Ok, so maybe this is too high. Prime Eminem has not aged well and neither has sell-out Eminem. Let's just settle on this being a top 50 2000s album because of its cultural significance.
--2000
Another album disapproved by hipsters. This small-stakes garage rock duo took it upon themselves to sound like the biggest arena rock band of their time. I understand if you don't like the move, but I find it ballsy and rewarding.
--2003
Once you hear those tribal drums kick in, you're locked into the ride. They never stop. Boredoms take you on a space rock adventure with mysterious sounds...And even mysterious song titles.
--2000 (technically 1999, but who cares)
Ghostface has always been a storyteller, but he delivers on that front track-after-track on Fishscale. These tales of the Staten Island nightlife sound both animated and cold-blooded all at once.
--2006
It's a shame that Xiu Xiu get shrugged off as basic experimental rock, when albums like Fabulous Muscles show off their truest talent: Songwriting. Sure the noises are discomforting, but the song structures are interesting and the lyrics are pure pain.
--2004
I never fully loved this album until recently. John Darnielle's stories of childhood and the relationship with his family are gut-wrenching. The music is a shining triumph over mortally bad memories.
--2005
The National discovered their identity on Alligator and started sounded anthemic on High Violet. In between lies Boxer. While often represented by its breakout singles "Fake Empire" and "Mistaken For Strangers," you can pick any song from this album and you'll get a W.
--2007
An entire 30 minutes shorter than their previous release, Bright Eyes decided to stick with their most realized songs; offering recorded moments of clarity (mostly really freaking sad) to the listener.
--2005
I think I over-romanticize the era of my life where I fell in love with Jens's music. It's hard not to. Jens shares his life and relationship experiences with relatable detail of mind-reading proportions.
--2007
The Postal Service have a simple musical formula. Ben Gibbard sings methodical sad lyrics over Dntel's electronic minimalism. Who knew that sound would remain so distinctive 20 years later? And by the way: Fuck Owl City.
--2003
It's one thing that Dizzee defined the grime genre in its early days. But the personality he brings to the table is unmatched. Socially anxious and zany to the max, Dizzee gives his sincere perspective on life over twisted and futuristic instrumentals.
--2003
The 2000s were difficult for most 90s indie darlings to adjust to. Yo La Tengo solved that issue by changing their sound. For the record, this is one of the quietest albums I've ever heard. But if you need music for checking your fridge at 3am, Yo La Tengo is there for you.
--2000
2000s Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse rapped about cocaine a lot. More importantly, every word Pusha T and No Malice said was given with rough conviction. Hell Hath No Fury defines their legacy. And the production from The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo) was ahead of its time.
--2006
Sung Tongs changed the way I think about folk music. Acoustic guitar recordings don't sound like this anywhere else. The vocal melodies are often sweet, but it's really Avey Tare's childish wailing that steals the show.
--2004
AnCo's jump into more textured electric music was all-but predictable. The watery guitars were a precursor to late-2000s indie rock. Some of these tracks were made with the concert experience in mind. And it's easy to get lost in the psychedelic moments. Love this album more and more every year.
--2005
Lord forbid these LSD junkies actually start writing songs that are ABOUT something. Strawberry Jam is the ultimate soundtrack to aging into your late 20's. Between high-pitched screams, you question your relationships, career, existence, memories, and even your diet.
--2007
With El-P working the soundboard, New York rap duo Cannibal Ox dish out arguably the most epic underground hip-hop album of all time. Ox never made it big, but at least they can say they never held anything back.
--2001
David Longstreth's batshit bizarre Dirty Projectors project found new life with the addition of vocalist Amber Coffman. Bitte Orca monopolized on their new sound; a sentimental outcry of progressive pop with crystal clear production.
--2009
Classical composer William Basinski attempted to transfer old symphonic recordings from tape to digital, only for the physical tapes to deteriorate in the process. The evening after he finished, he played this slow and grated music as he watched 9'11's smoke and ash cover the New York skyline from his apartment.
--(no actual release date)
Breakups suck. Wisconsin winters suck. But lo and behold, this combo was the spark that ignited Justin Vernon's extremely successful music career. I actually prefer this album to the rest of his stuff. Perhaps just your usual indie folk album, but that unforgettable voice makes it an impactful release.
--2007
Mike Skinner can't let go. Nostalgia for the 90s rave scene. His drug-fueled late nights. Sour relationships. This album not only represents one man's sincere reality, but a whole generation of UK city life. Also, this is extremely quotable. Listen to it.
--2002
So Dilla was one of hip-hop's most influential producers. He died at a young age and this album goes down as his swan song. Gotta admit, he left us with pieces of everything there was to love about him. The king of off-kilter soul.
--2006
TVOTR were already trailblazers to begin their career. Some passionate vocal harmonies over electronic noise. It was cool at the time. But Cookie Mountain was a step into a new realm of artistry. Aching with bitterness, the album is both emotionally and sonically dynamic.
--2006
It's been a sad 15 years watching indie folk get condensed to saturated radio pop. It's somewhat Fleet Foxes' fault for changing the game with their big fat reverbed sound. What can't be detested was their eclectic approach to songwriting, taking from classic chamber pop.
--2008
Speaking of eclecticism...Holy nuts. Rolling Stone gave this album 2/5 stars, saying it "make(s) Björk sound like Kelly Clarkson." The Milk-Eyed Mender came off as small and humble. Joanna decided to follow it up with the most complex and compact baroque pop of our era. A bold and divisive move.
--2006
In case you haven't read my blurbs for electronic albums, this is an area where I obviously don't know what I'm talking about. But we are all spoiled to have Untrue in our lives. Not only is it just an enjoyable full album experience, but you realize this is how all beats would sound in the 2010s. Accidentally prophetic.
--2007
Noah Lennox's voice spent much of the decade playing second fiddle in Animal Collective. Here, it's dubbed and reverbed into oblivion. Using sampling to make psychedelic soundscapes and sticking to "good vibes only" lyrics, Person Pitch was a weird little ray of Brian Wilson sunshine.
--2007
We're never getting another M.I.A. The personality, the production, the colors, the worldbeat connection. All she knew how to do was bust out hits.
--2007
M.I.A.'s music was unprecedented. Though she was raised in the battlegrounds of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Mathangi Arulpragasam didn't call for sympathy. She called for action. Each song here is dangerous, bold, infectious, punchy. It's the kind of stuff destined to offend Americans.
--2005
Speaking of offending Americans...Meet Kanye West. He made beats for popular rappers, then became a popular rapper himself. And rightfully so. Despite its cheeky #1 hit "Gold Digger," Late Registration is a grandiose, well-orchestrated album; a delightful homage to Kanye's 70s soul heroes.
--2005
I don't have a firm opinion of which Kanye album I prefer between his first 2. But this was an introduction to something the world hasn't stopped hearing for nearly 20 years: Kanye West's voice.
--2004
As a senior in high school, this album was everything. You don't need to know jack about hipster music to feel the magic of "Someone Great" and "All My Friends." Or "New York I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down." Or "Get Innocuous." Frick, I should have ranked this higher.
--2007
Even the most anxious artists can experience clarity. This album will never age. The strings still sound rich. The rhythms are deceptively simplistic. And both the guitar and vocals can be borderline sexy (not your usual Radiohead word).
--2007
I've read that OK Computer was so influential because it invited intense layers of sound to rock music. This was the vision. This 9-piece touring band from Toronto laid the definitive groundwork for indie rock in the 2000s. The music is as experimental as the listening experience is emotionally draining.
--2002
This is the ultimate album for self-realization. The expanse of the universe. How real the earth is. How small we are. Considering its lo-fi production, I have no idea how some of these songs were recorded. The themes of loneliness and nature make this a choice musical companion for getting lost in the night sky.
--2001
Releasing this after The Lonesome Crowded West makes for an astonishing back-to-back feat. Now working on a major label budget, Modest Mouse went the route of creating their own world. A cold world where death always looms over you.
--2000
Post-rock isn't my favorite genre, but it's my favorite genre name. If rock no longer exists, how are we supposed to party? We don't. We sit chained to a chair in the rain and ponder the imminent destruction of our planet as GY!BE albums play over a loudspeaker in the distance.
--2000
This revelation is pretty recent, but Discovery is one of those "mind-blowing" albums to me. Remnants of 70s funk and disco get a Millennial revamp with deeper beats, nocturnal bass, and colorful timbres that shine through the stratosphere.
--2001
The Avalanches found paradise and shared it with us. Made almost entirely from samples, this album is like flipping through hundreds of TV channels and nothing's on but cartoons. And of course, it's 100% danceable.
--2000
This album is literally sang in a language the lead singer made up. And he only sings in falsetto. And all the songs are like 8 minutes long. And they're all slow. And some of the instrumental choices raise an eyebrow. And it all sounds freaking beautiful.
--2000 (technically 1999, but who cares)
Released on 9/11, New York's own Shawn Carter sounded reborn on The Blueprint. Like he woke up one morning and realized he was the greatest in the game. Setting a high bar for himself and working with some guy named Kanye, Jay blew his expectations and competition out of the water.
--2001
While naturally staying true to their Atlanta roots, OutKast made the rap music of the future. "B.O.B" is one of the greatest songs of all time. The rest of the album keeps up the same artistic tenacity, and even churns out a couple timeless hits. OutKast could do it all.
--2000
Fans should have seen this coming. This is basically just a mix of the eccentric electronica on Strawberry Jam and the shining echoes of Person Pitch. But all decade long, Animal Collective just kept upping the ante. Merriweather Post Pavilion is one of the last classic albums from a true indie act.
--2009
The dynamic duo of producer Madlib and rapper MF DOOM (RIP) only made one album together, but they made it count. DOOM's flow is impeccable. Madlib provides a deranged film noir aesthetic. And of course, "Everyone finds that they're more creative stoned than straight."
--2004
I used to think of this as casual music for a sunny Saturday afternoon. The more I listen to R&B, the more I understand the neo-soul movement, the more I recognize how individual instruments are produced...I see Voodoo as a masterpiece. Raw performances; delicate arrangements. This deserves attention.
--2000
Mid-2000s Sufjan remains its own brand of music. I guess you could call it indie folk, but it's much more extravagant than that. Sufjan alone plays 25 instruments on Illinois. He also wrote, composed, and produced each song. The finished product is over 70 minutes of earnest enlightenment and introspection.
--2005
So I wrote about this album a lot in college and I'm kinda tired of talking about it. It's great. It changed my life. Yada-yada. For my top 4, I unintentionally ripped off the top 4 albums of the 2000s on Metacritic, so you can just save yourself some time and look there.
--2002
This is a pretty simple alt-rock album. And yet, it was the most borrowed alt-rock sound of the 2000s. But true swagger comes with a price. As a teenager, I was almost as popular as I was self-conscious. Cue The Strokes, fueling me with fun rock 'n' roll songs about complicated social scenarios.
--2001
It's hard to critique music berthed from grief. These songs were built for stadiums, with intricate baroque parts and passionate rock performances. Yet all the vocals sound convincingly frightened. Sure Arcade Fire have had an interesting career. But Funeral is a sensory overload. A musically intriguing intervention.
--2004
Every listen to Kid A feels like your first. Perhaps they were just screwing around with electronics, but any signs of traditional rock just sound so alien. All of Radiohead's creative forces crash together for a dark, contemplative experience. Plus a buddy of mine says this sounds great on ketamine, so there's that.
--2000
