A unique compilation of the best albums of the year as chosen by other major publications.

Q Magazine

Listed in descending order.

The White Stripes ELEPHANT, Blur THINK TANK, Darkness PERMISSION TO LAND, The Mars Volta DE-LOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM, Kings Of Leon YOUTH & YOUNG MANHOOD, Justin Timberlake JUSTIFIED, 50 Cent GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’, The Strokes ROOM ON FIRE, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, Radiohead HAIL TO THE THIEF, Elbow CAST OF THOUSANDS, Muse ABSOLUTION, Jane’s Addiction STRAYS, Yeah Yeah Yeahs FEVER TO TELL, Johnny Cash THE MAN COMES AROUND, The Distillers CORAL FANG, The Thrills SO MUCH FOR THE CITY, The Roots PHRENELOGY, The Coral MAGIC & MEDECINE, Zwan MARY STAR OF THE SEA, AFI SING THE SORROW, Super Furry Animals PHANTOM POWER, Basement Jaxx KISH KASH, The Sleepy Jackson LOVERS, Audioslave AUDIOSLAVE (2002 release).

The Rapture ECHOES, Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man OUT OF SEASON (2002 release), Electric Six FIRE, The Black Keys THICKFREAKNESS, Athlete VEHICLES & ANIMALS, Dave Gahan PAPER MONSTERS, The Dandy Warhols WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE, Goldfrapp BLACK CHERRY, Iggy Pop SKULL RING, Four Tet ROUNDS, Stereophonics YOU GOTTA GO THERE TO COME BACK, Bubba Sparxxx DELIVERANCE, Pink TRY THIS, Audiobullys BACK TO MINE, Ryan Adams ROCK N ROLL, British Sea Power THE DECLINE OF BRITISH SEA POWER, Calexico FEAST OF WIRE, Peaches FATHERFUCKER, Kylie Minogue BODY LANGUAGE.

MOJO Magazine

Listed in descending order.

The White Stripes ELEPHANT, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, Blur THINK TANK, The Strokes ROOM ON FIRE, My Morning Jacket IT STILL MOVES, Radiohead HAIL TO THE THIEF, Emmylou Harris STUMBLE INTO GRACE, Robert Wyatt CUCKOOLAND, Evan Dando BABY I’M BORED, Wire ACROSS A WIRE, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros STREETCORE, Terry Hall & Mushtaq THE HOUR OF TWO LIGHTS, Yeah Yeah Yeahs FEVER TO TELL, Kings Of Leon YOUTH & YOUNG MANHOOD, Richard Hawley LOWEDGES, Super Furry Animals PHANTOM POWER, Belle & Sebastian DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS, Cat Power YOU ARE FREE, Gillian Welch SOUL JOURNEY, Rufus Wainwright WANT ONE, Drive-By Truckers DECORATION DAY.

The Thrills SO MUCH FOR THE CITY, Rickie Lee Jones THE EVENING OF MY BEST DAY, Dizzee Rascal BOY IN DA CORNER, The Proclaimers BORN INNOCENT, The Mars Volta DE-LOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM, Alasdair Roberts FAREWEL SORROW, Josh Rouse 1972, Songs: Ohio THE MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO., Damien Rice O, The Coral MAGIC & MEDECINE, Bic Runga BEAUTIFUL COLLISION, Calexico FEATS OF WIRE, Nick Cave NOCTURAMA, The Darkness PERMISSION TO LAND, Fiery Furnaces GALLOWSBIRD’S BARK, Ween QUEBEC, The Black Keys THICKFREAKNESS

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UNCUT Magazine

Listed in descending order.

Warren Zevon THE WIND, Emmylou Harris STUMBLE INTO GRACE, John Cale HOBO SAPIENS, Willard Grant Conspiracy REGARD THE END, Robert Wyatt CUCKOOLAND, Josh Rouse 1972, Hamell On Trial TOUGH LOVE, Four Tet ROUNDS, Paul Westerberg COME FEEL ME TREMBLE, Tahiti 80 WALLPAPER FOR THE SOUL, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros STREETCORE, Kraftwerk TOUR DE FRANCE SOUNDTRACKS, The Fiery Furnaces GALLOWSBIRD’S BARK, The Handsome Family SINGING BONES, The Waterboys UNIVERSAL HALL, Dizzee Rascal BOY IN DA CORNER, Gillian Welch SOUL JOURNEY, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, Lucinda Williams WORLD WITHOUT TEARS, Fleetwood Mac SAY YOU WILL, My Morning Jacket IT STILL MOVES, Paddy McALooN I TRAWL THE MEGAHERTZ, The White Stripes ELEPHANT, Bonny ‘Prince’ Billy MASTER AND EVERYONE, Basement Jaxx KISH KASH, Radiohead HAIL TO THE THIEF, David Bowie REALITY, James Kirk YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU BOOGIE, Yeah Yeah Yeahs FEVER TO TELL, Steely Dan EVERYHTING MUST GO, Shack HERE’S TOM WITH THE WEATHER.

Bic Runga BEAUTIFUL COLLISION, David Sylvian BLEMISH, Goldfrapp BLACK CHERRY, 50 Cent GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’, Neil Young GREENDALE, Rufus Wainwright WANT ONE, Cody Chesnutt THE HEADPHONE MASTERPIECE, Randy Newman THE RANDY NEWMAN SONGBOOK VOL. 1, Cat Power YOU ARE FREE, Ed Harcourt FROM EVERY SPHERE, Evan Dando BABY I’M BORED, Johnny Cash THE MAN COMES AROUND, Belle & Sebastian DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS, The Strokes ROOM ON FIRE, The Sleepy Jackson LOVERS, Grandaddy SUMDAY, The Pernice Brothers YOURS MINE AND OURS, Calexico FEAST OF WIRE, The Rapture ECHOES, Broadcast HAHA SOUND, Spiritualized AMAZING GRACE, Colder AGAIN, The National SAD SONGS FOR DIRTY LOVERS, The Mars Volta DE-LOUSED IN THE COMATORIUM, Rickie Lee Jones THE EVENING OF MY BEST DAY, Hawksley Workman LOVER/FIGHTER, Elbow CAST OF THOUSANDS, Thea Gilmore AVALANCHE, Adam Masterson ONE TALE TOO MANY.

KERRANG! Magazine

Acts only listed in descending order.

The Distillers, Deftones, HIM, Chimaira, Funeral For A Friend, The Darkness, Spineshank, Placebo, Anthrax, Muse, Turbonegro, Cave In, Lamb Of God, Hell Is For Heroes, Poison The Well, InMe, Ephel Duath, Murderdolls, Killing Joke.

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NME Magazine

Acts only listed in descending order.

The White Stripes, The Rapture, The Strokes, Elbow, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rufus Wainwright, The Kings Of Leon, Outkast, Radiohead, My Morning Jacket, Evan Dando, The Coral, Spiritualized, The Distillers, Hot Hot Heat, Dizzee Rascal, Funeral For A Friend, The Sleepy Jackson, Muse, Jet, Blur, The Hidden Cameras, The Cooper Temple Clause, Four Tet, The Darkness, The Kills, Super Furry Animals, The Mars Volta, Peaches, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, 50 cent, The Thrills, Mogwai, Jay-Z, Nick Cave, British Sea Power, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, 22-20s, Patrick Wolf, Devendra Banhart, Soledad Brothers, Stellastarr, Ten Grand, Basement Jaxx, Cat Power, The Ravonettes, Canyon, Jane’s Addiction, The Duke Spirit, Starsailor.

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Listed by critic. Each listed in descending order.

LIST 1. Johnny Cash UNEARTHED, Elbow CAST OF THOUSANDS, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, Tom McRae JUST LIKE BLOOD, Plastikman CLOSER, The Pearlfishers SKY MEADOWS, My Morning Jacket IT STILL MOVES, Emmylou Harris STUMBLE INTO GRACE, Eels SHOOTENANNY! Kathleen Edwards FAILER.

LIST 2. Dizzee Rascal BOY IN DA CORNER, Chris T-T LONDON IS SINKING, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, British Sea Power THE DECLINE OF BRITISH SEA POWER, Muse ABSOLUTION, Eels SHOOTENANNY! McKay McKAY, Aqualung STILL LIFE, Erin McKeown GRAND, The Lonesome Organist FORMS AND FOLLIES.

LIST 3. Carla Bozulich RED HEADED STRANGER, Various Artists THE FESTIVAL IN THE DESERT, Guided By Voices HUMAN AMUSEMENTS AT HOURLY RATES, Richard Youngs AIRS ON THE EAR, Television LIVE AT THE OLD WALDORF, Shirley Collins WITHIN SOUND, Jon Rose & Hollis Taylor GREAT FENCES OF AUSTRALIA, Melt Banana CELL-SCAPE, Howe Gelb THE LISTENER, The Band Of Blacky Ranchette STILL LOOKIN’ GOOD TO ME.

LIST 4 (Jazz). Curtis Stigers YOU INSPIRE ME, Sakamoto/Morelenbaum A DAY IN NEW YORK, Trio AAB: STRANGER THINGS HAPPEN AT C, Lea DeLaria DOUBLE STANDARDS, Jane Birkin ARABESQUE, Abdulla Ibrahim AFRICAN MAGIC, Rokia Traore BOWMBOI, Ruby Braff WATCH WHAT HAPPENS, Carlinhos Brown CARLINHOS BROWN E CARLITO MARRON, Susheela Raman LOVE TRAP.

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THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

Listed by critic. Each listed in descending order.

LIST 1. Hawksley Workman LOVER/FIGHTER, Erykah Badu WORLDWIDE UNDERGROUND, Dave Matthews SOME DEVIL, Annie Lennox BARE, Sting SACRED LOVE.

LIST 2. Bubba Sparxxx DELIVERANCE, Panjabi Hit Squad THE ALBUM, Celso Fonseca NATURAL, Blu Cantrell BITTERSWEET, Amy Winehouse FRANK.

LIST 3. The White Stripes ELEPHANT, Super Furry Animals PHANTOM POWER, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros STREETCORE, Sean Paul DUTTY ROCK, The Kills KEEP ON YOUR MEAN SIDE.

LIST 4. Aqualung STILL LIFE, Muse ABSOLUTION, Radiohead HAIL TO THE THIEF, British Sea Power THE DECLINE OF BRITISH SEA POWER, Steve Winwood ABOUT TIME.

LIST 5. Natalie Merchant THE HOUSE OF CARPENTER’S DAUGHTER, Paddy McAloon I TRAWL THE MEGAHERTZ, Calexico FEAST OF WIRE, Robert Wire CUCKOOLAND, The Coral MAGIC & MEDECINE.

LIST 6. Blur THINK TANK, Outkast SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW, Belle & Sebastian DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS, The Darkness PERMISSION TO LAND, The Roots PHRENELOGY.

LIST 7. Kraftwerk TOUR DE FRANCE SOUNDTRACKS, Smog SUPPER, Junior Senior D-D-DON’T STOP THE BEAT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs FEVER TO TELL, Erlend Oye UNREST.

LIST 8. Chungking WE TRAVEL FAST, Goldfrapp BLACK CHERRY, The Books THE LEMON OF PINK, Four Tet ROUNDS, Dave Clarke DEVIL’S ADVOCATE.

LIST 9. The Kings Of Leon YOUTH AND YOUNG MANHOOD, Dizzee Rascal BOY IN DA CORNER, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy MASTER AND EVERYONE, Manitoba UP IN FLAMES, Clipse LORD WILLIN’.

LIST 10 (Jazz). Joe Lovano Nonet ON THIS DAY AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, Ron Carter THE GOLDEN STRIKER, Jamie Cullum TWENTY SOMETHING, Pat Metheny ONE QUIET NIGHT, Lizz Wright SALT.