The 25 best albums of 2002

8 November 2023, 20:52

Some of the best albums of 2002... Turn On The Bright Lights, Original Pirate Material, A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Up The Bracket and By The Way.
Some of the best albums of 2002... Turn On The Bright Lights, Original Pirate Material, A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Up The Bracket and By The Way. Picture: Press

Step back in time to the year of Heathen Chemistry, The Coral, The Hives, Yoshimi and the Pink Robots and A Rush Of Blood To The Head.

  1. The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us: released on 28th January 2002

    The duo's fourth album featured It Began In Afrika, Star Guitar and Richard Ashcroft guesting on The Test.

    The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us
    The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us. Picture: Press
  2. The Streets - Original Pirate Material: released on 25th March 2002

    Mike Skinner released his debut album back in '02, which featured Let's Push Things Forward and Has It Come To This?

    The Streets - Original Pirate Material
    The Streets - Original Pirate Material. Picture: Press
  3. Badly Drawn Boy - About A Boy: released on 8th April 2002

    Damon Gough scored the soundtrack to the Hugh Grant movie adaptation of Nick Hornby's book, which included Silent Sigh.

    Badly Drawn Boy - About A Boy
    Badly Drawn Boy - About A Boy. Picture: Press
  4. Doves - The Last Broadcast: released on 29th April 2002

    The Wilmslow band's second album featured Pounding and There Goes The Fear.

    Doves - The Last Broadcast
    Doves - The Last Broadcast. Picture: Press
  5. Moby - 18: released on 13th May 2022

    The musician and producer's sixth album was the follow-up to the massive hit Play and included the tracks We Are All Made Of Stars and Extreme Ways.

    Moby - 18
    Moby - 18. Picture: Press
  6. Eminem - The Eminem Show: released on 4th June 2002

    The fourth album from the rapper included the fantastic comeback single Without Me, Sing For The Moment and Cleanin' Out My Closet.

    Eminem - The Eminem Show
    Eminem - The Eminem Show. Picture: Press
  7. David Bowie - Heathen: released on 10th June 2002

    The legendary musician's 23rd album included the tracks Slow Burn, Everyone Says Hi and a cover of the Pixies' Cactus.

    David Bowie - Heathen
    David Bowie - Heathen. Picture: Press
  8. The Vines - Highly Evolved: released on 15th July 2002

    Craig Nicholls' Australian rockers released their debut album, which included the title track, Get Free and Homesick.

    The Vines - Highly Evolved
    The Vines - Highly Evolved. Picture: Press
  9. Idlewild - The Remote Part: released on 15th July 2002

    The Scottish band released their third album, which included You Held The World In Your Arms and American English.

    Idlewild - The Remote Part
    Idlewild - The Remote Part. Picture: Press
  10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way: released on 9th July 2002

    The band released their eighth album, which featured Can't Stop, The Zephyr Song and the title track.

    Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
    Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way. Picture: Press
  11. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots: released on 16th July 2002

    Wayne Coyne's tenth album was the biggest to date and included the hits Do You Realize?? Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt 1.

    The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
    The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. Picture: Press
  12. Oasis - Heathen Chemistry: released on 1st July 2002

    The Gallaghers' fifth album featured The Hindu Times, Little By Little, Stop Crying Your Heart Out and Liam's tune, Songbird.

    Oasis - Heathen Chemistry
    Oasis - Heathen Chemistry. Picture: Press
  13. The Coral - The Coral: released on 29th July 2002

    The Liverpool lads released their debut, which featured Dreaming Of You, Shadows Fall and Goodbye.

    The Coral - The Coral
    The Coral - The Coral. Picture: Press
  14. Primal Scream - Evil Heat: released on 5th August 2002

    Bobby Gillespie & co's seventh album included Miss Lucifer, Autobahn 66 and a cover featuring Kate Moss, Some Velvet Morning.

    Primal Scream - Evil Heat
    Primal Scream - Evil Heat. Picture: Press
  15. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights: released on 20th August 2002

    The New York post-punk revivalists issued their debut album, which included PDA, NYC, Untitled and Obstacle 1.

    Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
    Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights. Picture: Press
  16. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head: released on 26th August 2002

    Chris Martin and co's second album featured In My Place, The Scientist and Clocks...

    Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
    Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head. Picture: Press
  17. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf: released on 27th August 2002

    Josh Homme's rock combo released their third album, which included Go With The Flow, First It Giveth and No One Knows… and also featured Mr Dave Grohl on drums.

    Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
    Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf. Picture: Press
  18. The Music - The Music: released on 2nd September 2002

    Rob Harvey and his crew from Leeds issued their eponymous debut album, which included Take The Long Road And Walk It and Getaway.

    The Music - The Music
    The Music - The Music. Picture: Press
  19. Aqualung - Aqualung: released on 30th September 2002

    Aka songwriter Matthew Hales, who scored his biggest hit when Strange And Beautiful was included in a TV ad for Volkswagen.

    Aqualung  - Aqualung
    Aqualung - Aqualung. Picture: Press
  20. Supergrass - Life On Other Planets: released on 30th September 2002

    The fourth album from the Oxford trio saw them become a quarter, with the addition of Gas Coombes' brother Rob on keyboards. Songs included Rush Hour Soul, Seen The Light and Grace.

    Supergrass - Life On Other Planets
    Supergrass - Life On Other Planets. Picture: Press
  21. The Datsuns - The Datsuns: released on 7th October 2002

    Hard-rockin' Kiwis released their debut album, featuring MF From Hell and Harmonic Generator.

    The Datsuns - The Datsuns
    The Datsuns - The Datsuns. Picture: Press
  22. The Libertines - Up The Bracket: released on 21st October 2002

    The band's debut album hit stores in 2002, featuring Boys In The Band, I Get Along, Time For Heroes and the title track.

    The Libertines - Up The Bracket
    The Libertines - Up The Bracket. Picture: Press
  23. Foo Fighters - One By One: released on 22nd October 2002

    The fourth album from Dave Grohl's crew included the hits All My Life, Times Like These, Low and Have It All.

    Foo Fighters - One By One
    Foo Fighters - One By One. Picture: Press
  24. Richard Ashcroft - Human Conditions: released on 21st October 2002

    Ashcroft's second post-Verve solo album featured the hits Check The Meaning, Buy It In Bottles and Science Of Silence.

    Richard Ashcroft - Human Conditions
    Richard Ashcroft - Human Conditions. Picture: Press
  25. Feeder - Comfort In Sound: released on 21st October 2002

    The band's first album since the traffic death of drummer Jon Lee saw Grant Nicholas and Taka Hirose rally together with percussionist Matt Richardson. The album including the hits Come Back Around, Just The Way I'm Feeling and Forget About Tomorrow.

    Feeder - Comfort In Sound
    Feeder - Comfort In Sound. Picture: Press

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