10. Korn -- Untouchables

For almost five million bucks, Untouchables had damn well better be good. And it was. Apparently singing lessons didn't affect the heaviness of Korn's latest album. "Here to Stay" set the mood of the album and the band was able to sustain that momentum. With the band now too old to keep bitching about their broken-home environment, Untouchables possessed a *gasp* great degree of maturity. The horrors of family abuse on children and teens has been documented by Korn and other bands. But with Untouchables, Korn does a great job of showing how that abuse carries on well into adult life.

9. Badly Drawn Boy -- About A Boy Soundtrack

Yeah, it was the soundtrack of my personal favorite movie of 2002. Badly Drawn create one of the best pop gems in recent years. "Silent Sigh" and "Something to Talk About," manage to be emotional without a hint of sappiness. Much like the movie. A soundtrack so good, it should be a mandatory purchase with the DVD, or for some of us, VHS.

8. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead -- Sources, Tags And Codes

One of 'THE' bands to watch in the next few years. Much like their prior release, "Madonna," AYWKUBTTOD make music that at first sounds like good, hard-driving rock. But each listen reveals a further, unique complexity. Wade through the walls of pulverizing guitars and bass and you will be rewarded with some great melodies.

7. Blackalicious -- Blazing Arrow

Singing about getting your first bike, graduating and the joys of a 'big ass book and some vodka' may turn some listeners off hungering for more 'Grand Theft Auto' fantasies, but they likely missed out on the hip-hop album of the year. Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel scored an amazing major-label debut with Blazing Arrow, even though they've been on the rap scene for more than a decade. The beats of Blazing Arrow were only matched by the prolific quality of of the lyrics.

6. Eminem -- The Eminem Show

Smug, self-absorbed and utterly arresting. Some critics may have whined that Eminem spent too much time talking about himself in The Eminem Show (didn't the title set up a red flag?), but as long as his word-play and beats are this amazing, he could do an album about him and his daughter shopping for toothbrushes for all I care. The peak moments came when Eminem faces up to the impact he has on impressionable minds, his own selfishness and his vulnerability. Our little mushroom-chomping, accused homophobe, gun-and-axe toter has grown up in front of our eyes. Oh, and the soundtrack to his movie wasn't too bad either.

5. Sleater-Kinney -- One Beat

As heavy and catchy as Dig Me Out, but with a whole lot more drama; namely parenthood and Sept. 11. While Toby Keith can sing about how much he wants to put a boot in the ass of anyone who doesn't fall in step with our government says, Sleater-Kinney puts a boot in the ass of almost every Sept. 11-themed song that has been released. Anger, confusion and finally, resilience are some of the emotions you get after listening to One Beat. But most importantly, you walk away exhausted and exhilarated. Anyone who thinks artists should pack it in after their first album should throw this one on their CD player.

4. Flaming Lips -- Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

Like an old-school He-Man or Transformers episode, you know the plot is almost laughable. But for those who are close to the source of inspiration, it still is moving. The fact that the Flaming Lips could make an emotional, moving album about a girl's battle with pink robots and turn it into an album that addresses mortality with stone-cold seriousness is a feat that only the Flaming Lips could pull off. Is it better than the Soft Bulletin? Not too sure, but it keeps finding its way back into my CD player.

3. Coldplay -- A Rush Of Blood To The Head

I wasn't a big fan of Parachutes.It sounded like too many other Brit-pop bands. They may have done it better than other bands, but Parachutes failed to register after a couple of listens. But with A Rush of Blood to the Head, I immediately was drawn to the kickoff song, "Politik." Then, I was drawn to the next three songs. Then the rest of the album. One of the best combinations of pop sensibility and great lyrics that I've heard in a long time.

2. Beck -- Sea Change

Why this album came as a shock to people still boggles me. On his indie album One Foot in the Grave Beck showed that he could do a mean, traditional country song. With Mutations he proved that he is an underrated lyricist. But on Sea Change, he combines the best of his subdued persona and makes a breakup album for the ages. You're not likely to find sadder songs than "Lonesome Tears," "The Golden Age" and "Round the Bend" in 2002. However, the entire album is devoid of any 'woe-is-me' cliches. Bad economy. Terrorism threats. War looming. We're fully in the hangover years of the 90s dot-com-bangaroo. This is our hangover album.

1. Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Actually, Sea Change may have been the better album of the two. But Wilco took more risks on their best album to date. Yeah, the record company battles are the stuff of legend now, but the music on the album will remain long after people tire of hearing the tale of how this band overcame record-biz narrow-mindedness. The two-minute instrumental in the middle of "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" sounds like the world crashing down. "Heavy Metal Drummer" lifts the album up out of its somber mood. In the song "Poor Places," Jeff Tweedy achingly sings, "My heart is wrapped in ice... I'm not going outside." With Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy's heart and Wilco's musicianship made the most memorable statement in a year packed full of them.