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Top albums of 2003

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Updated: 16 April
Average Ratings Reviews
Sweet Trip - Velocity : Design : Comfort, Cover art
Velocity : Design : Comfort
Sweet Trip
4.08 28k 28,223 237 237
17 June 2003 Album
Glitch Pop IDM
Dream Pop Glitch Ambient Pop Shoegaze Noise Pop
futuristic mechanical atmospheric playful abstract ethereal lush love
28k Ratings 237 Reviews 4.08 Average
Songs: Ohia - The Magnolia Electric Co, Cover art
The Magnolia Electric Co
Songs: Ohia
4.07 13k 13,269 140 140
4 March 2003 Album
Alt-Country Country Rock
Folk Rock Americana Singer-Songwriter Progressive Country
melancholic poetic lonely bittersweet sad introspective longing melodic
13k Ratings 140 Reviews 4.07 Average
The Microphones - Mount Eerie, Cover art
Mount Eerie
The Microphones
4.03 16k 16,260 122 122
21 January 2003 Album
Avant-Folk Psychedelic Folk
Drone Tribal Ambient Field Recordings Musique concrète Experimental
death nature avant-garde atmospheric concept album spiritual ritualistic existential
16k Ratings 122 Reviews 4.03 Average
Image blocked in settings
Boris at Last -Feedbacker-
Boris
4.01 19k 18,680 172 172
25 December 2003 Album
Post-Metal Drone Metal Drone
Noise Psychedelic Rock Post-Rock
noisy atmospheric heavy epic hypnotic dense repetitive progressive
19k Ratings 172 Reviews 4.01 Average
Ween - Quebec, Cover art
Quebec
Ween
4.01 15k 15,237 143 143
5 August 2003 Album
Art Rock Neo-Psychedelia Alternative Rock
Experimental Rock Folk Rock Psychedelic Pop Progressive Rock
eclectic drugs surreal psychedelic bittersweet melancholic quirky atmospheric
15k Ratings 143 Reviews 4.01 Average
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain, Cover art
Vaudeville Villain
Viktor Vaughn
4.01 16k 15,663 84 84
16 September 2003 Album
Abstract Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop
Hardcore Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Glitch Hop Boom Bap
ominous sampling dark futuristic nocturnal humorous cold abstract
16k Ratings 84 Reviews 4.01 Average
椎名林檎 [Sheena Ringo] - 加爾基 精液 栗ノ花 (Kalk samen kuri no hana), Cover art
加爾基 精液 栗ノ花 (Kalk samen kuri no hana)
Sheena Ringo 椎名林檎
4.01 12k 11,844 83 83
23 February 2003 Album
Art Pop Art Rock Progressive Pop
Chamber Pop Jazz Pop J-Rock Progressive Pop Noise Pop
eclectic anxious playful dense lush complex progressive melodic
12k Ratings 83 Reviews 4.01 Average
Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway, Cover art
Ghosts of the Great Highway
Sun Kil Moon
3.97 10k 10,378 100 100
4 November 2003 Album
Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter
Alt-Country Slowcore
melancholic bittersweet sports sad mellow pastoral death introspective
10k Ratings 100 Reviews 3.97 Average
The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium, Cover art
De-Loused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
3.84 20k 20,368 391 391
17 June 2003 Album
Progressive Rock Post-Hardcore
Experimental Rock Art Rock Psychedelic Rock
energetic technical complex anxious cryptic concept album passionate progressive
20k Ratings 391 Reviews 3.84 Average
King Geedorah - Take Me to Your Leader, Cover art
Take Me to Your Leader
King Geedorah
3.85 14k 13,799 82 82
17 June 2003 Album
Abstract Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop
Instrumental Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop Jazz Rap Boom Bap
science fiction sampling humorous concept album quirky abstract playful lush
14k Ratings 82 Reviews 3.85 Average
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A Promise
Xiu Xiu
3.83 15k 14,525 89 89
18 February 2003 Album
Experimental Electronic Post-Industrial
Noise Synth Punk Art Pop
suicide depressive LGBT anxious sad self-hatred pessimistic disturbing
15k Ratings 89 Reviews 3.83 Average
Boris - あくまのうた (Akuma no uta), Cover art
あくまのうた (Akuma no uta)
Boris
3.86 11k 11,491 77 77
6 June 2003 Album
Stoner Metal
Psychedelic Rock Stoner Rock Drone Garage Punk Noise Rock
heavy raw energetic aggressive noisy nihilistic dense psychedelic
11k Ratings 77 Reviews 3.86 Average
Nujabes - Metaphorical Music, Cover art
Metaphorical Music
Nujabes
3.86 11k 10,828 57 57
21 August 2003 Album
Jazz Rap Instrumental Hip Hop
Conscious Hip Hop Lo-Fi Hip Hop
peaceful soothing lush meditative mellow optimistic atmospheric spring
11k Ratings 57 Reviews 3.86 Average
Opeth - Damnation, Cover art
Damnation
Opeth
3.85 13k 12,812 249 249
22 April 2003 Album
Progressive Rock
Contemporary Folk
sombre mellow atmospheric melancholic autumn soft progressive introspective
13k Ratings 249 Reviews 3.85 Average
Sleep - Dopesmoker, Cover art
Dopesmoker
Sleep
3.83 12k 12,441 153 153
22 April 2003 Album
Stoner Metal Doom Metal
Drone Metal
drugs heavy hypnotic repetitive desert epic psychedelic dense
12k Ratings 153 Reviews 3.83 Average
Tim Hecker - Radio Amor, Cover art
Radio Amor
Tim Hecker
3.87 7k 7,001 52 52
25 March 2003 Album
Ambient Drone
Glitch Radio Broadcast Recordings Electroacoustic
melancholic instrumental lonely atmospheric lush soothing mysterious sampling
7k Ratings 52 Reviews 3.87 Average
Sufjan Stevens - Michigan, Cover art
Michigan
Sufjan Stevens
3.83 14k 14,355 121 121
1 July 2003 Album
Chamber Folk Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter
Chamber Pop Americana Minimalism Folk Pop
winter lush concept album melancholic pastoral melodic bittersweet Christian
14k Ratings 121 Reviews 3.83 Average
Jay-Z - The Black Album, Cover art
The Black Album
Jay-Z
3.83 11k 10,888 123 123
14 November 2003 Album
East Coast Hip Hop
Pop Rap Hardcore Hip Hop
boastful urban rhythmic triumphant crime drugs sampling introspective
11k Ratings 123 Reviews 3.83 Average
Johnny Cash - Unearthed, Cover art
Unearthed
Johnny Cash
3.86 1k 1,377 19 19
25 November 2003 Album
Americana Country
Hymns Country Gospel Rockabilly Contemporary Folk
pastoral poetic acoustic introspective melancholic religious melodic lonely
1k Ratings 19 Reviews 3.86 Average
Pierre Hantaï - Variations Goldberg BWV 988, Cover art
Variations Goldberg BWV 988
Johann Sebastian Bach / Pierre Hantaï
3.85 617 617 1 1
2003 Album
Baroque Music
acoustic instrumental melodic complex polyphonic playful melancholic meditative
617 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.85 Average
The Strokes - Room on Fire, Cover art
Room on Fire
The Strokes
3.74 24k 23,757 290 290
28 October 2003 Album
Garage Rock Revival Indie Rock Post-Punk Revival
Post-Punk Revival
energetic melodic urban rhythmic sexual apathetic rebellious bittersweet
24k Ratings 290 Reviews 3.74 Average
The Postal Service - Give Up, Cover art
Give Up
The Postal Service
3.78 13k 12,763 178 178
19 February 2003 Album
Indietronica Indie Pop
Synthpop Glitch Pop
love romantic bittersweet lush poetic melodic longing futuristic
13k Ratings 178 Reviews 3.78 Average
Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye, Cover art
Choirs of the Eye
Kayo Dot
3.80 5k 5,407 106 106
21 October 2003 Album
Avant-Garde Metal Experimental Rock Post-Metal
Chamber Music Post-Rock Modern Classical Poetry
ethereal dark avant-garde abstract mysterious atmospheric dense poetic
5k Ratings 106 Reviews 3.80 Average
Intestine Baalism - Banquet in the Darkness, Cover art
Banquet in the Darkness
Intestine Baalism
3.83 1k 1,465 16 16
March 2003 Album
Melodic Death Metal
Death Metal
melodic rhythmic heavy technical melancholic complex dark triumphant
1k Ratings 16 Reviews 3.83 Average
Pete Rock & InI - Center of Attention, Cover art
Center of Attention
Pete Rock & InI
3.82 2k 2,335 30 30
2003 Album
East Coast Hip Hop Boom Bap Jazz Rap
Conscious Hip Hop
urban sampling mellow playful conscious rhythmic nocturnal boastful
2k Ratings 30 Reviews 3.82 Average
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief, Cover art
Hail to the Thief
Radiohead
3.65 46k 45,689 536 536
9 June 2003 Album
Art Rock Alternative Rock
Electronic Post-Punk Revival Post-Punk
political eclectic anxious sombre cryptic melancholic conscious alienation
46k Ratings 536 Reviews 3.65 Average
Paddy McAloon - I Trawl the MEGAHERTZ, Cover art
I Trawl the MEGAHERTZ
Paddy McAloon
3.81 3k 2,796 31 31
2 June 2003 Album
Modern Classical Chamber Jazz
Spoken Word Minimalism Third Stream Ambient Pop
lush existential monologue orchestral abstract poetic introspective sentimental
3k Ratings 31 Reviews 3.81 Average
The White Stripes - Elephant, Cover art
Elephant
The White Stripes
3.73 21k 20,876 353 353
1 April 2003 Album
Garage Rock Revival Alternative Rock Blues Rock
Blues Rock Punk Blues
energetic raw playful minimalistic rebellious love melodic passionate
21k Ratings 353 Reviews 3.73 Average
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Kivenkantaja
Moonsorrow
3.80 3k 2,736 30 30
10 March 2003 Album
Folk Metal Viking Metal
Black Metal Progressive Metal Nordic Folk Music
epic mythology winter pagan melodic atmospheric cold forest
3k Ratings 30 Reviews 3.80 Average
Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia / José Ramón Encinar - Complete Orchestral Works, Cover art
Complete Orchestral Works
Francisco Guerrero / Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia / José Ramón Encinar
3.82 472 472 10 10
2003 Album
Stochastic Music Orchestral
Spectralism
avant-garde ominous dissonant suspenseful orchestral complex atmospheric infernal
472 Ratings 10 Reviews 3.82 Average
The Radio Dept. - Lesser Matters, Cover art
Lesser Matters
The Radio Dept.
3.78 6k 6,420 60 60
24 February 2003 Album
Dream Pop Indie Pop
Shoegaze Noise Pop Twee Pop Indietronica
melancholic LGBT lo-fi soothing bittersweet warm lonely love
6k Ratings 60 Reviews 3.78 Average
The Chasm - Conjuration of the Spectral Empire, Cover art
Conjuration of the Spectral Empire
The Chasm
3.80 923 923 12 12
17 February 2003 Album
Death Metal
Thrash Metal Melodic Black Metal Melodic Death Metal
epic dark energetic occult aggressive mythology melodic triumphant
923 Ratings 12 Reviews 3.80 Average
The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Traveller, Cover art
Traveller
The Lord Weird Slough Feg
3.79 2k 1,541 38 38
20 January 2003 Album
Heavy Metal US Power Metal
Power Metal
science fiction energetic space melodic epic concept album heavy rhythmic
2k Ratings 38 Reviews 3.79 Average
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Helvete
Nasum
3.78 2k 2,090 22 22
13 May 2003 Album
Grindcore
Metalcore
aggressive rhythmic rebellious heavy political energetic angry chaotic
2k Ratings 22 Reviews 3.78 Average
Leviathan - The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide, Cover art
The Tenth Sub Level of Suicide
Leviathan
3.76 4k 3,760 27 27
29 September 2003 Album
Depressive Black Metal
Dark Ambient Atmospheric Black Metal
suicide depressive misanthropic dark self-hatred raw infernal cold
4k Ratings 27 Reviews 3.76 Average
Klangforum Wien / Sylvain Cambreling - in vain, Cover art
in vain
Georg Friedrich Haas / Klangforum Wien / Sylvain Cambreling
3.79 670 670 4 4
2003 Album
Modern Classical
Microtonal Classical Spectralism
suspenseful dissonant anxious avant-garde mysterious microtonal acoustic surreal
670 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.79 Average
Mi'Gauss - Open Season, Cover art
Open Season
Mi'Gauss
3.79 430 430 3 3
2003 Album
Death Metal
Melodic Death Metal
war history melodic mythology violence martial heavy energetic
430 Ratings 3 Reviews 3.79 Average
Lost Horizon - A Flame to the Ground Beneath, Cover art
A Flame to the Ground Beneath
Lost Horizon
3.77 2k 1,538 32 32
10 February 2003 Album
Power Metal
Progressive Metal Symphonic Metal
epic passionate melodic uplifting triumphant introspective progressive ethereal
2k Ratings 32 Reviews 3.77 Average
Sora - re.sort, Cover art
re.sort
Sora
3.77 2k 2,308 14 14
November 2003 Album
Glitch
Ambient Nu Jazz Folktronica Plunderphonics
peaceful soft warm sampling mellow soothing instrumental uplifting
2k Ratings 14 Reviews 3.77 Average
Four Tet - Rounds, Cover art
Rounds
Four Tet
3.73 10k 9,625 75 75
5 May 2003 Album
Folktronica
Glitch Downtempo IDM
warm instrumental autumn sampling rhythmic atmospheric mellow repetitive
10k Ratings 75 Reviews 3.73 Average
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Soundtracks

  • Akira Yamaoka - Silent Hill 3, Cover art
    Silent Hill 3
    2003 Album
    3k Ratings 22 Reviews 4.01 Average
    4.01 3k 3,216 22 22
  • Howard Shore - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Cover art
    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    2003 Album
    2k Ratings 15 Reviews 3.97 Average
    3.97 2k 1,910 15 15
  • 大谷幸 [Kow Otani] - Haibane-Renmei: Hanenone, Cover art
    Haibane-Renmei: Hanenone
    2003 Album
    498 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.97 Average
    3.97 498 498 4 4
  • 永田権太 [Kenta Nagata], 若井淑 [Hajime Wakai], 峰岸透 [Toru Minegishi] & 近藤浩治 [Koji Kondo] - ゼルダの伝説 ～風のタクト～ (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker), Cover art
    ゼルダの伝説 ～風のタクト～ (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)
    2003 Album
    711 Ratings 4 Reviews 3.95 Average
    3.95 711 711 4 4
  • 目黒将司 [Shoji Meguro] / 田崎寿子 [Toshiko Tasaki] / 土屋憲一 [Kenichi Tsuchiya] - 真・女神転生III Nocturne (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne), Cover art
    真・女神転生III Nocturne (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne)
    2003 Album
    599 Ratings 1 Reviews 3.94 Average
    3.94 599 599 1 1
    • See all 45 Include in main chart

    Live

  • Number Girl - サッポロ Omoide in My Head 状態 (Sapporo Omoide in My Head Jōtai), Cover art
    サッポロ Omoide in My Head 状態 (Sapporo Omoide in My Head Jōtai)
    2003 Album
    767 Ratings 4 Reviews 4.17 Average
    4.17 767 767 4 4
  • Led Zeppelin - How the West Was Won, Cover art
    How the West Was Won
    2003 Album
    4k Ratings 145 Reviews 4.15 Average
    4.15 4k 3,910 145 145
  • Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é: Legacy Edition, Cover art
    Live at Sin-é: Legacy Edition
    2003 Album
    1k Ratings 29 Reviews 4.16 Average
    4.16 1k 1,158 29 29
  • Ween - Live at Stubb's, 7/2000, Cover art
    Live at Stubb's, 7/2000
    2003 Album
    801 Ratings 12 Reviews 4.11 Average
    4.11 801 801 12 12
  • Björk - Livebox, Cover art
    Livebox
    2003 Album
    415 Ratings 9 Reviews 4.07 Average
    4.07 415 415 9 9
    • See all 100 Include in main chart

    Archival

  • The Allman Brothers Band - Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival: July 3 & 5, 1970, Cover art
    Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival: July 3 & 5, 1970
    2003 Album
    410 Ratings 12 Reviews 4.04 Average
    4.04 410 410 12 12
  • Television - Live at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 6/29/78, Cover art
    Live at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco, 6/29/78
    2003 Album
    637 Ratings 13 Reviews 3.95 Average
    3.95 637 637 13 13
  • Andrew Hill - Passing Ships, Cover art
    Passing Ships
    2003 Album
    555 Ratings 8 Reviews 3.94 Average
    3.94 555 555 8 8
    • See all 55 Include in main chart
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