The poll combines ballots from 793 critics, who divided 100 points among 10 2004 albums. (Every individual ballot is available online.) Maximum per album: 30. Minimum: 5. Points determined placement, with total mentions (included in parentheses) used for tiebreaking.
1 Kanye West  The College Dropout
Roc-A-Fella
>>buy the album<< points: 2826(245)
2 Brian Wilson  SMiLE
Nonesuch
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 2034(164)
3 Loretta Lynn  Van Lear Rose
Interscope
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 1785(165)
4 Franz Ferdinand  Franz Ferdinand
Domino/Epic
>>buy the album<< points: 1569(147)
5 Green Day  American Idiot
Reprise
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 1251(107)
6 Arcade Fire  Funeral
Merge
>>buy the album<< points: 1169(105)
7 Streets  A Grand Don't Come For Free
Vice/Atlantic
>>buy the album<< points: 1161(110)
8 U2  How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Interscope
>>buy the album<< points: 996(93)
9 Modest Mouse  Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Epic
>>buy the album<< points: 940(91)
10 Danger Mouse  The Grey Album
www.djdangermouse.com
points: 904(82)
11 Madvillain  Madvillainy
Stones Throw
>>buy the album<< points: 875(86)
12 TV on the Radio  Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
Touch and Go
>>buy the album<< points: 870(80)
13 Wilco  A Ghost Is Born
Nonesuch
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 778(78)
14 Rilo Kiley  More Adventurous
Brute/Beaute
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 709(66)
  Nellie McKay  Get Away From Me
Columbia
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 709(65)
16 Drive-by Truckers  The Dirty South
New West
>>buy the album<< points: 627(57)
17 Fiery Furnaces  Blueberry Boat
Rough Trade
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 617(53)
18 Björk  Medulla
Elektra
>>buy the album<< points: 578(57)
19 Interpol  Antics
Matador
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 559(54)
20 Joanna Newsom  The Milk-Eyed Mender
Drag City
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 550(50)
21 Animal Collective  Sung Tongs
Fat Cat
>>buy the album<< points: 545(51)
22 Elliott Smith  From a Basement on the Hill
Anti-
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 531(57)
23 M.I.A./Diplo  Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1
no label
points: 519(50)
24 Dizzee Rascal  Showtime
XL
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 489(50)
25 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds  Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Anti-
>>buy the album<< points: 474(43)
26 Scissor Sisters  Scissor Sisters
Universal
>>buy the album<< points: 465(44)
27 Killers  Hot Fuss
Island
>>buy the album<< points: 463(46)
28 Devendra Banhart  Rejoicing in the Hands
Young God
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 454(42)
29 Tom Waits  Real Gone
Anti-
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 442(44)
30 Libertines  The Libertines
Rough Trade
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 436(42)
31 Hold Steady  Almost Killed Me
Frenchkiss
>>buy the album<< points: 431(36)
32 Ghostface  The Pretty Toney Album
Def Jam
>>buy the album<< points: 429(46)
33 PJ Harvey  Uh Huh Her
Island
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 408(43)
34 Youssou N'Dour  Egypt
Nonesuch
>>buy the album<< points: 388(37)
35 Usher  Confessions
Arista
>>buy the album<< points: 359(32)
36 Morrissey  You Are the Quarry
Attack
>>buy the album<< points: 356(35)
37 Sonic Youth  Sonic Nurse
DGC
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 349(40)
38 Black Keys  Rubber Factory
Fat Possum
>>buy the album<< points: 336(30)
39 Big & Rich  Horse of a Different Color
Warner Bros.
>>buy the album<< >>read the Voice review<< points: 334(31)
40 A.C. Newman  The Slow Wonder
Matador
>>buy the album<< points: 329(35)
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