Pitchfork Top 200 albums of the 2000s

[m_thomp]

Now I'm not the biggest fan of Pitchfork - too precious and exclusive - but I am fan of polls, charts and any stat pecking order bollocks, so it was a great surprise to see Pitchfork's top 200 album picks of the 2000s. Surprising, because I actually think it's pretty good. The selections, barring the odd omission, and them not necessarily being in the right order, are pretty much spot on.

 

Biggest gripe, for me at least, is that there is no A Ghost Is Born. I would replace YHF with it in the list, but that's just my personal preference.

 

Kid A makes top of the pops which I wouldn't entirely agree with, although I do really like it. However, it's an album, based the lukewarm critical reation received in the UK, I always thought would have the David Bowie's Low-effect, in that it would take time for a critical reversal of fortune, but nevertheless it would happen.

 

Enough yakking, here's the list:

 

200. Jay Reatard - Blood Visions

199. Deerhoof - Apple O'

198. Boris - Akuma No Uta

197. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals*

196. William Basinski - The Disentegration Loops

195. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go*

194. Pulp - We Love Life

193. Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands

192. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll

191. Air -Talkie Walkie*

 

190. Elliott Smith - Figure 8*

189. Jamie Lidell - Multiply*

188. M83 - Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts*

187. Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid*

186. The Thermals - The Body, the Blood, the Machine

185. Scarface - The Fix

184. Vitalic - OK Cowboy*

183. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

182. Max Tundra -Mastered by Guy at the Exchange

181. Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs*

 

180. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus*

179. Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country

178. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II

177. Broadcast - The Noise Made By People

176. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee

175. Various Artists - Total 3

174. Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy

173. Herbert - Bodily Functions

172. Constantines - Shine a Light

171. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike*

 

170. Bright Eyes - Fevers and Mirrors

169. Common - Like Water for Chocolate

168. Califone - Roots and Crowns*

167. Annie - Anniemal*

166. Jim O'Rourke - Insignificance*

165. Ricardo Villalobos - Alcachofa*

164. Les Savy Fav - Rome (Written Upside Down) EP

163. DJ /rupture - Uproot

162. Wu-Tang Clan - The W*

161. Air France - No Way Down

 

160. Deerhunter - Cryptograms

159. Girl Talk - Night Ripper

158. Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies*

157. Lightning Bolt - Wonderful Rainbow

156. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

155. Clipse - Lord Willin'

154. Ghostface Killah - The Pretty Toney Album

153. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala

152. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

151. The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows*

 

150. The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema*

149. Tough Alliance - A New Chance

148. Erlend Øye - DJ Kicks

147. T.I. - King

146. My Morning Jacket - Z*

145. Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat*

144. Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet

143. The Decemberists - Picaresque

142. Primal Scream - XTRMNTR*

141. Neko Case - Blacklisted*

 

140. TV on the Radio - Dear Science*

139. Love Is All - Nine Times That Same Song

138. The Libertines - Up the Bracket

137. Iron & Wine - The Creek Drank the Cradle

136. No Age - Weirdo Rippers*

135. Sigur Rós - ()*

134. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf*

133. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War

132. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair*

131. The Notwist - Neon Golden

 

 

130. Clipse - We Got It 4 Cheap, Vol. 2

129. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free

128. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City

127. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods

126. Mastodon - Leviathan

125. The Books - Thought for Food

124. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

123. Four Tet - Rounds*

122. Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker*

121. Broadcast - Haha Sound

 

120. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Tyranny of Distance

119. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP

118. The Beta Band - Hot Shots II*

117. Low - Things We Lost in the Fire

116. Michael Mayer - Immer

115. The Shins - Oh, Inverted World

114. Cam'ron - Purple Haze

113. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem*

112. Feist -The Reminder

111. M83 - Saturdays=Youth*

 

110. The National - Boxer*

109. Band of Horses - Everything All the Time*

108. Sonic Youth - Murray Street

107. Justice - †*

106. Caribou - Up in Flames*

105. Battles - Mirrored*

104. The Postal Service - Give Up

103. M.I.A./Diplo - Piracy Funds Terrorism Volume 1

102. The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree

101. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

 

100. ...And You Shall Know Us By the Trail of Dead - Source Tags & Codes*

99. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3

98. Cat Power - You Are Free*

97. The Dismemberment Plan - Change

96. Spoon - Girls Can Tell*

95. Grizzly Bear - Yellow House*

94. Mclusky - Mclusky Do Dallas

93. 2 Many DJs - As Heard on Radio Soulwax, Pt. 2*

92. Björk - Vespertine*

91. The New Pornographers - Mass Romantic*

 

90. Jay-Z - The Black Album

89. Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary*

88. The Wrens - The Meadowlands

87. Kanye West - Graduation

86. Belle and Sebastian - The Life Pursuit*

85. Gas - Pop*

84. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World*

83. Joanna Newsom - Ys*

82. Beck - Sea Change*

81.Hot Chip - The Warning*

 

80. The Clientele - Suburban Light

79. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds

78. No Age - Nouns*

77. Missy Elliott - Miss E: So Addictive

76. Junior Boys - Last Exit*

75. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

74. The White Stripes - Elephant*

73. The Microphones - The Glow, Pt. 2

72. Sleater-Kinney - One Beat

71. Portishead - Third*

 

70. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lakes State

69. Liars - Drum's Not Dead

68. Robyn - Robyn*

67. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots*

66. J Dilla - Donuts

65. Godpseed You Black Emperor! - Lift Your Skinny Fists like Antennas to Heaven*

64. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America*

63. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?*

62. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner

61. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

 

60. Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic

59.Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak

58. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime*

57. The Rapture - Echoes

56. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca*

55. Animal Collective - Feels*

54. M.I.A. - Arular

53. Clinic - Internal Wrangler

52. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury

51. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend*

 

50. Deerhunter - Microcastle*

49. Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now*

48. The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday*

47. Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender*

46. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow*

45. Fugazi - The Argument

43. Luomo - Vocalcity

42. Grizzy Bear - Veckatimest*

41. Burial - Untrue*

 

40. The National - Alligator*

39. Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun

38. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That

37. Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out*

36. The Streets - Original Pirate Material

35. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga*

34. Radiohead - Amnesiac*

33. Basement Jaxx - Rooty*

32. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes*

31. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain*

 

30. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi*

29. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago*

28. Kanye West - The College Dropout

27. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs*

26. Fennesz - Endless Summer

25. Madvillian - Madvilliany

24. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell*

23. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People*

22. M.I.A. - Kala

21. Radiohead - In Rainbows*

 

20. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights*

19. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight*

18. Kanye West - Late Registration

17. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver*

16. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois*

15. The Knife - Silent Shout

14. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion*

13. OutKast - Stankonia*

12. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells*

11. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

 

10. The Avalanches - Since I Left You*

09. Panda Bear - Person Pitch*

08. Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun*

07. The Strokes - Is This It

06. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica

05. Jay-Z - The Blueprint

04. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot*

03. Daft Punk - Discovery*

02. Arcade Fire - Funeral*

01. Radiohead - Kid A*

 

No siginificance on the asterisks (*), they're just albums I own in some form.

[Nobody Girl]

There really should be some Drive-By Truckers on this list.

[Theremin]

I'm surprised YHF is ranking this high. They seem to have regained somewhat of their status at Pitchfork after falling from grace during the agib-sbs era.

[m_thomp]

One album I was surprised to see so high was the Avalanches. I suspect this more a case of absence making the heart grow fonder. It's not a bad album, and definitely worthy of place in the 200, but it certainly isn't one of the ten best of the last decade.

[LouieB]

This is like every indie rock album made in the last 10 years....oh yea..plus a few rap albums....

 

LouieB

[hardwood floor]

ok, so kanye west put out three records this decade better than anything robert pollard released

 

suuuuuure

[Sir Stewart]

I'd just like to note that around the time Daft Punk's Discovery was released, I was really into it, and declared to anyone who'd listen that it would go down as the album of the decade.

I mean, so what. But still. Pretty cool to see it that high.

EDIT: And not cool at all to see not one Roots album there. WTFF.

[tinnitus photography]

i am shocked at the absence of Mogwai. truly my favorite band of the 00s.

[Sir Stewart]

Is there a way to tell Pitchfork they suck santorum through a straw? Because I really want to. And not just via 'contact us'. No Legendary Roots Crew albums on that list is a goddamned travesty of the highest order.

[CortezTheKiller]

I'm surprised YHF is ranking this high. They seem to have regained somewhat of their status at Pitchfork after falling from grace during the agib-sbs era.

Hmmmmmmm.

[solace]

i love The Roots but for me their best 3 albums were released pre-'00.

[Sir Stewart]

i love The Roots but for me their best 3 albums were released pre-'00.

 

Oh man, I couldn't imagine life without Game Theory (at least, plus Phren & Rising Down are worthy of this list). And if Badu's World Order IV (or whatever) is on there, then WTF.

[GtrPlyr]

There really should be some Drive-By Truckers on this list.

That's pretty sad that not one DBT record made the list. They must have something against the band, because lord knows they should easily have 3 or 4 on there.

[solace]

Phrenology is damn good tho, my last favorite Roots record

[people are leaving]

Certainly, some good selections. Some glaring omissions. But overall, downright terrible.

 

Mostly, it's a list chock full of pedigreed bookend dweeb music.

[Sir Stewart]

Phrenology is damn good tho, my last favorite Roots record

 

Maybe they just forgot.

[Wild Frank]

I'm gonna whisper this for fear of a massive back-lash but.....Kid A, and Radiohead in general, aren't actually as good as everyone thinks they are. sssshhhh. Don't tell Pitchfork.

[people are leaving]

I'm gonna whisper this for fear of a massive back-lash but.....Kid A, and Radiohead in general, aren't actually as good as everyone thinks they are. sssshhhh. Don't tell Pitchfork.

 

 

If you like, I'll tell'em.

 

Hey Frank Booth - I just noticed your Inland Empire avatar. cool

[Jesusetc84]

Funeral over Yankee Hotel Foxtrot makes me want to strangle a kitten. I can't believe people are still making a fuss about that album.

[Wild Frank]

If you like, I'll tell'em.

 

Hey Frank Booth - I just noticed your Inland Empire avatar. cool

Thanks man. The 'Wild Frank' is actually a Tom Waits reference. I never thought of the Blue Velvet link. Frank Booth is one scary guy. What do think of Inland Empire? Haven't got a clue what's going on in it but I love it all the same. I think once you start trying to work out what's going on in a Lynch movie it kind of spoils it. Its like art. Don't matter what it means, just enjoy looking at it.

[Dude]

My biggest problem with the list is the omission of Ghost, and yet Jay Reatard gets in at 200.

[solace]

AGIB, even though i don't love it, would still probably crack my own personal top 200.

[Kalle]

Uncuts Best Albums > Pitchfork's

 

Oh no I didn't!

[Gobias Industries]

Funeral over Yankee Hotel Foxtrot makes me want to strangle a kitten. I can't believe people are still making a fuss about that album.

 

Putting YHF in front of Funeral would have been terrible in my opinion. In the past half-year, I've listened to Funeral probably about 100-150 times, while I've maybe put on YHF twice. Funeral has a lot more staying power than YHF, at least for me. Funeral grips you and doesn't let go while YHF sort of lazily drifts in the background. Mind you, I would put Funeral as the best and YHF as second best, but I would put Funeral higher than YHF.

 

I'm ok with the top 20 or so, but after that it's all hogwash anyways. The real travesties are Loretta Lynn and Brian Wilson not even cracking it, let alone the top 20, let alone something like the top 10. But they're too old school for consideration, I guess.

[Synthesizer Patel]

"they are playing all the RIGHT notes . . .

just not necessarily in the RIGHT order!"

 

 

although missing out AGIB is mental.