: Amnesiac

Spin

1. System Of A Down: Toxicity

2. Radiohead: Amnesiac

3. Basement Jaxx: Rooty

4. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

5. Björk: Vespertine

6. Gorillaz: Gorillaz

7. Jay-Z: The Blueprint

8. Daft Punk: Discovery

9. Weezer: Weezer [Green Album]

10. Tori Amos: Strange Little Girls

Spin Cycle

1. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

2. Ryan Adams: Gold

3. Radiohead: Amnesiac

4. The Strokes: Is This It??

5. Björk: Vespertine

6. Gorillaz: Gorillaz

7. New Order: Get Ready

8. Missy Elliott: Miss E... So Addictive

9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: B.R.M.C.

10. Tool: Lateralus

Uncut

1. Ryan Adams: Gold

2. The Avalanches: Since I Left You

3. Bob Dylan: Love And Theft

4. N*E*R*D: In Search Of...

5. Pernice Brothers: The World Won't End

6. Hamell On Trial: Choochtown

7. Jim White: No Such Place

8. Basement Jaxx: Rooty

9. Mercury Rev: All Is Dream

10. Turin Brakes: The Optimist LP

Urb (No order specified)

Adult: Resuscitation

The Avalanches: Since I Left You

Basement Jaxx: Rooty

Cannibal Ox: The Cold Vein

DJ Krush: Zen

Marumari: Supermogadon

Missy Elliott: Miss E... So Addictive

Prefuse 73: Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives

The Poets of Rhythm: Discern/Define

Slam: Alien Radio

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The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists