As always, I am only ranking albums that I own. Therefore, if there is an album you think should be on the list, chances are I don't own it or, if I do own it, I didn't think it was better than any of the albums on the list. As a heads up, I tend not to buy music that puts me to sleep. Sorry, Death Cab fans.
And, of course, this list is likely premature, since I am sure that I will one day own more albums from this decade than I do today. Such is life. If I am able to do so, on the day I die, I will post an updated list.
Also, I am including only studio albums. Thus, excluded are soundtracks, live albums, greatest hits, or compilations.
Before I get to those studio albums, however, I will say that my favorite compilation of the 2000s is Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit, a 2001 compilation produced by Jack White featuring various Detroit garage bands, including The White Stripes, The Von Bondies, Detroit Cobras, The Dirtbombs, and Ko & The Knockouts, among others. It's an excellent album with some fantastic garage and blues-based rock.
Alright. Now to the studio albums, with a bonus 101st album. Yowzah!
101. Chris Gemkow - Drowsy (2004?)
I previously reviewed this album during my well-received A-Z CDs back in aught seven. Since I'm sure I can't write a better synopsis of the album now as I did then, here is what I had to say about it then: You may know him as Chris Thunder, Gemkeezi, Luda-Chris, or one of the creative forces behind The Franklins, the undisputed kings of Missoula, Montana's goth jazz/acid synth-pop metal scene. Drowsy, his 2004 (?) solo debut, went largely unnoticed by mainstream and underground media outlets, but don't let that fool you. From what I understand, Chris locked himself in a remote Montana cabin with nothing more than a four-track, an acoustic guitar, a harmonica, a single bongo, a didgeridoo, a pillow, the May 1994 issue of Cat Fancy, and like 740 pounds of ganja. He emerged 14 months later with Drowsy, a collection of songs mostly about being tired. "Sweet Solitude" is surprisingly upbeat, considering it recounts the time he spent at Sing Sing for human trafficking. "Looking Out for You" is a horrifying piece, marked by tear-filled wailing and what I think is the sound of a man beating himself in the chest with a half-full metal bucket of nails. Despite what its title implies, "Someone Else's Girl" is all about house cats, and it gets pretty graphic. At a funeral pace, "Without Looking Back" recounts in detail a man's lifelong quest for vengeance against a high school classmate who mercilessly mocked the man when he brought a pink cupcake to lunch one day, drawing accusations of homosexual incest. Derivative of early Kraftwerk, "Without a Sound" -- the second in the "Without Duology" -- is a lighthearted tale of rape and murder from the perspective of the victim -- a deaf mute merman. From what I can tell, "Been Thinkin'" is mostly about turtles, although it's unclear if he means the amphibian or the candy. "Lost and Empty" is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek tribute to AIDS. "Darlin'" is an over-the-top, overproduced ballad, singing the praises of angel dust, Conrad Bain, taxidermy, and wicker patio furniture, in that order. I think there might be a Dylan cover and a Ben Harper cover in there somewhere, but it's hard to tell when a didgeridoo is involved.
100. Kanye West - Late Registration (2005)
99. OutKast - Idlewild (2006)
98. Japandroids - Post-Nothing (2009)
97. Runner & The Thermodynamics - The Dude (2006?)
96. Interpol - Antics (2004)
95. The Dead Weather - Horehound (2009)
94. Weezer - Weezer (The Red Album) (2008)
93. Supagroup - Supagroup (2003)
92. Razorlight - Slipway Fires (2009)
91. Chickenfoot - Chickenfoot (2009)
90. Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy (2008)
89. Andrew W.K. - The Wolf (2003)
88. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement (2008)
87. Jack Johnson - Brushfire Fairytales (2002)
86. Heartless Bastards - All This Time (2006)
85. Razorlight - Razorlight (2006)
84. Kings of Leon - Only By The Night (2008)
83. The Greenhornes - The Greenhornes (2001)
82. Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!! (2008)
Green Day's alter ego pumps out sixties-style garage rock, and quite well at that.
81. 50 Cent - The Massacre (2005)
80. The Black Keys - Magic Potion (2006)
79. Unicycle Loves You - Unicycle Loves You (2008)
78. Butch Walker & The Let's-Go-Out-Tonites - The Rise and Fall Of Butch Walker & The Let's-Go-Out-Tonites (2006)
77. Ben Harper & Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times (2009)
76. Kanye West - College Dropout (2004)
75. Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (2005)
74. The Greenhornes - Dual Mono (2002)
73. Catfish Haven - Devastator (2008)
72. Angus Khan - Black Leather Soul (2009)
71. Ko & The Knockouts - Ko & The Knockouts (2002)
70. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob (2007)
69. Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg (2009)
68. Dirty Pretty Things - Waterloo to Anywhere (2006)
67. Weezer - Maladroit (2002)
66. John Mellencamp - Trouble No More (2003)
This is an album of blues, folk, and Americana covers by Indiana's favorite troubadour. Mellencamp pulls it off with ease.
65. Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs (2004)
64. Weezer - Raditude (2009)
63. Louis XIV - Slick Dogs & Ponies (2008)
62. Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads (2008)
61. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
60. Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)
59. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll (2006)
58. Man Raze - Surreal (2008)
57. Beck - Guero (2005)
56. Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward (2008)
55. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (2006)
54. The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth (2006)
53. O.A.R. - Souls Aflame (2001)
52. Lit - Atomic (2001)
51. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2005)
50. Ace Frehley - Anomaly (2009)
49. The Black Keys - Attack & Release (2008)
48. The Donnas - Spend the Night (2002)
47. Def Leppard - Yeah! (2006)
A fantastic album of '70s British glam and hard rock covers.
46. The Black Keys - Thickfreakness (2003)
45. The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell . . . And Back (2005)
44. Art Brut - It's a Bit Complicated (2007)
43. The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me (2004)
42. The Bravery - The Bravery (2005)
41. The Black Keys - The Big Come Up (2002)
40. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple (2008)
39. The Fratellis - Here We Stand (2008)
38. The White Stripes - Icky Thump (2007)
37. Weezer - Weezer (The Green Album) (2001)
36. Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)
35. Velvet Revolver - Contraband (2004)
34. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)
33. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003)
32. Township - Coming Home (2008)
31. King Konga - Something Good (2001)
30. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday (2005)
29. The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (2008)
I recently bought this album at the recommendation of Mike "Not the same guy I went to high school with of the same name" McHugh, and it is fantastic. It's really good rock and roll with interesting lyrics. Think Springsteen-inspired rock mixed with The Clash, early Goo Goo Dolls, The Killers circa Sam's Town, and a little bit of The Cure.
28. Wolfmother - Wolfmother (2006)
27. Runner & The Thermodynamics - Runner and The Thermodynamics (2004)
26. Robert Randolph & The Family Band - Unclassified (2003)
This is, for the most part, energetic, funky, rocking steel lap guitar jam band music. It's a great album.
25. Kaiser Chiefs - Employment (2005)
24. The Answer - Everyday Demons (2009)
23. The Strokes - Room On Fire (2003)
22. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times (2007)
21. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
20. Township - Township (2008)
19. The White Stripes - De Stijl (2000)
18. The Killers - Hot Fuss (2004).
I think it's a sign of a good album when I remember exactly where I was when I first listened to it. For Hot Fuss, it was in August 2004, on a plane to Boston for a guys trip to see the White Sox play the Red Sox at Fenway. Thus, whenever I hear "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," it brings back memories of busting into a hotel bathroom to vomit, only to find my friend sitting on the pot, thus forcing me to puke in the bathtub, resulting in the both of us laughing our asses off. Good times. Also, the drumming is excellent on this album.
17. Metallica - Death Magnetic (2008)
16. The Darkness - Permission to Land (2003)
15. The Strokes - Is This It? (2001)
14. Kings of Leon - Youth & Young Manhood (2003)
13. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (2008)
12. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely (2008)
11. The Black Keys - Rubber Factory (2004)
10. Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet (2001)
Andrew W.K.'s full-length debut is a giant ball of bombastic energy with wall-of-sound production and songs celebrating hedonism. What make this album great, though, is that behind that wall are well-crafted pop hooks. This isn't just some hard-on blowing off steam by yelling into the mic; this is someone who is calculatingly harnessing pop sensibilities while blowing you away sonically. If you combined mid-'70s Springsteen and Meat Loaf with Black Flag, The Ramones, The Replacements, and Motörhead, this might very well be the result.
Andrew W.K.'s full-length debut is a giant ball of bombastic energy with wall-of-sound production and songs celebrating hedonism. What make this album great, though, is that behind that wall are well-crafted pop hooks. This isn't just some hard-on blowing off steam by yelling into the mic; this is someone who is calculatingly harnessing pop sensibilities while blowing you away sonically. If you combined mid-'70s Springsteen and Meat Loaf with Black Flag, The Ramones, The Replacements, and Motörhead, this might very well be the result.9. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak (2005)
Kings of Leon have put out three excellent (and one pretty good) album this decade, but in my opinion, their best is their sophomore effort, Aha Shake Heartbreak. The band matured from their debut album, Youth and Young Manhood, and put out an album with just as much grit, but a little more polish. The songs rock, they have interesting lyrics (presuming you can understand Caleb Followill), and, well, they're just good, solid rock and roll.8. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever You Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)
Every now and then an album lives up to the hype, and this one was certainly hyped. And it definitely lived up to that hype. Hailing from Sheffield and only 19 or 20 at the time, Arctic Monkeys released a phenomenal debut album. I would describe the album as neoclassical British punk. It's straightforward, brash, honest, and youthful, but not entirely innocent. Most importantly, under the angst (or appearance of angst) are catchy songs. The Arctic Monkeys do a wonderful job of combining old school punk, like Sex Pistols or The Buzzcocks, with newer dance-punk (if that makes sense), like Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand, yet their sound is their own.7. OutKast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
After I bought this double album, it was in my CD book (this was long before I had an iPod) for several years. Simply put, the album is excellent. I can't really categorize this as fitting into one genre, as there are elements of hip hop, rap, jazz, rock, pop, soul, R&B, and electronic present throughout the album. I think "Hey Ya!" is one of the best pop songs ever written. "Roses" is fantastic. I love "The Rooster" and "Last Call."
After I bought this double album, it was in my CD book (this was long before I had an iPod) for several years. Simply put, the album is excellent. I can't really categorize this as fitting into one genre, as there are elements of hip hop, rap, jazz, rock, pop, soul, R&B, and electronic present throughout the album. I think "Hey Ya!" is one of the best pop songs ever written. "Roses" is fantastic. I love "The Rooster" and "Last Call."6. Louis XIV - The Best Little Secrets Are Kept (2005)
The Best Little Secrets Are Kept has one of the best starts to an album. The first song, aptly entitled "Louis XIV," starts off with some odd baroque-esque strings, which abruptly stop to make way for lead singer Jason Hill's distorted vocals wryly belting out, "Well, I am a weapon of mass destruction" as the song kicks into fuzzed out glam. The entire album is a punk- and garage-infused ode to '70s glam. The songs are catchy and raunchy. And you might be wondering how an album gets an "Explicit Content" sticker when it doesn't contain a single swear word. In the case of this album, it's the tawdry, sexually charged subject matter of several of the songs (i.e., "Pull your skirt up a little bit / Pull down your top and show me a little tit"). And the cover art is fantastic.
The Best Little Secrets Are Kept has one of the best starts to an album. The first song, aptly entitled "Louis XIV," starts off with some odd baroque-esque strings, which abruptly stop to make way for lead singer Jason Hill's distorted vocals wryly belting out, "Well, I am a weapon of mass destruction" as the song kicks into fuzzed out glam. The entire album is a punk- and garage-infused ode to '70s glam. The songs are catchy and raunchy. And you might be wondering how an album gets an "Explicit Content" sticker when it doesn't contain a single swear word. In the case of this album, it's the tawdry, sexually charged subject matter of several of the songs (i.e., "Pull your skirt up a little bit / Pull down your top and show me a little tit"). And the cover art is fantastic.5. The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)
This is the White Stripes album that established Jack White as a guitar god. This album is ridiculously good. You all know "Seven Nation Army," which is great, but the rest of the album is just as good, if not better. "Black Math," "The Hardest Button to Button," "Hypnotize," and "The Air Near My Fingers" kick you in the teeth. "Ball and Biscuit" is a raunchy blues rocker that would make Led Zeppelin proud. "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" is probably the best Burt Bacharach cover of all-time. All in all, the album is simply fantastic.4. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (2006)
The Hold Steady is better than any other band at creating a universe within an album. The songs tell stories, in the tradition of Springsteen and Lynott, and, most importantly, the stories are interesting, relatable, and somewhat interrelated. On this album, they have created a world of young love, parties, dances, drugs, booze, and concerts. "Stuck Between Stations" warns "She was a damn good dancer / But she wasn't all that great of a girlfriend." I think all guys can relate to that on some level. And the song "Massive Nights" is one of my favorite songs of the decade.3. The Fratellis - Costello Music (2007)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this album has more hooks than a tackle box. You've no doubt heard "Chelsea Dagger," which has become a sports anthem (and an Amstel Light anthem), but "Flathead," "Henrietta," "Baby Fratelli," and "Vince the Lovable Stoner" are just as catchy. There isn't a song on the album that doesn't rock. Double negatives aside, I don't know how anyone wouldn't like this album. Quadruple negatives aside, seriously, this album is awesome.2. Razorlight - Up All Night (2004)
I think I read a review of this album in Rolling Stone, and it sounded like something I would like, so I went to Amazon and listened to the clips, and I liked those. So I bought the album, and, needless to say, I loved it. Like The Fratellis' Costello Music (see #3 above), Up All Night is full of hooks, but with a punk edge. The album has a fantastic energy, and there are no let-downs. I love the way "In the City" starts off slow and crescendos into madness. "Stumble and Fall" is just a great song. "Don't Go Back to Dalston" ensures that I won't go back to Dalston. "Golden Touch" is catchy as hell (and, if I'm not mistaken, was once used in a Pontiac commercial).1. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001)
This is the album that made me fall in love with The White Stripes. When I bought the CD, all I had heard was "Fell in Love with a Girl" and "Dead Leave on the Dirty Ground," both of which I thought were great songs. Little did I know what lurked beyond those songs. The album is a mélange of well-written punk, Beatles-esque pop, acoustic ballads, and straight-up rock. Jack White is a great storyteller, and every song is good -- even "Aluminum," which is a weird instrumental with moaning. "Offend in Every Way" might be my favorite White Stripes song. If someone were to ask me which White Stripes album is the best introduction to the band, I would definitely go with White Blood Cells. And, the best part is that it was recorded in something like 4 days. Ridiculous.
I'd love to hear your favorite album of the last decade, or your Top 10, or, if you're feeling like wasting several hours, your Top 100.
This is the album that made me fall in love with The White Stripes. When I bought the CD, all I had heard was "Fell in Love with a Girl" and "Dead Leave on the Dirty Ground," both of which I thought were great songs. Little did I know what lurked beyond those songs. The album is a mélange of well-written punk, Beatles-esque pop, acoustic ballads, and straight-up rock. Jack White is a great storyteller, and every song is good -- even "Aluminum," which is a weird instrumental with moaning. "Offend in Every Way" might be my favorite White Stripes song. If someone were to ask me which White Stripes album is the best introduction to the band, I would definitely go with White Blood Cells. And, the best part is that it was recorded in something like 4 days. Ridiculous.I'd love to hear your favorite album of the last decade, or your Top 10, or, if you're feeling like wasting several hours, your Top 100.
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