81. Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). After several disappointing albums, Mariah Carey came rolling back with this charged set heavily influenced by both modern and old school R&B. Best: We Belong Together.
82. Moby - Wait for Me (2009). Moby's latest album was the best he released this decade, effectively mining his downbeat sound that I've found to be his strongest suit, for a complete album of atmospheric electronic pop. Best: Mistake.
83. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah (2006). Scissor Sisters second album was a bit darker than their first--If declaring that one does not want to dance over one of the most infectious dance songs can be considered dark. Best: I Don't Feel Like Dancin'.
84. Fleet Foxes (2008). Seattle band Fleet Foxes' debut was a gorgeous, eclectic album that managed to be folksy and old-fashioned while also quite contemporary. Best: White Winter Hymnal.
85. Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous (2004). Rilo Kiley's third album perfectly bridged the indie sensibility fostered by their earlier works while foreshadowing their more mainstream sound to come. Best: I Never.
86. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001). This was Jack and Meg White's big breakthrough, garnering much praise, including being named album of the year by Spin Magazine. Their sparse but versatile sound would be further refined on their next album. Best: Fell in Love with a Girl.
87. The Killers - Sam's Town (2006). On their second album, The Killers tuned their alternative pop-rock sound away from '80s synth pop toward U2-inspired grandeur. Best: When You Were Young.
88. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (2008). These former Wesleyan University boys made quite a splash last year with their cheeky debut. Particularly good were the bouncy and upbeat hits, "Time to Pretend" and "Kids." Best: Kids
89. Glasvegas (2008). Glasgow + Las Vegas? Perhaps, although these gritty, storytelling songs from the Scottish band evoke the tales of the everyday man rather than the poised glitz of The Strip. Best: Daddy's Gone.
90. John Mayer - Continuum (2006). I'm not much of a John Mayer fan, but I rather like his third album. It's got a nice mellow vibe, like one long romantic slow dance. Best: Gravity.
91. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). Justin Timberlake's second album, produced by Timbaland and Danja, solidified his status as one of the decade's most important pop artists and (almost) erased all memory of a certain boy band. Best: What Goes Around...Comes Around.
92. Sade - Lovers Rock (2000). This album is really no different from the band's 1992 release, Love Deluxe, and that's a good thing. It's a shame they only release a new album every 8 to 10 years, for their sultry adult pop is always spot on good. Best: By Your Side.
93. Evanescence - Fallen (2003). Evanescence's debut was released during the time The Lord of the Rings films were popular, which made its gothic rock feel right at home. "My Immortal" is one of my very favorite songs of the decade. Best: My Immortal.
94. Jamelia - Walk with Me (2006). Here's one of several albums on my list that I thought deserved to be bigger hits that they were. Walk with Me was joyously upbeat R&B-flavored pop that should have filled airtime for months, but generated relatively few hits. Best: Ain't a Love.
95. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam (2005). English pop singer James Blunt made a huge splash with his debut single, "You're Beautiful." Although he never managed a successful follow-up hit, his earnest first album offered quite a few rewarding listens. Best: You're Beautiful.
96. Embrace - Out of Nothing (2004). Stretching themselves musically, English band Embrace hit pay dirt with their gorgeous fourth album, typifying the Coldplay-esque piano-based rock sound that was popular with many bands at the time. Of course, it didn't hurt that Coldplay itself wrote their best tune. Best: Gravity.
97. Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000). Goldfrapp's mellow debut offered little hint of what would come with their glittery electro follow-ups, but managed to be quite compelling with its quirky cool tunes. Best: Lovely Head.
98. Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This (2002). Daniel Bedingfield made his mark with the garage-pop hit "Gotta Get Thru This," and then defied expectation by releasing this eclectic debut with songs ranging from adult pop balladry ("If You're Not the One") to rock ("I Can't Read You"). His sister may have had bigger hits, but he made the better album. Best: Gotta Get Thru This.
99. Mariah Carey - E=MC2 (2008). Mariah followed her 2005 comeback with this similar 2008 release, which recalled the laid back vibe of an afternoon in Miami. Best: I Stay in Love.
100. Shania Twain - Up! (2002). Shania Twain's third album, 1997's Come On Over, remains the biggest selling album from either a female or a country artist and succesfully crossed over from the country to the pop charts. This follow-up delivered more of the same sunny country-pop, and anticipating similar crossover appeal, came packaged with two discs: one of country arrangements and the other with pop ones. Best: I'm Gonna Getcha Good!
81. Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). After several disappointing albums, Mariah Carey came rolling back with this charged set heavily influenced by both modern and old school R&B. Best: We Belong Together.
82. Moby - Wait for Me (2009). Moby's latest album was the best he released this decade, effectively mining his downbeat sound that I've found to be his strongest suit, for a complete album of atmospheric electronic pop. Best: Mistake.
83. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah (2006). Scissor Sisters second album was a bit darker than their first--If declaring that one does not want to dance over one of the most infectious dance songs can be considered dark. Best: I Don't Feel Like Dancin'.
84. Fleet Foxes (2008). Seattle band Fleet Foxes' debut was a gorgeous, eclectic album that managed to be folksy and old-fashioned while also quite contemporary. Best: White Winter Hymnal.
85. Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous (2004). Rilo Kiley's third album perfectly bridged the indie sensibility fostered by their earlier works while foreshadowing their more mainstream sound to come. Best: I Never.
86. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001). This was Jack and Meg White's big breakthrough, garnering much praise, including being named album of the year by Spin Magazine. Their sparse but versatile sound would be further refined on their next album. Best: Fell in Love with a Girl.
87. The Killers - Sam's Town (2006). On their second album, The Killers tuned their alternative pop-rock sound away from '80s synth pop toward U2-inspired grandeur. Best: When You Were Young.
88. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (2008). These former Wesleyan University boys made quite a splash last year with their cheeky debut. Particularly good were the bouncy and upbeat hits, "Time to Pretend" and "Kids." Best: Kids
89. Glasvegas (2008). Glasgow + Las Vegas? Perhaps, although these gritty, storytelling songs from the Scottish band evoke the tales of the everyday man rather than the poised glitz of The Strip. Best: Daddy's Gone.
90. John Mayer - Continuum (2006). I'm not much of a John Mayer fan, but I rather like his third album. It's got a nice mellow vibe, like one long romantic slow dance. Best: Gravity.
91. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). Justin Timberlake's second album, produced by Timbaland and Danja, solidified his status as one of the decade's most important pop artists and (almost) erased all memory of a certain boy band. Best: What Goes Around...Comes Around.
92. Sade - Lovers Rock (2000). This album is really no different from the band's 1992 release, Love Deluxe, and that's a good thing. It's a shame they only release a new album every 8 to 10 years, for their sultry adult pop is always spot on good. Best: By Your Side.
93. Evanescence - Fallen (2003). Evanescence's debut was released during the time The Lord of the Rings films were popular, which made its gothic rock feel right at home. "My Immortal" is one of my very favorite songs of the decade. Best: My Immortal.
94. Jamelia - Walk with Me (2006). Here's one of several albums on my list that I thought deserved to be bigger hits that they were. Walk with Me was joyously upbeat R&B-flavored pop that should have filled airtime for months, but generated relatively few hits. Best: Ain't a Love.
95. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam (2005). English pop singer James Blunt made a huge splash with his debut single, "You're Beautiful." Although he never managed a successful follow-up hit, his earnest first album offered quite a few rewarding listens. Best: You're Beautiful.
96. Embrace - Out of Nothing (2004). Stretching themselves musically, English band Embrace hit pay dirt with their gorgeous fourth album, typifying the Coldplay-esque piano-based rock sound that was popular with many bands at the time. Of course, it didn't hurt that Coldplay itself wrote their best tune. Best: Gravity.
97. Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000). Goldfrapp's mellow debut offered little hint of what would come with their glittery electro follow-ups, but managed to be quite compelling with its quirky cool tunes. Best: Lovely Head.
98. Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This (2002). Daniel Bedingfield made his mark with the garage-pop hit "Gotta Get Thru This," and then defied expectation by releasing this eclectic debut with songs ranging from adult pop balladry ("If You're Not the One") to rock ("I Can't Read You"). His sister may have had bigger hits, but he made the better album. Best: Gotta Get Thru This.
99. Mariah Carey - E=MC2 (2008). Mariah followed her 2005 comeback with this similar 2008 release, which recalled the laid back vibe of an afternoon in Miami. Best: I Stay in Love.
100. Shania Twain - Up! (2002). Shania Twain's third album, 1997's Come On Over, remains the biggest selling album from either a female or a country artist and succesfully crossed over from the country to the pop charts. This follow-up delivered more of the same sunny country-pop, and anticipating similar crossover appeal, came packaged with two discs: one of country arrangements and the other with pop ones. Best: I'm Gonna Getcha Good!
5 comments:
Oh crap, I forgot to put John Mayer in my list. I even reviewed that Continuum album and gave it a 5/5 earlier this year.
Yay for Mariah! Two enteries! :)
I love a lot of these records and they are so far down in your countdown -- I can only imagine what will be higher up! :) Love this time of year!! Can't wait!
J.Mensah - I hope I didn't forget anything. I don't think I did. I pored over lists for weeks in preparation for this.
Mel - Thanks. I hope you like what's coming.
My gosh so much good stuff. Shania's Up is epic - Darren and I bought it in vegas and just played the heck out of it. was a good time. The Mariah albums had enough between both of them to get me entertained... James Blunt I feel got a bit of a bad stick - tears and rain is just beautiful as is Give Me Some Love from his second album. Love that Jamelia album - I always think it was logically the next album that Rachel stevens would have made! Walk The Dog should have been number one for weeks...
Justin - what a great album. Sexy/Back redefined pop and he looked bloody gorgeous doing it too, but the rest of the album is a big treat too.
Then the sophomores from SS and Killers. Both continued to win me over and I love them dearly. Ta-Dah has the edge for me though - so many great songs!
Much love for FutureSex/LoveSounds! MGMT too. :) I don't know why but I think I will enjoy the Scissor Sisters album.
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