Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s by 
buzzdainer 
The most striking development in the twenty-first century music world is the way cyber-balkanization through digital media has rendered just about everyone into distinct musical camps that don't talk to each other much. So it has become possible, for instance, for a person to love Josh Ritter (associated with indie folk and Americana) but never to have heard of Josh Rouse (who works in much the same musical terrain, just with a different audience). During the seventies and eighties, I typically knew just about every song in Casey Kasum's weekly top 40 (which I listened to religiously), whereas by the 2000s I'd be lucky--or unlucky, depending on your perspective--to know even one. So how did I discover new music? Well, in the first half of the decade, by listening to WNCW (a great community station based in Spindale, North Carolina), raiding my then-girlfriend's music collection, and attending concerts in Asheville. A lot of my musical loves came out of, or were influenced by, the rivers and hollows of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Pisgah National Forest near where I lived.
Later, I relocated first to Vermont and then to Nevada, where I became suffused with both the seedy cityscape of Reno and the spectacular natural landscapes of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada, and the Great Basin. I started playing music with a group of friends, reading a lot of music reviews (No Depression magazine was my favorite until it went out of print, though it remained an active online presence), and listening to more indie rock and electronica. I was probably a more adventurous music listener than I was in the nineties, but I still missed out on some pretty cool post-rock, garage rock revival, abstract hip hop, plunderphonics, and other genres I didn't know about, or just ignored for whatever reason. So I'm exploring some of that stuff now. As with all my charts, I'd love to receive your feedback, and I'd appreciate any music recommendations you might have. Happy reading!
- Chart updated: 04/07/2024 16:15
- (Created: 02/16/2016 19:11).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 24 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 33 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from Ryan Adams. (Remove this filter)
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This first solo effort is Ryan Adams at his most raw and vulnerable, a relatively stripped down affair compared to Gold and his later albums recorded with the Cardinals. It's also one of his most obviously country-influenced records, the next logical step following his time with Whiskeytown. Heartbreaker is the right title for this album, as it's such an apt description of "Oh My Sweet Carolina," a beautiful song about leaving and loss, backed brilliantly by the prolific Emmylou Harris, who seemed to hang around recording studios around this time and offer her services to anyone and everyone who asked. Very wisely, Ryan Adams asked.
[First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]
Year of Release:
2000
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,720
Rank in 2000:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
19
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Two weeks after the Twin Towers fell in 2001, Ryan Adams released Gold, a fact that seems almost impossible given how much the subject matter of this album is so directly related to the events and aftermath of 9-11 (obviously the songs were written much earlier). "New York, New York" became a touchstone for me as I processed my own anger and sadness over the attack on the World Trade Center, as it is such an affectionate ode to the Big Apple, one that crackles with life and love and romance, the sights and smells of the city. I'm not a city person by nature, but "New York, New York" sheds some light on why a person would be.
[First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]
Year of Release:
2001
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,292
Rank in 2001:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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With Ryan Adams the distinction between a proper album and a collection of previously unreleased tracks is blurrier than it is for most artists, as even his best albums are often accused of being overlong (I tend to disagree, and no one seems to be able to agree on which tracks should have been cut from, say, Cold Roses). Meanwhile the strongest songs from a quasi-compilation like Demolition are every bit as good as his best material on his more conventional studio albums. Sure, there's a bit of a lack of coherency here, but was there really not space on Heartbreaker for a song as, well, heartbreaking and great as the ambivalent three-chord breakup anthem "Hallelujah"?
[First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]
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Originally released as two EPs (both of which I purchased when they came out, only to discover later that I could have waited and acquired the whole album at a lesser cost), Love Is Hell is one of Ryan Adams's moodiest and most enigmatic albums, a self-indulgent kiss-off to singer-songwriter Beth Orton, from whom he'd recently gone through a painful breakup. This album, I believe, could have benefitted from some trimming, starting with the obnoxious, feedback-soaked "Fuck the Universe." But the best material here, particularly the paranoid, piano-led "Political Scientist," stands up to the finest songs in Adams's catalog, which is saying something.
[First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]
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This album doesn't get a lot of love from critics, and to an extent I think that's justified. "Wish You Were Here," for instance, contains some of the lamest, laziest songwriting of Ryan Adams's career, such as this pointless string of expletives: "It's all a bunch of shit / It's totally fucked up." But I don't think the criticism that the album is too derivative makes much sense, since that is explicitly the point: this is Adams obviously and nakedly performing songs that are paens to his influences. And a lot of it is good. "Burning Photographs," for instance, is a nod to Echo & the Bunnymen-style neo-psychedlia, and it's pretty evident to me that Adams is fully invested in the passion of the song, not just pretending to be. I put that song, and several others from this record, comfortably among Adams's best.
[First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]
Total albums: 5. Page 1 of 1
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
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|
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| 2000 | 9 | 9% | |
| 2001 | 6 | 6% | |
| 2002 | 11 | 11% | |
| 2003 | 7 | 7% | |
| 2004 | 9 | 9% | |
| 2005 | 11 | 11% | |
| 2006 | 14 | 14% | |
| 2007 | 14 | 14% | |
| 2008 | 8 | 8% | |
| 2009 | 11 | 11% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
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| Devendra Banhart | 5 | 5% | |
| Josh Ritter | 5 | 5% | |
| Drive-By Truckers | 5 | 5% | |
| Ryan Adams | 5 | 5% | |
| Wilco | 3 | 3% | |
| Joseph Arthur | 3 | 3% | |
| Neko Case | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 1 from 13th to 12th For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 12th to 13th Funeral by Arcade Fire |
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buzzdainer (2017)Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s ratings
91/100 (from 33 votes)
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 33 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 90/100  | 09/04/2023 03:49 | Moondance | | 84/100 |
| 85/100 | 09/03/2023 12:12 |  Tamthebam | | 85/100 |
| 100/100 | 12/18/2020 20:12 |  jnfbn | | 96/100 |
| 85/100 | 12/18/2020 15:30 |  StefanR10 | | 88/100 |
| 95/100 | 12/18/2020 15:24 | jeitee | | 75/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart is rated in the top 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.1/100, a mean average of 92.9/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.6/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 6.2.
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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s comments
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90/100
From Moondance 09/04/2023 03:55
Very entertaining chart - love the love for the mostly 'undiscovered', like Josh, Joseph, Okkervil River, Gregory, Xavier (an Aussie of course), Rhett, Langhorne & Franti - most of whom I have only recently discovered (& now enjoy) via this site and member charts.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
90/100
From Johnnyo 09/03/2023 11:00
Tremendous and what appears to be a very personal chart. Love it
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 12/19/2020 18:33
buzzdainer 12/19/2020 18:33
"Dusty, Sandy Music" would be a perfect title for a playlist of my favorite music from the 2000s. I'd say all the recent feedback is totally valid. This is definitely a heavily Americana-centric chart, especially when you consider that the American hip hop I like probably deserves a place within the genre of "Americana," in the sense that hip hop is the most powerful (musical) medium through which a segment of American society understands the world. I can definitely see the benefit of diversifying my listening to include more of the world, and a larger cross-section of genres. Guilty as charged.
That said, I also like the idea of my charts being a place where other BEA members can find some great Americana, including some deep cuts. That wouldn't be possible if my charts were loaded up with selections popular on other people's charts. Ultimately, I just follow my ears wherever they take me. I'm excited to dig into some of the albums you've recommended, jeitee. I've listened at some point to all of them, with the exception of Grouper. I'll probably start there.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
sssvnnn 12/18/2020 16:49
sssvnnn 12/18/2020 16:49
Very dusty and sandy music - fine.
Now that I know you lived in Nevada I understand your chart better.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
95/100
From jeitee 12/18/2020 15:32
I absolutely loved your opening comment. I always appreciate someone venturing to discover all kinds of music. Decent variety of genres in the list as well. Love the ys representation (my fave of all time!) Here are some of my top 00s picks I recommend which aren't already in this chart. vespertine by bjork for some experimental pop/electronic, madvillainy for experimental hip hop, mirrored by battles for experimental/math rock, dragging a dead deer up a hill for psychedelic drone veering on dream pop, and bitte orca for more experimental pop. Oh and for some more familiar territory, a great indie folk pick is in the attic of the universe by the antlers. Short, beautiful 20something minute piece.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From StefanR10 12/18/2020 15:30
StefanR10 12/18/2020 15:30
Nice Collection of under rated music
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
80/100
From 
Boltzmann 12/18/2020 09:34
Boltzmann 12/18/2020 09:34
I don't like the albums I know, and I tried The Dirty South by Drive-by Truckers, and let's say I liked the cover art more (but I didn't hate the music to be honest). However, I'm glad that you use this site what it's for, and then I don't mind that I don't have your taste.
I like that you made a chart of albums you liked. There's not too many of the usual albums so I have something to explore; yet you don't fill your chart with obscure picks, so I don't know what you like.
However, what I do not like is that you really only seem to switch between two or three genres, and they're all very American. Would be great if you let go of that.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From buzzdainer 03/17/2019 21:59
buzzdainer 03/17/2019 21:59
Thanks Gowi, ExTeaSea, and LebowskiRams, for stopping by to make a comment. Though our charts are all quite different, it's interesting to see that one band we call agree on from this era is Modest Mouse. To be totally honest, I'm not sure how well they've aged for me over the past fifteen years or so, but then again, I really haven't listened to them a lot lately. Makes me want to give them another listen on this lazy spring break Sunday afternoon to see if they have the same impact on me that they did when I first heard them. Thanks, y'all, for the trip down memory lane!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
100/100
From 
mickilennial 03/08/2019 18:11
mickilennial 03/08/2019 18:11
An interesting portrait of the records that mean the most to you of this era, but I can't help but smile with such support for alt-country and lesser known reformists of folk music during an era where country itself had gone "plastic".
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
85/100
From 
ExTeaSea 03/07/2019 02:37
ExTeaSea 03/07/2019 02:37
Love that you have Blackalicious, Caribou and My Morning Jacket. Cool chart.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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| Best Artists of the 2000s | |
|---|---|
| 1. Radiohead | |
| 2. Arcade Fire | |
| 3. The Strokes | |
| 4. Coldplay | |
| 5. Sufjan Stevens | |
| 6. Arctic Monkeys | |
| 7. Wilco | |
| 8. Animal Collective | |
| 9. Muse | |
| 10. The White Stripes | |
| 11. Kanye West | |
| 12. Phil Elverum | |
| 13. Interpol | |
| 14. Modest Mouse | |
| 15. Queens Of The Stone Age | |
| 16. Madvillain | |
| 17. Godspeed You! Black Emperor | |
| 18. LCD Soundsystem | |
| 19. The National | |
| 20. The Flaming Lips |