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release' this refers to anything that falls under less than half an hour in length, a distinction I prefer to the outdated classifiers of traditional LP/EP boundaries (also makes for more exciting individual lists).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

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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drone • psychedelic folk • avant-folk

(n/a, 157:12)

9.5/10

"And she sat down into the room,
Then cry, cry, then fell asleep"

ONR: It was with The Dance... that Mehdi Ameziane and Solange Gularte finally arrived at the sound they'd been tentatively searching for, but its 2004 predecessor was a significant stop on the way. Taking cues from Canadian post-rockers Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Winter Ray is the duo's first major statement, with its strongest moments standing up to the best of their later work (coming in at more than 30 minutes, "Dead Horses" followed by "Ethyl Bromo Acetate" is a one-two punch you're unlikely to forget in a hurry).

Absurdly prolific, the duo put out between them a total of ten (yes, ten) albums and three EPs in 2008 alone, but it was actually the year after that saw some of their most impressive material aside from this entry at #8. Over five cassette tapes and over six hours sits the gargantuan Daughter of Darkness (so big its 'b-sides' companion album is nearly 90 minutes), but it's their other major 2009 release Shadow Kingdom that catches my eye. It's maybe not quite as transcendental as The Dance... but it sure as hell gives it a run for its money.

The Winter Ray (2004)
post-rock (n/a, 148:48) - 8/10

Shadow Kingdom (2009)
drone • psychedelic folk (Blackest Rainbow, 159:33) - 8.5/10
____________________________________________________________________________
[First added to this chart: 05/07/2019]
Year of Release:
2006
Appears in:
Rank Score:
599
Rank in 2006:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1. Page 1 of 1

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Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s composition

Year Albums %


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%
Country Albums %


United States 25 50%
United Kingdom 9 18%
Canada 5 10%
Mixed Nationality 5 10%
Japan 2 4%
Iceland 1 2%
France 1 2%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 49 98%
Yes 1 2%
Live? Albums %
No 49 98%
Yes 1 2%

Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 1 from 25th to 24th
ハードにさせて [Make Me Hard]
by 辻子紀子 [Tujiko Noriko]
Biggest fallers
Faller Down 1 from 24th to 25th
Sound Of Silver
by LCD Soundsystem
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Top 50 Music Albums of the 2000s ratings

Average Rating: 
91/100 (from 19 votes)
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03/31/2024 14:51 Larcx13  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,14286/100
  
85/100
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06/07/2023 05:06 leniad  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 68085/100
  
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06/06/2023 11:15 Johnnyo  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,42080/100
  
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08/22/2022 13:42 replacementlevel  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 5095/100
  
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08/22/2022 13:14 Rm12398  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 9989/100

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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

Showing all 9 comments |
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Rating:  
85/100
From 06/07/2023 05:06
Great picks, want to see this At 100 albums
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 06/06/2023 11:15
Really good chart and interesting comments. Like it a lot
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 05/14/2021 18:53
I am not familiar with most of these albums. I am giving you 5 stars for your knowledge!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 05/17/2020 14:29
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.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 12/21/2019 18:47
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?
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 12/21/2019 00:30
This is basically the BEA soundtrack to the 2000s.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 06/17/2019 04:43
dope chart!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 03/28/2019 00:54
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.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 03/14/2019 10:50
Nice collection of albums right there. Cannot get enough of Kid A and Glow Pt2
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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Best Albums of 1993
1. Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins
2. In Utero by Nirvana
3. Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan
4. Souvlaki by Slowdive
5. Vs. by Pearl Jam
6. Debut by Björk
7. Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest
8. Suede by Suede
9. Last Splash by The Breeders
10. August And Everything After by Counting Crows
11. Doggystyle by Snoop Doggy Dogg
12. Red House Painters (Rollercoaster) by Red House Painters
13. Rid Of Me by PJ Harvey
14. Exile In Guyville by Liz Phair
15. So Tonight That I Might See by Mazzy Star
16. Modern Life Is Rubbish by Blur
17. Songs Of Faith And Devotion by Depeche Mode
18. Pablo Honey by Radiohead
19. Undertow by Tool
20. Zooropa by U2
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