I was still still having a miserable time finding good, new music in 2003. Fortunately, there was Dido.
Seriously, the adult contemporary station I was listening to was killing my interest in music altogether. Life for Rent wasn't as great an album as No Angel, but it was way better than the other crap I was exposed to. And it was another fantastic concert.
Singles: Fountains of Wayne: "Stacy's Mom" No Doubt: "It's My Life"
Even though there were a few albums that I liked in '99, this was an easy choice. I still love this record. Still love Dido. I've been in love with her stuff since the first time I heard "Hear With Me." At the time I thought it was an interesting cross between Garbage and the Cranberries and I loved it enough to watch Roswell every week because they used it for the theme song. (I went to Roswell for Dido, but I stayed for Emilie de Ravin.)
Though I started off comparing her to other musicians, the rest of the album is totally it's own thing. My earliest memory of "Thank You" is lying in bed sick one morning, knowing that I had to go into work later for an important meeting and dreading it. I heard the song on the radio and it made me happy enough that I got up and moving. Went out and bought the album right after that.
Love her voice. Love her words. Love her music. Love her love her love her.
Runners Up: Lou Bega: A Little Bit of Mambo Macy Gray: On How Life Is Smash Mouth: Astro Lounge
Singles: Baz Luhrmann: "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" Ricky Martin: "Livin' la Vida Loca" The Offspring: "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" Sixpence None the Richer: "Kiss Me" Sugar Ray: "Every Morning"
