Update: It’s 2016, I found this post and enjoyed it. I’ve now added a Spotify playlist of all of the albums available.
Below is a list of my favourite records of the ten years between the turn of the millenium, the year 2000 and 2010. Ranking these albums was led by a) what the album means to me and b) how often I’d listen to it. Each and every one of these albums blew me away repeatedly at some time between the ages of 18 and 27. Each one has something special going for it, something magical that brings me back to it. For that I can only thank the creators of each.
Without further ado, here are my favourite 50 albums from the decade. And remember, you can’t be wrong if they are your favourites.
Nialler9’s albums of the decade (2000-2010)
- The Knife – Silent Shout (2006)
- Joanna Newsom – Ys (2006)
- Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene (2005)
- Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf (2002)
- Arcade Fire – Funeral (2005)
- J Dilla – Donuts (2006)
- Battles – Mirrored (2007)
- Animal Collective – Feels (2005)
- Radiohead – Kid A (2001)
- Why? – Alopecia (2008)
- Gorillaz – Demon Days (2005)
- The Strokes – Is this it? (2001)
- MIA/Diplo – Piracy Funds Terrorism / Arular (2004/2005)
- Four Tet – Rounds (2003)
- Cannibal Ox – Cold Vein (2001)
- Death in Vegas – Scorpio Rising (2003)
- LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver (2007)
- Panda Bear – Person Pitch (2007)
- The Streets – Original Pirate Material (2002)
- Aphex Twin – Drukqs (2001)
- Plaid – Double Figure (2001)
- Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Levez vos Skinny Fists (2000)
- Saul Williams – Saul Williams (2004)
- Madvillain – Madvillainy (2004)
- Buck 65 – Talkin’ Honky Blues (2003)
- Squarepusher – Go Plastic (2001)
- Sufjan Stevens – Seven Swans (2004)
- The Avalanches – Since I Left You (2000)
- Super Furry Animals – Rings Around the World (2002)
- Beirut – The Flying Club Cup (2007)
- DJ Shadow – The Private Press (2002)
- Girl Talk – Night Ripper (2006)
- Broken Social Scene – You Forgot it in People (2003)
- Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest (2009)
- Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago (2008)
- Camille – Le Fil (2006)
- Animal Collective – Merriweather Post-Pavilion (2009)
- El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead (2007)
- Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005)
- Outkast – Stankonia (2000)
- Dangerdoom – The Mouse and the Mask (2005)
- The Beta Band – Hot Shots II (2001)
- Max Tundra – Mastered by Guy at the Exchange (2002)
- Mogwai – Mr Beast (2006)
- Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (2000)
- Wolf Parade – Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)
- Jamie Lidell – Multiply (2005)
- Dangermouse – The Grey Album (2004)
- Flying Lotus – Los Angeles (2008)
- Shugo Tokumaru – L.S.T. (2006)
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
And finally the BSS self titled gets some love…
I approve of this list.
Great list. 2001 was a good year for you but good spread overall. I’ve not heard of Shugo Tokumaru, that’s one to look up.
Great list Niall. My own is vastly different. I’d say we have less than 10 in common. 😀
Sweet stuff! I like it! A lot of stuff for me to check out, and a lot of stuff I am going to put on my lists!!!!
fuck me ,i count 3 albums on your list that i dont agree with ,only because ive not heard them 😀 legend man.
I think this is the first list I’ve seen that’s given Ys a good placing. For that reason alone you’ve earned my eternal admiration; I’m currently listening to Silent Shout for the first time and will try out quite a few of the others I haven’t heard already!
Quality list. My top 2 are the same as yours. Followed by Frusciante’s “To Record Only Water For Ten Days”, Kid A, HTTT, In Rainbows, Plaid, Godspeed und many more.
Great – that playlist will keep me happy in work tomorrow – great list – a good number I agree with – and a few Ihaven’t even heard of – good future listening Danger Mouse/Doom. I loved that wolfparade album – all my friends hate it
Silent Shout FTW
great list.
Good to see BSS, Alopecia and Apolgies to Queen Mary doing so well.
Great to see a list like this which people can use to find new music rather than some ridiculous attempt to be indie and objective at the same time.
great stuffs, plenty of re-listening and discovering!
I would have add Jon Hopkins’ Insides album though
No Portishead? Reeeally?
Great list otherwise though. Fair play especially for mentioning ‘Scorpio Rising’. Think this is the only list I’ve seen it on so far, and I reckon it’s one of the most overlooked albums of the decade. Hmmm, there’s an idea for yet another list!
Keep on truckin’…
Love Portishead but not more than these albums.
Scorpio Rising is a classic in my book.
Excellent list. Mine would be very similar. Not only the artists I’d pick but in most cases my favourite albums (Silent Swan, Feels etc.)
I find the choice of Dangerdoom over something like Vaudeville Villain a little strange though.
I understand the Doom thing.
It was either Dangerdoom or Vaudeville Villain but Dangerdoom won out as it was the first one I got into majorly.
Silent Swan? Sounds like an unusual mashup. Seven Swans I mean. I’m sick today and my brains not kicked into gear yet.
Nice list, nice and varied, liking the Aphex Twin Druqks love, that album seems to have been forgotten by alot of other people. Its fookin’ ACE
And i seem to have forgotten have to spell its name 🙁
Finally Broken Social Scene get some love… roll on ATP!
Great list Niall.
Wow, props but wot, no Liars? Drum’s Not Dead is my #1 though The Knife totally deserve top rank. Yup. I would not in any way agree with QOTSA though and am quite surprised you rate it so highly! Pretty solid tho Niall. Good to see Shugo Tokumaru made it too.
i like the list, too. have you considered “boy in da corner” (dizzee rascal), “ruby blue” (roisin murphy) and “de-loused in the comatorium” (mars volta)?
Love these lists. Going to spend tonight acquiring the albums I don’t have.
Props on Joanna Newsom. She hovers around my topspot too.
Great list. Surprised there is no Tv on the Radio
Great list, you always have a great mix!
Just wondering about a few artists you left out though: M83 (Saturdays=Youth & Before The Dawn Heals Us), Interpol (Turn On The Bright Lights & Antics), Cut Copy (Bright Like Neon Love & In Ghost Colours) and Daft Punk (Discovey). How come none of these got a look in?
Cos I don’t love them as much as the above 50.
relationship of command is pretty good,
Powerful list Nialler. Here’s mine.
1. Primal Scream – XTRMNTR
2. El-P – I’ll sleep when you’re dead
3. Radiohead – Kid A
4. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Raise your skinny fists like antennas to heaven
5. Cannibal Ox – The cold vein
6. Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R
7. J Dilla – Donuts
8. Beck – Sea Change
9. At The Drive In – Relationship of command
10. Super Furry Animals – Mwng
11. Queens of the Stone Age – Songs for the Deaf
12. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
13. Why? – Alopecia
14. The Beta Band – Heroes to Zeros
15. King Geedorah – Take me to your leader
16. Hope Sandoval – Bavarian Fruit Bread
17. Broadcast – Tender Buttons
18. Bon Iver – For Emma forever ago
19. Prefuse 73 – Surrounded by silence
20. Animal Collective – Feels
Cool list. Lots of albums I need to check out. Surprised to see no Cloudead – Ten though.
Nice list, personally I would’ve included…
Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
Mars Volta – De-Loused in the Comatorium
Modest Mouse – The Moon and Antarctica
Quasimoto – The Unseen
Sigur Rós – Takk…
Unkle – War Stories
…amongst others, but thats just me =)
Keep up the good work man!
some i would include:
bonnie prince billy – master & everyone
fugazi – the argument
qotsa – rated r
nick cave – dig lazarus dig
suspect from list that veckatimest & merriweather are 1,2 for this year?
Scarily similar to what I would’ve gone with except for 3 or 4 on there that I don’t know. Agree with Greg on Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass, …that’d make my list. Would also be tempted to put FLA’s debut on there, would definitely include Santogold myself too,
Great work mate. Great to see BSS getting some credit.
Brilliant video for The National Anthem.
Kinda thought you’d have The Eraser in there, bud
Ah, well. Still decent.
Good shout.
Good list. It’s a shame Bran van 3000’s glee didn’t make it.
Ha. I hope you’re joking.
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake?
That came out in 2011
My mistake!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lPJ9J-6vDw
One of my favourites.
At the drive in. Good call. Good list as well.
This popped up in FB. Can’t ssay I’d agree with it all (that’s the great thing about music though), but some stuff for me to dig out or find there.
Needs TV on The Radio for me, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and My Computer’s No CV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBKqiTWKnNs