All for aughts

Brent DiCrescenzo, Music editor:
1. The Strokes
Is This It (2001)
Classic American rock & roll turned inside out and packed into taut arrangements and tighter pants.
2. Radiohead
Kid A (2000)
It’s still the reference point for any big act that throws out the script in favor of id-venting. An out-of-body hour.
3. Blur
Think Tank (2003)
The sound of Britpop opening its borders to let in eerie African blues.
4. Beck
Sea Change (2002)
Symphonic heartache blown up to IMAX size. “Lost Cause” slays.
5. Björk
Medúlla (2004)
Using nothing but the human voice, the Icelandic faerie queen made alien and utterly unique hymns.
6. The Exploding Hearts
Guitar Romantic (2003)
These power-pop gems perfected the sugary thrills of simple guitar rock.
7. Gorillaz
Demon Days (2005)
Postmodern toons plumbed deeper emotional depths than any human pop stars. “Feel Good Inc.,” indeed.
8. OutKast
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
A sprawling orgy of unreachable highs and mammoth personality.
9. The Walkmen
You & Me (2008)
Raw emotions spilled out of sparse, echoing cuts, like pre-WWII garage.
10. Missy Elliott
Under Construction (2002)
Giddy, sexy, outer-space bangers.

Areif Sless-Kitain, associate Music editor:
1. J Dilla
Donuts (2006)
The late hip-hop producer left a stunning parting gift, stringing together dozens of deep cuts.
2. OutKast
Stankonia (2000)
Fearless ATLiens raised the bar with hyperkinetic rhythms and booty-poppin’ club anthems.
3. TV on the Radio
Young Liars (2003)
Electro and gospel fueled the shot heard around the World Wide Web.
4. Grizzly Bear
Yellow House (2006)
Moody melodies melted into sweeping chamber-pop mini epics.
5. R. Kelly
Chocolate Factory (2003)
Freaky funk and steppers delights would’ve won Kells a golden ticket from Willy Wonka himself.
6. Animal Collective
Sung Tongs (2004)
Laptop-tweaking misfits simmered folk and found sounds down to a psychedelic stew.
7. Madvillain
Madvillainy (2004)
East Coast oddball DOOM met the West Coast’s Beat Konducta.
8. Celebration
Celebration (2005)
The decade’s most underrated band.
9. Cat Power
The Greatest (2006)
Memphis soul vets keep the vibe tangy and sluggish like molasses.
10. Deerhoof
The Runners Four (2005)
Quirky postpunk that can’t be contained. If the Muppets started a hardcore band it’d sound like this.

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