17. Pearl Jam – Riot Act
When I first did this list, Pearl Jam was in the top ten, but it is the one disc that has fallen the most. Not that some of the discs about Riot Act are necessarily better, I just have been turned off by the shameless promotion the band has done for the disc after years of turning away from the media. But now their deal is up after Riot Act and they have to work to get a new one. Shameless for a band that is so righteous.

Standout tracks include "Save You", "Love Boat Captain," & "1/2 Full."

16. The Hives – Veni Vidi Vicious
Another one of the discs that doesn't really belong here since it is a couple years old but this it he first year the Hives have been in the mainstream. Frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist owes all his moves to Mick Jagger but the music is more like good ole Americans, the Stooges, and the MC5. Just under a half hour, Veni Vidi Vicious is the perfect shot in the ass that music needed this year.

Standout tracks are "Hate to Say I Told You So," "Main Offender," & "Find Another Girl."

15. N.E.R.D – In Search Of...
They have crafted hits for everyone from Justin Timberlake to Britney Spears to Jay Z, but now it is their turn. The Neptunes have stepped in front of the mic for the first time and crafted a sweet ass CD. The hooks are tight and the beats are killer. N.E.R.D. shows that they probably had more to do with all the hits they have made than just the beats.

Standout tracks include "Tape You," "Bobby James," & "Lapdance."

14. Queens of the Stone Age – Songs For the Deaf
How do you top a disc that most people say was THE disc of 2000? Well, you recruit Dave Grohl to play drums on it, of course. Core members, bassist Nick Oliveri and singer-guitarist Josh Homme, have taken their craft to a new level and crafted a full disc that flows and keeps your excitement up.

Standout tracks include "No One Knows," "First it Giveth," and "Go With the Flow."

13. Jay Z – Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
The Jigga Man always has to make it tough on himself. The Blueprint and MTV Unplugged were such good discs last year that it would have been tough to top. Well, Jay has done it with Blueprint 2, a killer double disc with tons of high spots and guest stars that included Beyonce, Lenny Kravitz, and Rakim.

Standout tracks include "The Watcher," "Guns and Roses," & "Bitches and Sisters."

12. Rhett Miller – Instigator
Old 97's lead singer Rhett Miller used 2002 to break out on his own. The Instigator is full of songs about heartbreak but all full of great melodies. Whereas the Old 97's were more about fast-paced rocking, the Instigator slows it down and shows how good a songwriter Miller really is.

Standout tracks include "Our Love," "Come Around," & "World Inside the World."

11. Beck – Sea Change
He has been a loser, a pimp, and just about everything in between. Odelay won him praise and tons of fans while Mutations brought him back to Earth. Sea Change is the disc that showcases the flakier side of Beck. You see, he broke up with his longtime girlfriend and it inspired him to write some killer songs. Sad songs, but songs that showcase just how good a songwriter Mr. Hansen is.

Standout tracks include "Paper Tiger," "Round the Bend," & "Already Dead."

10. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Pretty much everyone knows the story by now. Wilco makes an "artsy" disc that the label will not release. It leaks out on the Internet and a new label comes to the rescue and releases it and we are all winners for it. Labeled by some as a hillbilly Radiohead, Wilco is a disc that gets better with every listen.

Standout tracks include "Ashes of American Flags," "Poor Places," & "Heavy Metal Drummer."

9. Foo Fighters – One By One
Dave Grohl said it best. His band was starting to sound less like their hard rocking debut disc and more and more like the Eagles. Well, after a lengthy break and drumming duties for the Queens of The Stone Age, the Foos are back with what could be their hardest rocking effort to date. The harder edge is a welcomed site as the Foos were able to balance the crunching guitars with their always catchy hooks.

Standout tracks include "All My Life," "Have It All," "Overdrive," "& "Tired."

8. The Doves – The Last Broadcast
It's kinda ironic that the Doves made it this high since it was recommended to me by Dave Farrell, lead singer of rubyhorse. Anyone who hasn't checked out the Doves, I highly suggest doing so. Another Brit-pop band has snuck their way into my CD player and this disc probably isnt even their best disc but showcases the passion that The Doves have for making music.

Standout tracks include "Caught By the River ," "N.Y. ," & "Words."

7. The Vines – Highly Evolved
In another case of Australia putting out some quality rock (Silverchair being the other), the Vines definitely Got Free. Whereas the White Stripes & The Hives CDs keep the same sound pretty much throughout, the thing that struck me about The Vines is not every song sounds like a Nirvana song, each song is its own.

Standout tracks include "Homesick," "Get Free," & "Sunshinin."

6. Red Hot Chili Peppers – By The Way
I loved Californication. I listened to that disc every night my junior year of college and got crazy drunk to it. A real tough act to follow but the Peppers have done it. Could Kiedis/Frusciante be THE new writing pair? Only time will tell but the Peppers have done nothing but get better with age. The funk has been turned down some but in its place is a new California/Beach Boys type edge & sound. The Peppers are reborn and I cannot wait until they hit the road again in the States.

Standout tracks include: "The Zephyr Song," "Tear," "Venice Queen," and one of my favorite songs of the year, "Cabron."