One Hundred Favorite Albums of the 2000s

(A companion to my One Hundred Favorite Albums of the 1980s and 1990s, with the same rules, i.e. (1) the albums are ranked in something like my order of preference; (2) the decade is marked from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009; and (3) I’ve allowed myself multiple albums per artist when I thought it was warranted. I’ve also forbidden myself from choosing compilations unless the material was mostly unavailable on earlier albums, as with #25 and #47.)

  1. Melody Mountain by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra

  2. The Execution of All Things by Rilo Kiley

  3. The Ape of Naples by Coil

  4. Miniatures by Alog

  5. Dataplex by Ryoji Ikeda

  6. Insen by Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto

  7. Blemish by David Sylvian

  8. Bodily Functions by Herbert

  9. High by The Blue Nile

  10. Ceramik City Chronicles by Jarle Bernhoft

  11. Hometime by Alison Moyet

  12. Adelie Land by Handsomeboy Technique

  13. Duck-Rabbit by Alog

  14. Revep by Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto

  15. Alas, I Cannot Swim by Laura Marling

  16. Ladies First by Jack the Ripper

  17. Free the Bees by The Bees

  18. Let It Die by Feist

  19. To Sing You Apple Trees by Rockettothesky

  20. IBM 1401, a User’s Manual by Jóhann Jóhannsson

  21. Courier by Richard Shindell

  22. Handsome Devil by Jim Bianco

  23. Inland Empires by Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio

  24. Homesongs by Adem

  25. Moon’s Milk (In Four Phases) by Coil

  26. Lost and Safe by The Books

  27. Paper Anniversary by Christine Fellows

  28. All Hail West Texas by The Mountain Goats

  29. Moonstruck by Barbara Buccholz

  30. Riot on an Empty Street by Kings of Convenience

  31. Veggie by Food

  32. Black Antlers by Coil

  33. Undertow by Sidsel Endresen

  34. Tales of the Road by Justin Sullivan & Friends

  35. Master and Everyone by Bonnie “Prince” Billy

  36. Petra Haden and Bill Frisell by Petra Haden & Bill Frisell

  37. The Green World by Dar Williams

  38. Slow Motion Orchestra by Solveig Slettahjell

  39. Test Pattern by Ryoji Ikeda

  40. Score by The RAah Project

  41. The Ghetto Symphony by Geno Young

  42. List of Lights and Buoys by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra

  43. Give Up by The Postal Service

  44. Snow Borne Sorrow by Nine Horses

  45. Moo, You Bloody Choir by Augie March

  46. Since I Left You by The Avalanches

  47. Shockadelica—50th Anniversary Tribute to the Artist Known as Prince by Various Artists

  48. Endless Summer by Fennesz

  49. The Snake by Wildbirds and Peacedrums

  50. I Am a Bird Now by Antony and the Johnsons

  51. Eternal Youth by Future Bible Heroes

  52. Now by Maxwell

  53. Anchors & Anvils by Amy LaVere

  54. 1000 Kisses by Patty Griffin

  55. This Is the Way the World Ends by Boondogs

  56. If I Ever Kiss It ... He Can Kiss It Goodbye by Swamp Dogg

  57. Wayward Angel by Kasey Chambers

  58. The Dark Age of Love by This Immortal Coil

  59. Toygopop by Modified Toy Orchestra

  60. The Dust of Retreat by Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s

  61. Untrue by Burial

  62. Ten New Songs by Leonard Cohen

  63. Goodbye Swingtime by The Matthew Herbert Big Band

  64. 6 by Supersilent

  65. Kalk Samen Kuri No Hana by Sheena Ringo

  66. Medea by Rockettothesky

  67. Getting Away With It … Live by James

  68. Alice by Tom Waits

  69. The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1 by Randy Newman

  70. Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets by Gary Jules

  71. Haunted by Poe

  72. The Black Sessions No. 248 by The Divine Comedy

  73. The Deep Forbidden Lake by The Jazz Mandolin Project

  74. Sing by Jim Bianco

  75. Live by Ellis Paul

  76. More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley

  77. St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley

  78. (3) by Soul Center

  79. Cartography by Arve Henriksen

  80. Grindstone by Shining

  81. Flower of Evil by Susanna

  82. Castaways and Cutouts by The Decemberists

  83. The Book of Lies by Jack the Ripper

  84. Songs from the Deep Forest by Duke Special

  85. Trouble by Ray LaMontagne

  86. Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 by Jill Scott

  87. Man @ Work by Colin Hay

  88. The Happiness Project by Charles Spearin

  89. 3 by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra

  90. Breakfast on the Morning Tram by Stacey Kent

  91. Everybody Knows by Sharon Robinson

  92. 5 by Supersilent

  93. Le fil by Camille

  94. The Reminder by Feist

  95. Begin to Hope by Regina Spektor

  96. Digital Prophecy by Dhafer Youssef

  97. Verses from the Union Chapel by Laura Marling

  98. Patience by George Michael

  99. Morals and Dogma by Deathprod

  100. Blow Out Your Candles by David Yetton

— June 4, 2025


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