As we near the end of the decade, it is only right that I lay my favorite Albums of this decade on you.
10. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket - Blink 182
Everyone from the ages of 10-30 knows just how influential Blink 182 was on the music scene in the late 90's and early 2000's. Smash hits such as "First Date" and "The Rock Show" propelled the album to the top of the charts, but it was the rest of the production that created it's place in my heart. From start to finish, there are few songs that you want to skip. A very solid album from a then very solid band.
Top Tracks - Online Songs, pt. 2, Stay Together for the Kids, First Date
9. Common - Be
With production from Kanye West, Common was able to finally breakout into the popular spotlight. "Be (Intro)" sets the tone for the whole album, with a jazz feel reminiscent of Miles Davis. Features including Kanye West, John Mayer, and John Legend also contribute to the success and smooth sound of one of the best Hip Hop Albums in recent memory.
Top Tracks - Be (Intro), Go, The Corner
8. MF DOOM - MM...Food
MF DOOM has become the champion of the underground and off-beat Hip Hop scene, and his first wide scale release, MM...Food did not disappoint. With rhymes about Comic books, science fiction, and smoking weed, Doom cemented himself in the youth culture of the 2000's.
Top Tracks - Rapp Snitch Kanishes, Hoe Cakes, Deep Fried Frenz
7. The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - Seu Jorge
Many in the US don't know who Seu Jorge is, but in Brazil he is a fairly popular artist. He burst onto the scene of many Indie and Stoner scenes after his appearance in The Life Aquatic, a 2004 Wes Anderson film. And let's be honest, is there anything better than Portuguese and David Bowie mixed together?
Top Tracks - Ziggy Stardust, Life on Mars?, Changes
6.) Into the Wild OST - Eddie Vedder
After Pearl Jam fell off the face of the earth in every aspect outside of live performance in the 2000's, Vedder showed his more mature side on this solo written and performed soundtrack. Ditching the grunge sound, Vedder cleverly uses the Acoustic guitar as well as many other more exotic instruments to create the powerful folk sound that this album emits.
Top Tracks - Hard Sun, Society, Rise
5.) The College Dropout - Kanye West
We all know the downfalls of Kanye in recent years, but this freshman debut showed a sign of Kanye that is now long gone. It is clear of his gratitude for his then newfound success, despite still showing a confidence that makes the album come off so well. Despite lacking in a show stopping rap flow, his writing, production, and Grade A features (Jay-Z, Mos Def, Talib Kweli) make up for that ten fold.
Top Tracks - We Don't Care, Family Business, Two Words, Spaceship, Through the Wire
4.) Kid A - Radiohead
Changing their sound from the 90's Indie Rock to a more electronic 2000's style, Kid A exemplifies the versatililty of Radiohead that has garnered them such a strong following. "Everything In It's Right Place" and "Kid A" set the tone for one of the top rock albums of all time.
Top Tracks - Everything In It's Right Place, Kid A, Idioteque, How to Disappear Completely
3.) Madvillainy - Madvilllain
One of the best Hip Hop collaborations of all-time, Madlib and MF DOOM came together to re-difne what it meant to collab within the Hip Hop industry. By allowing DOOM to focus almost solely on the lyrics while Madlib killed on the production, very clean and polished comic-esque sound was produced. Due to the short length of the tracks, I deem this album the ADD Dream.
Top Tracks - All Caps, America's Most Blunted, Figaro, Rhinestown Cowboy
2.) Deltron 3030 - Deltron
Another Collaboration between two great Hip Hop minds, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Dan the Automator, this album is the re-definition of a concept album. One of the first solely Hip Hop concept albums, with a motion picture theme of a dystopian 31st Century, Deltron 3030 rests in a special place in Hip Hop's History.
Top Tracks - 3030, Virus, Madness, Upgrade (A Bymar College Course), Madness
1.) Tie: Late Registration - Kanye West, Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens
Late Registration is easily the prime of Kanye West, combining Motion Picture production, with the help of Hollywood Producer Jon Brion, and refined writing skills allowed Kanye to show the true power and importance of production. With a more serious tone, he was able to create perhaps the best Hip Hop album of all time, cue Kanye interruption.
Top Tracks - We Major, Celebration, Gone, Late, Diamonds From Sierra Leone, My Way Home, Hey Mama
Illinoise is quite simply the perfect Indie album. Combining components from Classical symphonies, Baptist Church Choirs, and Folk Rock elements, it is easy to see why many consider Sufjan to be an Indie Genious. Even though his 50 States Project is now defunct, this album will forever leave us wondering what could have been.
Top Tracks - Jacksonville, John Wayne Gacy, Jr., Come On Feel The Illinoise, Chicago, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts, Casimir Pulaski Day
Everyone from the ages of 10-30 knows just how influential Blink 182 was on the music scene in the late 90's and early 2000's. Smash hits such as "First Date" and "The Rock Show" propelled the album to the top of the charts, but it was the rest of the production that created it's place in my heart. From start to finish, there are few songs that you want to skip. A very solid album from a then very solid band.
Top Tracks - Online Songs, pt. 2, Stay Together for the Kids, First Date
9. Common - Be
With production from Kanye West, Common was able to finally breakout into the popular spotlight. "Be (Intro)" sets the tone for the whole album, with a jazz feel reminiscent of Miles Davis. Features including Kanye West, John Mayer, and John Legend also contribute to the success and smooth sound of one of the best Hip Hop Albums in recent memory.
Top Tracks - Be (Intro), Go, The Corner
8. MF DOOM - MM...Food
MF DOOM has become the champion of the underground and off-beat Hip Hop scene, and his first wide scale release, MM...Food did not disappoint. With rhymes about Comic books, science fiction, and smoking weed, Doom cemented himself in the youth culture of the 2000's.
Top Tracks - Rapp Snitch Kanishes, Hoe Cakes, Deep Fried Frenz
7. The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - Seu Jorge
Many in the US don't know who Seu Jorge is, but in Brazil he is a fairly popular artist. He burst onto the scene of many Indie and Stoner scenes after his appearance in The Life Aquatic, a 2004 Wes Anderson film. And let's be honest, is there anything better than Portuguese and David Bowie mixed together?
Top Tracks - Ziggy Stardust, Life on Mars?, Changes
6.) Into the Wild OST - Eddie Vedder
After Pearl Jam fell off the face of the earth in every aspect outside of live performance in the 2000's, Vedder showed his more mature side on this solo written and performed soundtrack. Ditching the grunge sound, Vedder cleverly uses the Acoustic guitar as well as many other more exotic instruments to create the powerful folk sound that this album emits.
Top Tracks - Hard Sun, Society, Rise
5.) The College Dropout - Kanye West
We all know the downfalls of Kanye in recent years, but this freshman debut showed a sign of Kanye that is now long gone. It is clear of his gratitude for his then newfound success, despite still showing a confidence that makes the album come off so well. Despite lacking in a show stopping rap flow, his writing, production, and Grade A features (Jay-Z, Mos Def, Talib Kweli) make up for that ten fold.
Top Tracks - We Don't Care, Family Business, Two Words, Spaceship, Through the Wire
4.) Kid A - Radiohead
Changing their sound from the 90's Indie Rock to a more electronic 2000's style, Kid A exemplifies the versatililty of Radiohead that has garnered them such a strong following. "Everything In It's Right Place" and "Kid A" set the tone for one of the top rock albums of all time.
Top Tracks - Everything In It's Right Place, Kid A, Idioteque, How to Disappear Completely
3.) Madvillainy - Madvilllain
One of the best Hip Hop collaborations of all-time, Madlib and MF DOOM came together to re-difne what it meant to collab within the Hip Hop industry. By allowing DOOM to focus almost solely on the lyrics while Madlib killed on the production, very clean and polished comic-esque sound was produced. Due to the short length of the tracks, I deem this album the ADD Dream.
Top Tracks - All Caps, America's Most Blunted, Figaro, Rhinestown Cowboy
2.) Deltron 3030 - Deltron
Another Collaboration between two great Hip Hop minds, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Dan the Automator, this album is the re-definition of a concept album. One of the first solely Hip Hop concept albums, with a motion picture theme of a dystopian 31st Century, Deltron 3030 rests in a special place in Hip Hop's History.
Top Tracks - 3030, Virus, Madness, Upgrade (A Bymar College Course), Madness
1.) Tie: Late Registration - Kanye West, Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens
Late Registration is easily the prime of Kanye West, combining Motion Picture production, with the help of Hollywood Producer Jon Brion, and refined writing skills allowed Kanye to show the true power and importance of production. With a more serious tone, he was able to create perhaps the best Hip Hop album of all time, cue Kanye interruption.
Top Tracks - We Major, Celebration, Gone, Late, Diamonds From Sierra Leone, My Way Home, Hey Mama
Illinoise is quite simply the perfect Indie album. Combining components from Classical symphonies, Baptist Church Choirs, and Folk Rock elements, it is easy to see why many consider Sufjan to be an Indie Genious. Even though his 50 States Project is now defunct, this album will forever leave us wondering what could have been.
Top Tracks - Jacksonville, John Wayne Gacy, Jr., Come On Feel The Illinoise, Chicago, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts, Casimir Pulaski Day
