Best Album of the Decade?

[purpleoscar]

Definately yes.

 

[icebergy]

Nope. That said I don't think they released the best album of the 80's or 90's either.

I said one of the best not THE best

 

[bcrt2000]

This is my personal list...

1. U2 - Best of 1990-2000
2. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
3. U2 - NLOTH
4. Green Day - American Idiot
5. Evanescence - Fallen
6. Coldplay - X & Y
7. U2 - HTDAAB
8. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
9. Killers - Sam's Town
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
11. U2 - ATYCLB
12. Eminem - Eminem Show
13. Our Lady Peace - Gravity

Yes, I know the best of wasn't a full album but hell its what got me and a lot of younger people into U2 and contains one of the best songs U2 has ever wrote (Electrical Storm).

I haven't listened to Day & Age and Only By Night yet so thats why they aren't on the list at all.

 

[2861U2]

This is my personal list...

1. U2 - Best of 1990-2000
2. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
3. U2 - NLOTH
4. Green Day - American Idiot
5. Evanescence - Fallen
6. Coldplay - X & Y
7. U2 - HTDAAB
8. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head
9. Killers - Sam's Town
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
11. U2 - ATYCLB
12. Eminem - Eminem Show
13. Our Lady Peace - Gravity

Yes, I know the best of wasn't a full album but hell its what got me and a lot of younger people into U2 and contains one of the best songs U2 has ever wrote (Electrical Storm).

I haven't listened to Day & Age and Only By Night yet so thats why they aren't on the list at all.

Great list. I By The Way.

 

[icebergy]

Great list. I By The Way.

But it has coldplay on it

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'd be much quicker to say albums like Anathema's Judgement or Porcupine Tree's Stupid Dream are albums of the 1990s, and Orphaned Land's Mabool or Russian Circles' Station or Agalloch's The Mantle are albums of the 2000s.

Like Steve Vai or the Moody Blues, none of those artists you listed count as real music, though.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Oh, and music in the 00s is way too divergent to even compile a best of list for this decade.

Well, at least for the 25% of new releases not ironically referencing/sounding like the 1980s.

 

[LemonMelon]

Like Steve Vai or the Moody Blues, none of those artists you listed count as real music, though.

Good to have you back.

 

[doctorwho]

Okay-- eeeemph-- here it goes-- this last album NLOTH-- 'tired'... Bono's lyrics dont speak to masses as they once did.. shush now! I know Shush now your saying! Shush now? Are you kidding me? what the heck is that?
The states are drowning in medicore hip hop..If anyone could save us it's U2.. please please Mag is great and so is MOS-- but UUUHG! I am bummed-- played in U2 tribute band and love them;they have invented a new sound and I LOVE them but ackk!! What happend? Maybe Rock is dead.. :< 3 years from now we will put this with the bottom half of the catalogue.. didnt Bono once say two bad albums and they are done? AYCLB was the last great peice of work.. What is going to happen to music/alt rock? maybe this is how the dead heads felts 15 years earlier?
Most people just say YES I LOVE IT-- because they are excited a new album is here-- with Eno and Lanois.. but how many NEW listeners will be turned on? Everyone says Best band in the World?! I agree; but that band should be able to capture new hearts and souls..
3/4 pistons are firing; but Bono what happened to SOUL and HEART!? Oh ell; atleast I have three songs I reply daily.. I have ven given it two weeks but..ahhhh well... 4more years I guess..

00's are AYCLB

I WANT this album to work-- the critics will love it; only 3 songs will survive (maybe) in their stadium shows..

I have no idea what your post is saying. Maybe all those late nights in a tribute band eroded your ability to think or write clearly. But it sounds like you have some small praise for NLOTH, but not much. Trouble is, it's so new that it's tough to predict what will happen. I stated this before, but when JT was released, the Rolling Stone review of the album said something very similar to your post - abstract, maybe sell a few million (as albums actually sold then), but tough to see it working in concert or really being accessible. Of course, we all know what happened.

The last three albums ("Pop", ATYCLB and HTDAAB) were personal on many levels. Bono wrote about his life or his experiences.

As with everything, there's strength and weakness to writing about personal events. From personal experience, when one writes or says something very similar to my own world, a deeper bond is formed - I can relate and do not feel alone. On a personal level, Bono was able to hit home with many people - and that is what helped make the last two albums such a success.

But having a more open interpretation of lyrics has also served Bono well. I just listened to the album today on a long car drive. No distractions - just rain and the road. And I found myself really enjoying three things about NLOTH:

1) Bono's vocals - one person on here said he thought Bono "phoned in his vocals". I knew then that this person was clearly having fun with us - this is Bono's most passionate and powerful vocals since R&H.

2) Bono's lyrics - as I just wrote, the last few albums have been more personal. NLOTH goes back to the style of writing Bono had in the 80's and early 90's with more abstract ideas and themes. While there are some personal moments ("ATM machine" and "small men with big ideas"), for the most part, this album is about ideas and is very open to interpretation. Even GOYB, a fun rocking song has multiple interpretations.

3) The music - In another thread, a person wrote how Bono never "shut up" on HTDAAB. There's truth to that - on the last few albums, Bono sings amost from start to finish. On NLOTH, his vocals and lyrics don't compete with the music - they flow with the music. We get to hear large sections of just music, which enhances Bono's lyrics. I enjoyed that and didn't realize how much I missed that until I heard NLOTH.

With the above in mind, I am completely unable to relate to anyone claiming Bono's singing or vocals are off. You wanted passionate vocals, with more abstract lyrics, yet still wanted the music to soar? You got it! To then complain is incomprehensible to me. This album can speak to the masses, if the masses just shut up long enough to hear it.

Is this album accessible? In our "instant society" I wonder. But truly, after a few listens it is. No song leaps right out as a "super hit". But then, one could say that about all the songs on "Zooropa", "Pop", JT, "October" and even the bulk of the songs on ATYCLB and HTDAAB (despite U2's intention of releasing albums full of singles). U2's music is rarely mainstream.

As you are in a cover band, I would recommend you NOT cover NLOTH songs for a while. Cover bands work only when they cover a band's biggest hits. NLOTH will take a while to grow. But in six months to a year, I bet you'll be singing a few new "hits" and perhaps singing a different tune about NLOTH as well.

 

[shart1780]

This will sound mean, but come on! You guys need to listen to some more music. This album is awesome, but to say it's one of the best albums of the decade so soon is completely ridiculous. All of the albums I've seen listed here are from top 40 bands that I thought were awesome when I was 15 years old. No wonder everyone here thinks all popular music sucks these days, it looks like all any of you ever listen to is very mainstream MTV rock. When The Killers and Coldplay are the best artists of the new mellinnium we're in pretty dire straights.

There are so many completely incredible albums that have come out in the past 9 years. NLOTH is definitely good, but to say it's an incredible music achievement is taking it a little far.

 

[MMP]

My list

1. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
2. Primal Scream - XTRMNTR

The rest in no order:

R.E.M. - Around the Sun
R.E.M. - Accelerate
Radiohead - Kid A
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Green Day - American Idiot
Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
The Kills - Midnight Boom
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Bruce Springsteen - The Rising
Bruce Springsteen - Magic
Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions - American Land Edition
Bob Dylan - "Love and Theft"
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang
Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
Aerosmith - Honkin' on Bobo
The Enemy - We'll Live and Die In These Towns
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
James - Hey Ma
James - Pleased to Meet You
The White Stripes - Elephant
The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Kid Rock - Rock N Roll Jesus
Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Aerosmith - Rockin' the Joint
The Tears - Here Comes The Tears
The Darkness - One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back
The Darkness - Permission to Land
Oasis - Don't Believe the Truth
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Coldplay - Viva La Vida and Death and All His Friends
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Tim Booth - Bone
Led Zepellin - How the West Was Won
No Doubt - Rock Steady


And I'm probably forgettin something....

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Could be one of the best albums of the 00s (NLOTH), but I think it will be the best of the year.

 

[zwervers2]

NLOTH is a great record but their are many many more.
to name a few

Radiohead - Kid A
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Green Day - American Idiot
Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
U2 - NLOTH
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
The White Stripes - Elephant
Muse - Black Holes & Revelations
Gorillaz - Demon Days
Coldplay - Viva La Vida and Death and All His Friends
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
The Veils-The runaway found
Arcade Fire-The funeral
Editors-An end has a start
Voicst-Tale of two devils
dEUS-Pocket revolution
dEUS-Vantage point
Beck-Seachanges

 

[Jimmy Jazz]

Yep, ATYCLB ís probably the best album of the 00's

ill second this, well at least one of the best

 

[65980]

R.E.M. - Around the Sun

I respect your choices, but you may be the only person who liked Around The Sun!

PJ Harvey - Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

Great choice!


The best album I've heard all decade is Speech's Spiritual People (2000).

I also like Sinead O'Connor's Faith and Courage (also 2000). Really like Susanna Hoff and Matthew Sweet's covers album Under The Covers Vol. 1 (2006). HTDAAB is also up there.

So, I Iike these:

As far the new album being one of the best of the decade -- I would like to comment on that, but I HAVEN'T HEARD IT YET. (There's also about 100 supposedly great albums this decade I haven't heard yet because I haven't had time.)

 

[MMP]

I respect your choices, but you may be the only person who liked Around The Sun!

Probably!
But I love that album, every song is beautiful and they never bore me.

Great choice!

PJ Harvey is such a great singer. Stories is her best album and it's just great. Truly deserves to be in any best of the decade list!

(There's also about 100 supposedly great albums this decade I haven't heard yet because I haven't had time.)

I think everyone has the same problem.

 

[Salome]

the last time I have been this in love with an album is when Zooropa was released
back then I was such a big fan that it wasn't a surprise I loved the album to bits
NLOTH comes at a time where I've heard hundreds of albums from all sort of different artists
I'm floored by this album though

if nothing else it's my album of the decade

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Is This It

 

[LyricalDrug]

The killers - day and age

uL

Amen. The Killers get no respect from mainstream critics -- probably because the band is slick, radio-friendly, and good-looking -- but the songs are incredible pop songs.

 

[LyricalDrug]

Another contender would have to be Pearl Jam's self-titled "Avocado" album, from 3 years ago or so.

 

[LyricalDrug]

Is This It

The Strokes!!!

 

[gareth brown]

i got the feeling this is sort of a thinly veiled 'NLOTH IS THE BEST ALBUM OF THE DECADE' thread but thank god. That said, I haven't even heard it yet. But!

A lot of my favourite albums EVER are from before 2000 which is a bit of a shame, I wish I hadn't been so detached from 'current' music over the last 9 years. I mean I LOVE so many recent bands and albums but there isn't exactly a STACK of favourites from the 2000's. Anyway, in no particular order.

Radiohead - Kid A
Daft Punk - Discovery
Radiohead - Amnesiac
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
POLYSICS - Neu
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Thom Yorke - The Eraser

albums that are amazing but I think it'd be too hasty putting them in a 'BEST OF THE DECADE' list partly because two are pretty recent

Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won
Brian Eno & David Byrne - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better

 

[Brian-C]

Animal Collective's new album is similar to No Line, in that it takes common sounding structures and sort of turns them on their head. I'm not sure what to think of Merriweather Post Pavilion, other than it sounds like indie rock, but like someone put all the pieces into a computer and hit "random," spewing out odd splices and burbling sound effects. In a way, No Line has a similar feel. It sounds like U2 on the surface, but there are all kinds of ways in which the formula has been twisted and turned.

 

[mcfisto]

NLOTH IS BY FAR THE BEST ALBUM OF THE 00's. IN FACT I THINK ITS THE BEST ALBUM U2 HAVE EVER DONE. I CANT STOP LISTENING TO IT. YES YES YES YES YES, IM GONNA GO CRAZY TONIGHT.

 

[Chief43]

If you pick a Killers album they still havent topped Hot Fuss in terms of making some great pop tunes. Mr Brightside definitely one of the best singles of the naughties. Day And Age has one great song in Dustland Fairytale but there is simply too much filler in that album - which is a shame.

 

[shart1780]

NLOTH IS BY FAR THE BEST ALBUM OF THE 00's. IN FACT I THINK ITS THE BEST ALBUM U2 HAVE EVER DONE. I CANT STOP LISTENING TO IT. YES YES YES YES YES, IM GONNA GO CRAZY TONIGHT.

wtf

 

[Slapnutz]

I still think Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights, PJ Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea and TV on the Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain are much stronger.

 

[ZeroDude]

‘Abattoir Blues/ The Lyre of Orpheus’

It’s the only album(s) that I wouldn’t feel unerringly daft about regarding as the best of the decade. Although in truth it’s simply my favourite.

‘NLOTH’ however could end up supplying one or two of my favourite songs of the same time period. High enough praise one would think.

 

[gweeps]

Most influential album of the 00s so far? Probably Kid A.

 

[rwolins1]

Nobody's mentioned

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible