Defining albums of the naughties.Music 

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Boffin

Boffin

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With the decade now over and a new one started, what albums do you think were defining the 2000's style of music? Not necessarily your favourite music, but the ones which set the music apart from styles of other decades, and which do you think will be well known in, say, 30 years time? An example would be Pink Floyd's "Dark side of the moon" and The Beatles' "Abbey Road".

The only two I can think of right now are Justice's "Cross" album:

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And Daft Punk's "Alive - 2007"

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There are plenty of genres that they could be from, but I would think that they'd have to be popular, verging on mainstream to be remembered 30 year from now.
 
Are we talking mainstream or just our favorites? Because the last generation was rather horrible when it comes to mainstream music(Not looking any better for this one either). Really the only new form of music was Indie, which was greatly helped by the internet.
 
I would say Daft Punk's Discovery was much more memorable than their Alive 2007 album. It spawned at least one (possibly 2-3) song everyone and their mother has heard, and another song that was sampled/collaborated with by Kanye West, which also turned into a massive hit (that doesn't mean it was good though).

I fully agree on Justice's Cross though.
 
CDailey
I would say Daft Punk's Discovery was much more memorable than their Alive 2007 album. It spawned at least one (possibly 2-3) song everyone and their mother has heard, and another song that was sampled/collaborated with by Kanye West, which also turned into a massive hit (that doesn't mean it was good though).

I fully agree on Justice's Cross though.
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I would say the same, except that Discovery was a 90's album (forget this - I am a tad silly). Sampling people's Ipods at school, Alive turned out to be quite a staple - with only a few having Discovery, and I can see why. It had the classics (Robot Rock, Around the World and One More Time are examples) but given a new attitude mixed up with one another to make a continuous anthem. Usually I don't buy into the live stuff on CD or DVD (I think its more or less the same as studio stuff but echoing more), but I think Alive held itself really well.

EDIT: My bad! Discovery was 2001! :dunce: I always thought it was 99.
 
50 Cent- Get Rich or Die Tryin' 2003.... :P (waiting to get flamed like theres no tomorrow.. :D)
 
I can see why. Not terribly fond of it, mind you - but it was different than the 90s stuff and was a bit of a trend setter.
 
80Y 2C2
I can see why. Not terribly fond of it, mind you - but it was different than the 90s stuff and was a bit of a trend setter.
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I can understand... But everything he made after pretty much sucked anyway... It was the birth of the new Tupac for the rap masses... :P (another bold statement, Flame suit on!) But if you want my honest opinion... the album of the naughties Noughties that I liked the most and listened to all day and night, came out towards the end of this decade...

Jake One- White Van Music

Truly good hip-hop the way it SHOULD be... none of that Soldier Boy Superman CRAP...
 
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Radiohead - Kid A, In Rainbows
The Strokes - Is This It
Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
Daft Punk - Discovery
Arcade Fire - Funeral
The White Stripes - Elephant
Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun

That pretty much covers all the bases for modern music - from the Post-Punk revival (The Strokes, Interpol), the (re)rise of lo-fi garage rock (The White Stripes), Art Rock (Arcade Fire, Sigur Ros), Dance (Daft Punk), and finally experimental rock (Radiohead). I'd include some metal, hip hop, and straight up pop, but I haven't really delved into the stuff over the last decade.
 
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Good list there, F1GTR - I'd add The Mars Volta's "Deloused In The Comatorium" to those, although in terms of "defining" albums, The Strokes, Sigur Ros and Arcade Fire cover it for me 👍
 
Not that I can find it anywhere, but Radio recently did a show on the most influential music artists of the decade, and came to the conclusion it was Scooter.

Now it's one of those where I can't say I agree, but can definetley see where they were coming from.
 
Kid A - Radiohead
Is this It - The Strokes
Yanqui U.X.O. - Godspeed You Black Emperor
Funeral - Arcade Fire
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Lie Down in the Light - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
The Flying Club Cup - Beirut

etc.
 
I agree with 80Y 2C2 on 'Cross', I've seen Justice live and they are awe-inspiring.

EDIT: I just re-read the OP, so here only the ones that I think are defining.

Is This It - The Strokes
is-this-it.jpg


The Futureheads - The Futureheads
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The Libertines - The Libertines (and possibly Up The Bracket, an earlier album)
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Fever To Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeah's
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Woops, I think I meant guero then. I could remember which one was which, plus the copy of Odelay I have is from 2002. I've changed my list anyway.
 
Some of these albums are probably a lot more meaningful to me than they might be to others. Most of them changed my taste in music for the better or are albums which opened me up to different genres. Anyway, here's my "defining" albums of the last decade:

Millencolin - Home from Home

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Big D and the Kids Table - Strictly Rude

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Mad Caddies - Keep It Going

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Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

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The Libertines - Up the Bracket

up-the-bracket1.jpg
 
RUI
Kid A - Radiohead
Is this It - The Strokes
Yanqui U.X.O. - Godspeed You Black Emperor
Funeral - Arcade Fire
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Lie Down in the Light - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
The Flying Club Cup - Beirut

etc.
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Personally I'd swap Yanqui U.X.O with Lift Your Skinny Fists..., and LCD Soundsystem with Sound Of Silver.
 
I was pretty sure Lift Your Skinny Fists had come out in 99 - I see now it was released in 2000; so, yes, I prefer that one too.
I like both the 1st and the 2nd LCD Soundsystem's albuns; I just happened to listen a lot more to the 1st one.
My list is very very incomplete...:)
 
RUI
I was pretty sure Lift Your Skinny Fists had come out in 99 - I see now it was released in 2000; so, yes, I prefer that one too.
I like both the 1st and the 2nd LCD Soundsystem's albuns; I just happened to listen a lot more to the 1st one.
My list is very very incomplete...:)
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Yeah, they're both great albums, but All My Friends and Someone Great just tip it towards Sound Of Silver for me. :)
 
I dunno about mainstream stuff but Carry On - A Life Less Plagued pretty much created a new wave of modern hardcore.
 
80Y 2C2
Justice's "Cross" album:
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Do the D.A.N.C.E! :D

My personal pick would be Digitalism - Idealism though. Listening to it now it sounds so raw in comparison to Cross, and I love it for that.
 
ExigeEvan
Not that I can find it anywhere, but Radio recently did a show on the most influential music artists of the decade, and came to the conclusion it was Scooter.

Now it's one of those where I can't say I agree, but can definetley see where they were coming from.
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Scooter are really big here in Ireland. "Ramp! (The Logical Song)" reached #1 here in 2001. I have some of their songs on my phone (which doubles as an MP3 player). When I listen to "Ramp!" I can imagine 2 cars battling on the Wangan.
 
I didn't heard Justice music before... I just listen to a pair of their songs... very Daft Punk-ish but really really good electro. 👍

In no particular order:

Muse - Origin of Simmetry (2001)
Radiohead - Kid A (2000) In Rainbows (2007)
Tool - Lateralus (2001)
Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)
System of a Down - Toxicity (2001)
The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)
Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
 
Moglet
Do the D.A.N.C.E! :D

My personal pick would be Digitalism - Idealism though. Listening to it now it sounds so raw in comparison to Cross, and I love it for that.
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Yeaaah - wo ho, there's something in the aiiirr - wo ho. :indiff: Hmmmmm - doesn't have the same effect. :P

I have to agree with you though. Although Justice is pretty damn raw in the first place, so its a trend in the electro genre.

Getting some good responses here though.

I agree with LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire too. I think we are also missing:

PB&J's Writer's Block

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And maybe some Kasabian as well.
 
Touring Mars
Good list there, F1GTR - I'd add The Mars Volta's "Deloused In The Comatorium" to those, although in terms of "defining" albums, The Strokes, Sigur Ros and Arcade Fire cover it for me 👍
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Retain Radiohead and Interpol and you basically have my list too. 👍

On the hip-hop front, I'm gonna have to split from the pack. 50 Cent is a remnant of the 90's at heart. Give me MIA's Kala on this one, odd though that may sound. I think her honest, less bombastic feel very purely defines what hip hop can and should be about. On this front, see also the less-well-known album "Seven's Travels" by Atmosphere. Best single to sample - "Trying to Find a Balance".
 
I think the album that best defines the decade is Radiohead's "In Rainbows" both because the music is an amazing and original experience that actually got a little public recognition (did anyone see last year's Grammy's when they did "15 Step" with a full marching band? It's on the internet too..!) and because the model of distribution is pretty much the pinnacle of the transformation of the music industry in the last 10 + years. For those unaware, the album launched on radiohead.com without the involvement of a major record label and with the price decided by the buyer. You could pick a nickle or a millon bucks, whatever. I paid a modest amount and felt better about the fact that the money was directed toward the artists. Especially when compared to the treatment many acts receive by major labels. Often something like $1 of each record sold actually goes to the band. This is why bands who sell many records tour extensively as well.

The point is that the music was/is amazing. 15 Step, Bodysnatchers, Nude (Big Ideas), and Videotape will forever be some of my favorite songs - but I don't think there was a weak track on the album at all.

edit: and I drove across 4 provinces to see them live in Montreal... quite amazing.
 
Meshuggah-Catch Thirty-Three and ObZen
Dizzee Rascal-Boy In Da Corner
Boys Noize-Self Titled
Bad Brains-Build A Nation
Deftones-White Pony
Bounty Killer-Art of War
Diplomats-Diplomatic Immunity
M.I.A.-Arular (Kala got played out like a mufff before it even dropped)
Sizzla-Jah Protect

sadly the 00's were a dark age for alot of styles of music, hip hop in general saw a major saturation which is leading to a downsizing and further monopoly of the industry by BIG name artists (jay-z, snoop, lil wayne) and what made it so great from its inception to the 90's is what it lacks today, authenticity and rawness, its too clean too pretty too perfect and not real.
"Take a razor and slice it."
 
Some interesting suggestions so far. I second Kasabian, and would nominate their self-titled debut album. The Streets' Original Pirate Material was the first real exposé of modern UK youth culture for a very long time.
 

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