2010 has arrived, and I simply couldn’t leave the last decade without celebrating some of the best songs, albums, and music videos. So, if you’ve finished groaning over the worst songs of the 2000s, you should also check out this list.

Albums -All of these albums have something special that sets them apart from the others released during the “naughts”. I simply couldn’t choose an order, so I arranged them chronologically from 2000 to 2009. Enjoy!

Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica (2000)

Classic

The Strokes: Is This It (2001)


Jay Z – The Blueprint (2001)

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (2002)

Spoon – Kill the Moonlight (2002)

Belle and Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)

Where would my high school memories be without this album?

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

“Rebellion (lies)” is one of my favorite songs, from any decade.

Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)

Though “On the Radio” had much better commerical success, this album is much more innovative.

Regina Spektor – Soviet Kitsch (2004)

Fans waited 6 years for this album. They were well rewarded.

Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine (2005)

Again, this brings back flashes of high school. That, and I wrote an essay back then about a song from this album and got an A.

Bright Eyes- I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning/Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (2005)

Kanye West – Late Registration (2005)

Still waiting on “Come up feel the Marylandoise”.

Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)

Gregg Gillis, Will you marry me?

Girl Talk – Night Ripper (2006)

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)

Key Track: Culling of the Fold
Sometimes I like to imagine that they are referring to Cookie Mountain they mean the level in World 4 in Super Mario World.

Panda Bear – Person Pitch (2007)

Key Track: Kids

Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)

LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver (2007)

Key Track: Peacebone
Not since Paul Simon’s Graceland has Afro-Pop been so catchy.

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (2008)

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest (2009)

Beautiful sounds, eclectic noises.

Top Songs (not otherwise listed on any of the albums above)

M.I.A. - Paper Planes

What other song dominated the radio-waves as well as film soundtracks?

Lupe Fiasco – Kick, Push
The Knife – Heartbeats
Daft Punk – One More Time
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps
Britney Spears – Toxic
Lady Gaga – Poker Face