Best / Favorite Albums of the Decade

Ramblings
1

Inspired by the Pitchfork list that was linked in the music thread, what are NNN’s favorite albums of the decade?

My top ten, in no particular order (except for number 1)

  1. [B]Queens of the Stone Age[/B] - [I]Songs for the Deaf[/I]

Its a creepy ass record that just kicks a lot of ass. Tons of homages to Sabbath, just the right blend of poppy hooks, and non stop face crunching riffs. This is the best line up of the Queens, with members of Ween, Screaming Trees, and Nirvana backing up Homme.

  1. [B]Kings Of Leon[/B] - [I]Aha Shake Heartbreak[/I]

Its not KOL’s best album (I think that goes to [I]Because of the Times[/I]). But its raw, loaded with sexual references, and the track sequence is laid out perfectly. Plus it has the best song about impotence ever recorded.

  1. [B]Arctic Monkeys[/B] - [I]Whatever People Say I am, Thats What I’m Not[/I]

I’m a sucker for 3 minute frenetic songs with a pop hook. Thats basically everything these guys do (up until their latest album)

  1. [B]Silversun Pickups[/B] - [I]Carnavas[/I]

Smashing Pumpkins meets My Bloody Valentine is a nice description of the album. A great blend of post grunge and shoegaze. And I think Lazy Eye is my favorite song of the decade…maybe.

  1. [B]White Stripes[/B] - [I]Elephant[/I]

There were about 3 Stripes albums I could have used, but I went with Elephant, mainly cause of Ball and Biscuit. Its just a great ****ing album, and Jack White has been the most consistant musician in at least the past 10 years.

  1. [B]Blind Pilot[/B] - [I]3 Rounds and a Sound[/I]

A couple of dudes from Portland continue to fly WAY under the radar. Even in indie circles, where the more obscure a band is, the better, they continue to be overlooked. Its too bad. Its a great album.

  1. [B]Coheed and Cambria[/B] - [I]Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV Vol. 1[/I]

The perfect blend of pop, prog, and staight up rock. They’re pretentious as hell, but damn can they write a song. And I’m pretty sure if you don’t like [I]Welcome Home,[/I] you hate music.

  1. [B]Wilco[/B] - [I]Sky Blue Sky[/I]

I know I’ll get ripped by Wilco fan boi’s (yes I know YHF is a better album) but this is my favorite Wilco album. It just seems like a complete album with real grown up songs on it. You Are My Face sounds like something you could have heard in the early 70’s.

  1. [B]At The Drive In[/B] - [I]Relationship of Command[/I]

These guys get lumped in with all that nu metal **** that was popular in the early 90’s. Don’t know why. They’re much more prog than anything. Its unfortunate, cause this album kiss so much ass.

  1. [B]Arcade Fire[/B] - [I]Funeral[/I]

Best album of the decade, and its not even close for me. Its just perfect, and nothing else really needs to be said about it.

honorable mention…

Bon Iver - [I]For Emma, Forever ago[/I]
Spoon - [I]Ga Ga Ga[/I]
Bright Eyes - [I]I’m Wide Awake, Its Morning[/I]
Mason Jennings - [I]Boneclouds[/I]
Loudon Wainwright III - [I]Strange Weirdos[/I]
Vampire Weekend - [I]Vampire Weekend[/I]
Cat Power - [I]The Greatest[/I]
[I]…[/I]And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - [I]Source Tags and Codes[/I]
My Morning Jacket - [I]Z[/I]
Band Of Horses - [I]Everything All the Time[/I]

2

I won’t describe each one because it’s nearly 3 in the morning, and no one shares my taste in music anyway so it wouldn’t make much difference.

10 (tie). [I]Untitled [/I]by Nas and [I]Fast Times at Barrington High[/I] by The Academy Is…
9. [I]Relapse[/I] by Eminem (which is secretly not derivative or repetitive but is actually about identity politics only no one’s noticed yet)
8. [I]Paper Television [/I]by The Blow
7. [I]The Forgotten Arm[/I] by Aimee Mann
6. [I]One Cell in the Sea [/I]by A Fine Frenzy
5. [I]Wild Hope [/I]by Mandy Moore
4. [I]Picaresque[/I] by The Decemberists
3. [I]Redemption Songs [/I]by Jars of Clay
2. [I]Nothing Is Sound[/I] by Switchfoot

  1. [I]Rip the Jacker[/I] by Canibus
3

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4

some of my favorites thusfar off the top of my head at 4 am in alphabetical order:

After The Burial - Rareform
As Blood Runs Black - Allegiance
August Burns Red - Constellations
August Burns Red - Messengers
August Burns Red - Thrill Seeker
Between The Buried And Me - Alaska
Between The Buried And Me - Colors
Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Born of Osiris - A Higher Place
Born of Osiris - The New Reign
Enter Shakiri - Common Dreads
Every Time I Die - Gutter Phenomenon
Every Time I Die - Hot Damn!
Every Time I Die - Last Night In Town
He Is Legend - I Am Hollywood
Iron and Wine - The Creek Drank the Cradle
Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache
My Hero Is Me - The Crywolf Broadcast
My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Parkway Drive - Horizons
Parkway Drive - Killing With a Smile
Protest the Hero - Fortress
Protest the Hero - Kezia
The Devil Wears Prada - Plagues
The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below
Thrice - The Artist in the Ambulance
Veil of Maya - The Common Man’s Collapse
Within the Ruins - Creature

5

These were 10 of the albums I could think of that I liked that came out this decade…

Alkaline Trio - From Here to Infirmary
Leatherface - Horsebox
Able Baker Fox - Voices
Banner Pilot - Pass the Poison
Shins - Oh Inverted World/Chutes Too Narrow
Dillinger Four - Situationist Comedy
Get Up Kids - Guilt Show
Thursday - Full Collapse
Common Rider - This is Unity Music
Deftones - White Pony

I also love Scared of Chaka and Digger, but their offerings this decade weren’t my favorites (Keystone and Crossing with Switchblades).

6
1. [B]Arcade Fire[/B] - [I]Funeral[/I]

Best album of the decade, and its not even close for me. Its just perfect, and nothing else really needs to be said about it.


Came here to say this but you already said it. Couldn’t agree more.

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So this is basically a thread for music snobs to show off in…

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[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;434783]So this is basically a thread for music snobs to show off in…[/QUOTE]

Why is listing your favorite albums music snobbery?

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This was pretty tough… about 90% of my favorite albums are from the 1990’s.

So, here goes:

  1. Pico vs. Island Trees - Just Wait (2004)
  2. Ziggy Marley - Love is my Religion (2006)
  3. Tool - Lateralus (2001)
  4. Matisyahu - Youth (2006)
  5. 311 - Evolver (2003)
  6. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations (2006)
  7. Damien Rice - 0 (2002)
  8. Passafire - Everyone on Everynight (2009)
  9. State Radio - Us Against The Crown (2006)
  10. Dispatch - Who Are We Living For? (2000)

Honorable Mention: State Radio’s Year of the Crow (2007) Passafire’s Submersible (2007) and Ziggy Marley’s Dragonfly (2003)

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Why is listing your favorite albums music snobbery?

Because I have heard of about 3 of the bands listed in this thread.

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[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;434787]Because I have heard of about 3 of the bands listed in this thread.[/QUOTE]

That doesn’t make someone a snob.

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Because I have heard of about 3 of the bands listed in this thread.
Give them a try? If you posted an entirely hip hop list I wouldn't instantly discredit it actually, even though it's not my favorite genre.
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Give them a try? If you posted an entirely hip hop list I wouldn't instantly discredit it actually, even though it's not my favorite genre.

I’m just playing the role of the asshole here. I have no problems with any of the list.

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[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;434790]I’m just playing the role of the asshole here. I have no problems with any of the list.[/QUOTE]

Part of playing the role of the asshole…

…is to not tell anybody that you’re doing it.

15
10. Pico vs. Island Trees - Just Wait (2004)

Haha, was surprised about this one. I had spanish class in high school with the ex-bassist Brian Howell

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[QUOTE=ozmosis49er;434793]Haha, was surprised about this one. I had spanish class in high school with the ex-bassist Brian Howell[/QUOTE]

It really is a good album.

Not a fan of anything after it though.

17

Oh, wow, I totally forgot about Damien Rice. Good call.

18

lew, did you like Lateralus better than 10,000 days? I love both but I thought the latter was better.

19

Ok, I will give this a shot. It will be tough, because all of the best / my favorite stuff came out late 80s early to mid 90s, but I will join the fun.

  1. Kanye West - The College Dropout
  2. Cormega - The Realness
  3. Sean Price - Jesus Price SupaStar
  4. M.O.P. - Warriorz
  5. 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin’
  6. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
  7. Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & DJ Hi-Tek) - Train of Thought
  8. The Roots - Game Theory
  9. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
  10. Nas - Stillmatic

Honorable Mentions: J Dilla - Donuts, Common - Be, Kanye West - Late Registration, Buckshot & 9th Wonder - The Formula, Jay-Z - American Gangster, Jay-Z - The Black Album, Nas - Street’s Disciple, Nas - God’s Son, The Roots - Phrenology and probably some others I forgot…

20

I don’t like enough of today’s music to have a list of ten, but I’d like to give honorable mention to a couple:

[U]De Loused in the Comatorium[/U]- The Mars Volta
[U]The Moon and Antarctica[/U]- Modest Mouse