1. (=)

Produced by Jimmy Tamborello and Chris Walla. A duo consisting of Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie and electronic musician Jimmy Tamborello, Give Up is their only album to date, which is really a shame, because the two have a really great chemistry that makes for an exceptional album. Fine all the way through, Give Up is an example of how it can suck when something sounds so good...but there just isn't any more of it. Come on, guys. Make another album, already! We'll all be glad you did. [First added to this chart: 12/05/2011]

Year of Release:

2003

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4,130

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2. (=)

Produced by David Barbe. What do the Drive-By Truckers do after the departure of Jason Isbell? Brighter Than Creation's Dark is a return to the more country side of their brand of Southern rock, with some really great results. "Goode's Field Road" is a song Patterson Hood worked on for years, and it came out very good. Hood and Mike Cooley make up for the loss of Isbell in fine fashion, and bassist Shonna Tucker adds songs as well. Could the Truckers survive losing Isbell? The answer here is a big, emphatic YES. Southern rock at its finest. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]

Year of Release:

2008

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Rank Score:

347

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3. (=)

Produced by T-Bone Burnett. This is more than a soundtrack. This is a group of exceptional artists paying homage to a lost musical style: the world of old-timey. T-Bone Burnett was the right man for this job, bringing in the likes of Norman Blake, Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss, Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris...the lineup is astounding, and the performances are legendary. For me, the best non-performance film soundtrack ever made. This is what got me into playing things other than just rock. A phenomenal album. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]

Year of Release:

2000

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Rank Score:

474

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4. (=)

[First added to this chart: 12/11/2011]

Year of Release:

2004

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788

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5. (=)

2005-LOST HIGHWAY
Produced By TOM SCHICK

1. Magnolia Moontan
2. Sweet Illusions
3. Meadowlake Street
4. When Will You Come Back Home
5. Beautiful Sorta
6. Now That You're Gone
7. Cherry Lane
8. Mockingbird
9. How Do You Keep Love Alive

1. Easy Plateau
2. Let It Ride
3. Rosebud
4. Cold Roses
5. If I Am A Stranger
6. Dance All Night
7. Blossom
8. Life Is Beautiful
9. Friends

2005 was quite as year for Ryan Adams. He released 3 albums, and played the Hurricane Katrina benefit, AND somehow found the time to hang out and play shows with Phil Lesh. Cold Roses was his first album of the year, and his first with The Cardinals. The album is typical Adams: some amazingly catchy and beautiful songs, surrounded by songs that just seem to scream "look at me! I'm prolific, and I'm not afraid to release anything!". Adams ups the annoyance quotient by releasing this as a double album, when the music on both discs would easily fit on one.

But, the good moments far outshine the bad, as is usually the case with Ryan Adams. The Cardinals are a great band, and he even gets the excellent Rachel Yamagata to sing along. All in all, you'll be happy with this. It's an album that has grown on me steadily over the years, and it never disappoints. Just don't pay double album price for it..buy it online for a better price. Ripping people off like that is not cool.

Year of Release:

2005

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Rank Score:

472

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6. (=)

Produced by Cody Dickinson and Lucero. The 2001 debut album from that band from Memphis. Lucero is what makes alt-country so sweet. This album smokes with the dirt road vocals of Brian Venable, with help from Luther and Cody Dickinson. The band rocks more on record, even though a lot of their songs are down tempo and sad. A great American band that deserves a lot more attention than they have ever gotten. But their many fans know the truth...Lucero is one of America's best bands, and this album is their best work. [First added to this chart: 12/20/2011]

Year of Release:

2001

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Rank Score:

133

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7. (=)

Produced by Cody Dickinson. [First added to this chart: 02/09/2013]

Year of Release:

2002

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195

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8. (=)

2002-THIRD MAN
Produced By JACK WHITE

1. Seven Nation Army
2. Black Math
3. There's No Home For You Here
4. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
5. In The Cold, Cold Night
6. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart
7. You've Got Her In Your Pocket
8. Ball And Biscuit
9. The Hardest Button To Button
10. Little Acorns
11. Hypnotize
12. The Air Near My Fingers
13. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine
14. Well It's True That We Love One Another

I'm not really quite sure what I was thinking in 2002, but I was surely not listening to what I should have been. This includes Elephant by The White Stripes, a split up couple pretending to be brother and sister all dressed in blood red and white and tearing up the music world with the biggest sounding two man band you've ever seen. Elephant leads off with the stunning "Seven Nation Army" and never slows down.

Jack White is a fine songwriter and frontman, with a rare presence that shines through on record. Elephant is a great album, and if you haven't discovered the Whites yet, this is the place to start. You won't be disappointed.

Year of Release:

2003

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11,767

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9. (=)

Produced By Rick Rubin & Ethan Johns. A great comeback album from The Jayhawks without Marc Olson. Rainy Day Music is loaded with great melodic songs...not the alt country of their earlier career. Amazing harmonies and great lyrics. Every track on this album is a joy to listen to. The title track, "Eyes Of Sarahjane", "Angelyne", "Tailspin"...if the world recognized this for what it really is, it would be considered one of the best pop albums ever made. And the world would be a better place for it. I must always have this album, because it's beautiful, well made, and it sounds amazing no matter what mood I'm in. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]

Year of Release:

2003

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Rank Score:

527

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10. (=)

Produced by David Barbe. Drive-By Truckers has always been a special band, but even more so when Jason Isbell was a member. This is his first album with the Truckers, and he only has two songs here ("Outfit" and the title track), but his presence is very much felt. Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley contribute great songs, and this is their best collection of songs so far. Decoration Day is a joy of an album. Long live Southern rock, especially in the hands of the Drive-By Truckers. [First added to this chart: 12/04/2011]

Year of Release:

2003

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Rank Score:

521

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Rating:  

100/100

From 09/10/2024 19:53

I love this chart for the descriptions as well as the amount of music for me to discover.

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Rating:  

95/100

nice list. Love the DBT love!!

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Rating:  

40/100

When I think of the 2000s, I think of punk, post-grunge, and alternative rock. That's almost nonexistent here, or at least ones that I like. I hate country, so we clearly have very different tastes but I don't care. There are some good ones like Green Day, The Killers, Weezer, Modest Mouse, Gorillaz etc., but that's few and far between. Overall, pretty boring and flat.

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Rating:  

100/100

I couldn't agree more with your decision to list Cold Roses at #1, as it's definitely the album from the 2000s that has meant the most to me. Just a fantastic rock album, bringing together elements that remind me of much of the rock that I loved in the seventies: Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones especially. I also love Funeral (I know everyone does, but it's for good reason), The Dirty South, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and many others from your list. Tons of great Americana here--a fantastic list.

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Rating:  

80/100

well done!

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Rating:  

75/100

From eyal91 03/12/2015 19:42

I also prefer the American cover of Is This It.

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Rating:  

85/100

Great chart, love the alt-country feel. Ryan Adams' catalogue is very underrated so good to see the representation here.

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Rating:  

90/100

I haven't listened to many of the albums so I can't judge completely. However your comments are great, you are a Jayhawks fan like me (I wish we lived in that world where everyone loved RDM), you include other artists and bands I like like Wilco (Being There is great), Muse (you must include OOS!) or The Shins and I see no album I dislike so congrats for the chart.

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Rating:  

95/100

Man this chart is awesome. 23 albums in common with mine, but i love more than half of the albums on this chart. Never could quite get in to Gomez, maybe hes due for an other listen. Also, havent listened to most of the later stuff by older artists. Anyway, great list!

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Rating:  

85/100

From HoldenM 03/12/2015 08:08

A ton I need to go find and hear.

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