What’s the Greatest Rock Album from 2003?

As we continue our ongoing celebration of 2023’s big album anniversaries, we ask: what’s the greatest rock album from 2003?

 

I started this whole rigamarole earlier this year when I erected (heh) a Poll asking you to pick your favorite album from 1993. That was a rich class of rock records. They all turn 30 this year, and they’re all memorable. From there, we jumped back a decade and played favorites from 1983. I was surprised at how strong the rock crop is with regards to albums that turn 40 this year. Recently, we looked at the 25th anniversary releases of 1998. In all three cases, the Polls remain open, so toss a vote at each one if you haven’t yet.

 

I almost skipped the 20th anniversary releases of 2003, believe it or not. I have a lot of personal favorite albums from that year, but I thought there weren’t many of note with regards to what we play on ROCK 92.9. Turns out I was wrong. A tip of the hat to my colleagues Ariana and Tim, who helped me brainstorm a pretty solid list of rock and rock-adjacent releases from 2003. Some of the songs on the albums we still play on ROCK 92.9. Some of them we might, depending on how you vote in this week’s Poll.

 

What’s the Greatest Rock Album from 2003?

We ended up with a list of 12 albums, which was totally coincidental and not my forcing a 12 into something because that’s totally my thing. After the fact, I added a lucky 13th album that I thought belonged as well. Per usual, I welcome you to yell at me if I didn’t include a favorite of yours that turns 20 this year. The ROCK 92.9 Facebook or Twitter are both good avenues for yelling. Otherwise, keep scrolling to reacquaint yourself with the Class of ’03 and vote for your favorite releases.

• The Ataris 'So Long, Astoria'

   

  

• The Black Keys ‘Thickfreakness’

  Released on April 8, 2003

  

• Blink-182 ‘Blink-182’

  Released on November 18, 2003

  

• The Darkness ‘Permission To Land’

  Released on July 7, 2003

  

• Deftones ‘Deftones’

  Released on May 30, 2003

  

• Dropkick Murphys ‘Blackout’

  Released on June 10, 2003

  

• Evanescence ‘Fallen’

  Released on March 4, 2003

  

• Kings Of Leon ‘Youth & Young Manhood’

  Released on July 7, 2003

  

• Linkin Park ‘Meteora’

  Released on March 25, 2003

  

• Muse ‘Absolution’

  Released on September 15, 2003

  

• Radiohead ‘Hail To The Thief’

  Released on June 9, 2003

  

• The Strokes ‘Room On Fire’

  Released on October 28, 2003

  

• The White Stripes ‘Elephant’

  Released on April 1, 2003