MP3s were just barely a thing in 2002. CDs were still the dominant music distribution medium at the time. But Napster frightened the industry to its core, so much so that it was forced to close in 2002.
We hadn’t – yet – lit upon the idea of an annual best-of list. But we did share mix CDs with favorite tracks. And this list, while reconstructed alongside 2000-2003, represents some of our picks from the year.
NEWCOMERS
Cornershop, Elastica, Johnny Cash, Midnight Oil, Moby, Mr. Scruff, Simian, Suede, The Libertines, The Postal Service, The Pretenders, The Raveonettes, The Streets, The Vines, Tom Waits
SECOND-TIMERS
Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, John Doe, Sahara Hotnights, Spoon, Tahiti 80, The Epoxies, Warren Zevon
RETURNING FAVORITES
Iron & Wine, Supergrass, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Josh Rouse, The Ark, Neko Case, Robbie Williams, The Decemberists
2002 Playlist
Track by track, with artist
- Hurt
JOHNNY CASH - All The World Is Green
TOM WAITS - Golden Age
MIDNIGHT OIL - Faded From The Winter
IRON & WINE - This Far
JOHN DOE - We’re So Small
EPOXIES - Handsome Man
ROBBIE WILLIAMS - Such Great Heights
THE POSTAL SERVICE - Staging The Plaguing Of The Raised Platform
CORNERSHOP - Slow Burn
DAVID BOWIE - Sunshinin’
THE VINES - Father Of A Son
THE ARK - Alright Alright
SAHARA HOTNIGHTS - Stay Don’t Go
SPOON - Rush Hour Soul
SUPERGRASS - Lie To Me
THE PRETENDERS
- No, Not Now
HOT HOT HEAT - Generator
ELASTICA - My Ride’s Here
WARREN ZEVON - Beautiful Loser
SUEDE - Don’t Mug Yourself
THE STREETS - Champagne Nibbler
MR. SCRUFF - Obstacle 1
INTERPOL - Under Cold Blue Stars
JOSH ROUSE - Horrorshow
THE LIBERTINES - 1,000 Times
TAHITI 80 - LA Breeze
SIMIAN - Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s A Doll Revolution)
ELVIS COSTELLO - Attack Of The Ghost Riders
THE RAVEONETTES - We Are All Made Of Stars
MOBY - July, July!
THE DECEMBERISTS - I Wish I Was The Moon
NEKO CASE
