Essential Albums of the Decade: 20 Acclaimed Albums That Just Don't Do It for Me

Awhile ago put together a list of the "music snobs'" favorite albums of the decade, the ones I suspect you'll be seeing again and again on the music pubs' best of lists (so far, it's proving pretty accurate). Some of those albums I really do like, while others I just don't care for, but at least I've tried to give them a chance.

Here then are 20 albums from the 2000s that I know received a lot of acclaim, but that I just didn't get into:

Steely Dan - Two Against Nature (2000). This was the first album of the decade to win the Grammy for Album of the Year. It's an interesting listen, an experimental blend of rock and jazz, which I guess is what Steely Dan did in its heyday (it was before my time). Along with Ray Charles and Herbie Hancock, these were the albums of artists way past their creative peaks that Grammy chose to honor with their highest award this decade. Never underestimate the nostalgia factor at the Grammys.

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002). I panned Eminem's latest album this year. Earlier this decade he was a potent force in rap, crossing over to pop audiences with hits like "Stan" and "Lose Yourself." These were his best albums, but they still don't really get me excited.

U2 - All that You Can't Leave Behind (2000) and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004). U2 is one of those bands that I follow because they are really popular, but I can't say that I'm really passionate about them, unlike some people. No Line on the Horizon was actually the first time I bought a U2 album, listened to it closely, and really enjoyed it from the get go. These two other albums were bigger hits, and generated more acclaim (Grammy AOTY nods for both and a win for Bomb).

Jay-Z - The Blueprint (2001). I'm not a rap fan, but I listened to this album since it's appearing on a lot of best of the decade lists. I see it's appeal, and I like the old school feel to many of these songs, but it's not something I would find myself listening to a lot.

Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002) and Magic (2006). Both of these albums received a great deal of acclaim, and Bruce Springsteen has become such an icon of rock. I think maybe I'm too young to really get Bruce Springsteen though. Of the two, I prefer Magic, but neither is the transcendent rock music experience for me others claim they are.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002). Wilco's experimental fourth album was the one that made the band a fairly big name. I need to listen to this album more though to really appreciate it; so far, I like it, but I don't love it, unlike their 2007 album, Sky Blue Sky, which I really enjoy.

Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below (2003). "Hey Ya" is wonderful, "The Way You Move" is pretty good, "Roses" is okay, after those hits though, I never could get into this.


Ray Charles and Friends - Genius Loves Company (2004). This is the least interesting of the albums that won the Album of the Year Grammy Award this decade. Released just after Ray Charles' death in the summer of 2004, it had a major nostalgia factor going for it. Plus guest appearances from a host of Grammy's favorites: Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Natalie Cole, and Diana Krall. Sometimes I put this on if I want something classy and mellow, but I really don't see how this is such a great album.

Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004). Kanye West is one of the few rappers that I really enjoy--several of his albums will appear in my top 100 of the decade. However this one, his first, which seems to generally rank the highest on other decade lists, is my least favorite. Compared to his others, it has the least pop appeal--no Daft Punk or Shirley Bassey samples.

The Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004). I liked their second album a lot, yet music critics seem to prefer their first album, which I don't care for as much. Quite honestly, I find it a little too "precious" at times, particularly the first song, with its beautifully composed yet terribly recorded (intentionally I'm sure) piano and guitar. "Power Out" I do quite like though.

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005). This is acoustic, folksy, singer-songwriter stuff. Conor Oberst isn't a very compelling singer, whose delivery sounds someplace between actual singing and just talking. I don't find the melodies particularly interesting either, and the only song that has any tempo to it is "Another Travelin' Song."

Sufjan Stevens - Come on Feel the Illinoise (2005). Over an hour long and spread over 22 tracks, Illinoise is an epic album inspired by the history of Illinois, the second in a planned series of albums for every state (at this rate though, he'll be long dead before he could over to complete such a task). It's often quite lovely, such as the tender ballad "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." Good, but not a favorite.

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007). This album is hard to wrap your head around, composed of long, mostly electronic and highly repetitive songs. The more I listen to it, the more I like it, but its extreme repetition makes it hard to just sit and listen to. Works better in the background for me.

Vampire Weekend (2008). Music critics were just going gaga over them, but I just couldn't get into them. I was annoyed at the purposeful lack of substance in their lyrics.


Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! (2008). I filed this under "guy storyteller rock" when I reviewed it last year and expressed disappointment over Cave's lack of singing, since he does have a cool voice.

TV on the Radio - Dear Science, (2008). Both this and TV on the Radio's previous album, Return to Cookie Mountain, achieved a great deal of acclaim from notable rock pubs (Spin named both the top album of the year in 2006 and 2008).

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009). A big critical favorite this year that I found to be just okay, but not awe-inspiring. Listening to it put me in lovely lo-fi layering overload.