Some of My Favorite Albums from the Past Decade

It’s impossible to make a “best of the decade” list coming  just from my perspective. It would be inaccurate and unfair. I decided, instead, to list some of my favorite works from the past decade. The albums below are the ones I always come back to and enjoy spin after spin. The list may be disproportionately heavy on the second half of the decade, but for good reason: I graduated college in 2001 and was preoccupied with finding a job. I also had no money for music. Then the cycle started again with grad school, cutting my time and money for music way down. Having said that, I’ve always made it a general practice to scan new release listings and read album reviews of all genres. In short, the second half of the 00s was better for me musically. With that said, here’s my list. I eliminated compilation and live albums from my selections. These 12 albums below were nearly impossible to rank as each one means quite a lot to me.

12. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raising Sand (2007)
11. Black Tide – Light from Above (2008)
10. Damone – Out Here All Night (2006)
09. Guns n’ Roses – Chinese Democracy (2008)
08. Britney Spears – Circus (2008)
07. Bullet for My Valentine – Scream Aim Fire (2008)
06. Crashdiet – Rest in Sleaze (2005)
05. Michael Jackson – Invincible (2001)
04. Avenged Sevenfold – Waking the Fallen (2003)
03. Lynam – Slave to the Machine (2006)
02. Alison Krauss and Union Station – Lonely Runs Both Ways (2004)
01. Slipknot – All Hope is Gone (2008)

Slipknot is also my band of the decade. From Iowa to All Hope is Gone and everything in between, the ‘Knot has developed a unique brand of heavy metal meets stagecraft. Their shows are part brutality, part survival of the fittest, part theatre of the absurd. They may be geniuses or just a collection of insane gents who can really play the hell out of their instruments, I'm not sure. Whatever the case, All Hope is Gone may be one of the best metal albums of all time, not just the decade.

I won’t spend time writing about each release. In most cases, I’ve already done that at some point on this website. Still, if you’re so inclined, you might check out Alison Krauss and Union Station. I quite enjoy bluegrass music, which seems to mystify people. The guitar parts are technical and the songs tell a real story – and the vocalist needs a good set of pipes. You get all that and so much more on Lonely Runs Both Ways. The album won a slew of Grammys and for good reason: it’s brilliant. Tone and control take refinement and practice. Krauss delivers both effortlessly.

Invincible is Michael Jackson’s last true studio release. It happens to include my favorite MJ single “You Rock My World.” That song was nominated for a Grammy and was the last music video ever to feature MJ. The song is also my ringtone.

So, that’s it for me. Some of my favorites from the past 10 years. I still can’t believe we’re about ready to switch over to 2010. I must be getting old!

As we wait for the year to roll on by, please take a minute to tell me some of your favorites from the past decade. I can’t wait to compare notes. The chances of any two people having the same list is so slim, it’s a fascinating look into what makes us all tick.

Check out some other "best of" lists at these fine websites:

Heavy Metal Addiction -- http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/
Hard Rock Hideout -- http://hardrockhideout.wordpress.com/
Heavy Metal Time Machine -- http://metalmark.blogspot.com/
Rock and Roll and Meandering Nonsense -- http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/
All Metal Resource -- http://allmetalresource.com/
Imagine Echoes -- http://www.imagineechoes.com/
Metal Excess -- http://metalexcess.wordpress.com/
The Ripple Effect -- http://www.ripplemusic.blogspot.com/
Rock Of Ages -- http://rockofages.wordpress.com/
The Metal Minute -- http://rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com/

Comments

[looksthatkill]

GnR I am with you on that one!

[Snoot]

Well, my list would look quite different but that's what's cool about music isn't it?
Just to name a few - AC/DC's Stiff Upper Lip, Testament's "The Formation of Damnation" and Mark Lanegan's "Bubblegum".

[MotleyCrue666]

I'm surprised that you liked Scream Aim Fire more than The Poison but both albums are extremely AMAZING.
and i was wondering if you are a fan of Avenged's other material such as City of Evil?
Slipknot is great but id put bullet or avenged as the band of the decade imo.

[Liam]

My list

10. Oasis - Standing on the shoulders of a giant
9. Vains Of Jenna - Lit Up / Let Down
8. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
7. Crashdïet - Rest in sleaze
6. Oasis - Heathen chemistry
5. Ian Brown - Solarized
4. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
3. The Libertines - The Libertines
2. Mötley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles (Just because for I waited for that album so long)
1. Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

[Lucifer]

Surprised that Black Rain, Saints of LA, New Tattoo, and other awesome metal ones weren't on here. I can't decide on my favourite albums of the decade, it's too hard, but it would be very different from yours.

[bryon]

I'm right with Allyson with Scream Aim Fire & All Hope is Gone. Other favs for the past decade include Death Magnetic, Saints of Los Angeles, The Black Parade (My Chemical Romance), American Idiot, Blackout (Dropkick Murphys), Meteora (Linkin Park), Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls (Murderdolls), Come Whatever May (Stone Sour), Chuck (Sum 41), Toxicity (SOAD) & Shogun (Trivium).

I'm sure there are a few more in there that I'm forgetting, but those are the standouts for me.

[kari]

My friend Tony writes for the Screen Door and he has done a three part Top 100 of the Decade. Check it out.

http://the-screen-door.blogspot.com/2009/12/screen-doors-best-albums-of-decade-2000.html

[Dave H.]

10. Buckcherry - 15
09. Shinedown - Sound of Madness
08. Zan Clan - We are Z.C...
07. Judas Priest - Angel of Retribution
06. Jet - Jet
05. STP - Shangra La-Dee-Da
04. Linkin Park - Meteora
03. Avenged Sevenfold - City of Evil
02. Big Cock - Motherload
01. The Darkness - Permission to Land

[MotleyCrue666]

just cuz others are here is mine :)
15. Crashdiet - The Unnatractive Revolution
14. Hardcore Superstar - Hardcore Superstar
13. Children Of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet?
12. Crashdiet - Rest In Sleaze
11. Avenged Sevenfold - Waking The Fallen
10. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
9. Papa Roach - Metamorphisis
8. Motley Crue - Saints Of Los Angeles
7. Three Days Grace - Life Starts Now
6. Steel Panther - Feel The Steel
5. Buckcherry - 15
4. Bullet For My Valentine - Scream, Aim, Fire
3. Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
2. Bullet For My Valentine - The Poison
1. AVENGED SEVENFOLD - CITY OF EVIL

[Glenn]

I feel a little bit discouraged that a whole decade has past without a consesus GREAT album.One can only hope the next year would bring us the next "Back in Black" or "Appetite",Is this be possible in the current era? With that said I enjoyed Libertad, Hoobastank(S/T), Alterbridge (Blackbird),Jaded Sun (Gypsy Trip)in the '00's

[:D]

a few I loved...
Hanoi Rocks-12 Shots on the Rocks
Hanoi Rocks-Street Poetry
Alice Cooper: Brutal Planet
Alice Cooper: Along Came a Spider
New York Dolls: One Day It Will Please Us...

[brian]

love that GnR is on the list. That album has still held up over the past year for me as well.

[Christian]

My list, FWIW, is

Megadeth - United Abominations
Clutch - From Beale St to oblivion
BigElf - Cheat the Gallows
Masterplan - Aeronautics
Airbourne - Running Wild
Judas Priest - Nostradamus
Annihilator - Metal
Gotthard - Lipservice
Edguy - Hellfire Club
Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Black Tide - s/t
A7X - City of Evil

I know I missed some, but I tried to pick the 12 ( b/c you did 12 ) that stayed in my player the most after I bought them. ChiDem just missed out, based on that criteria, for example.

[kari]

i'm loving reading everyone's thoughts. it hurts my brain to even begin thinking about albums that came out in this decade. EEK!
Shinedown, Sound of Madness is up there though...As is 15 by Buckcherry.

[Gator]

Good choices all around (particulary anything by Shinedown - love that band), but is there any love here for Sevendust??

Great music, intelligent lyrics, and in Lajon, a lead singer who can be both soulful and forceful, depending on what is called for on a particular song.

They started the decade with Animosity, and then Seasons, and both are fantastic. They also released Home back in 1999, but it has definitely been one of my favorites of the last 10 years. A definitive masterpiece. They have continued to release great music since then. Plus, they never fail to deliver the goods on stage.

More love for Sevendust!!

[Peter]

10. Buckcherry - 15
9. Airbourne - Runnin' Wild
8. Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
7. Alter Bridge - Blackbird
6. The White Stripes - Elephant
5. Hell N' Diesel - Passion For Power
4. Joe Bonamassa - Ballad of John Henry
3. Megadeth - EndGame
2. Stone Temple Pilots - Shangri-La Dee Da
1. Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy