mini-poll: Best Album of the Aughts
Posted at 4:25 PM on January 12, 2010
by Jim McGuinn
(36 Comments)
Filed under: The Aughts
How do you define the 2000s musically? Was it the left turn Radiohead took at the start of the decade? The rock and roll jumpstart from the Year of Garage that gave us The Strokes and White Stripes? Was it the dominance of the Canadian Collectives like Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene? Or the epic dropped / leaked / re-signed drama around Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot? Given the dispersion of culture and media in the past ten years, there's a pretty good chance that for you it was something else entirely, and maybe something beyond the 60 or so choices we're offering up here. But somewhere between 5 and 'every album released in the past decade' we knew we had to draw the line for this poll, and these seemed like a good starting point for conversation (and voting) as we ask you for your choice for the Album of the Decade. Could be Album You Love Most, could be Album That Changed Something, could be Album Pitchfork Told Me Was Important. Interpret the question as you will, but please give us your answer, and feel free to write your comments below the poll...
Album of the Decade
Comments (36)
i chose yoshimi battles the pink robots because i feel the Flaming Lips best encapsulate the aughts in a number of ways:
the movement of 'indie' from college into a more public consciousness (feist, postal service, 'do you realize' plastered all over tv commericals),
indie's embrace of synths, samples and programmed drums (not gonna start),
the emergence of ever-crazier stage antics (kanye, brittney, giant hamster balls),
musicians participating in extracurriculars (exec jay-z, mos def the actor, dr. dre headphones, xmas on mars),
politicians continuing to do wacky things, (, the executive order to make 'do you realize' the oklahoma state song after not making it through more democratic routes). clearly, there are many strong contenders but yoshimi will conquer in the end and good shall reign.
You must of forgot to add Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, Thats what I'm not.
Its okay, i forgive you.
Seems Silversun Pickups - Carnavas should at least be an option too, but I accept that putting together such a list and not missing an album or two must be quiet a challenge.
Seems Silversun Pickups - Carnavas should at least be an option too, but I accept that putting together such a list and not missing an album or two must be quiet a challenge.
Seems Silversun Pickups - Carnavas should at least be an option too, but I accept that putting together such a list and not missing an album or two must be quiet a challenge.
fiona apple - extraordinary machine (top 5 anyways)
Once (The Movie Soundtrack) -An album of expertly written songs fit into a beautiful story and film. A true masterwork!
Why was 'Odd Couple' on here and not 'St Elsewhere?'
SE was groundbreaking, OC forgettable
I agree that Fiona Apple's extraordinary machine was in the top 5. But not the version that was officially released. The one produced by Jon Brion was much better.
My Morning Jacket - Z Is my favorite album in a long, long time. As a lot of MMJ fans will tell you the more you listen to them the more they grow on you and you come to realize how brilliant of a band they are. Seeing them live at Red Rocks was one of the best concerts I have ever seen.
Not even one Decemberists album made the list? Wow...
Is this it? By The Strokes is the one that ushered the coming of a new era, musically speaking. The Postal Service is a very close second. Arctic Monkeys is my third.
If you haven't heard the Trashcan Sinatras "Weightlifting" you may want to dig this sublime masterpiece out of the racks and then re-consider what is the best album of the decade. There is more uplifting beauty on this one album than most groups produce in a lifetime! You will love it.
Well lets not forget Gogol Bordello's Super Taranta
Maybe it's not UNMASSAPPEAL ENOUGH but U2's All that you can't leave behind got millions of us over the pain of 9/11 hysteria!! and made people think through the misery- also Johnny Cash's work in the aughts was a revelation of an artist's sustaining their best work through last year's of their long life-INSPIRATIONAL! "Hurt" ALONE!
A lot of good stuff on this list, but no Johnny Cash? I know not everything can be included, but I'm stunned by the omission. Johnny's music appealed to such a wide range of people and has incredible staying power. How many of the albums on this list will hold up as well as "The Man Comes Around" at the end of the next decade?
One of my favorite albums of the aughts that didn't make the list is "Worlds Apart" by "And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead."
Now as for the list, even though I prefer Interpol and Postal Service, I have to chose Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News, because I feel that it sounded most like how the decade felt.
what about kings of leon? they released 4 amazing albums this decade... and receive no love from the current? i feel that they have gained more notoriety because of their sound this decade than, say, hot chip or grizzly bear (i am also fans of both). hopefully more than just i have recognized any of their albums (especially Aha Shake Heartbreak)!
Again, too cool to be cool, or not cool enuff? I turned 50 this summer, Springsteen turned 60!, Westerberg hit the mid-century mark also. But Green Day Live, twice this past decade, was un-f@#king believable! American Idiot changed a lot of people's thinking about our world, contemporary/punk-pop music and our nation's politics. That's worth, at LEAST, a Nod from you, ultra-cool, know-it-alls!!!
My vote HAS to be Coldplay's Viva la Vida. Musically & lyrically I think it's amazing. The album is very relevant to our time but I think will prove to be time-less. I have barely been able to put this album down since it's 2008 release.
Kid A. That is all.
"THE RISING" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was certainly the most important, relevant, potent, and needed album of the past decade. While there may have been some great new artists and some great albums, they were pretty much fluff compared to the utmost importance of the release of "The Rising" a year after 9/11/2001.
Early in decade, Superchunk Here's to Shutting Up which still rings true. I can't argue with the Flaming Lips and their shows. And not popular here, but the Magic Numbers have too very good albums. What about Metric too? Pernice Bros? But give me a break on U2 or Springsteen--so not the '00's. That's all another decade, somewhere in the past.
DevotchKa- How it Ends
Some folks have pointed out that we left off several albums. I could say something like "it was a long decade, so we couldn't have everything," but there are couple glaring omissions (We forgot the Decemberists? Seriously?) Sorry about that.
Our poll software doesn't post write-in votes automatically (you can imagine how much fun that could be if it did), so I'm publishing them here.
Write-in Votes so far:
Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
Silversun Pickups - Swoon
hot fuss the killers
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - The Rising
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Lady Gaga
Tokyo Police Club- A lesson in crime
Sleater Kinney - The Woods
Bloc Party-A Weekend in the City
Coldplay-Viva la Vida
green day- american idiot
Bloc Party- Silent Alarm
Tegan and Sara - The Con
Subtle - A New White
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around
U2- All That You Can't Leave Behind
Gogol Bordello- Super Taranta!
Eels - Hombre Lobo
The Trashcan Sinatras - Weightlifting
The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts
Bob Dylan Love and Theft
RHCP: By the Way
The Libertines- Up the Bracket
Cloud Cult: Feel Good Ghosts
The Libertines - Up the Bracket
Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Rocky Votolato- Makers
Sigur Ros- Takk
Steely Dan - Everything Must Go
Sonic Youth-The Eternal
At The Drive-In - Relationship of Command
Glen Hansard and Market Irglova: Once (The Movie Soundtrack)
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Elf power - All the world is waiting
Arctic Monkeys-Whatever People Say I am, Thats What i'm Not
Mason Jennings- Boneclouds
Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam (aka Avocado)
Drive By Truckers- Southern Rock Opera
The Killers - Hot Fuss
- Michael Wells, Web Producer
How did The Strokes only get one album on the list and Death Cab got two? seriously.
God only knows how The Odd Couple made it on this list instead of St. Elsewhere. SE was groundbreaking and a huge hit whereas TOC was good, but not great.
Also, Damien Rice's O? I still think that's one of the best albums of all time. The whole thing really works as an album instad of individual songs too.
Gotta second the disappointment at the omissions of St. Elsewhere and a Decemberists record (Picaresque?).
And how is it that "Wincing the Night Away" is on this list. It was a bland disappointment after "Chutes Too Narrow" (not listed), which was clearly the Shins best record.
I think Bright Eyes just has the most amazing lyrical quality. Just genius, honestly. And their sound is so acoustic and beautiful and just genuine. :]
I think Lissie - Why You Runnin was a good album, not many tracks but still just enough to make me watch closely for more from Lissie. I am so excited for the future of Lissie.
Why is the only huge band allowed is Radiohead? I am a fan but you are leaving off a lot of great music. Sonic Youth the Eternal, Pearl Jam Backspacer , U2 records of this decade, Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Its Blitz, should also be on it. Not to mention Silversun Pickups, Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, & Kings of Leon. Yet, Goldfrapp and Hot Chip are worthy. I think The Current has a serious problem with guitar driven music. Especially if the guitars are distorted. Your list has a real bias towards new artists. Is Grizzly Bear really worthy? My opinion is no way. Please take Agaestis Byrjun by Sigur Ros off the list as it was released in 1999. This list is lame. Much lamer than your station, which is usually pretty good. Please redo. Not even Low is on the list. Obviously you just want to annoint Radiohead. THey are probably worthy but at least make it a competition Very disappointed.
My favorites of the decade:
25. Radiohead - Amnesiac: Part 2 of Radiohead's re-imagining. Unfortunately this album stood no chance to have the same impact as Kid A since it came out second, but just as musically stunning as it's counterpart.
24. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights: While they never really seemed to realized their potential after a great debut, Turn On The Bright Lights left a big impact on the decade. A handful of copycat bands came out pretty quickly (although you can certainly argue that Interpol was a Joy Division copycat), but none of them were nearly as good as Interpol.
23. My Morning Jacket - Z: Arena rock can be a good thing, as displayed by many of the songs on Z. Only on a couple songs do they rear back and bring the country jam mostly heard on their earlier albums. The rest is more of a showcase for Jim James and his amazing pipes.
22. Ween - White Pepper: I've made no secret of my love affair for Ween. this pick was more or less out of necessity to get them in this list. While The Mollusk is more cohesive, White Pepper is just full of really good songs.
21. Spoon - Girls Can Tell: With Girls Can Tell, Spoon made the switch from a more aggressive sound to indie pop, and look where it has gotten them. They are now one of the biggest indie acts around today.
20. Fugazi - The Argument: Fugazi was always unpretentious punk rock at it best. The Argument was seemingly, unfortunately, their swan song. But also one of their best.
19. Fantomas - The Directors Cut: Just a great concept for an album. If anybody could make old horror/thriller movie themes into schizophrenic noise rock, it's Mike Patton.
18. Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely: This album stands up to most of The White Stripes catalog. Jack and Brendan Benson share lead vocal duties and exchange sweet riffs throughout the album masterfully.
17. Sigur Ros - Takk: Sigur Ros reached it grandiose peak with Takk, while also delivering their best pop song with Hoppipolo. They could have cut a couple songs as the running time is a bit long, but the album is a wonderful spectacle.
16. British Sea Power - The Decline of the British Sea Power: OK, so I am a sucker for seafaring thematic albums, but this album rocks. From the waving and hushed Bowie like vocals, to the frenetic Pixies like songs, to the over the top theme, BSP's debut is still their best.
15. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf: QOTSA peaked on Songs For The Deaf, as no band leader Nick Oliveri was booted for being too hard of a partier. It is a shame too, because many of the best songs were sung by Nick. Nevertheless, Josh Homme has always been the mastermind behind the band, and Songs For The Deaf still brings the goods.
14. Constantines - Shine A Light: Bruce Springsteen meets Fugazi. Yes, Shine A Light is that awesome.
13. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight: Spoon's minimalist pop perfection. Things have only gotten bigger for the band since Kill the Moonlight, but never quite as good.
12. Secret Machines - September 000/Now Here Is Nowhere: So this might be cheating, as September 000 is an EP that came out a couple years before Secret Machines' full length debut, Now Here Is Nowhere, but I had to put them together. While September 000 boarders on exploding but shows restraint, Now Here Is Nowhere crosses that line in the first song. Lyrically Sept00 has a more personal feel, while NHIN is shrouded in scifi mystery. I love both equally.
11. Arcade Fire - Funeral: By far the best debut album from a band I have been around to experience. Win Butler perfectly captures the life and imagination of an adolescent trying to find a purpose in life.
10. Spoon - A Series of Sneaks: It still bewilders me how Spoon got booted from Atlantic after releasing A Series of Sneaks. Interestingly, it seemed to do wonders for their career. This is a more aggressive sound than more recent Spoon albums. Not much more to say other than this will probably always be my favorite of theirs.
9. My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves: My Morning Jacket's epic live show seemed to have finally caught up to them on album with It Still Moves. The alt country vibe is still there, but so is the extended jam sessions. There are still some of the quieter, more haunting songs showcasing Jim James amazing vocal capabilities predominant on their first two album, but something breathed new life in to the rest of the band, and It Still Moves is a rollicking good time.
8. Mastodon - Leviathan: A metal album for non-metalheads. The vast and endless ocean can be a menacing thing, and what better classic tale to accentuate that than Moby Dick. The band and the concept was a match made in hell.
7. Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven: Hearing Godspeed for the first time was like hearing a new kind of music for the first time. Rock songs are not supposed to be 20 minutes long. It really is an experience listening to this band.
6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife: Honestly, I could probably interchange The Crane Wife with any of the other Decemberists album and feel OK about it. I would say The Crane Wife is their most ambitious, but The Hazards of Love topped that and then some when it came out this year. It was, definitely, a big step towards their newer proggy tendencies.
5. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver: I wish I was friends with James Murphy. He seems like he would be a really fun guy to hang out with. Always playing awesome music of old and letting me know how it influences the music he makes. Sound of Silver was just an awesome sophomore album from LCD. While it still had the fun, dancey songs heard on their first, Murphy shows off his songwriting capabilities with some sincerely touching songs to go along.
4. Radiohead - Kid A: What more can you say about Kid A that hasn't been said before. The coolest opinion I read on the album came from Chuck Klosterman, in which he said that Thom Yorke predicted the events of 9/11 with Kid A. If you listen to the album from beginning to end, the scary thing is you could totally see it. Realistically, the album, to me, could be the soundtrack, or an album that tells the story of, some kind of world wide disaster. It's not often a a band becomes the one of, if not the, biggest in the world by taking a daring chance on a completely new and experimental sound.
3. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica: Desolate, existential, loneliness, God. Those are some of the words I think of when I listen to this album. With The Moon & Antarctica, Modest Mouse reached their creative peak. The album flows from song to song impeccably, culminating in one final, emphatic statement that resonates Isaac Brock's mindset at the time - "And the one thing you taught me about human beings is this: they ain't made of nothin' but water and shit."
2. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells: white Blood Cells was my introduction to the White Stripes. In my mind, they haven't done better than this since. The songwriting is never better with Jack and Meg pumping out some of their simplest, yet most cohesive songs of their career. We all know what Jack can do with the guitar, and on just the few moments when he showcases it on White Blood Cells, you wish you could play guitar like him. I know I do.
1. And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Source Tags & Codes: Cohesiveness seems to be the theme of my top five albums. None exemplifies that as much as Trail of Dead's masterpiece Source Tags & Codes. Each song segues from one to another, with three of the four members of the band trading lead vocal duties without missing a beat. Trail of Dead have almost become a mockery of their over the top art house rock/punk/emo, but Source Tags & Codes matched its grandiose statement with pure musical intelligence.
Mea culpa - we totally missed a few classics of the decade (Arctic Monkeys would be in my top 5 and somehow it didn't get on here) as you guys all pointed out... sorry about that. It was a crazy week. Thanks for all the write ins and comments. I'm still not sure how the 00s will be remembered - will it be for the breakouts, the slow growers, or maybe the way the entire music world was turned upside down due to the democratization of technology enabled by the web and laptop recording technology, that made it possible for anyone, anywhere to make and distribute music. It led to lots of interesting nooks and crannies, but compared to past decades, it felt like as fans and listeners we were all exploding out in different directions and that there's no longer much of a gooey, chewy center nuget that we can all agree on.
Aside to Brendan, who thinks we're lame: I put in that Sigur Ros record because it was released in Iceland in1999, UK in 2000, and US in 2001. If you are Icelandic and were hip to it in '99, I apologize. Takk.
On Tuesday we'll close this up and post the top vote getters... thanks for all the feedback - hope you enjoyed the weekend!
Jim
I never said you or this station was lame. I think quite the opposite actually. I just think this list is lame. Or at least that is what I meant. I probably used stronger language than I should have.
I have to give you credit for trying. The list is small, considering an entire decade. Should have either made it smaller and included only the obvious choices, or much larger. I thought comments were for sharing opinions, if you don't want them, don't offer comments, only offer a write-in field. I'm a big music fan. I'm a fan of the Current. I think we are blessed to have your station in our area. I guess my motivation was that I didn't really want to vote for any of the choices, which I thought was strange, given the great music made in this decade.
No of Montreal?!?!?
O.K., we all know it's a REALLY difficult list to make, but c'mon, it's serious "weak sauce" to triple up on on a couple bands and double up on a LOT of bands at the expense of; The Decemberists, Silversun Pickups, Cold War Kids, Okkervil River, The Dandy Warhols, Ghostland Observatory, of Montreal, The Helio Sequence, Built to Spill, Deer Tick, Andrew Bird, & Belle & Sebastian to name a handful. I mean, really...3 x Hold Steady and NO Decemberists...is it just me, or....?
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| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
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| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | ||||||
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