Best Albums of the 2000s

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21.

Boxer 

 The National

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"It's probably difficult to find a lead singer with such a deep, bass voice with songs this consistently good, able to vary up his vocal delivery enough to keep it all interesting. (See crash test dummies for an opposite example.) They're sort of an understated, inward-indie version of The Hold St...""It's probably difficult to find a lead singer with such a deep, bass voice with songs this consistently good, able to vary up his vocal delivery enough to keep it all interesting. (See crash test dummies for an opposite example.) They're sort of an understated, inward-indie version of The Hold Steady, with jams that rock, just not in a customary ROCK way. Tough for me to pick a favorite on this album. "fake empire" is the full boxer introduction, with subtly paranoid lyrics ("Tiptoe through our shiny city / With our diamond slippers on / Do our gay ballet on ice / Bluebirds on our shoulders") and a building of horns and piano to the end which is quite engaging. "mistaken for strangers" is where the lower-case rawk starts, with the pounding drums and clanging guitars setting up mr invisible ("Oh, you wouldn't want an angel watching over / Surprise, surprise, they wouldn't wanna watch / Another un-innocent, elegant fall / Into the un-magnificent lives of adults"). In love with a smart woman in "brainy", the guitars are more intricate and atmospheric but the drums are still energetic as the song seems like a lazy stalker song with a chorus of "You might need me more / Than you think you will / Come home in the car you love / Brainy, brainy, brainy" (but i think they're already in a relationship). Love the drums on "squalor victoria" too, with a string section that adds some spooky tension, giving way to piano and lines like "Out of my league, I have birds in my sleeves / And I wanna rush in with the fools". "slow show" wants to "get my shit together", almost seductive in a nerd/oaf way singing "I wanna hurry home to you / put on a slow, dumb show for you / and crack you up". There's a urge to hole up inside with a loved one in "apartment story" ("We?ll stay inside till somebody finds us / Do whatever the TV tells us / Stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz for days")."  [+]  Reply

- paladisiac | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2007

Appears in:

1,037 charts

Rank Score:

9,353

Rank in 2007:

4

Rank in 2000s:

21

Overall Rank:

146

Average Rating:

 82 (1,218 votes)

Comments:

92

22.

Vespertine 

 Björk

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"I like Homogenic, but it never made me feel other-worldly and in a sort of ice-dream reverie like Vespertine manages to do for me. Great albums take you somewhere else, on a journey or to a place of comfort. This is why it is her best album. I was a bit surprised to see Homogenic rated higher..."  Reply

- Strangel | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2001

Appears in:

850 charts

Rank Score:

9,255

Rank in 2001:

4

Rank in 2000s:

22

Overall Rank:

147

Average Rating:

 83 (1,014 votes)

Comments:

62

23.

American Idiot 

 Green Day

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"Green Day should've stopped here. Go big, take yourselves too seriously, and reach for messages you've avoided before. It is a grand album, with some grand tracks, but convinced Green Day they were something they weren't - U2."  Reply

- junodog4 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +12 votes (12 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2004

Appears in:

1,031 charts

Rank Score:

9,219

Rank in 2004:

3

Rank in 2000s:

23

Overall Rank:

148

Average Rating:

 75 (1,853 votes)

Comments:

147

24.

Neon Bible 

 Arcade Fire

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"In 2004, Canadian indie rock pioneers Arcade Fire released Funeral, an album that shook the landscape of the alternative music scene. The album was met with praise from critics and many lauded the band's lyrical and musical flexibility with ingenuity to boot. When production began on a much await...""In 2004, Canadian indie rock pioneers Arcade Fire released Funeral, an album that shook the landscape of the alternative music scene. The album was met with praise from critics and many lauded the band's lyrical and musical flexibility with ingenuity to boot. When production began on a much awaited follow up in 2006, the band affixed two more permanent members into the fold, drummer Jeremy Gara and violinist Sarah Neufeld, expanding their repertoire to an even fuller extent. What they would produce with their newfangled, richer musical density would come to be known as Neon Bible, a record that never ceases to radiate dreaminess, twinkling triumphantly with unbridled grace. More importantly, it serves as the band's most prolific artistic statement, steadfast in its shimmering brilliance. The first landmark on the album, comes in the form of track four, Intervention. The song stresses the dangers of over-dedication, whether it be towards patriotism while unaware of the prospect of incalculable casualties or towards religious zeal which renders an individual to turn a blind eye to familial strife. Frontman Win Butler declares, "Working for the church while your family dies, you take what they give you and you keep it inside, every spark of friendship and love will die without a home, hear the soldier groan, we'll go at it alone". This coincides with sublime organ pulses that engulf the track in a haze of heavenly aura. Eighth track, (Antichrist Television Blues), finds the band at their most 'Springsteenian' as they conjure a unflinching groove while Butler's lyrics call upon an escape from a dead-end American town and ponder what the future may bring. Penultimate cut No Cars Go is a drum-powered, french influenced rallying cry against the hustle and bustle of modern society. The track swelters to a boiling point of cathartic harmonization, perfectly leading into Butler's subdued first words of My Body is a Cage. The final track illustrates Butler's crippling anxiety until the song erupts in its final moments as he claims "his mind holds the key" to breaking the spell. Arcade Fire's seminal second LP may not garner the same indie street cred as Funeral, however, it does contain a tighter, more cohesive collection of tracks that are effortlessly dynamic, both in musicality and thematic structure. The addition of a more heavily stocked musical arsenal provided the foundation for the band to push the boundaries of their sonic experimentation. The end result is an album that is less preachy and more introspective, attaching an alluring vulnerability to artists who were extremely conscious of their musical prowess. Plainly, this is not the millenially aware Arcade Fire found on Everything Now, nor is it the Arcade Fire who were undeniably ingenious but marginally conceited on Funeral. Neon Bible features the ensemble at the peak of their powers, embedded with confidence while tastefully unguarded. This is frankly mind-blowing considering that Arcade Fire at their worst is a force to be reckoned with. "Into the light of a bridge that burns, As I drive from the city with the money that I earned, Into the dark of a starless sky, I'm staring into nothing and I'm asking you why." -(Antichrist Television Blues) Standout Tracks: 1. No Cars Go 2. Intervention 3. Ocean of Noise 96.3"  [+]  Reply

- DriftingOrpheus | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2007

Appears in:

1,242 charts

Rank Score:

9,138

Rank in 2007:

5

Rank in 2000s:

24

Overall Rank:

152

Average Rating:

 82 (2,025 votes)

Comments:

149

25.

Merriweather Post Pavilion 

 Animal Collective

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"My mother is a large Depeche Mode, Joy Division, etc fan and I made her a burned CD of more modern music she may like. The first song was My Girls by Animal Collective and the five minutes that that song played I think was the most in sync musical connection my mother and I have other have. It wa...""My mother is a large Depeche Mode, Joy Division, etc fan and I made her a burned CD of more modern music she may like. The first song was My Girls by Animal Collective and the five minutes that that song played I think was the most in sync musical connection my mother and I have other have. It was great."  [+]  Reply

- | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +14 votes (14 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2009

Appears in:

1,151 charts

Rank Score:

8,770

Rank in 2009:

1

Rank in 2000s:

25

Overall Rank:

162

Average Rating:

 82 (1,600 votes)

Comments:

157

26.

Lateralus 

 Tool

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"I find it really funny how people are complaining about how 1 minute ambient tracks (what they are calling filler) detract and destroy the album. This isn't a best tracks playlist, this is an album, an experience. It's suppose to have a concept, there are meanings behind them."  Reply

- TheHolyKiwi | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +13 votes (13 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2001

Appears in:

825 charts

Rank Score:

8,573

Rank in 2001:

5

Rank in 2000s:

26

Overall Rank:

164

Average Rating:

 82 (1,101 votes)

Comments:

76

27.

The Moon & Antarctica 

 Modest Mouse

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"Happymeal has obviously not noticed the album is in the top 100 by now. While we wait patiently for his excited comment, I'll take the time to express my own love for the album. This is the kind of sound that takes you completely by surprise. And no, not in some flashy or strange way, but in the ...""Happymeal has obviously not noticed the album is in the top 100 by now. While we wait patiently for his excited comment, I'll take the time to express my own love for the album. This is the kind of sound that takes you completely by surprise. And no, not in some flashy or strange way, but in the subtlest way possible. Right from the beginning, you feel a connection to the album, a sort of obligation to sit down and listen to what the album has to offer. The part where the album first takes you by surprise is not when the drums start beating harder or when the guitar lick becomes more frantic. It's that first silence. Right at the beginning of 3rd Planet. It gives you just that moment to reflect on the single lyric spoken to begin the album. 3rd Planet in general is a great song - actually, the first three songs are all amazing, but in my opinion, they are not the best the album has to offer. The songs that take that award are much more sparse and floyd-y. Actually, I'm surprised I hardly see any love for The Cold Part around here. I knew on my first listen that it was a masterpiece, and it's the lowest rated on the album! Perhaps I'm the one at fault, and not the 40-odd other people rating the tracks, but I think the reason I like this album so much is because it's *not* the kind of thing you sing along to. No other album in my collection compels me to sit and listen and think as much as this does. Besides, of course, Demon Days, but that's a story for another time. Anyway, I was getting to my favourite song from the album. As much as I love The Cold Part, The Stars Are Projectors blows it out of the water. It's the longest, most intricate, most complex, most emotionally charged song on the whole album and one of my favourites of all time. I don't know how it is on the original release, but I have the remastered edition at home and the production is perfect, as with the rest of the album. And if I'm going to mention production, I have to mention the flow. This is an ALBUM at heart, and is best enjoyed as a whole. The way most songs end with an idea from the next song is amazing, and makes the whole thing an experience difficult to pin down. In fact, the album is too great for one to comprehend in the first few gos. It's yet another reason I think it's so fantastic: I can tell that I do not fully comprehend it yet. I doubt I ever will, with it's poetry and mystery and subtle, minute details, and every time I listen to it I get something different out of it. I have stopped thinking of words to describe the experience of hearing Modest Mouse's Magnum Opus. It's impossible to write this comment in one session, the album is that awesome. So let me finish with this. It is a thinker's album. If you do not want to pay full attention and give back in effort what it gives you in beauty you will never enjoy this as much as you can. Simply writing this review has elevated my appreciation for it. Actually, I'm going to go update my chart now. Have fun listening, and understand you will spend a great amount of time interpreting, imagining, understanding, and enjoying this masterwork."  [+]  Reply

- sageamagoo | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (11 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2000

Appears in:

1,023 charts

Rank Score:

8,548

Rank in 2000:

3

Rank in 2000s:

27

Overall Rank:

167

Average Rating:

 83 (1,279 votes)

Comments:

96

28.

The College Dropout 

 Kanye West

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"This album helped change hip-hop arguably more than any album in the history of the genre. For the 10-15 years before this album, it was difficult to have anything other than a "gangsta" persona and be successful commercially. Kanye changed that. You could rap about insecurities, college, religio...""This album helped change hip-hop arguably more than any album in the history of the genre. For the 10-15 years before this album, it was difficult to have anything other than a "gangsta" persona and be successful commercially. Kanye changed that. You could rap about insecurities, college, religion, and even touch on social issues in a fresh new light. Look at all the new school backpacker rappers that he has clearly helped pave a way for. Fittingly, the chorus to the first song on this album rings "WE DONT CARE WHAT PEOPLE SAYYY" And as much as people want to knock Ye' for his arrogance, without it, he wouldnt have the balls to make this or to walk into a "try-out" wearing a polo and backpack and impress Jay-Z enough to sign him. We wouldnt have the innovation musically he has largely caused in mainstream hip-hop production. His influence is enormous. I say thank god for Kanyes ego, otherwise we'd still be listening to 50 cent and washed up Dre beats, instead we're bumpin "CAN WE GET MUCH HIGHAH" nuff said. Favorite Tracks: We Dont Care, All Falls Down, New Workout Plan, Slow Jamz, Two Words, Through the Wire"  [+]  Reply

- tbau1191 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2004

Appears in:

934 charts

Rank Score:

8,435

Rank in 2004:

4

Rank in 2000s:

28

Overall Rank:

173

Average Rating:

 83 (1,447 votes)

Comments:

89

29.

Ys 

 Joanna Newsom

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"I was living in Reno in November of 2006 when Ys was released, and I immediately recognized, amid the dense allegory and arcane literary references embedded in Joanna Newsom's lyrics, music that is grounded in the Sierra Nevada and Yuba River Valley landscapes in which Newsom was born and raised....""I was living in Reno in November of 2006 when Ys was released, and I immediately recognized, amid the dense allegory and arcane literary references embedded in Joanna Newsom's lyrics, music that is grounded in the Sierra Nevada and Yuba River Valley landscapes in which Newsom was born and raised. Take, for instance, the opening lines to the album's centerpiece, "Emily": "The meadowlark and the chim-choo-ree and the sparrow / Set to the sky in a flying spree, for the sport over the pharaoh / A little while later the Pharisees dragged comb through the meadow / Do you remember what they called up to you and me, in our window?" Somehow, in these lyrics, Newsom manages to weave together personal history, geographical and ecological specificity, and Biblical allusions that give the whole experience an ancient, mythical feel. This is creative, ambitious, brilliant stuff--the threads drawn together by an artist still in the early stages of her career. I cannot wait to see what she does in the years and decades to come."  [+]  Reply

- buzzdainer | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +8 votes (8 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2006

Appears in:

807 charts

Rank Score:

8,374

Rank in 2006:

2

Rank in 2000s:

29

Overall Rank:

177

Average Rating:

 81 (866 votes)

Comments:

87

30.

Hail To The Thief 

 Radiohead

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"Underrated in comparison to their other albums? Certainly seems that way. And why? Well, this is possibly due to its length. When I first heard this album, I of course recognized its brilliance. However, it's length, and its apparent lack of flow, did manage to seep in at times, ultimately overth...""Underrated in comparison to their other albums? Certainly seems that way. And why? Well, this is possibly due to its length. When I first heard this album, I of course recognized its brilliance. However, it's length, and its apparent lack of flow, did manage to seep in at times, ultimately overthrowing its overall magic. Thom York himself posted a comment a short while back discussing the albums length and track-listing. He felt they'd included some tracks that, as I've noticed, do seem to cause more harm than good (Remember, sometimes less is more). Therefore, he included in this post of his, an alternate track-listing that he felt was far more effective. 1. There There 2. The Gloaming 3. Sail to the Moon 4. Sit Down, Stand Up 5. Go To Sleep 6. Where I End and you Begin 7. Scatterbrain 8. 2+2=5 9. Myxomatosis 10. A Wolf at the Door Overall, I find this alternate track-listing to be far more cohesive than the original, truly bringing to the forefront a perfect combination of Radiohead's early Britpop sound, and their - shortly thereafter - electronic experimentation. In conclusion, with this album, Radiohead managed to do it again - another masterpiece. "  [+]  Reply

- JasonZaia | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +14 votes (15 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2003

Appears in:

1,226 charts

Rank Score:

8,032

Rank in 2003:

2

Rank in 2000s:

30

Overall Rank:

184

Average Rating:

 81 (2,384 votes)

Comments:

163

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 3 of 100

Best Albums of the 2000s composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Year	Albums	%
2000	102	10%
2001	102	10%
2002	110	11%
2003	111	11%
2004	86	9%
2005	111	11%
2006	99	10%
2007	91	9%
2008	87	9%
2009	102	10%

Artist	Albums	%
Radiohead	5	0%
Dream Theater	5	0%
Wilco	5	0%
The Black Keys	5	0%
Bright Eyes	5	0%
Opeth	5	0%
Animal Collective	5	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	546	55%
	220	22%
	55	5%
	40	4%
	24	2%
	23	2%
	19	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	13	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	993	99%
Yes	8	1%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	11	1%