Aidan Parle - The Red Cafe Sessions
Album Of the Decade
- Thread starter Rood
- Start date
This is a list of the best albums of the decade. Not a list where we desperatley try to show to others on the forum how broad our musical tastes are...
I literally burst out laughing at that comment. Talk about patronising. I assure you I listen to a massive variety of music..
Have you ever thought that maybe the albums I mentioned are famous, popular and 'mainstream' for a reason?
Well there is a reason.. It's because they're amongst the best albums of the decade. Hence their inclusion.
Fair points. But did I ever say anything that implied any of your points? really? You're reading into it all wrong.
You essentially said that the way you measure how good something is, is by how popular, mainstream or famous it is.
Today is the last day to vote in Rolling Stone's end of the decade poll:
Rolling Stone
Although I havent got a clue how they came up with their list of options for 'Artist of the Decade' - even taking into account that they obviously arent going to cover anything obscure, there are some shocking ommisions (how can Outkast not be mentioned?!) - and who the feck is Conor Oberst?
Artist of the decade my arse!
Rolling Stone artist of the decade nominees:
Arcade Fire
Beyonce
Black Eyed Peas
Kelly Clarkson
Coldplay
Eminem
Fall Out Boy
Green Day
Bob Dylan
Conor Oberst
Jay Z
Jack White
Kings of Leon
Lil Wayne
MIA
My Chemical Romance
My Morning Jacket
Radiohead
Bruce Springsteen
Justin Timberlake
U2
Kanye West
Wilco
Rolling Stone
Although I havent got a clue how they came up with their list of options for 'Artist of the Decade' - even taking into account that they obviously arent going to cover anything obscure, there are some shocking ommisions (how can Outkast not be mentioned?!) - and who the feck is Conor Oberst?
Artist of the decade my arse!
Rolling Stone artist of the decade nominees:
Arcade Fire
Beyonce
Black Eyed Peas
Kelly Clarkson
Coldplay
Eminem
Fall Out Boy
Green Day
Bob Dylan
Conor Oberst
Jay Z
Jack White
Kings of Leon
Lil Wayne
MIA
My Chemical Romance
My Morning Jacket
Radiohead
Bruce Springsteen
Justin Timberlake
U2
Kanye West
Wilco
Conor Oberst is the man behind Bright Eyes, Desaparecidos, Park Avenue, Commander Venus and, more recently, Monsters of Folk (along with M.Ward, Jim James and Mike Mogis).
His Bright Eyes stuff was very good (in a miserable alcoholic bastard kind of way), fortunately for him he seems to have gotten his life on track and is now all sorted, grounded and mature... Sadly, as far as I can see this has made his musical quality evaporate leaving some rather bland MOR country/folk. Inexplicably critics love this new puddle of MOR folkiness. On a side note he's released 8 albums in 10 years.
Personally I miss the his self-loathing days. Either way he's not released anything worthy of being included in a top-20 of the decade, though Fevers & Mirrors, Digital Ash In A Digital Urn and I'm Wide Awake It's Morning would all make it into my personal Top 50 albums of the decade.
Its scandalous no-one seems to have metioned Death From Above 1979 - Im A Woman You're A Machine. Unbelievable album, no bad tracks at all.
Cheers for the lowdown - I did google him later on and realised I know him from Bright Eyes but cant say I have come across the other stuff.
If he has 8 albums in 10 years then perhaps he is there for quantity rather than quality!
Never heard that album but am I right in saying that is the bloke from MSTRKRFT?
One of them is in MSTRKRFT, they're a lethal band. And Conor Oberst is quality aswell. Its not surprising that most lists i've seen of this type (from music journo's, websites) have been filled with the same stuff for the most part, and a healthy helping of white, middle-class indie. Says alot really, no-one has eclectic tastes anymore, every music magazine or website is too busy trying to keep up with or be ahead of their own particular scene. I realised a while ago your better off just going to gigs, talking to other people and listening to stuff and you'll find good music. Dont bother with the radio, music channels, or magazines anymore. I must actually try and stick together a list, im not criticising anyone in this thread by the way. Theres a few excellent choices that i wouldn't personally put in a top ten, but that you'd never see in a media top ten either.
Came across this site which aparently compiles ratings from all sorts of different sources to get a definitive list - this is basically what I was attempting to do but this takes it to a whole different level with hundreds of different sources used ...
The best albums of the 2000s besteveralbums.com
1. Radiohead - Kid A
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral
4. The Strokes - Is This It?
5. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
6. Muse - Absolution
7. The White Stripes - Elephant
8. Radiohead - Amnesiac
9. Muse - Origin Of Symmetry
10. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say ...
Top 100 Albums of the Decade
Best Ever Albums - The Best Albums of the 2000s
Most other lists avoid mentioning the same band twice in the top 10 but this list is quite different due to the way it is compiled - Radiohead have 3 in the Top10 and even 'Hail To The Thief' is at no12 - other bands also appear several times.
The best albums of the 2000s besteveralbums.com
1. Radiohead - Kid A
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Arcade Fire - Funeral
4. The Strokes - Is This It?
5. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
6. Muse - Absolution
7. The White Stripes - Elephant
8. Radiohead - Amnesiac
9. Muse - Origin Of Symmetry
10. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say ...
Top 100 Albums of the Decade
Best Ever Albums - The Best Albums of the 2000s
Most other lists avoid mentioning the same band twice in the top 10 but this list is quite different due to the way it is compiled - Radiohead have 3 in the Top10 and even 'Hail To The Thief' is at no12 - other bands also appear several times.
I hear ya mate - almost all the music I get now is just stuff ripped from mates (plus a fair bit from Caftard recommendations nowadays!). I still like to follow what is happening in the music press but the days when i would buy NME every week are long gone.
But in saying that, some of these same old albums ("white, middle class indie" as you call it) which the journos keep mentioning are worthy - they are not necessarily ground breaking or anything but personally I can understand why stuff like 'Kid A' and 'This Is It' are constantly mentioned among the best albums of the decade as they have had a massive influence on 'pop culture' in general throughout the decade.
Do post your own list when you get the chance - I still havent done my own yet.
I've got to say that i really, really don't get radiohead. Not my cup of tea at all.
Most of that goes for me too. Actually I think my main source of new good music the last few years have been through checking out bands and artists that bands and artists I already admire have recommended or collaborated with. Or by listening to bands that belong to labels that otherwise release good and exciting music. Once in a while one can also strike gold by checking out 'similar bands' recommendations from Spotify, last.fm and the like. (If you only listen to one type of music you probably won't expand your horizon by doing that. If you don't you'll be fine.)
Other than that my main source for finding new music are surely friends.
What a top album that is!
Asking to name 10 albums from a decade is hard work! If I did it again now it would probably be different. In no particular order:
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Bon Iver - From Emma, Forever Ago
The Strokes - Is This It
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Daft Punk - Discovery
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
British Sea Power - The Decline of British Sea Power
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
The Libertines - Up the Bracket
Finally got around to this, in order:
1. Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer
2. Jay-Z - Black Album
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows
4. Madvillian - Madvilliany
5. Kanye West - Late Registration
6. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
7. Little Brother - Minstrel Show
8. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
10. Chester French - Love the Future,
1. Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer
2. Jay-Z - Black Album
3. Radiohead - In Rainbows
4. Madvillian - Madvilliany
5. Kanye West - Late Registration
6. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
7. Little Brother - Minstrel Show
8. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
9. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
10. Chester French - Love the Future,
Aye labels are a good shout. I’m currently having a poke through the artists on Warp records. Hopefully going to get the Warp20 collection when xmas is over. Plus im heading to All Tommorrow’s Parties this weekend, im sure I’ll get plenty of recommendations from people I meet there.
Roodboy I didn’t mean to be dismissive, obviously Radiohead are a fantastic band and the strokes are worthy of a mention. But theres definitely a case of too many similar bands playing the same oul tripe, and they’ll normally be found on E4.
My list in no particular order (this is off the top of my head and im work, so apologies if this gets edited later) would be-
Death From Above 1979 – You’re a woman, I’m a Machine
Future of the Left – Curses
Radiohead – Kid A
Arcade Fire - Rebellion
At the Drive In – Relationship of Command
Fugazi – The Argument
Justice – Across the Universe
Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
The Hives – Your new favourite band
MF Doom – MM Food (Haven’t heard his Madvilliany stuff, apparently that’s better)
Special mentions to Kylesa – Static Tensions, The Sword, Radiohead – In Rainbows, Crystal Castles, John Murphy’s 28 Days Later/28 weels later OST’s and Clint Mansell’s Requiem for A Dream ost, feck Buttons – Surf Solar, Foals – Antidotes, Seafood- when do we start fighting, Jetplane Landing - Backlash Cop and CSS – CSS SUX .
Alot of good albums, im sure theres plenty i've forgotten too.
I forgot about that one. Amazing album. Did you ever see them play on Jools Holland? Nuts.
Never saw them live which I regret.
I’ve seen the Jools Holland show, that was amazing. Jim holding everything together while Cedric and Omar go nuts haha. I’ve regrettably never seen them live either.
Not the one where The Harmony Rockets are performing Paralyzed Mind of the archangel Void, I hope. If it is, I'll kill you.
You mean Tarot Sport? I love Surf Solar, but I thought the album was somewhat boring.
I'd have Doom's Born Like This over both Food and Madvillainy. It's one of the albums I've listened to the most the last half a year, and I'm actually listening to it at the moment. It's insanely brilliant.
Are you going to the ATP at Minehead? That looks excellent. Om, Sunn O)), Papa M, Deerhoof, Six Organs, and a bunch of other nice things. I'll probably try and catch Om and Sunn O)) in London though, so I'm not too envious.
No, that was last weekend. You're off the hook.
That was last weekend, wasn't it?
Keep up!
That's already established. You're off the hook.
Been reading through others lists trying to think up my own, and it's bloody difficult isn't it? Since I can't really come up with a top 10, here's a selection of a few off the top of my head that I've enjoyed, outside of the ones already mentioned countless times (Kid A, Late Registration etc.). By no means a top 10, but all albums I've really enjoyed this decade. Which is becoming an increasing rarity since the iPod took control... No particular order.
Hope Of The States - The Lost Riots
Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright (I'm pretty sure this was self titled, but I mean her 1st album if I'm wrong)
Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasures
The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (although I've read and heard people hail them as being far better than they are)
Boys Noize - Oi Oi Oi
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles
Cerys Matthews - Never Said Goodbye
Antony & The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Hope Of The States - The Lost Riots
Martha Wainwright - Martha Wainwright (I'm pretty sure this was self titled, but I mean her 1st album if I'm wrong)
Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope
Simian Mobile Disco - Temporary Pleasures
The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike
The Magic Numbers - The Magic Numbers
Wild Beasts - Two Dancers (although I've read and heard people hail them as being far better than they are)
Boys Noize - Oi Oi Oi
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles
Cerys Matthews - Never Said Goodbye
Antony & The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Thats the one, i love that album to be honest. And its become my smoking album of choice this last couple of weeks.
Thats the one, the Ten Years of ATP, can't wait. Shellac, Battles, Modest Mouse, The Mars Volta, Explosions in the Sky, Lightning Bolt. All sorts of good stuff. Some acts i haven't heard but im going to be doing my homework over the next couple of days.
Actually the Battles album should be in that list aswell.
Forgot about Modest Mouse, thats a great album. Im seeing them this weekend
Maaan they put on the most outstanding show you'll ever see.
Saw them here, 3 hours, no breaks... Amazing.
Curious, where do you rate Dangerdoom?
Will have to check out that Master Ace album - do like him but not got that album - big praise to make it album of the decade!
Dont really know Little Brother or Chester French - what kind of stuff is it?
Couple of questions for all the wannabe musos out there:
I have 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News' by Modest Mouse, I think it is a great album - have seen a few of their albums mentioned in this thread so which of their stuff should I listen to next?
Ive got both DangerDoom albums but only a few tracks of Doom's other stuff - so where should I start with his various alter egos?
'The Moon and Antartica' is by many considered their best album, and it really is a great album.
Personally I like to listen to 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank' when I'm not really focusing on the music because it's a bit easier to listen to than most of their albums.
Very nice and lush album. Not one of my albums of the decade, though.
Here's the whole thing compressed to eight minutes:
Or something.
Problem with these lists is not that they're subjective - they have to be to work - but that so many people limit themselves to only a few genres of music because that's what they like that these things will never work. Someone who listens to predominantly hip-hop will list albums as the best of the decade that someone who listens to alternative rock and metal won't have even heard of.
Which is both a good and bad thing... Although i'm a music nutter and listen to everything and anything, there's alot of people who benefitted form my top 100 list on my facebook and showed great appreciation that they got to hear some albums, even a decade late, and not feel out of the loop.
Cheers mate - will check them both out.
I dont really see why that is a problem to be honest - as you note, each person's list is going to be completely subjective anyway.
I'd echo Doogie, The Moon & Antarctica is probably their best "album" - by which I mean it all kind of holds together as an album, a whole. But their last 2 albums (Good News for People... and We Were Dead Before...) are probably their most accessible and mainstream - which isn't intended as some sort of slight, I love both of those albums. Especially 'Little Motel' on We Were Dead...
After that I'd go for either 'Building Nothing Out Of Something' which is a collection of stuff before they signed for Matador (iirc) and has some top songs on it (Never Ending Math Equation & Baby Blue Sedan are wonderful songs) or "This Is A Long Drive..." which has some great stuff on it (Dramamine, Talking Shit About A Pretty Sunset, Breakthrough).
I completely forgot "It's Never Been Like That" by Phoenix. Good album.
Modest Mouse - Dashboard.
#3 on my songs of the decade
#3 on my songs of the decade
The Rolling Stone Magazine list is out
1 | Radiohead - Kid A
2 | The Strokes - Is This It
3 | Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4 | Jay-Z - The Blueprint
5 | The White Stripes - Elephant
6 | Arcade Fire - Funeral
7 | Eminem - The Marshal Mathers LP
8 | Bob Dylan - Modern Times
9 | M.I.A. - Kala
10 | Kanye West - The College Dropout
11 | Bob Dylan - Love and Theft
12 | LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
13 | U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
14 | Jay-Z - The Black Album
15 | Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
16 | OutKast - Stankonia
17 | Beck - Sea Change
18 | MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
19 | Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
20 | The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
21 | Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
22 | Green Day - American Idiot
23 | D'Angelo - Voodoo
24 | Bruce Springsteen - Magic
25 | Radiohead - Amnesiac
26 | Cat Power - The Greatest
27 | The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
28 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
29 | Sigur Rós - Ágaetis Byrjun
30 | Radiohead - In Rainbows
1 | Radiohead - Kid A
2 | The Strokes - Is This It
3 | Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4 | Jay-Z - The Blueprint
5 | The White Stripes - Elephant
6 | Arcade Fire - Funeral
7 | Eminem - The Marshal Mathers LP
8 | Bob Dylan - Modern Times
9 | M.I.A. - Kala
10 | Kanye West - The College Dropout
11 | Bob Dylan - Love and Theft
12 | LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
13 | U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
14 | Jay-Z - The Black Album
15 | Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
16 | OutKast - Stankonia
17 | Beck - Sea Change
18 | MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
19 | Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
20 | The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
21 | Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
22 | Green Day - American Idiot
23 | D'Angelo - Voodoo
24 | Bruce Springsteen - Magic
25 | Radiohead - Amnesiac
26 | Cat Power - The Greatest
27 | The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
28 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
29 | Sigur Rós - Ágaetis Byrjun
30 | Radiohead - In Rainbows
As a mainstream mag you have to expect the odd dodgy choice, but come the feck on. Awful.
In Rainbows should be alot higher IMO. Best Radiohead album since OK Computer.
Jesus Christ.
I'm a big Cat Power fan, that is, I'm a fan of her good stuff. The Greatest is a bit shit really. MIA is good at her best, and there are a couple of brilliant tracks on Kala, but as a whole it's a poor album. Springsteen and Dylan are there because of old achievements. Other than that, it's still a ridiculous list. Oh well, nothing new under the sun.
I'm a big Cat Power fan, that is, I'm a fan of her good stuff. The Greatest is a bit shit really. MIA is good at her best, and there are a couple of brilliant tracks on Kala, but as a whole it's a poor album. Springsteen and Dylan are there because of old achievements. Other than that, it's still a ridiculous list. Oh well, nothing new under the sun.
They've asked various rock stars for their lists and i've gotta say, Kirk Hammett's is very good. His is the first list i've seen from anyone (apart from mine) that contains Alice. Good stuff.
The Best Music of the Decade: Inside the Ballots : Photos : Rolling Stone
The Best Music of the Decade: Inside the Ballots : Photos : Rolling Stone