RSSThe 1997 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll
Albums
| 1. | Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind (Columbia) | 1655 | (135) | |
| 2. | Radiohead: OK Computer (Capitol) | 1475 | (122) | |
| 3. | Cornershop: When I Was Born for the 7th Time (Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.) | 1251 | (122) | |
| 4. | Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars) | 1248 | (108) | |
| 5. | Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (Matador) | 964 | (88) | |
| 6. | Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (The Gold Mind, Inc./EastWest) | 792 | (76) | |
| 7. | Erykah Badu: Baduizm (Universal) | 760 | (76) | |
| 8. | Belle and Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister (The Enclave) | 715 | (68) | |
| 9. | Bjork: Homogenic (Elektra) | 701 | (72) | |
| 10. | Pavement: Brighten the Corners (Matador) | 681 | (61) | |
| 11. | Steve Earle: El Corazon (Warner Bros.) | 628 | (53) | |
| 12. | The Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole (Astralwerks) | 547 | (57) | |
| 13. | The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (Bad Boy) | 546 | (46) | |
| 14. | Portishead: Portishead (Go! Beat/London) | 541 | (53) | |
| 15. | Roni Size/Reprazent: New Forms (Talkin' Loud/Mercury) | 474 | (52) | |
| 16. | Wyclef Jean: Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring Refugee All-Stars (Ruffhouse/Columbia) | 427 | (42) | |
| 17. | Spiritualized: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (Arista) | 403 | (34) | |
| 18. | The Verve: Urban Hymns (Virgin) | 392 | (41) | |
| 19. | Beth Orton: Trailer Park (Heavenly) | 391 | (34) | |
| 20. | Elliott Smith: Either/Or (Kill Rock Stars) | 339 | (32) | |
| 21. | Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit) | 316 | (30) | |
| 22. | The Geraldine Fibbers: Butch (Virgin) | 303 | (31) | |
| 23. | Whiskeytown: Strangers Almanac (Outpost) | 297 | (29) | |
| 24. | Janet Jackson: The Velvet Rope (Virgin) | 290 | (29) | |
| 25. | Richard Buckner: Devotion + Doubt (MCA) | 278 | (23) | |
| 26. | Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever (Loud) | 269 | (26) | |
| 27. | Ben Folds Five: Whatever and Ever Amen (550 Music) | 268 | (29) | |
| 28. | Stereolab: Dots and Loops (Elektra) | 236 | (27) | |
| 29. | Prodigy: The Fat of the Land (Maverick/Warner Bros.) | 232 | (20) | |
| Patti Smith: Peace and Noise (Arista) | 232 | (20) | ||
| 31. | U2: Pop (Island) | 216 | (20) | |
| 32. | Built To Spill: Perfect From Now On (Warner Bros.) | 213 | (22) | |
| 33. | Ron Sexsmith: Other Songs (Interscope) | 204 | (18) | |
| 34. | John Fogerty: Blue Moon Swamp (Warner Bros.) | 200 | (19) | |
| 35. | Fiona Apple: Tidal (Work) | 189 | (20) | * |
| Daft Punk: Homework (Virgin) | 189 | (20) | ||
| 37. | Supergrass: In It for the Money (Capitol) | 183 | (16) | |
| 38. | Blur: Blur (Virgin) | 182 | (16) | |
| 39. | The Jayhawks: Sound of Lies (American) | 178 | (15) | |
| 40. | Primal Scream: Vanishing Point (Reprise) | 166 | (16) |
Singles
| 1. | Hanson: "MMMBop" (Mercury) | 96 | |
| 2. | Chumbawamba: "Tubthumping" (Republic/Universal) | 89 | |
| 3. | The Verve: "Bitter Sweet Symphony" (Virgin) | 84 | |
| 4. | Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott: "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" (The Gold Mind, Inc./EastWest) | 70 | |
| 5. | Blur: "Song 2" (Virgin) | 60 | |
| 6. | Cornershop: "Brimful of Asha" (Luaka Bop/Warner Bros.) | 56 | |
| 7. | The Chemical Brothers: "Block Rockin' Beats" (Astralwerks) | 53 | |
| 8. | Erykah Badu: "On and On" (Universal) | 47 | * |
| Smash Mouth: "Walkin' on the Sun" (Interscope) | 47 | ||
| 10. | The Notorious B.I.G. (Featuring Puff Daddy and Mase): "Mo Money Mo Problems" (Bad Boy) | 43 | |
| 11. | Fiona Apple: "Criminal" (Work) | 40 | |
| 12. | The Notorious B.I.G.: "Hypnotize" (Bad Boy) | 39 | |
| 13. | OMC: "How Bizarre" (Mercury) | 32 | * |
| White Town: "Your Woman" (Virgin??Chrysalis??) | 32 | * | |
| 15. | Spice Girls: "Wannabe" (Virgin) | 27 | * |
| 16. | Janet Jackson: "Got Til It's Gone" (Virgin) | 26 | |
| Prodigy: "Firestarter" (Virgin) | 26 | * | |
| Puff Daddy: "It's All About the Benjamins" (Bad Boy) | 26 | ||
| 19. | The Cardigans: "Lovefool" (Mercury) | 24 | * |
| 20. | Yo La Tengo: "Autumn Sweater" (Matador) | 22 | |
| 21. | Busta Rhymes: "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" (Elektra) | 21 | |
| 22. | Timbaland and Magoo: "Up Jumps Da' Boogie" (Blackground/Atlantic) | 19 | |
| 23. | Shawn Colvin: "Sunny Came Home" (Columbia) | 18 | |
| Sugar Ray: "Fly" (Atlantic) | 18 | ||
| 25. | Daft Punk: "Around the World" (Virgin) | 17 | |
| Daft Punk: "Da Funk" (Virgin) | 17 |
Reissues
| 1. | Anthology of American Folk Music (Smithsonian Folkways) | 100 |
| 2. | Lee "Scratch" Perry: Arkology (Island Jamaica) | 54 |
| 3. | Ray Charles: Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Rhino) | 46 |
| 4. | Beg, Scream and Shout: The Big Ol' Box of '60s Soul (Rhino) | 39 |
| 5. | Charles Mingus: Passions of a Man: The Complete Atlantic Recordings 1956-1961 (Rhino/Atlantic Jazz Collection) | 36 |
| 6. | The Beach Boys: The Pet Sounds Sessions (Capitol) | 29 |
| 7. | John Coltrane: The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings (Impulse!) | 28 |
| The Philly Sound: Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff & the Story of Brotherly Love (Epic Associated/Legacy) | 28 | |
| 9. | Al Green: Anthology (The Right Stuff/Hi) | 26 |
| 10. | Dusty Springfield: The Dusty Springfield Anthology (Mercury Chronicles) | 25 |
Village Voice, Feb. 24, 1998
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1996 | Essay | Dean's List | 1998 |  |