Metacritic: Best Albums of 2004

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55 3 Doors Down
69 9th Wonder & Buckshot
77 The Accidental
68 Adele
70 Adem
72 Alkaline Trio
76 Alphabeat
78 Animal Collective
54 Ashanti
66 Atmosphere
50 David Banner
79 The Baseball Project
77 Beck
67 The Black Angels
65 Black Ghosts
82 Bonnie "Prince" Billy
71 Booka Shade
75 Boris
71 Billy Bragg
47 The Brian Jonestown Massacre
83 Bun B
64 T Bone Burnett
65 Mariah Carey
68 The Charlatans
72 Coldplay
78 The Constantines
82 The Cool Kids
78 Elvis Costello & The Impostors
53 Craig David
73 Death Cab For Cutie
47 Def Leppard
61 Gavin DeGraw
64 Delays
66 dEUS
79 Neil Diamond
57 Dirty Pretty Things
57 Disturbed
59 Does It Offend You, Yeah?
73 Dresden Dolls
69 Dub Pistols
71 Duffy
79 Jakob Dylan
78 Earlimart
70 Ecstatic Sunshine
65 El Perro del Mar
82 Elbow
83 Alejandro Escovedo
73 Estelle
72 The Explorers Club
81 The Fall
54 Feeder
72 Firewater
77 Tim Fite
88 Fleet Foxes
79 Flight Of The Conchords
79 Robert Forster
75 Four Tet
47 Foxy Brown
63 The Fratellis
61 Free Kitten
71 French Kicks
79 Frightened Rabbit
73 The Futureheads
68 The Gossip
81 Al Green
47 G-Unit
65 Albert Hammond, Jr.
66 Ed Harcourt
78 Emmylou Harris
89 Harvey Milk
82 HEALTH
57 Heloise And The Savoir Faire
86 Hercules And Love Affair
77 John Hiatt
87 The Hold Steady
64 Vanessa Hudgens
77 James Hunter
70 Islands
69 Jewel
79 Joan As Police Woman
71 Joan Of Arc
58 Scarlett Johansson
69 John & Jehn
59 Judas Priest
57 Kerli
73 Kidz In The Hall
71 Fern Knight
65 The Kooks
69 Lady Antebellum
73 Ladytron
65 Langhorne Slim
77 The Last Shadow Puppets
67 Cyndi Lauper
62 Leila
66 Les Savy Fav
72 Jamie Lidell
71 Lil Mama
81 Lil Wayne
75 Little Jackie
72 Local H
73 The Long Blondes
46 Los Lonely Boys
66 Lyrics Born
69 M83
65 Madonna
78 Aimee Mann
80 Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog
67 Mates Of State
78 Matmos
80 James McMurtry
78 John Mellencamp
74 The Melvins
71 Midnight Juggernauts
63 Alanis Morissette
57 Motley Crue
65 Jason Mraz
74 The M's
79 Mudcrutch
77 Mudhoney
54 The Music
71 My Brightest Diamond
70 My Morning Jacket
64 N.E.R.D. [The Neptunes]
71 Nas
80 Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis
76 The Night Marchers
77 Nine Inch Nails
78 No Age
76 The Notwist
54 The Offspring
72 Old 97's
85 Opeth
62 The Orb
62 James Pants
43 Katy Perry
71 Phantom Planet
84 Sam Phillips
56 The Pigeon Detectives
67 Plantlife
72 Plies
71 Robert Pollard
83 Ponytail
85 Portishead
75 Prodigy [of Mobb Deep]
69 Pyramids
48 The Rascals
71 Ratatat
86 Robyn
78 The Roots
48 Gavin Rossdale
73 Russian Circles
67 RZA
76 Santogold
72 Ron Sexsmith
86 Shearwater
81 Sigur Rós
78 Silver Jews
60 Carly Simon
62 Ashlee Simpson
76 Sloan
81 Patti Smith and Kevin Shields
74 Son, Ambulance
73 Sam Sparro
76 Spiritualized
90 Steinski
76 Subtle
67 Donna Summer
66 Supergrass
57 Three 6 Mafia
76 Thrice
76 Tilly And The Wall
64 The Ting Tings
51 Tokio Hotel
67 Tokyo Police Club
73 Randy Travis
65 Usher
76 Vetiver
69 The Virgins
77 Martha Wainwright
68 The Watson Twins
64 We Are Scientists
65 The Wedding Present
64 Weezer
76 White Denim
81 Cassandra Wilson
88 Dennis Wilson
61 Steve Winwood
78 Wire
79 Wolf Parade
63 The Zutons

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

No Ripcord
1	Funeral by Arcade Fire
2	Bows & Arrows by The Walkmen
3	Antics by Interpol
4	Sonic Nurse by Sonic Youth
5	Sung Tongs by Animal Collective
6	The Futureheads by The Futureheads
7	Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand
8	Talkie Walkie by Air
9	Madvillainy by Madvillain
10	Last Exit by Junior Boys

The Onion (Andy Battaglia)
1	Thé Au Harem d'Archimède by Ricardo Villalobos
2	Get Away From Me by Nellie McKay
3	Louden Up Now by !!!
4	Showtime by Dizzee Rascal
5	The Milk-Eyed Mender by Joanna Newsom
6	Here Comes Love by Superpitcher
7	Margerine Eclipse by Stereolab

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists