New artists, some good and some bad, made their presence known in 2003, but it ultimately… New artists, some good and some bad, made their presence known in 2003, but it ultimately was a fairly decent year in music. Gangsta rapper 50 Cent burst onto the scene with the Eminem-and-Dr. Dre-produced Get Rich or Die Trying. Meanwhile, producer and music mogul Pharell was just about everywhere on the music radar screen.

Rock music had a huge showing with new releases from bands like Nickelback, The White Stripes and Coldplay. New artists like The Darkness, Evanescence and Jet burst into the business, bringing a new sound, as well as a rejuvenated old sound.

At the beginning of every year, everybody comes up with their choices of top albums of the previous year, and who they think is the cream of the crop. This is my take.

5. 50 Cent — “Many Men”

What would a top five list be without 50? He was everywhere and on every music station you could dial. But since “In Da Club” was the anthem for just about everyone during the summer, it got played a little too much. So relief came with the darker “Many Men.”

4. Jet — “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”

Jet broke onto the scene late in 2003 with their debut album Get Born, a fresh revitalization of old-school garage rock. The first single “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?” is a catchy tune that put Jet’s name out there quickly.

3. Dave Matthews — “Gravedigger”

Dave released his first solo album, Some Devil, in 2003, and the first single, “Gravedigger,” is a powerful song about lives lost too soon. A dark track, it was a success for Dave and his debut solo album.

2. The Darkness — “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”

England’s The Darkness snuck into the music scene late in 2003, bringing ’70s hard rock into the ears of an unsuspecting MTV generation. They provided a fresh blast from the past to alleviate the bubblegum blues that have plagued the music scene for the past few years.

1. The White Stripes — “Seven Nation Army”

I simply could not get enough of this song, and it still hasn’t gotten old.

With bands maturing and new bands bursting onto the scene, 2003 was a successful year for music. With Janet Jackson returning in all her glory and OutKast turning even more heads, 2004 looks to be filled with more antics and hopefully more great music.

Look for more in 2004 from great artists like Death Cab for Cutie, Yellow Card and all of the artists mentioned above.