The Music Snob's Best Albums of the Decade

I've been working on my list of the best albums of the decade and checking out what lists have been published so far. Since I'm an unashamed pop music fan, there will definitely be pop albums on my list--the kind that don't make the music critics' lists. But what will such critics be singing the praises of as they tally their lists of the best albums of the decade? Here are 30 albums that are sure to appear on many, many lists (including perhaps mine):

Outkast - Stankonia (2000) and Speakerboxx/The Love Below (2003). Both generated big hits, and Speakerboxx, in particular, was also a major commercial success, in addition to both being reviewed quite favorably.

Radiohead - Kid A (2000) and In Rainbows (2007). Both are excellent and will definitely appear on my list.

Bob Dylan - Love and Theft (2001), Modern Times (2006), and Together Through Life (2009). It's shameful that I'm not familiar with Bob Dylan. I've never heard any of these, but they were all very highly regarded.

The Strokes - Is This It (2001). NME named in the album of the decade. I wouldn't be surprised if Spin and Rolling Stone don't do that too. I actually rather like this album. It will probably appear pretty high on my list.

The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001) and Elephant (2003). These two albums represent the band at its critical peak, with Elephant also being its commercial one. I love Elephant, and although I haven't listened to White Blood Cells as much, I'm trying to give it a fair chance to make my list.

The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002) and A Grand Don't Come for Free (2004). British lists in particular will definitely be including these. I have his second album, which is pretty good, although I doubt it will make my decade list.

Wilco - Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (2002). I'm more into Sky Blue Sky, but this one is good too. I haven't listened to it a whole lot.

Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002) and Magic (2006). Alternative pubs will probably not highlight him, but traditional rock outlets (like Rolling Stone) will likely give these prominence. Both are fine, but not among my favorites.

The Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004) and Neon Bible (2007). This band was a critics' darling this decade, with both albums being quite lovingly reviewed. I think I like Neon Bible a better than Funeral, although Funeral has their best song, "Power Out."

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose (2004). On a lark it seems, Jack White of The White Stripes produced the decade's most critically celebrated country album. This one gets a lot of play in my house (Chris loves it). I like it a lot too.

Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004) and Late Registration (2005). Critics seemed to cool on him after the first two albums, which is fairly typical. The College Dropout in particular seems to have been the best reviewed, even though it wasn't as big a hitmaker.

Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel the Illinoise! (2005). I bought this album, since it got so many great reviews, but never got into it, aside from "Chicago." This was supposed to be the second in a series of state-themed albums (it followed 2003's Michigan)

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005). I got this when it came out, since it got such good reviews. Then I never really got into it. I think I might have liked his other album better that came out at the same time, but I never got it (it was more electronic).

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever I Say I Am, that's What I'm Not (2006). Another one that the British lists will definitely have. I liked their second album better, but this one's okay.

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006). This is one of the few pop albums that music critics seemed to really like. I love it. Definitely a classic. Definitely will be placed very high on my list.

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (2006) and Dear Science, (2008). I have both of these, and I just don't get what the fuss is. Not my thing.

M.I.A. - Kala (2007). This is something I'd like to hear more of. I have a few tracks, and I enjoyed the hit single "Paper Planes."

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007). I could never get into this. What's so great about it?

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand (2007). This won the Grammy Album of the Year earlier this year--along with Outkast's 2003 album, it's probably the highest regarded album to do so. I like this. It's definitely grown on me since I first got it for Christmas 2 years ago.

Vampire Weekend (2008). Gag. Not into them at all.

Fleet Foxes (2008). This I like better. It's unusual and folksy, but pretty. We'll see. It could make my list.