Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

A few posters got together and decided to make a list of the top 25 albums from 1996-2006. A couple people haven't made their list yet, but so far we have 3: MacDaddy Warsaw, Soul Daddy, and me.

Feel free to nitpick, argue, make your own list, or ask for an expansion of these lists (either for more albums or more years).

We're missing CMI and jgorham's lists.

Here are the lists:

Soul Daddy
25. Radiohead - Hail To the Thief (2003)
24. The National - Alligator (2005)
23. Ted Leo - Hearts of Oak (2003)
22. And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (2002)
21. Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump (2000)
20. Elliott Smith - XO (1998)
19. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight (2002)
18. Dr. Dre - Chronic 2001 (2000)
17. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)
16. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2004)
15. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry (2004)
14. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004)
13. The White Stripes - De Stijl (2000)
12. Beck - Sea Change (2002)
11. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World (2001)
10. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
9. Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
8. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
7. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
6. The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
5. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
4. Elliott Smith - Either/Or (1997)
3. Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West (1997)
2. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)
1. Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)

Macdaddy Warsaw
25. Blink 182 - Dude Ranch (1997)
24. New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (2005)
23. The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
22. Annie - Annimal (2005)
21. The Wrens - Meadowlands (2003)
20. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (2004)
19. Out Hud - Let Us Never Speak of It Again (2005)
18. Caribou - Up in Flames (2003)
17. Ratatat - Ratatat (2004)
16. Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher (2003)
15. DJ Optimo - How to Kill the DJ Part 2 (2004)
14. Explosions in the Sky - How Strange, Innocence (2000)
13. Destroyer - Your Blues (2004)
12. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2004)
11. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People (2002)
10. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
9. Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999)
8. The Avalanches - Since I Left You (2000)
7. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica (2000)
6. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
5. Failure - Fantastic Planet (1996)
4. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (1999)
3. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
2. Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)
1. Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On (1997)

Jack of Arcades
25. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica (2000)
24. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret (1999)
23. The Wrens - Meadowlands (2003)
22. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (1999)
21. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2004)
20. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (2006)
19. Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash (2003).
18. Non Prophets - Hope (2003)
17. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods (2005)
16. The Decemberists - Castaways and Cutouts (2003)
15. Elliott Smith - XO (1998)
14. Bonnie Prince Billy - I See A Darkness (1999)
13. Radiohead - Kid A (2000)
12. Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (2002)
11. Outkast - Stankonia (2000)
10. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001)
9. 2Pac - All Eyez on Me (1996)
8. And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes (2002)
7. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt (1996)
6. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (2002)
5. Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (1999)
4. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
3. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
2. Radiohead - OK Computer (1997)
1. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

This would be even better if you had a couple more guys with very different musical tastes. You guys seem pretty similar.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I think I have a more electronic records on my list and JoA has more rap records. Regardless, I agree that overall we probably have very similar tastes. That said, you could always share you top 25 (not trying to be snide.). I'm always interested in seeing the musical tastes floating around 2p2.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Prior to this post, 2 replies vs 53 in OOT. Awesome.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

25. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
24. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
23. Beck - Odelay
22. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
21. Arcade Fire - Funeral
20. Elliot Smith - Either/Or
19. The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site
18. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
17. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antartica
16. The Dismemberment Plan - Changes
15. Belle and Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
14. The Strokes - Room on Fire
13. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
12. Clap You Hands Say Yeah! - Clap You Hands Say Yeah!
11. Bran Van 3000 - Glee
10. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
9. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness
8. And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Codes
7. The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike!
6. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
5. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrol
4. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
3. Radiohead - OK Computer
2. Radiohead - Kid A
1. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
This would be even better if you had a couple more guys with very different musical tastes. You guys seem pretty similar.

[/ QUOTE ]

please hold, I'm working on my list, it will contain absolutely no radiohead. prepare yourself.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

You are a mysterious figure, MEb.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
You are a mysterious figure, MEb.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do what I can.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

On with the list. Obvious bias in the fact that I detest radiohead and have never been able to like their music, thus the absence despite the widespread critical acclaim. With that said....

25. Sublime – Sublime (1996)
24. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
23. The Verve – Urban Hymns (1997)
22. Green Day – American Idiot (2004)
21. Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty (1998)
20. The Roots – Phrenology (2002)
19. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)
18. The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic (2000)
17. Fountains of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)
16. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)
15. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005)
14. Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf (2002)
13. Beck – Odelay (1996)
12.Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape (1997)
11. The New Pornographers – Electric Version (2003)
10. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
9. Outkast – Stankonia (2000)
8. R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
7. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
6. Tool – Ænima (1996)
5. The Strokes – Is This It (2001)
4. Elliot Smith - Either/Or (1997)
3. The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2005)
2. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World (2001)
1. The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema (2005)

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

In no particular order, trying to pick things not already listed. Also 1 album per band.

Radiohead - OK Computer
Interpol - Antics
John Frusciante - The Will To Death
Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea
Galaxie 500 - On Fire
Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
Placebo - Black Market Music
Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R
Sebadoh - Harmacy
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
The Black Keys - Rubber Factory
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Strung Out In Heaven
The Decemberists - Picaresque
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World
The Strokes - Room on Fire
The Stills - Logic Will Break Your Heart
The Verve - Urban Hymns
The Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
The Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell
The Dears - No Cities Left
My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves
Dinosaur Jr. - Ear Bleeding Country
Built to Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

too hard to rank them because of my listening methods.

so, in alphabetical order:

AFI - Black Sails in the Sunset 1999
At The Drive-In - Relationship of Command 2004
Atmosphere - God Loves Ugly 2002
Baroness - Second (ep [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]) 2005
The Blood Brothers - Burn Piano Island, Burn! 2003
The Books - Lost and Safe 2005
Brother Ali - Shadows on the Sun 2003
Calexico/Iron&Wine - In the Reins 2005
The Clap, Hart, and the Toddfather - Dead Horses Don't Work
The Coup - Party Music 2004
Cursive - The Ugly Organ 2003
Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies 2006
Dr. Dre - 2001 1999
Elliot Smith - From a Basement on a Hill 2004
Gorillaz - Last Living Souls 2005
Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. II 2003
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days 2004
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides 2002
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood 2006
Outkast - Aquemini 1998
Red Light Sting, The - Rub 'em Down Rub 'em Out/Our Love is Soaking in It [combined them since they're both EPs]
Tool - Aenima 1996
Tool - Lateralus 2001
Weezer - Pinkerton 1996

note: don't have any other albums from a few bands here like Neko Case and Destroyer, so in some cases the list may not reflect even the artist's best from 1996-2006

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I can't be bothered to make a whole list, but some that would definitely be on my list:

Illinois - Sufjan Stevens
Creek Drank The Cradle - Iron & Wine
Woman King EP - Iron & Wine
Funeral - Arcade Fire
Veneer - Jose Gonzalez
LP - Ambulance Ltd
Take Them On, On Your Own - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Lifted.. - Bright Eyes
O - Damien Rice
Attack of the Grey Lantern - Mansun
Frances the Mute - Mars Volta
De-loused... - Mars Volta

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I don't hear a wide enough variety of music to say anything about a lot of the bands on you guys' lists, but De Stijl over White Blood Cells???? No way

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't hear a wide enough variety of music to say anything about a lot of the bands on you guys' lists, but De Stijl over White Blood Cells???? No way

[/ QUOTE ]
Nuh huh.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Alkaline Trio-Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio-From here to infirmary

ty/

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

JaBlue,

Relationship of Command was released in 2000.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Off the top of my head at work, so perhaps not 100% accurate. No particular order. Some of my stuff will be a bit heavier. I'll try to stick to one album per artist.

Converge - Petitioning the Empty Sky
Botch - We are the Romans
Andrew Bird - And the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Suicide File - Twilight
Bane - It All Comes Down to This
Bjork - Vespertine
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Little Hands...
Against Me! - Reinventing Axl Rose
Fugazi - The Argument (sorta surprised this is missing from all the lists given the indie nature of them)
Sufjan - Illinois (still think it's overrated though).
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (maybe doesn't deserve this,but I listened to it daily on the way to the beach)
Ben Folds Five - Whatever and Ever Amen
Kid Dynamite - s/t
Shai Hulud - That Within Blood Ill Tempered
Dillinger Four - Widwestern Songs of the Americas
The Fugees - The Score
At the Drive In - Acrobatic Tenement
REM - Up
David Byrne - Grown Backwards
Lauryn Hill - Miseducation
Refused - Shape of Punk to Come
Scared of Chaka - Tired of You
Tiger Saw - Blessed are the Trials We'll Find
Air - Moon Safari
Low - Things we Lost in the Fire

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Oh man...The Argument is a sick album. And I wanted to put an Air album on my list too, but lack of room prevented it. The Andrew Bird album is pretty awesome too. The Godspeed album is good too, but too "sprawling" for me. I like my post-rock in Explosions in the Sky type chunks.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I remember first hearing an Explosions in the Sky song, thinking, "wow, this is awesome".. so I listened to more. Then I just decided to listen to that first tune instead of all of them.

Notice my list is severely lacking on stuff from the past couple years. I sorta fell off the wagon with regards to finding new interesting music to listen to. Most of the stuff I got into recently was old stuff I never spent time on (read: Talking Heads).

Re: The Argument. Seriously.

Some changes to my list:

I think I botched the Low record. I think Great Destroyer is better than the one I listed.

Not sure if Air is deserving there. I skip too many songs on it I think. The parts I don't skip are awesome, though.

The Suicide File is really awesome, but I also think each Converge release since '96 blows it out of the water, so it's hard to justify it.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

some of my faves

16 horsepower - sackcloth n ashes (1996)

the gourds - dem's good beeble (1997)

manu chao - clandestion (1998)

cafe tacuba - cuatro caminos (2003)

at the drive in - relationship of command (2000)

pj harvey - storie from the city, stories from the sea (2000)

my life with the thrill kill cult - hit and run holiday (1998)

dj screw - june 27th (1997)

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

This would be real tough. The ones that have been mentioned that I'm sure will make my list are:

Converge- Petitioning the Empty Sky
The Weakerthans- Reconstruction Site
Fugazi- The Argument
Botch- We Are The Romans

My favorite record since 1996 is probably Neurosis- Through Silver in Blood.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

whups...forgot what may be my #1, and most underrated for this time period.

MCLUSKY - MCLUSKY DO DALLAS 2002

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I was glad to see some love for Beck - Sea Change and John Frusciante as well. Both are very awesome.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

I find the universal love for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot paired with the universal dismissal of either Summerteeth or A Ghost Is Born rather dishonest. Like every band only gets one spot except for Radiohead.

Same deal with White Blood Cells over Elephant. Really? Really now?

Also, I was surprised to see no Sufjan Stevens, Broken Social Scene, or Death Cab. But this Top 25 business is an unrewarding game, and I appreciate the provocation.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
I find the universal love for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot paired with the universal dismissal of either Summerteeth or A Ghost Is Born rather dishonest. Like every band only gets one spot except for Radiohead.

[/ QUOTE ]

You pretty much answered this in your later comment, but I'll address it anyway. I think you're overestimating the distance between, say 10 and 25. It's really very close, at least for me. Limiting to 25 albums was fairly trying. Though I don't really get the choice of the word "dishonest". What possible motive would there be to lie?

[ QUOTE ]
Same deal with White Blood Cells over Elephant. Really? Really now?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, really. Or De Stijl.

[ QUOTE ]
Also, I was surprised to see no Sufjan Stevens, Broken Social Scene, or Death Cab. But this Top 25 business is an unrewarding game, and I appreciate the provocation.

[/ QUOTE ]
BSS is on MacDaddy's list. Sufjan is in virtually everyone's top 10. ??? Death Cab = meh. Also, look at the x-post in OOT, many more lists are there and feature more of the albums you seek.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Thanks for the comments. I guess by "dishonest" I was suggesting that we were playing the Top 25 game, not really listing what we honestly might think to be the Top 25. The game might necessitate including a broader spectrum of artists as opposed to giving up 6 or 7 or 10 spots to those that just happen to be at the top of the heap. I see what you're saying about the difficulty in distinguishing though.

My bad on missing Sufjan Stevens; not only didn't I notice when I read it through, I did a quick page search and didn't come up with anything, so obviously I misspelled. Embarrassing oversight.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the merits of either De Stijl or WBC versus Elephant. I found the latter to be superior on virtually every track.

I don't totally disagree with you re: Death Cab, especially as time goes on. Just surprised not to see them.

Lastly, your inclusion of Wolf Parade was just lovely.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
I find the universal love for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot paired with the universal dismissal of either Summerteeth or A Ghost Is Born rather dishonest.

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess count me out of the universe then (see my list in OOT).

As far as the White Stripes goes I think White Blood Cells is significantly better than Elephant but De Stijl is much closer and it kind of slipped my mind to consider it but you can't include everything anyway.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

Here is my list (sorry it is late and also upside down).

1. Radiohead - Kid A
2. Radiohead - OK Computer
3. NMH - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
4. Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
5. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
6. Amon Tobin - Bricolage
7. Arcade Fire - Funeral
8. The Shins - Oh Inverted World
9. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
10. The Strokes - Is This It
11. Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
12. Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs
13. Amon Tobin - Permutation
14. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People
15. Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
16. Built to Spill - Keep it Like a Secret
17. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing
18. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
19. The Books - The Lemon of Pink
20. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
21. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - CYHSY
22. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary
23. Morrissey - You Are the Quarry
24. The Go! Team - Thunder Lightning Strike
25. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
Here is my list (sorry it is late and also upside down).

11. Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children
12. Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs


[/ QUOTE ]

You are awesome.

Other great picks as well, but I hadn't seen these two on lists yet.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

CMI had the Magnetic Fields on his (and he actually got me into them) but I was surprised to not see Boards of Canada, Amon Tobin, or DJ Shadow on any of the other lists. Such amazing cds!

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

gorham,

As I told CMI, you also get a big [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] for the Moz inclusion.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

this list is no means complete. hell, i haven't even double-checked it. also, it isn't in a particular order.


1. Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2. Sufjan Stevens -- Come on Feel the Illinoise!
3. Arcade Fire -- Funeral
4. Radiohead -- Kid A
5. Iron & Wine -- The Creek Drank the Cradle
6. The Magnetic Fields -- 69 Love Songs
7. My Morning Jacket -- Z
8. Beck -- Odelay
9. Belle & Sebastian -- The Boy With the Arab Strap
10. Billy Bragg & Wilco -- Mermaid Avenue
11. Bob Dylan -- Time Out of Mind
12. Eels -- Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
13. Elliott Smith -- XO
14. Elvis Costello -- When I Was Cruel
15. The Flaming Lips -- The Soft Bulletin
16. Fountains of Wayne -- Utopia Parkway
17. Kathleen Edwards -- Back to Me
18. Loose Fur -- Loose Fur
19. M. Ward -- Transfiguration of Vincent
20. Radiohead -- OK Computer
21. Red House Painters -- Songs for a Blue Guitar
22. Outkast -- Speakerboxx/The Love Below
23. Ted Leo & the Pharmacists -- Hearts of Oak
24. Weezer -- Pinkerton
25. Willie Nelson -- Teatro

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
CMI had the Magnetic Fields on his (and he actually got me into them) but I was surprised to not see Boards of Canada, Amon Tobin, or DJ Shadow on any of the other lists. Such amazing cds!

[/ QUOTE ]

I seem to remember seeing Boards of Canada and DJ Shadow on other people's lists in the OOT thread. That one was much longer, but I can't find the thread anymore.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]
On with the list. Obvious bias in the fact that I detest radiohead and have never been able to like their music, thus the absence despite the widespread critical acclaim. With that said....

25. Sublime – Sublime (1996)
24. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
23. The Verve – Urban Hymns (1997)
22. Green Day – American Idiot (2004)
21. Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty (1998)
20. The Roots – Phrenology (2002)
19. Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006)
18. The New Pornographers – Mass Romantic (2000)
17. Fountains of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)
16. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells (2001)
15. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005)
14. Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf (2002)
13. Beck – Odelay (1996)
12.Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape (1997)
11. The New Pornographers – Electric Version (2003)
10. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
9. Outkast – Stankonia (2000)
8. R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
7. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
6. Tool – Ænima (1996)
5. The Strokes – Is This It (2001)
4. Elliot Smith - Either/Or (1997)
3. The Go! Team – Thunder, Lightning, Strike (2005)
2. The Shins – Oh, Inverted World (2001)
1. The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema (2005)

[/ QUOTE ]

No one has gotten the best Outkast album correct yet. ATLiens is far superior to Stankonia (and especially Speakerboxxx/TLB). Also the best rap album out in the past 10 years is Reasonable Doubt.

Re: Top 25 Albums of 1996-2006
 

[ QUOTE ]


No one has gotten the best Outkast album correct yet. ATLiens is far superior to Stankonia (and especially Speakerboxxx/TLB). Also the best rap album out in the past 10 years is Reasonable Doubt.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can argue the Outkast point, but Reasonable Doubt is definitely not the best rap album of the decade, probably wasn't even the best rap album that year.

Nas - It Was Written
anything Outkast did
The Roots - Things Fall Apart

etc