Top 50 Albums of the 21st Century

[Vin+ 3,121]

Add another one to the list of bands I've never heard of.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Add another one to the list of bands I've never heard of.

 

Not surprising in the least, honestly. Part of the reason I did this was to help people discover new music in the first place. Might be a while until that changes.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I never knew Trident was such an Indie Folk fan.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Thrash Metal

Run Time: 34:52

 

 

 

Nothing artsy or emotionally deep here. Just in-your-face thrash metal with a lyrical theme of partying. The third album from Virginia thrash band Municipal Waste, The Art of Partying offers a vintage thrash sound in a different style than anyone had heard before or since.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Rock/Post-Grunge

Run Time: 58:37

 

 

 

Any Foos album could have found its way onto this list, but Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace features perhaps their biggest 21st Century hit in "The Pretender" along with many other tracks that gained spots on the Billboard Charts. Dave Grohl's grungy yet clean vocals define the Foo Fighters sound, a sound unmatched by anyone else.

[Bay 2,003]

Municipal Waste

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Gonna give you guys four albums tonight because I'm leaving for Florida at the ass crack of dawn and won't return until Sunday.

 

37. The Strokes - Room On Fire (2003)

 

Genre: Rock/Modern Post-Punk

Run Time: 33:05

 

 

 

The Strokes are another band that achieved commercial success through perfecting their own individual sound. Their 2003 release Room On Fire features "Reptilia", perhaps their largest hit song to date. The band borrows from both basic rock music and the post-punk movement of the 1970's to produce a sound unlike any before it.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Party/Hard Rock

Run Time: 35:33

 

 

 

Yep, this is a break from the artsy, unique sounds of the last few bands and a departure into Andrew W.K.'s fun, upbeat style that just has a way of making people happy. His first release on a major label, I Get Wet is a simple yet charming album that most people can appreciate.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

35. Katatonia - The Great Cold Distance (2006)

 

Genre: Alternative/Gothic/Doom Metal

Run Time: 51:51

 

 

 

Prior to 2006, Katatonia was a somewhat well-known band in metal circles. However, when they released The Great Cold Distance, the album was met with an incredible amount of acclaim. The distorted guitar is just infatuating to listen to and the album is a perfect example that metal is not simply thrashing around without a pattern. No, it is actually a beautiful genre when played in this style.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

34. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (2010)

 

Genre: Indie Rock/Alt-Country

Run Time: 45:17

 

 

 

Band of Horses has become one of the more widely-known Indie bands of the Century due to their sound, which borrows from both rock and country to form an inviting, upbeat persona. Their 2010 release, Infinite Arms was regarded as a swap from their previous work, which was more uptempo to a sound that was slower and relied more on vocals. Still, the album was a hit with fans and solidified their place on the indie rock food chain.

[Vin+ 3,121]

oooo Katatonia.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

33. The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)

 

Genre: Alternative/Fusion Rock

Run Time: 49:56

 

 

 

The White Stripes need no introduction. Elephant features "Seven Nation Army", which you've heard if you watch college football thousands of times, hence why it's not one of the samples. The album was the major label debut of the two-piece band, and solidified their place in rock culture until their 2011 break-up.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Good to see The White Stripes on this list.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Rock/Power Pop

Run Time: 40:07

 

 

 

The lyric-heavy yet powerful sound of the Hold Steady is showcased best in this album. "Stuck Between Stations" is a staple on indie rock radio. The name of the album is repeated in two different songs on the record and is taken from Jack Kerouac's 1957 novel "On The Road". Overall it has a poppy sound, but its heavy basslines and in parts complex drum beats separate it from normal pop music.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

31. The Sword - Age Of Winters (2006)

 

Genre: Doom/Stoner Metal

Run Time: 42:57

 

 

 

The Sword is now one of the top bands in the "throwback" metal scene, but in 2006 they were a young band recording their first album. The band did all of their own mixing on the debut album that became their masterpiece. "Freya" was the band's first single, and the song was featured in "Guitar Hero 2". Age Of Winters was the beginning of one of the more commercially successful metal bands of the Century.

[Bay 2,003]

Speaking of the Sword:

 

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

30. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)

 

Genre: Indie Rock

Run Time: 46:07

 

 

 

Now, now, I know what every last one of you is thinking: "Seriously, Trident???". Yes, seriously. Death Cab for Cutie's 2003 album Transatlanticism is nothing less than an indie rock masterpiece. By the time the album was released, Death Cab was already a prominent band in popular culture. However, Transatlanticism is not simply radio friendly rock. The songs flow well as an album, the lyrics are well written and the instruments accompany the vocals perfectly. All in all, one of the top indie records of the Century to date.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Instrumental Progressive Metal

Run Time: 39:55

 

 

 

Scale the Summit's incredible instrumentals can be enjoyed in pretty much any situation and is further evidence that metal is truly a beautiful art form. Listening to this album before bed puts your mind at ease and allows you to sleep. Listening to this album before a high-pressure situation makes you less nervous and more prepared. Calming music that can be enjoyed by anybody.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

28. Arsis - A Celebration Of Guilt (2004)

 

Genre: Technical Death Metal

Run Time: 44:26

 

 

 

Now, it's rare that anyone would classify a death metal record as being "catchy", but that's exactly what this is. Crank this up loud and you can almost feel the bass drum kicking your ass. Arsis' debut album is often referenced as one of the top metal albums of the Century to date. Just technical, catchy death metal that makes you want to keep listening.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

27. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010)

 

Genre: Punk Rock/Not Very Folk-y Folk Punk

Run Time: 1:05:24

 

 

 

How could something sound so happy but have such a depressing lyric base? I don't know, but this album accomplishes that masterfully. New Jersey band Titus Andronicus, whom I would consider too punky for folk punk but not punky enough to be straight punk, filled their masterpiece with long songs about various topics, most of them dark.

[Bay 2,003]

I'm expecting Total to be high on this list.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Indie Pop/Shoegaze

Run Time: 34:58

 

 

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart achieved instant success with the eponymous release in 2009. The band's sound borrows from indie pop and the glory days of the shoegaze movement to create an upbeat, catchy sounds that creates an overall fun listen.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

25. Aesop Rock - Labor Days (2001)

 

Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop

Run Time: 61:03

 

 

 

 

Ah, I never said this list would be COMPLETELY devoid of hip-hop. As far as I'm concerned, no hip-hop artist in the Century holds a candle to Aesop Rock. Hip-hop with an enveloping sound and real substance. Labor Days tells the working stories of everyday people in the world in a true showcase of hip-hop artistry.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

Into the top half now, serious good shit now.

 

24. Weezer - The Green Album (2001)

 

Genre: Alternative Rock

Run Time: 28:20

 

 

 

It's truly impossible to stop after listening to one Weezer song. Now, I am of the opinion that Weezer's best albums (The Blue Album, Pinkerton) were in the 90's, but their 2001 release The Green Album still showcases what Weezer is all about: Upbeat, catchy music that gives you a good vibe.

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

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

 

Genre: Progressive Metal

Run Time: 54:37

 

 

 

Fair to Midland's 2011 release is definitely different and more experimental in parts, but is still retains their addictive sound and intriguing musical style. Their progressive time signatures and their folk metal-esque lyrics have made them a hit band since shortly after they were formed, and Arrows and Anchors simply affirms that claim.