23 Albums Turning 20 in 2023
Unforgettable albums from The White Stripes, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, and The Mars Volta were all released in 2003.
When you look back at some of the most celebrated albums of years past, you get a vivid snapshot of the world at different points in history. The way the music sounds, the art, and even the way artists dress can immerse you in the decade, scene, or year that an album originated from.
As a music fan you may occasionally revel in nostalgia by revisiting albums from your youth or you might even try to capture the spirit of an era that came and went before you were born. Regardless of your motives for musical rediscovery, these albums from 2003 paint a picture of a year filled with garage rock revivalists, game-changing rappers, emotional indie rockers, and industry veterans finding their way in a new millennium.
Get ready to travel back in time and experience some of the most popular albums from 2003.
Room On Fire
by The Strokes
The Strokes’ sophomore album stands as one of the band’s finest efforts with timeless singles like “12:51,” “Reptilia,” and “The End Has No End.”
Absolution
by Muse
Muse’s third album saw the band go in a darker direction with nightmarish choruses and apocalyptic lyrical themes.
The Black Album
by Jay-Z
The Black Album continues to be praised for its elevated lyrical content, diverse rapping techniques, and its contributions from some of hip-hop’s most impressive producers.
Elephant
by The White Stripes
Praised as one of the greatest albums of all time, Elephant is considered by many to be the blues-rockers’ magnum opus.
Transatlanticism
by Death Cab For Cutie
In addition to the melodramatic indie rock journey that is Transatlanticism, 2003 also saw frontman Ben Gibbard release Give Up, a playful yet emotional synth-pop album from his side project, The Postal Service.
St. Anger
by Metallica
As chronicled in the documentary, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, inner-band turmoil greatly disrupted the recording process for St. Anger. This led to some mixed reviews for the album’s stylistic shifts and baffling production choices, but many fans still stand by this 2003 effort.
Dangerously In Love
by Beyoncé
Beyoncé’s debut solo album is full of smooth vocals and top-notch production that further catapulted the Destiny’s Child frontwoman into superstardom.
Hail To The Thief
by Radiohead
By combining churning guitars and chilling electronic soundscapes, Radiohead took all the things they do best to craft an inventive and impactful album.
De-Loused In The Comatorium
by The Mars Volta
After At The Drive-In went on indefinite hiatus, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez formed The Mars Volta and released this ambitious album full of thrilling twists and turns.
Frank
by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse’s first full-length album showcased her incredibly powerful voice and helped her achieve mainstream success as an unconventional pop artist.
Vaudeville Villain
by Viktor Vaughn
MF Doom released this astounding record under the alias Viktor Vaughn and the infinitely fascinating Take Me To Your Leader under the name King Geedorah in 2003.
Streetcore
by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
Released the year after his death, Streetcore is viewed as Joe Strummer’s most cohesive work since The Clash’s London Calling and a fitting swan song full of his signature reggae and rock and roll influences.
Elephunk
by Black Eyed Peas
With Fergie joining the group during the production of Elephunk, the Black Eyed Peas took their eclectic hip-hop and pop sounds to new heights with this breakthrough album.
Fever To Tell
by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
On their critically acclaimed debut, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs struck the right balance between melody and chaos and became one of the 21st century’s most promising indie rock bands.
Meteora
by Linkin Park
Linkin Park’s sophomore album expanded on the alternative metal and hip-hop sound of their massive debut and provided the world with even more monumental hit singles.
Shades Of Blue
by Madlib
With access to Blue Note’s archives, Madlib remixed classic tracks from artists like Wayne Shorter and gave them a whole new groove.
Chutes Too Narrow
by The Shins
The Shins’ second album was recorded with an overall cleaner sound to help showcase the breadth of emotion found in each psychedelic folk composition.
Dance Of Death
by Iron Maiden
The metal veterans’ 13th studio album was seen as a return to form as the band tapped into the urgency of their early ’80s albums.
Nocturama
by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Nocturama quickly developed a reputation for not being The Bad Seeds’ strongest release, but its heart-wrenching piano ballads and high-energy numbers like “Babe, I’m On Fire” have helped the album become more appreciated over the years.
Thickfreakness
by The Black Keys
This album put The Black Keys on the map and made them one of the biggest blues rock bands on the planet.
Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
by OutKast
OutKast followed the sensational Stankonia with this double album that allowed each member to explore their own musical impulses and craft some of the best hip-hop and pop songs of the 2000s.
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