Top 25 Albums of the Decade

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Albums that reached the top this decade

1. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004) :

Arcade fire’s 2004 debut at the time sounded like nothing else out there and to this day remains arguably the most unique and grandiose indie release of the decade.

2. Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002) :

With members from bands such as Stars, Metric and The Dears, BSS’s You Forgot It in People almost sounds like a greatest hits album with so many different band members and influences coming together. Each song stands alone and captures the decade’s Canadian music scene.

3. Radiohead – Kid A (2000) :

The album that changed all things Radiohead. The band took a bold step elsewhere and a bigger step towards solidifying themselves as one of the greatest bands of the past twenty years.

4. The White Stripes – Elephant (2003) :

Jack White’s genius comes through in screaming colours from the opening “Seven Nation Army,” revitalising blues rock along the way for a whole new generation of listeners.

5. The Strokes – Is This It (2001) :

When I first heard this album back in 2001 as an 11-year-old I thought it was simply the coolest thing I had ever heard. Nine years later and Julian Casablancas’ snarl on tracks like “Someday” and “Trying Your Luck” still sounds remarkably cool. The Strokes’ follow ups may have disappointed but as a debut, Is This It was a true stroke of genius.

6. Jay-Z – The Black Album (2003) :

What was supposed to be Jay-Z’s retirement album became the album that would complete his transformation into a full- fledged superstar. Songs like “99 Problems” and “Change Clothes” turned him into a household name.

7. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006) :

Arctic Monkeys busted onto the music scene with this album in 2006 and to this day it remains the fastest selling debut album of all time. It turned front man, Alex Turner, into a massive celebrity in the U.K and seemingly made the Arctic Monkeys everybody’s new favourite band.

8. Gorillaz – Demon Days (2005):

David Alburn’s first post Blur project, Gorillaz, became somewhat of a phenomenon after Demon Days. The performances behind giant cartoon characters, the fake names, the alter egos drew in intrigue but the true story is that the songs are packed with enough punch to stand on their own without the creative spectacle surrounding them.

9. Modest Mouse – The Moon and the Antarctica (2000):

Modest Mouse only tasted mainstream success in 2004 with their hit “Float On” but no one can deny the quality of the music the band was putting out long before tasting fame. The Moon and the Antarctica kicked off the new decade for the band, while possibly being their most striving and complete album of all.

10. Kanye West – The College Dropout (2004):

Kanye’s debut album and probably his most profound album to date, before all of the auto-tune and the glitz/glamour, has Kanye rapping about family, poverty and Chicago in a way that sounds as fresh today as it did back in ’04.

11. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible (2007):

After Funeral blew up in 2004, the music world was eagerly awaiting a follow up and Neon Bible was just what people wanted.  At times a little louder, at times a little quieter than Funeral , Neon Bible seemingly did everything just right for a second album, including bringing back an early EP hit “ No Cars Go” in a re-mastered, more defined version.

12. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007):

The trailblazing “pay what you want” fashion in which the album was released on the band’s website created buzz around the record before it was even released. The quality of the songs on the album took it from the musically complex sound of tracks like “Reckoner” and “15 Step” to the bare down sound of Thom Yorke’s voice and piano on “Videotape.”

13. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000):

Surrounded by controversy, The Marshall Mathers LP came out with a blast, selling nearly 2 million copies in its first week, setting the record for fastest selling album by a solo artist. Eminem’s most serious and honest album at the time, the lyrics really gave the public a look into Marshall Mathers and not so much Slim Shady. Tracks like “The Way I Am” and “Stan” would eventually lead the album to 9 times platinum.

14. Outkast – Stankonia (2000):

Outkast blew-up after Stankonia was released back in 2000. People didn’t really know how to take the quirky hip-hop duo, but nonetheless the public was blessed with gems like “Bombs over Baghdad” and ‘Ms. Jackson.”

15. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001):

Marketing themselves as a brother and sister act, wearing only red, white and black, the White Stripes got people’s attention back in 2001. Once people actually listened to White Blood Cells, the gimmicks no longer mattered.

16. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – By the Way (2002):

From the opening chords of the album on By The Way you could tell that the album was going to be huge in the music world, which it clearly was, selling over 282,000 copies in its first week.

17. Feist – The Reminder (2007):

From iPod commercials to Sesame Street appearances, Leslie Feist’s The Reminder landed her all kinds of publicity shortly after its release. The incredibly catchy “1234” was being hummed by people all around the world where as songs like “I Feel It All,” “Brandy Alexander” and “The Park” cemented The Reminder as one the greatest Canadian albums of the decade.

18. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights (2002):

Sounding both fresh and somewhat like Joy Division, Interpol’s full length debut garnered a lot of positive reactions upon its release. Seven years later and it still sounds intriguing and deserves credit for being one of the best all around albums of the decade.

19. Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004):

Kings of Leon’s popularity would only end up peaking in 2008 with their album Only By The Night, but 2004’s Aha Shake Heartbreak would prove to be the band’s best and most ambitious record of the decade.

20. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005):

Shifty British pop/rock, Block Party’s Silent Alarm moves from fast to slow to faster to  slower, all along somehow keeping a seemingly up-tempo beat to the entire album. Singer     Kele Okereke’s unique voice and lyrics are more than noteworthy and truly come across in songs like “This Modern Love” and “Banquet.”

21. The Killers – Hot Fuss (2004):

Hailing from Las Vegas, Brandon Flowers’ take on glamorous indie rock & roll would eventually lead him to headlining some of the world’s biggest festivals and selling records all over the globe. Hot Fuss got it all started with hits like “All These Things That I’ve Done,” “Somebody Told Me” and “Mr. Brightside.”

22. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever to tell (2003) :

Fever to Tell introduced the world to Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, creating an enormous buzz around the band and garnering them a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.

23. Jack Johnson – In Between Dreams (2005):

Jack Johnson takes a lot of heat for his simple songs/lyrics, but in a simple way, In Between Dreams is near perfection of relaxed, cute acoustic songs to sing around a beachside fire.

24. Lil Wayne – The Carter 3 (2008):

Not only did The Carter 3 get Lil Wayne a Grammy award, but in an industry where sales are dropping almost daily, Wayne’s 2008 release may very well be one of the last albums to go triple platinum, selling over 3 million copies.

25. Coldplay – A Rush of Cold Blood to the Head (2002):

After the success of Coldplay’s Parachutes in 2000, excitement was building to see what the band would come up with as a second album and with the help of tracks like “In My Place,”  “ The Scientist” and “Clocks,” A Rush of Cold Blood to the Head really turned Coldplay into one of the most popular bands of the decade.

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