Metacritic: Best Albums of 2008

All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2009
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000

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62 50 Cent
70 AFI
65 Air
70 Alice In Chains
53 Kris Allen
78 Amerie
79 Annie
76 Anti-Pop Consortium
86 The Antlers
75 Arctic Monkeys
68 As Tall As Lions
82 Atlas Sound
77 The Avett Brothers
67 Backstreet Boys
59 Bad Lieutenant
68 Devendra Banhart
71 Lou Barlow
88 Baroness
69 Basement Jaxx
81 David Bazan
72 Beak>
72 Brendan Benson
84 Biffy Clyro
72 The Big Pink
95 Big Star
46 Billy Talent
75 The Black Crowes
72 The Black Heart Procession
68 Blitzen Trapper
75 BLK JKS
53 Bon Jovi
76 A.A. Bondy
65 Boys Like Girls
76 Brand New
73 Tyondai Braxton
83 Brother Ali
72 Ian Brown
75 Michael Buble
77 Built To Spill
61 Colbie Caillat
78 Califone
69 Mariah Carey
81 Brandi Carlile
72 Julian Casablancas
83 Rosanne Cash
71 Castanets
65 The Cave Singers
82 Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
64 Exene Cervenka
79 Vic Chesnutt
75 Choir Of Young Believers
81 Circulatory System
67 The Clean
84 The Clientele
72 Cold Cave
85 Converge
71 Eric Copeland
76 The Cribs
79 Cymbals Eat Guitars
62 Dashboard Confessional
71 Datarock
59 Dead By Sunrise
76 Dead Man's Bones
77 Del The Funky Homosapien & Tame One
88 Destroyer
73 Do Make Say Think
63 The Dodos
77 Drive-By Truckers
67 Bob Dylan
58 Echo & The Bunnymen
61 Electric Six
44 The Entrance Band
69 Fanfarlo
71 Jay Farrar And Benjamin Gibbard
63 Felix Da Housecat
68 Fink
66 Orenda Fink
79 The Flaming Lips
66 Flight Of The Conchords
79 Florence And The Machine
67 John Fogerty
83 Fuck Buttons
71 Nelly Furtado
47 Gary Go
68 Ghostface Killah
79 Girls
69 Gossip
62 David Gray
66 David Guetta
65 Calvin Harris
79 Richard Hawley
74 Mayer Hawthorne
66 Headlights
79 HEALTH
77 Joe Henry
67 Hockey
67 Whitney Houston
80 Hudson Mohawke
68 Imogen Heap
59 Jack Ingram
79 Islands
74 Jamie T
65 Jay-Z
51 Jet
68 Daniel Johnston
76 Norah Jones
77 Karen O And The Kids
72 Toby Keith
69 Kid Cudi
75 Kid Sister
66 Kings Of Convenience
62 Sean Kingston
64 KISS
63 Mark Knopfler
73 Kris Kristofferson
68 KRS-One & Buckshot
76 La Roux
85 Miranda Lambert
72 Ledisi
71 Sondre Lerche
56 Juliette Lewis
62 Leona Lewis
82 Lightning Bolt
74 Little Dragon
44 Pixie Lott
83 Patty Loveless
73 Lyle Lovett
79 Lucero
75 Baaba Maal
77 Madness
84 Madonna
85 Manic Street Preachers
61 Maps
73 Mario
55 Massive Attack
57 Matisyahu
62 John Mayer
67 Reba McEntire
66 Tim McGraw
65 Brian McKnight
79 Mew
75 Mika
68 Amy Millan
76 Mission Of Burma
75 Molina And Johnson
80 Monsters Of Folk
66 Morrissey
85 Mount Eerie
76 The Mountain Goats
62 MÃºm
72 Muse
66 Willie Nelson
82 Nirvana
96 Nirvana
80 No Age
71 Noah And The Whale
75 Noisettes
79 Nudge
64 OneRepublic
47 Dolores O'Riordan
74 Os Mutantes
78 Osso
67 Alec Ounsworth
81 Owen
73 Paramore
78 Pastels And Tenniscoats
54 Sean Paul
80 Pearl Jam
69 Jemina Pearl
72 Jack Penate
65 Phish
82 Pissed Jeans
61 Pitbull
79 A Place To Bury Strangers
79 Polvo
72 Porcupine Tree
72 Port O'Brien
79 Q-Tip
79 R.E.M.
88 Raekwon
69 Rain Machine
70 Ramona Falls
75 Dizzee Rascal
74 The Raveonettes
79 Real Estate
76 Jay Reatard
81 Rodrigo Y Gabriela
66 Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
78 Russian Circles
69 Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions
78 Say Anything
61 Sally Shapiro
78 Shudder To Think
70 Simian Mobile Disco
58 Simple Minds
72 Six Organs Of Admittance
80 Slayer
61 The Slits
77 Speech Debelle
58 Spiral Stairs
55 Steel Panther
75 Sufjan Stevens
52 Rod Stewart
68 Joss Stone
83 Barbra Streisand
77 A Sunny Day In Glasgow
74 Susanna And The Magical Orchestra
79 The Swell Season
80 David Sylvian
83 Taken By Trees
80 Tegan And Sara
68 The Temper Trap
78 The Dutchess & The Duke
71 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
74 Them Crooked Vultures
72 Themselves
82 They Might Be Giants
66 J Tillman
69 Times New Viking
57 Tokio Hotel
67 Trey Songz
73 Frank Turner
71 The Twilight Sad
60 Carrie Underwood
56 The Used
68 Various Artists
69 Various Artists
77 The Very Best
70 Kurt Vile
65 Vivian Girls
71 Volcano Choir
73 Rufus Wainwright
78 Wale
57 Weezer
81 White Denim
76 Why?
83 Wild Beasts
80 Wildbirds & Peacedrums
69 Robbie Williams
59 Andrew W.K.
65 Wolfmother
84 The xx
79 Yo La Tengo
83 Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band
52 Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
59 Zero 7

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

The following table displays the highest-scoring albums for the year in Metacritic's database. Also listed at the bottom of the page are year-end critic top ten lists culled from various music publications.

Albums must have at least 7 reviews to qualify for high score lists. Reissues, "best-of" compilations and box sets are not eligible for inclusion. Year of release reflects U.S. release date unless title has not yet been released in the U.S.

You may also view an index of all albums in our database alphabetically by artist.
In addition, you may view the top-rated albums by year: All | 2008 | '07 | '06 | '05 | '04 | '03 | '02 | '01 | '00

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year
1	London Zoo by The Bug	2008	90
2	Fed by Plush	2008	89
3	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio	2008	88
4	Exit by Shugo Tokumaru	2008	88
5	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver	2008	88
6	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes	2008	87
7	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds	2008	87
8	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair	2008	86
9	Robyn by Robyn	2008	86
10	What Does It All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective by Steinski	2008	86
11	Harps And Angels by Randy Newman	2008	86
12	Fortress by Protest The Hero	2008	86
13	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan	2008	86
14	Rook by Shearwater	2008	85
15	Life...The Best Game In Town by Harvey Milk	2008	85
16	Third by Portishead	2008	85
17	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady	2008	85
18	Laulu Laakson Kukista by Paavoharju	2008	85
19	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up	2008	85
20	Emeritus by Scarface	2008	85
21	The Airing Of Grievances by Titus Andronicus	2008	84
22	Sugar Mountain: Live At Canterbury House 1968 by Neil Young	2008	84
23	Tronic by Black Milk	2008	84
24	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne	2008	84
25	Don't Do Anything by Sam Phillips	2008	84
26	A Piece Of What You Need by Teddy Thompson	2008	84
27	One Kind Favor by B.B. King	2008	83
28	In The 7th Moon, The Chief Turned Into A Swimming Fish And Ate The Head Of His Enemy By Magic by Kasai Allstars	2008	83
29	Real Animal by Alejandro Escovedo	2008	83
30	Skeleton by Abe Vigoda	2008	83

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Almost Cool
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Amazon.com [Editors' Picks]
1.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
4.	Lay It Down by Al Green
5.	19 by Adele
6.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
7.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
8.	Shine by Estelle
9.	Trouble in Mind by Hayes Carll
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Austin Chronicle (Roaul Hernandez)
1.	Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
2.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
3.	II Trill by Bun B
4.	Graveyard by Graveyard
5.	Ten Stones by Wovenhand
6.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
7.	Nudge It Up a Notch by Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Attack & Release by The Black Keys
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Austin Chronicle (Austin Powell)
1.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2.	You & Me by The Walkmen
3.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
6.	Songs in A&E by Spiritualized
7.	Temper by Benoit Pioulard
8.	Retribution Gospel Choir
9.	Ferndorf by Hauschka
10.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu

Austin Chronicle (Audra Schroeder)
1.	Devotion by Beach House
2.	Vapour Trails by Tuxedomoon
3.	Third by Portishead
4.	Meanderthal by Torche
5.	Silence Is Wild by Frida Hyvonen
6.	The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In by Thee Oh Sees
7.	Free Gold by Indian Jewelry
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
10.	Women by Women

Billboard
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
6.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
6.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
7.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
8.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
9.	19 by Adele
9.	Rockferry by Duffy
10.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Blender
1.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
2.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
5.	Made In The Dark by Hot Chip
6.	Robyn by Robyn
7.	Skeletal Lamping by of Montreal
8.	Harps And Angels by Randy Newman
9.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
10.	Folie A Deux by Fall Out Boy

Cokemachineglow
1.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
2.	Tronic by Black Milk
3.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
4.	Women by Women
5.	Shapeshifters by Invincible
6.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
7.	You & Me by The Walkmen
8.	Laulu Laakson Kukista by Paavoharju
9.	Vivian Girls by Vivian Girls
10.	In Flesh Tones by Azeda Booth

Boston Globe [Joan Anderman]
1.	The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Ode To Sunshine by Delta Spirit
6.	Modern Guilt by Beck
7.	Accelerate by R.E.M.
8.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
9.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
10.	Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket

Boston Globe [James Reed]
1.	Devotion by Beach House
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Alegranza by El Guincho
4.	Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis
5.	The Troubles by Faces On Film
6.	Parplar by Larkin Grimm
7.	Lust Lust Lust by The Ravonettes
8.	Shine by Estelle
9.	Cold Fact by Rodgriguez
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

Boston Globe [Sarah Rodman]
1.	Volume One by She & Him
2.	Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses
3.	Rising Down by The Roots
4.	Love On The Inside by Sugarland
5.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
6.	Lay It Down by Al Green
7.	Rain by Joe Jackson
8.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
9.	The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

Delusions of Adequacy [DOA]
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Nouns by No Age
5.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
6.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
9.	The Stand Ins by Okkervil River
10.	Real Emotional Trash by Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Drowned In Sound
1.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
2.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
3.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
4.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
6.	Third by Portishead
7.	Alopecia by Why?
8.	Friendly Fires by Friendly Fires
9.	Midnight Boom by The Kills
10.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver

Dusted [Picks of co-editor Otis Hart]
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Love Is Overtaking Me by Arthur Russell
3.	Primary Colours by Eddy Current Suppression Ring
4.	When Horses Die... by Thomas Brinkmann
5.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
6.	Sleight of Heart by Malcolm Middleton
7.	Where You Go I Go Too by Lindstrom
8.	Margins Music by Dusk + Blackdown
9.	The Mandé Variations by Toumani Diabate
10.	Recomposed Vol. 3 by Carl Craig & Moritz von Oswald

EW [Leah Greenblatt]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	I Am...Sasha Fierce by Beyonce
3.	Santogold by Santogold
4.	Robyn by Robyn
5.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
6.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
7.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
8.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
9.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
10.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros

EW [Chris Willman]
1.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
2.	Robyn by Robyn
3.	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan
4.	Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch
5.	The Renaissance by Q-Tip
6.	Call Me Crazy by Lee Ann Womack
7.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
8.	A Little Bit Longer by The Jonas Brothers
9.	Detours by Sheryl Crow
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

Filter
1.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Fate by Dr. Dog
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Antidotes by Foals
6.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
7.	Volume One by She & Him
8.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
9.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
10.	Missiles by The Dears

Hartford Courant
1.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
2.	Santogold by Santogold
3.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
4.	Brighter Than Creation's Dark by Drive-By Truckers
5.	Distortion by The Magnetic Fields
6.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
7.	808's & Heartbreak by Kanye West
8.	Re-Arrange Us by Mates Of State
9.	City Of Refuge by Castanets
10.	I, Flatland by Ry Coder

Los Angeles Times [Ann Powers - no particular order]
	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
	Back To Now by Labelle
	I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too by Martha Wainwright
	Santogold by Santogold
	The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq
	Sounds So Good by Ashton Shepherd
	Remind Me In 3 Days by The Knux
	Love And Life by Eric Benet

Lost at Sea [Staff Consensus]
1.	Alopecia by Why?
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Los Angeles by Flying Lotus
5.	Third by Portishead
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros
9.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
10.	In Ear Park by Department Of Eagles
10.	Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne

Magnet
1.	Other People by American Princes
2.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3.	Lucky by Nada Surf
4.	Nouns by No Age
5.	Mission Control by The Whigs
6.	Parallel Play by Sloan
7.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
8.	Re-Arrange Us by Mates Of State
9.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
10.	The Visiter by The Dodos

Mojo
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	The Age Of The Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets
3.	22 Dreams by Paul Weller
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
6.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
7.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
8.	The Week That Was by The Week That Was
9.	London Zoo by The Bug
10.	Home Before Dark by Neil Diamond

MusicOMH
1.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
5.	Third by Portishead
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
8.	Alas I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling
9.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
10.	Street Horrrsing by Fuck Buttons

NME
1.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	Antidotes by Foals
6.	Nights Out by Metronomy
7.	Santogold by Santogold
8.	Twenty One by Mystery Jets
9.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
10.	Friendly Fires by Friendly Fires

New York Magazine
1.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
2.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Modern Guilt by Beck
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

The New York Times [Jon Pareles]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	The Mande Variations by Toumani Diabate
4.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
5.	In Ear Park by Department Of Eagles
6.	That Lonesome Song by Jamey Johnson
7.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
8.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
9.	Alas, I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling
10.	Santogold by Santogold

NoRipcord
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
4.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
5.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
6.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
7.	Rook by Shearwater
8.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
9.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
10.	Songs in A&E by Spiritualized

Now Toronto (Benjamin Boles)
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
3.	Jim by Jamie Lidell
4.	808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West
5.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
6.	Double Night Time by Morgan Geist
7.	Sessions by Carl Craig
8.	We are Beautiful, We Are Doomed by Los Campesinos!
9.	Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams by Solange
10.	Where You Go I Go Too by Lindstrom

Now Toronto (Tim Perlich)
1.	Rituals by Nicola Conte
2.	Flowers, Birds And Home by Heidi Happy
3.	The Dreamer by Jose James
4.	Sahara Swing by Karl Hector & The Malcouns
5.	Focus Level by Endless Boogie
6.	Parkdale by Elizabeth Shepherd
7.	Fragments Of The Universe Nurse by Human Eye
8.	Welcome To Mali by Amadou & Mariam
9.	1965 by Larry Jon Wilson
10.	Here by The Golden Hands Before God Conducts Incrediable Magic Band & The Spirits

Now Toronto (Michael Hollett)
1.	Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis
2.	Heads Off by The Hellacopters
3.	Attack & Release by The Black Keys
4.	Rockferry by Duffy
5.	The Renaissance by Q-Tip
6.	Sebastien Grainger And The Mountains
7.	Simply Grand by Irma Thomas
8.	Parallel Play by Sloan
9.	Seeing Sounds by N.E.R.D.
10.	Partie Traumatic by Black Kids

Observer Music Monthly [OMM]
1.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
2.	Welcome To Mali by Amadou & Mariam
3.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
4.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas
5.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
6.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	808s & Heartbreak by Kanye West
9.	Third by Portishead
10.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio

The Onion AV Club [Staff Consensus]
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
3.	You & Me by The Walkmen
4.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino
5.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
6.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie
10.	Third by Portishead

Paste Magazine
1.	Volume One by She & Him
2.	Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust by Sigur Ros
3.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	The Stand Ins by Okkervil River
6.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
7.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
8.	April by Sun Kil Moon
9.	Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
10.	Microcastle by Deerhunter

The Phoenix
1.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
2.	Black Sea by Fennesz
3.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
4.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
5.	Drawn in Basic by Populous WIth Short Stories
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	Dragging A Dead Dear Up A Hill by Grouper
8.	Lust Lust Lust by The Ravonettes
9.	Third by Portishead
10.	Action Silence Prayers by Stefano Pilia

Pitchfork
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Nouns by No Age
4.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
5.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
6.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
9.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
10.	Uproot by DJ/rupture

Popmatters
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
5.	London Zoo by The Bug
6.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
9.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
10.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino

Q
1.	Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
4.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
5.	Glasvegasby Glasvegas
6.	Rockferry by Duffy
7.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
8.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
9.	Consolers Of The Lonely by The Raconteurs
10.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Rolling Stone
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Tell Tale Signs: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8 by Bob Dylan
3.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
4.	Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket
5.	Life Death Love and Freedom by John Mellencamp
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
8.	Modern Guilt by Beck
9.	Death Magnetic by Metallica
10.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend

Slant Magazine
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Robyn by Robyn
3.	Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
4.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
5.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
6.	Kleerup by Kleerup
7.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
8.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
9.	Santogold by Santogold
10.	Alopecia by Why?

Spin
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
3.	Third by Portishead
4.	Chemistry Of Common Life by Fucked Up
5.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
6.	Santogold by Santogold
7.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
8.	Made In The Dark by Hot Chip
9.	Viva La Vida by Coldplay
10.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT

Sputnikmusic [Staff Consensus]
1.	Traced In Air by Cynic
2.	Some Blood by Off Minor
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Late Night Cinema by Blue Sky Bkack Death
5.	Deathconsciousness by Have A Nice Life
6.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
7.	It's Not Me, It's You! by pg.lost
8.	Los Angeles by Flying Lotus
9.	Fortress by Protest The Hero
10.	Sycamore Meadows by Butch Walker

The Guardian
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
6.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
7.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
8.	Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
9.	New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
10.	Glasvegas by Glasvegas

Tiny Mix Tapes
1.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
2.	Third by Portishead
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
5.	Music Tapes for Clouds & Tornadoes by The Music Tapes
6.	Devotion by Beach House
7.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
8.	Rip It Off by Times New Viking
9.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
10.	Lost Wisdom/Dawn by Mount Eerie

Uncut
1.	Third by Portishead
2.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
3.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
4.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
5.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
6.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
7.	Stainless Style by Neon Neon
8.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
9.	Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
10.	22 Dreams by Paul Weller

Under The Rader [Staff Consensus]
1.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
2.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
3.	The Visiter by The Dodos
4.	Third by Portishead
5.	Neptune by The Duke Spirit
6.	Volume One by She & Him
7.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
8.	The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
9.	Flight Of The Conchords by Flight Of The Conchords
10.	Missiles by The Dears

The Wire
1.	London Zoo by The Bug
2.	Sand by Philip Jeck
3.	Hairdryer Peace by The Hospitals
4.	Resonant Spaces by John Butcher
5.	Saint Dymphna by Gang Gang Dance
6.	Other Channels by The Advisory Circle
7.	Hello, Voyager by Evangelista
8.	Real English Tea Made Here by William S Burroughs
9.	Imperial Wax Solvent by The Fall
10.	Persistent Repetition Of Phrases by The Caretaker

NOTES: Asterisks above indicate that the album appeared in an alphabetical, unranked top ten list.

Artists Appearing on Multiple Top Ten Lists Above
Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
Third by Portishead
Hercules And Love Affair by Hercules And Love Affair
For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
Oracular Spectacular by MGMT
Only By The Night by Kings of Leon
Volume One by She & Him
Devotion by Beach House
Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
The Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow
Microcastle by Deerhunter
Saturdays=Youth by M83
Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War) by Erykah Badu
London Zoo by The Bug
Alopecia by Why?
Little Honey by Lucinda Williams
Other People by American Princes
Rituals by Nicola Conte
Traced In Air by Cynic
The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis

Metacritic Users' Year-End Lists

Metacritic.com Users Consensus: Top Albums of 2008
1.	Dear Science, by TV On The Radio
2.	For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver
3.	Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes
4.	Microcastle by Deerhunter
5.	Third by Portishead
6.	Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
7.	The Visiter by The Dodos
8.	You & Me by The Walkmen
9.	The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit
10.	Hometowns by The Rural Alberta Advantage
11.	Saturdays=Youth by M83
12.	At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade
13.	Stay Positive by The Hold Steady
14.	In Ghost Colours by Cut Copy
15.	Alopecia by Why?
16.	Feed The Animals by Girl Talk
17.	Skeletal Lamping by of Montreal
18.	Hold On Now, Youngster by Los Campesino!
19.	Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
20.	Rook by Shearwater

Metacritic.com Users Consensus: Top Songs of 2008
1.	Fleet Foxes - "White Winter Hymnal"
2.	Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"
3.	Deerhunter - "Nothing Ever Happened"
4.	MGMT - "Time To Pretend"
5.	Hot Chip - "Ready for the Floor
6.	Portishead - "The Rip"
7.	M83 - "Kim & Jessie"
8.	MGMT - "Kids"
9.	The Walkmen - "In The New Year"
10.	Frightened Rabbit - "The Modern Leper
11.	Blitzen Trapper - "Furr"
12.	Animal Collective - "Water Curses"
13.	Fleet Foxes - "Mykonos"
14.	Beach House - "Gila"
15.	Sigur Ros - "Gobbledigook
16.	The Dodos - "Fools"
17.	TV On The Radio - "Halfway Home"
18.	Ra Ra Riot - "Ghosts Under Rocks"
19.	The Hold Steady - "Constructive Summer"
20.	Hercules & Love Affair - "Blind"

Rankings above reflect the combined Top-20 lists of Metacritic.com users submitted in Metacritic's Discussion Forums. View users' individual album lists... View users' individual song lists...

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Music

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Metacritic Users' Year-End Lists