Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s by
ForegroundNoise 
The 2000s is the only decade at the moment where I feel I've reviewed enough records to make a half decent list, but will amend and add as I listen to more stuff. I've also decided to limit it to one album per artist to ensure that everyone who deserves it gets their time in the limelight. Other notable releases (ONR), solo records, or projects by related artists that I think are worth checking out are mentioned in each entry's notes.
Please feel free to look through my public ratings and leave your suggestions in the comments below! Never someone to turn down the recommendation of a passionate music fan.
Also if you're interested, I've made a chart for my favourite underrated albums of this decade which you can check out via this address: https://www.besteveralbums.com/thechart.php?c=58986
Below are my favourite short releases of the decade, and below that any stand-out albums that do not qualify as contemporary (retrospective compilations, live albums etc.). As for the term 'short release' this refers to anything that falls under less than half an hour in length, a distinction I prefer to the outdated classifiers of traditional LP/EP boundaries (also makes for more exciting individual lists).
Best Short Releases of the 2000s
1. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions (2006) [US]
garage punk (In The Red, 29:09) - 9/10
2. Jeromes Dream / Orchid - Jeromes Dream / Orchid (2000) [US]
emoviolence (Witching Hour, 11:43) - 9/10
3.Brave Little Abacus - Demo? (2008) [US]
emo • experimental rock (n/a, 21:16) - 8.5/10
4. Joanna Newsom - Joanna Newsom & the Ys Street Band E.P. (2007) [US]
chamber folk • progressive folk (Drag City, 24:06) - 8/10
5. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron & Fred Squire - Lost Wisdom (2008) [CA/US]
indie folk (P.W. Elverum & Sun, 24:41) - 8/10
________________________________________________________________
Retrospective/Archival
Bang on a Can - In C (2001) [US]
minimalism • indeterminacy • chamber music (Cantaloupe Music, 45:30) - 9/10
Julius Eastman - Unjust Malaise (2005) [US]
modern classical • minimalism (New World, 192:54) - 8/10
Modest Mouse - Building Nothing Out of Something (2000) [US]
indie rock • lo-fi/slacker rock • Midwest emo (Up, 55:15) - 8/10
- Chart updated: 03/28/2025 19:45
- (Created: 02/07/2018 17:07).
- Chart size: 50 albums.
There are 9 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 19 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 The Brave Little Abacus. (Remove this filter)
emo • math rock
(n/a, 49:23)
8/10
"I don't wanna
But know that I'm gonna
Feel all these feelings
So many, many feelings"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 05/25/2020]
Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!
Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s composition
Year | Albums | % | |
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2000 | 6 | 12% | |
2001 | 7 | 14% | |
2002 | 5 | 10% | |
2003 | 7 | 14% | |
2004 | 5 | 10% | |
2005 | 3 | 6% | |
2006 | 5 | 10% | |
2007 | 4 | 8% | |
2008 | 5 | 10% | |
2009 | 3 | 6% |
Artist | Albums | % | |
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Natural Snow Buildings | 1 | 2% | |
Sweet Trip | 1 | 2% | |
Burial | 1 | 2% | |
Broadcast | 1 | 2% | |
Avey Tare & Panda Bear | 1 | 2% | |
Bark Psychosis | 1 | 2% | |
Grizzly Bear | 1 | 2% | |
Show all |
Country | Albums | % | |
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25 | 50% | |
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9 | 18% | |
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5 | 10% | |
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5 | 10% | |
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2 | 4% | |
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1 | 2% | |
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1 | 2% | |
Show all |
Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s chart changes
Biggest climbers |
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![]() ハードにさせて [Make Me Hard] by 辻子紀子 [Tujiko Noriko] |
Biggest fallers |
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![]() Sound Of Silver by LCD Soundsystem |
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Other decade charts by ForegroundNoise
Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
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Top 50 Music Albums of the 2010s | ![]() | 2010s decade chart | 2025 | ![]() |
Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s | ![]() | 2000s decade chart | 2025 | ![]() |
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Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s ratings

where:
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 19 ratings for this chart.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
90/100 ![]() | 03/31/2024 14:51 | ![]() | ![]() | 86/100 |
85/100 ![]() | 06/07/2023 05:06 | leniad | ![]() | 85/100 |
90/100 ![]() | 06/06/2023 11:15 | Johnnyo | ![]() | 80/100 |
100/100 ![]() | 08/22/2022 13:42 | replacementlevel | ![]() | 95/100 |
100/100 ![]() | 08/22/2022 13:14 | Rm12398 | ![]() | 89/100 |
Rating metrics:
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This chart is rated in the top 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.3/100, a mean average of 94.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 94.2/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 5.7.
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Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s comments
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Great picks, want to see this At 100 albums
Really good chart and interesting comments. Like it a lot
I am not familiar with most of these albums. I am giving you 5 stars for your knowledge!

Great chart! The ones that stick out that I love are Portishead Third and Four Tet Rounds, both wonderful albums. You have awesome taste in music.

I'm confused. No offense was intended. I'm just saying a lot of people on BEA (clarification: being active users/users who use the forums, etc.) would agree with this chart. And they do... that's all.
Not sure how that's an insult... but yeah... I guess you can take it that way.
Like really, all I was saying is this is a perfectly curated chart that probably nobody would disagree with who actively uses the forums.
Furthermore, I'm not sure if you saw my comment, but you keep suggesting that I should get more into genres I already have listened to and don't enjoy/love... I think you are insinuating I am closed minded because I don't have Burial on my chart...but why would I if I don't enjoy it after multiple listens?

This is basically the BEA soundtrack to the 2000s.
dope chart!

I'm more familiar with the albums on this chart than your overall one. Still lots to check out, but I like what I do know a lot. Great resource for discovering new music, which is what this website is all about for me.

Nice collection of albums right there. Cannot get enough of Kid A and Glow Pt2
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