Best Albums of the 2000s

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Explore the best albums of the 2000s, based on over 2 million album rankings across 60,000 charts.
Last updated: 2 hours ago

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2000s decade summaryThe best artists of the 2000s were Radiohead, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Coldplay, Sufjan Stevens, Muse, Arctic Monkeys, The White Stripes, Wilco and Animal Collective.

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21.

Vespertine

Björk

"Bullshit that this is behind Is This It, Amnesiac, and Origin of Symmetry for the year (not to mention the all-time list) because this album is vastly superior and more original" Reply

- SoundVisions | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2001

Appears in:

854 charts

Rank Score:

9,273

Rank in 2001:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

146

Average Rating:

83 (1,017 votes)

Comments:

22.

Boxer

The National

"The bands best album and a favourite of mine. Nice variation of instrumentation and such a relaxing album. An enjoyable album from start to finish and it is certainly a great album to work or study to. Recommended. Best Tracks: Fake Empire, Mistaken For Strangers, Brainy, Slow Show, Guest Room, Ada" [+] Reply

- lukeberrie | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2007

Appears in:

1,042 charts

Rank Score:

9,219

Rank in 2007:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

147

Average Rating:

82 (1,225 votes)

Comments:

23.

American Idiot

Green Day

"ok so maybe it's not the white album, and maybe green day aren't the beatles, but it's a damn good album, especially for a band whose song's mostly only incorporate a four-chord power-pattern, but you have to give them credit for being so ambitious. good on them, so what it may not sound THAT muc..." [+] Reply

- vinnid127 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (6 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2004

Appears in:

1,040 charts

Rank Score:

9,175

Rank in 2004:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

24.

"My favourite Arcade Fire album by a distance. No weak songs. Diverse. Intriguing. Captivating. Sucks you into a little world of intrigue and angst surrownded by brilliant music throughout." Reply

- michaelroc2011 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (6 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2007

Appears in:

1,243 charts

Rank Score:

8,895

Rank in 2007:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

153

Average Rating:

82 (2,031 votes)

Comments:

149

25.

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective

"One of the most amazing and unique albums I've ever heard. I highly recommend giving it repeated listens. The first time I heard it I was not a fan, but now it has grown to be one of my favorite albums of all time." Reply

- alexmcleod23 | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2009

Appears in:

1,196 charts

Rank Score:

8,773

Rank in 2009:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

159

Average Rating:

82 (1,602 votes)

Comments:

157

26.

The Moon & Antarctica

Modest Mouse

"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)

Year of Release:

2000

Appears in:

1,029 charts

Rank Score:

8,551

Rank in 2000:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

165

Average Rating:

83 (1,280 votes)

Comments:

27.

Lateralus

Tool

"If you want depth in your alternative rock experience there is possibly no better album to soak yourself in than Lateralus. While I probably enjoy Aenima slightly more due to the associations I have with it, this album is probably the peak of their creative genius. They are just such a tight soun..." [+] Reply

Strangel | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2001

Appears in:

828 charts

Rank Score:

8,411

Rank in 2001:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

172

Average Rating:

82 (1,103 votes)

Comments:

28.

Joanna Newsom

"Birds chirp in the trees outside my room, particularly in the morning. One day I woke up, opened the window, and played Ys while hearing the birds in the background. It brought the record to new levels of awesome." Reply

- | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2006

Appears in:

811 charts

Rank Score:

8,289

Rank in 2006:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

175

Average Rating:

81 (872 votes)

Comments:

29.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

"Makes the classic mistake of having skits and too many tracks, but the good tracks are fantastic. As a beat maker West is one of, if not, the best of his era." Reply

ProfessorSquid | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2004

Appears in:

936 charts

Rank Score:

8,236

Rank in 2004:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

178

Average Rating:

83 (1,452 votes)

Comments:

30.

Hail To The Thief

Radiohead

"Underrated. Everyone says it's too long, but I can't think of a song to cut! I like them all!" Reply

- setalpgninnpseki | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Year of Release:

2003

Appears in:

1,228 charts

Rank Score:

7,977

Rank in 2003:

Rank in 2000s:

Overall Rank:

183

Average Rating:

81 (2,391 votes)

Comments:

163

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 3 of 100

Best Albums of the 2000s composition

Year	Albums	%

2000	102	10%
2001	101	10%
2002	108	11%
2003	111	11%
2004	87	9%
2005	108	11%
2006	100	10%
2007	92	9%
2008	89	9%
2009	104	10%

Artist	Albums	%

Bruce Springsteen	6	1%
Animal Collective	6	1%
Death Cab For Cutie	5	0%
Porcupine Tree	5	0%
The White Stripes	5	0%
Radiohead	5	0%
Dream Theater	5	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	547	55%
	222	22%
	57	6%
	39	4%
	24	2%
	23	2%
	18	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	12	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	993	99%
Yes	9	1%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	991	99%
Yes	11	1%

Best Albums of the 2000s chart changes

Biggest climbers Biggest climbers in top 100 since last month
Up 3 from 68th to 65th Deathconsciousness by Have A Nice Life
Up 2 from 75th to 73rd Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie
Up 2 from 23rd to 21st Vespertine by Björk

Biggest fallers Biggest fallers in top 100 since last month
Down 2 from 20th to 22nd Boxer by The National
Down 2 from 70th to 72nd The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me by Brand New
Down 1 from 22nd to 23rd American Idiot by Green Day

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