Dido

It is no coincidence that No Angel sounds surprisingly mature for a debut album. Before becoming an "overnight" global diva, the London-born Florian de Bounevialle Cloud Armstrong had already honed her musical skills with her brother Rollo's band Faithless. But it was No Angel that struck a universal chord with lovers of sophisticated, catchy dream-pop songs with trip-hop undertones (think Portishead-lite with a dash of Beth Orton charm and a hint of Sinead O'Connor mysticism). Even Eminem liked "Thank You" enough to sample its first verse on his subsequent megahit "Stan." Dido's mellow approach and pretty melodies are a bit too laid-back to qualify as groundbreaking. But it would be cynical to altogether dismiss the chanteuse's sincere intentions and gorgeous voice. In 2003, Dido avoided the sophomore slump with Life for Rent, a polished followup that reflected on her breakup with her fiance while delivering dark pop gems such as the atmospheric "See the Sun." (ERNESTO LECHNER)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide