Top 50 Albums of the 21st Century

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Yeah, I'm doing this. Before we begin, let me just lay down a few things to be aware of:

 

1. The 21st Century label applies to the albums release date, NOT the period in which it was recorded.

 

2. There is a strict limit of TWO albums per artist.

 

3. When it comes to the same person being in multiple bands, here how the system will generally work.

 

O.K.: Foo Fighters and Nirvana, System of a Down and Scars on Broadway

 

Not O.K.: The Beatles and John Lennon, Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne.

 

I know these examples don't all fit in the 21st Century label, hence why they are the examples.

 

4. Nothing on this list will be overly obscure. This is a list intended to help some people extend their musical tastes, but none of this will be stuff that will take a lot of work to delve into.

 

5. This list will be as diversified as my musical taste as a whole (which is larger than normal but not extremely big). I'm not very well-versed in hip-hop, dubstep, pop or R&B, and this list is going to reflect that. I understand that this alienates a large amount of the 21st Century music out there, but if it's not in my normal listening library it won't be on here either.

 

So, let us begin.

 

50. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)

49. Baroness - Red Album (2007)

48. Kylesa - Static Tensions (2009)

47. Flogging Molly - Druken Lullabies (2002)

46. Early Man - Closing In (2005)

45. Evile - Enter the Grave (2007)

44. Deerhunter - Microcastle (2008)

43. The Black Keys - Brothers (2010)

42. The Killers - Sam's Town (2006)

41. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (2006)

40. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (2008)

39. Municipal Waste - The Art of Partying (2007)

38. Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace (2007)

37. The Strokes - Room On Fire (2003)

36. Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet (2001)

35. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance (2006)

34. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (2010)

33. The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)

32. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America (2006)

31. The Sword - Age Of Winters (2006)

30. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)

29. Scale the Summit - Carving Desert Canyons (2009)

28. Arsis - A Celebration Of Guilt (2004)

27. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010)

26. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - The Pains of Being Pure At Heart (2009)

25. Aesop Rock - Labor Days (2001)

24. Weezer - The Green Album (2001)

23. Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors (2011)

22. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)

21. The National - High Violet (2010)

20. Teenage Bottlerocket - Total (2005)

19. My Morning Jacket - Z (2005)

18. System of a Down - Hypnotize (2005)

17. Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)

16. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree (2005)

15. The Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious (2000)

14. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (2011)

13. Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)

12. Miike Snow - Miike Snow (2009)

11. Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards (2006)

10. The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Grave (2008)

9. Fair to Midland - Fables From A Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times Is True (2007)

8. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin (2007)

7. Andrew Jackson Jihad - Can't Maintain (2009)

6. Wolfmother - Wolfmother (2005)

5. The Tallest Man on Earth - There's No Leaving Now (2012)

4. Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)

3. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (2008)

2. System of a Down - Toxicity (2001)

1. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee (2002)

Edited December 28, 2012 by Tridentdawgpound

[SteVo+ 3,702]

 

Albums I'm hoping to see:

 

Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park

Lateralus - Tool

10,000 Days - Tool

Toxicity - System of a Down

Blackbird - Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge III - Alter Bridge

Indestructible - Disturbed

Octavarium - Dream Theater

A Dramatic Turn of Events - Dream Theater

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

50. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf (2002)

Genre: Alternative Rock

Run Time: 1:03:56

 

 

 

 

After achieving fame with their 2000 release Rated R, California rockers Queens of the Stone Age produced their most critically acclaimed work with Songs for the Deaf. This album featured Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) as a guest drummer and solidified the bands status as one of the more commercially successful rock groups of the decade. The most well-known track from the album is "Go With the Flow", which has been featured in numerous video games, including Rock Band and Gran Turismo 4.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Tridentdawgpound

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

49. Baroness - Red Album (2007)

 

Genre: Sludge/Progressive Metal

Run Time: 56:41

 

 

 

Often considered a sludge metal essential, Baroness's debut album announced a new player to the decade's diverse progressive metal scene. Metal magazine "Revolver" named Red Album it's 2007 Album of the Year, with fans of metal acclaiming it as an album worthy to stand among the greats of the decade and the best debuts of all-time.

[Bay 2,003]

"First it Giveth" is almost as good as No One Knows. Just throwing that out there. Continue.

 

[Omerta+ 1,206]

 

Albums I'm hoping to see:

 

Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park

Lateralus - Tool

10,000 Days - Tool

Toxicity - System of a Down

Blackbird - Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge III - Alter Bridge

Indestructible - Disturbed

Octavarium - Dream Theater

A Dramatic Turn of Events - Dream Theater

 

 

Yes the band creed broke up to be and were wayyyy better than the original.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Needs some:

 

Audioslave

Tool

Pelican (possibly too obscure)

APC

Puscifer

Buckethead

White Stripes

Hurt

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Needs some:

 

Audioslave

 

I can't decide which of their albums is best. I think Revelations is my favorite, though.

[Vin+ 3,121]

I can't decide which of their albums is best. I think Revelations is my favorite, though.

Yeah, it's a toss-up between Audioslave and Revelations. Revelations is probably the best in terms of overall sound and direction, but there just so much awesome stuff on the self-titled.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Yeah, it's a toss-up between Audioslave and Revelations. Revelations is probably the best in terms of overall sound and direction, but there just so much awesome stuff on the self-titled.

 

Sums it up nicely, I think.

[RANGA+ 1,210]

Cmon guys, we all know this will be Trident's #1 Album:

 

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

48. Kylesa - Static Tensions (2009)

 

Genre: Sludge Metal

Run Time: 40:24

 

 

 

The 4th full length record from another major player in the Georgia sludge scene, Static Tensions is considered Kylesa's masterpiece by a near consensus. The band worked with Baroness to produce the album, which is evident in its raw, heavy sound. Kylesa hops on the sludge/stoner metal bandwagon and produces one of the top metal albums of the 21st Century. (For the record, Scapegoat is a top five metal song ever for me)

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

47. Flogging Molly - Drunken Lullabies (2002)

 

Genre: Irish Punk

Run time: 45:18

 

 

 

 

Perhaps the biggest Irish band of the Century, Flogging Molly's second album Drunken Lullabies was heralded by critics upon release and is considered a masterpiece. Their authentic Irish sound makes them unlike nearly anything else on the US charts, and one reviewer from "Allmusic" accurately said: "After listening to this album, you'll wish you were Irish."

[Bay 2,003]

Flogging Molly

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

As far as ATL's music tastes....it's pretty broad...but If I don't see

 

Stadium Arcadium

All Hope Is Gone

A Matter of LIfe or Death

Illmatic

Graduation

The Black Album

By The Way

 

 

I may or may not be disappointed

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

46. Early Man - Closing In (2005)

 

Genre: Heavy/Speed/Thrash Metal

Run Time: 42:03

 

 

 

Probably the most obscure album on this list, Closing In makes its purpose known: To bring back the speed metal of the 70's and 80's. "Feeding Frenzy" (which I remember from one of the MLB The Show games, either 2006 or 2007) is referred to as a faster version of Metallica's "Ride the Lightning". In the mainstream music world, Closing In has flown under the radar. In metal circles, however, the album is a cult classic.

[seanbrock 1,684]

"First it Giveth" is almost as good as No One Knows. Just throwing that out there. Continue.

 

my favorite song on the album personally

[Bay 2,003]

my favorite song on the album personally

Glad to hear

 

 

 

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

45. Evile - Enter the Grave (2007)

 

Genre: Thrash Metal

Run Time: 53:07

 

 

A return to the days of the 80's when thrash reigned supreme, Enter the Grave is the critically acclaimed debut of British rockers Evile. Pure ass-kicking thrash, the album became mainstream in the metal world very quickly. Enter the Grave is a heavy, unaltered thrash masterpiece that would propel Evile to continued success.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

44. Deerhunter - Microcastle (2008)

 

Genre: Shoegaze/Indie Rock

Run Time: 40:53

 

 

 

Showcasing the dreamy feel of Atlanta shoegazers Deerhunter, Microcastle is a modern cult classic with much acclaim from critics everywhere. A departure from the band's previous releases, Microcastle was much less studio-affected and was recorded over the course of one week, a rarity for modern albums.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

43. The Black Keys - Brothers (2010)

 

Genre: Garage/Blues/Alternative Rock

Run Time: 55:29

 

 

To many, this album needs no introduction. The Black Keys have become one of the more popular bands of the 21st Century behind their unique sounds and addictive rhythms. Brothers was their commercial breakthrough into the mainstream, though they were popular in the alternative rock community well before its release. Like any Black Keys album, Brothers can be appreciated by the fact that nothing else on Earth sounds like it.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

42. The Killers - Sam's Town (2006)

 

Genre: Alternative Rock

Run Time: 44:06

 

 

 

The Killers have achieved more mainstream success in the 21st Century than almost any other rock band. Many of their songs need no introduction. However, I consider their crowning release to be their 2006 release Sam's Town. The album perfectly showcases their unique sound that appeals to both the casual and hardcore rock listener. The album features perhaps their biggest commercial hit in "When You Were Young", which at one point was the #1 song on the rock charts in 2006.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

41. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers (2006)

 

Genre: Alternative Rock

Run Time: 33:42

 

 

One of frontman Jack White's various musical escapades, The Raconteurs topped the charts with 2006 record Broken Boy Soldiers. The album features the sound of the typical Jack White project, borrowing from the Blues and Jazz to create an alternative rock sound that is unmistakably his.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Tridentdawgpound

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I totally forgot about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Shame on me. Hopefully By the Way and/or Stadium Arcadium is on here somewhere.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

40. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins (2008)

 

Genre: Indie Folk/Rock

Run Time: 40:12

 

 

 

The fifth LP released by Indie Folk band Okkervil River, The Stand Ins tells through songs stories of adversity and staying strong through thick and thin. The full band sound accompanies the profound lyrics and powerful vocals to create a wonderful, fun listen. (PS: "Lost Coastlines" is a Top 5 song of the 21st Century, so listen to it).