The Top 100 Albums of the 2010s
By Zach Zollo
I’ll keep the intro for the first Osmosis Tones post brief: I love music. This decade I became who I am through it. Here are my ONE HUNDRED favorite albums from the past decade and a little blurb as to why. And away we go…
100. Purple - Baroness (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Shock me, I needed a surprise”
Baroness’s most accessible, anthemic, and beautiful record, Purple is a celebration of life and survival through the throttle of sludgy riffs, gleaming synths, and prog-accented drumming. The fact that this album exceeded all expectations after a near-fatal bus crash and subsequent lineup change makes Baroness’s story a defining one from the decade in metal. Need more convincing? The guitar solo on “Shock Me.”
99. No Regerts - Chastity Belt (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “I think they’re having fun”
Chastity Belt’s humorous, relatable, and self-aware lyrics were a definitive part of millennial pop punk this decade, but I find that no one pulled it off quite like these four women have (I mean, there’s very few people who could make “Giant Vagina”). Musically, No Regerts is a slice of indie rock that warms itself to your ears: jagged with edge, laid-back in tone, pulsing with rhythm. But it’s Julia Shapiro’s vocals and delivery that define who Chastity Belt are, and why I’ll never get enough of “Seattle Party.”
98. Nothing But Love - Just Friends (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “We got nothing but love motherfucker, don't you ever forget it.”
The hype cycle around Nothing But Love was huge in the DIY-sphere, but what stood out to me most was a comment from one of my closest friends: “Why are we celebrating this?” And I get it. Just Friends occupy a - lets say niche - realm between uber-passionate emo and Red Hot Chili Peppers fandom. The music demonstrates an “everything but the California Pizza Kitchen sink” mentality. And yet, this album is one of the most life-affirming, positive, and gosh darn FUN albums to come out of DIY in over a decade, punched up with horns in a way no other band has done. Why are we celebrating this? Because life is a party worth staying at.
97. Underneath The Pine - Toro y Moi (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “It’s best that we forget and overlook it all…”
Let the record show that chillwave was more than just a trend. It set the stage for vaporwave and the bedroom pop boom of the 2010s, took influence from and gave back to funk and R&B in ways that have forever altered the genres, and generationally defined the meaning of “this shit vibes, bruh.” And who better to thank for these than Chaz Bear, who did all three of these with his second album. A new beat, indeed.
96. Wolf - Tyler, The Creator (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Have you heard ’48?’ Motherfucker, I’m great”
Tyler perhaps has made “objectively” better albums, with more maturity, human growth and musical refinement, but the roots of who Tyler is are so prevalent on this album, and worn with so much conviction, that Wolf remains my favorite album in his catalogue. Some of his best and most elaborate beats are on this album (“Answer,” “Tamale,” “Awkward”), and his lyrics are at their rawest, trolliest, and most engaging. Wolf truly exemplifies both what made Tyler and early Odd Future so hype-heavy, and why he/they earned it.
95. Meir - Kvelertak (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “[Scandinavian death growls]”
The combination of black and extreme metal with classic heavy metal and hardcore is ear-grabbing. And then it yanks your ears off, drills itself deep into your brain and never leaves. Maybe that’s due to some of Kurt Ballou’s best production, maybe it’s due to how memorable the riffs are. Whatever it is, Kvelertak made what’s easily one of the most fun and inventive metal albums to come out this decade.
94. Ology - Gallant (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “If I'm drowning won't you take me to the waterfall?"
The underrated R&B songwriter has always had an ear for production - from his ultra-faded reverb-heavy Zebra EP to 2018’s banger of a track “Doesn’t Matter.” Not surprisingly, the subtle arrangements and layers of textures throughout Ology are soigné as fuck, adding an elegance and pop-appeal to Gallant’s shimmering falsetto and poetic lyrics. Coupled with Gallant’s thus-far defining songs - “Open Up,” “Skipping Stones,” “Weight In Gold,” - Ology is a fine statement from a one-of-a-kind voice.
93. The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “Love is all, from what I've heard, but my heart's learned to kill”
Vocally stunning, musically refined, and emotionally haunting, The Tallest Man on Earth’s second album contains his career-defining work, the perfect combination of painful yearning and literate contemplation. While The Wild Hunt is ultimately more traditional than, say, a Bon Iver record, it is still just as captivating, with a spirituality of its own.
92. 7eppuku - seventeen years (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “Is it always just a stand in for a man that can't heal?”
7eppuku is the perfect Bandcamp bedroom pop album: it fuses dream pop, emo, goth, shoe-gaze and post-punk in a way that is just as refreshing as it is historically informed. And yet, the real emotional depth of this album rests in its thematic infatuations, which can be seen through the poem formed by its song titles. Concerned with a recovery from the toxicity of a broken relationship, the reflections made throughout 7eppuku offer a mature and profound look at what it means to improve yourself upon leaving your darkest place.
91. Capture - Thunder Dream (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “If you feel it, will it ever stop?”
The indie rock world had a country surge in the 2010s, for better (see: the rise of Kacey Musgraves) and for worse (see: the Pinegrove debacle). And while the cowboy trend led to a fair share of DIY disappointments that initially promised more, Indiana’s Thunder Dreamer proved that the best twangy-emo comes straight from the heartland. Welcoming tones, gentle vocals and excellent arrangements galore, Capture is a celebration of who you are and where you come from, packed with an unmatched re-listenability rate.
90. The World’s Best American Band - White Reaper (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Now stop, read my message and tell me what you think”
For the first six weeks that I listened to this album, White Reaper were, in fact, the world’s best American band. Raucous, sugary, melodic and fun as all hell, White Reaper channel all the right garage punk and power pop vibes, from Black Lips to Thin Lizzy to Coachwhips to Cheap Trick.
89. Rodeo - Travis Scott (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Don’t you open up that window…”
In a decade where production in hip hop became dominated by Southern trends and “lets-get-weird-with-it” psychedelic experimentation, Rodeo solidified Travis Scott as a singular voice through his trademark gothic atmosphere and ability to bring the best out of all his collaborators (the 2 Chainz verse on “3500” may be the best of his career). The album’s got the bangers (“Antidote,” “3500”), but the more reflective and challenging spots on the album (“Oh My Dis Side,” “90210,” “Maria I’m Drunk”) made clear that Scott earned his place as a leader of the mainstream.
88. Routines - Hoops (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “It doesn’t matter who’s in your bed because the shit that you said is still stuck in my head”
Routines lands on the ears the way a Tom Collins lands on the palette: bright (that guitar tone!), crisp (that lo-fi production!), sweet (pop gold such as the re-recorded “On Top”), and with a little kick (boy, relationships suck, huh). Hoops’ transition from the bedroom into the studio yielded one of this decade’s best dream pop records, and after reuniting this year, they only have upward growth ahead.
87. The Epic - Kamasi Washington (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “No more a man, but a seed”
Kamasi Washington’s place as the most revered figure in modern jazz came with the release of The Epic, a grandiose, gorgeous, spiritual, and challenging tome of jazz that captures the genre’s history while propelling it forward. It’s a commitment to listen to, but you’ll be better off for doing so.
86. Crack-Up - Fleet Foxes (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “When the knights in iron took the pawn, You and I, out into the night, held within the line that they have drawn.”
Helplessness Blues is a manifestation of beauty and love, a great overload of positive emotion. Crack-Up is a manifestation of isolationism, fear, paranoia and anxiety that just so happens to be backed with the bands most complex, intriguing, well-orchestrated and uniquely produced music. Robin Peckhold, while terrified of whats going on around him, still offers some of the most poignant and impactful lyrics displayed in folk this decade.
85. Mista Thug Isolation - Lil Ugly Mane (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “Cause shit’s deeper than the blood I’m submerged in/Black checkered floor with the red velvet curtain”
Noise musician Travis Miller made one of the most prophetic underground albums of the decade with Mista Thug Isolation. A potion concocted with Tommy Wright III/deep south worship, hardcore ethos, noise experimentation, and some of the most idiosyncratic bars of the decade, this album was a catalyst in the Bandcamp scene and influenced the Soundcloud/emo/punk/noise rap wave unlike most other records of its ilk.
84. Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes (2015)
Lyric of Choice: The entirety of “Future People”
Sound & Color is a testament to the glory of Brittany Howard, singer-songwriter/guitarist/wisened sage extraordinaire. The production is so clean and cinematic throughout the album, from the vibraphone on “Sound & Color” to the grind and gleam of distortion-to-falsetto on “Future People,” to the twang of “The Greatest” and the thunderous roll of “Gemini.” It’s such a well done rock album, with an ageless quality to it that I’ll appreciate the older I get.
83. Like Wind Blows Fire - Cheers Elephant (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “Making friends, talking bad on the little people you don’t know no more.”
Philadelphia’s Cheers Elephant made my favorite pure sunshine pop album of the decade with Like Wind Blows Fire, the ideal combination of breezy indie rock and gentle psych pop with clean production and personality to boot. “Peoples,” “Doin’ It, Right,” “Leaves,” and “Get Ya!” take away all negativity you may be feeling, smother it, and replace it with beams of springtime joy.
82. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “If you lose your way tonight that’s how you know the magic's right”
Speaking of albums with songs called “Doin’ it Right,” Daft Punk’s back-to-the-roots reinvention resulted in the best disco and old-school dance record of the decade. Its glorification of soft/yacht/jazz rock was ahead of the curve, its use of collaborators (Pharrell, Nile Rogers, Julian Casablancas, Panda Bear) illustrative of the curating craft the robots possess. “Get Lucky” may be my favorite pop song of the decade.
81. Luminiferous - High on Fire (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Wake up, there’s gonna be hell to pay”
Matt Pike’s 2010s was filled with as much personal strife (his stint in rehab, bipolar disorder, amputation of his toe due to diabetes) as it was musical success (Sleep reunion, increased sales, his first Grammy). Luminiferous is one of them. It stands as the best statement of raging fury, bludgeoning thrash rhythm, guttural vocals and freight-train energy from High on Fire’s discography the past ten years, maybe their career.
80. Confess - Twin Shadow (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “You want to be the one to believe in? Then be the one to believe in.”
George Lewis Jr. of Twin Shadow was always the chillwave artist with the biggest pure pop aspiration. And while the overblown nature of Eclipse and the disappointing execution of Caer may illustrate diminishing returns away from his subdued roots, on Confess, Twin Shadow is at his peak of musical expression and enjoyability. The influences are choice cut (Depeche Mode, The Police, Bruce Springsteen), the instrumentation is arena-ready but refined, the production glistens with bombastic confidence, and the hooks bellow with the emotion of a thousand lovesick tough guys. In a decade where musical irony and tongue-in-cheek attitude prevailed more than ever, Twin Shadow demonstrated that sometimes un-ironic passion can mean a be a whole lot more.
79. In Colour - jamie xx (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Imma ride in that pussy like a stroller”
jamie xx gave us a perfectly designed feel-good album with his debut. Its textures are masterfully layered, hide-and-seeking throughout the record in a wonderfully playful way. The synths are wobbly but warm, its rhythms simple but crafty. The album can sound gentle and soft, then give you the best, most colorful and bizarrely banging bop of the decade (“I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)”). A masterclass in a cutting-edge and trendsetting producer’s mind, In Colour is the perfect documentation of a decade-defining talent at their peak.
78. The Unnatural World - Have A Nice Life (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “And I close my eyes, and I’m not depressed, or anything. I just close my eyes; this is all there is.”
Have A Nice Life’s impact in the New England DIY & Internet-based music communities cannot be overstated, and they’ve earned this acclaim from their sonic ambition and emotive songwriting. The Unnatural World, the band’s second LP, is a sunless, industrial and tormented slice of gothy post-punk, more so than Deathconsciousness. It also feels just as ambitious as their debut in half the amount of time. With highlights such as “Defenestration Song,” “Burial Society,” and “Dan and Tim, Reunited by Fate,” the album captures darkness in a way only Dan and Tim can: with enough an invitation to come in and view what beauty can lie underneath.
77. Sincerely Yours - Iamsu! (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Cuz I’m clocking out when men wake up for breakfast/Scratching rappers off my checklist/As I’m lighting up an L”
Richmond, CA’s Iamsu! and his collective HBK Gang carved its spot in the Bay Area scene during the 2010s, releasing strings of mixtapes satisfying the DatPiff and Worldstar fanbases. Su’s solo debut album, Sincerely Yours, is the HBK release with the most atmospheric, psychedelic, and specific-to-them production, bolstering enough synth and drum pads to assemble a shopper’s catalogue. Lyrically it’s Su’s most reflective and compelling effort, yet the focus remains on capturing the essence of the Bay in a way unlike his contemporaries. And while the iron would never strike quite as hot, Sincerely Yours is Su’s shining moment, a snapshot of a creative doing well by his city and his vision in a defiant “imma do it my way” vacuum.
76. Apocalypse - Thundercat (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “UghhhhhhhughUHHUH - Oh shit, I’m fucked up.”
Thundercat’s Apocalypse contains the hallmarks of his career: virtuosic bass-playing, compelling fusions of jazz, alternative R&B and electronica, creatively challenging production/mixing, and absurd (teetering on sophomoric) humor sung in his recognizable falsetto. This is my favorite album of his to listen to because of its sequencing. The albums flows so organically, with an ebb and flow spanning from understated arrangements to bubbling jaunts. There are few songs I have listened to more this decade than “Oh Sheit It’s X,” and “Tenfold,” “Tron Song” and “Lotus and the Jondy” are among the other album nonstop replayables.
75. Telefone - Noname (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “And cigarettes on my mantle keep callin me by my first name/Loving me when I’m lonely/Pretending they really Noname.”
Noname’s voice is her own. Her lyrics serve as dissertations on introspection and empathy, warming the heart and enlightening the mind. The music backing her slam & spoken-word flow is pristine ear-candy, fusing neo-soul and jazz rap in a way the mimics a sprite fluttering in a secret garden. Add in the excellent features from some heavy hitters in Chicago’s Afrocentric R&B boom, and Telefone stands as an immensely necessary hip hop album, a descendant of the Daisy Age through the lens of one of the most remarkable women making her voice heard in the industry today.
74. Alvvays - Alvvays (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Forget all the party police, we can find comfort in debauchery.”
Canada’s very own burst onto the scene with one hell of an indie pop debut, one that wonderfully exemplifies the pros of the genre from the decade, without having aged poorly or suffering from trend-chasing fatigue. The twee guitars, rumbly bass, simple drums, bedroom synths, and Molly Rankin’s too-cool-to-be-this-attached vocals are combined in a refreshingly active way, emphasizing Rankin’s perspective in the midst of a joyful haze. The production, done by Chad VanGaalen, falls comfortably into the shoegaze/lo-fi spectrum, aiding one of the best pop records of the decade with an addictive listenability. How could you NOT include an album the opens with “Adult Diversion?”
73. From Kinshasa - Mbongwana Star (2015)
Lyric of Choice: Whatever my language-deficient ass can’t understand on “Malukayi”
There aren’t a lot of records that completely blow my mind when I first listen to them. But From Kinshasa, the debut from the Congolese band, left me dumbfounded, as if I discovered an alien collection of galactic jams. And that’s the point. “Mbongwana” means “change” in Lingala, and the mission of the band’s members was to be the vanguard of an evolution of African music, which they thoroughly accomplish. The fusion of native rhythms, impassioned vocals, post-punk and off-kilter electronics is novel, captivating, gorgeous, puzzling, and unlike anything I have ever (or will ever) hear. Mbongwana Star do more than just change the perception of what contemporary sub-Saharan African music can be, they change the perception of what all musical fusions can be.
72. Tomorrow’s Hits - The Men (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Maybe I’m caught in the corner that I’ve painted myself in.”
By the time Tomorrow’s Hits rolled around, some felt that the country rock muse was beginning to be too much of a retread for the Brooklyn punk band. However, in my humble opinion, this album is The Men’s best slice of Americana, one that glamorizes cowpunk and blue-eyed soul with the post-hardcore energy and noise control of the band’s early career. The horns throughout the album pack a punch, particularly throughout the failed romance of “Another Night” and the on-the-run throttle of “Pearly Gates.” The ballad “Settle Me Down” is one of my favorite country songs of the decade, and album closer “Going Down” wraps up the album in a ramped up Dire Straits way. While many East Coast country-punk fusions were hit or miss throughout the decade, The Men had a winning formula unmatched by many.
71. Just Married - Glocca Morra (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “Some things stick when you throw hard enough.”
Glocca Morra were messy - emotionally, instrumentally, sonically. But that’s what most certainly gives this album its charm, one of the quintessential releases of this decade’s emo resurgence. There’s enough twinkle and distraught bro-cals on this album to go around the Internet, but only Glocca Morra could have made Just Married - a washed-up, stoner punk party mosh that has an impeccable command on self-awareness, vulnerability and performance. Love it for defining a slice of the scene or hate it for influencing too many of your local scene’s bands, Just Married was pivotal in the shaping what influenced DIY to come, and remains a modern document of underground Philadelphia.
70. You’re Nothing - Iceage (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Sometimes things are still not lost, but I sure feel alienated.”
The Iceage boys are snottily brilliant, sonically abrasive and downright talented at fusing harsh noise with artful composition. You’re Nothing, the group’s second album, is less instrumentally ambitious than their subsequent efforts, but there’s no other album in their discography that better personifies fury than this one. Elias Bender Rønnenfelt’s vocals barely hold on to structure, relentlessly howling as they spew literate lyrics into the listener’s cranium. Ultimately, You’re Nothing should be a masterclass for young punks in how to arrange your music exceptionally without losing an iota of your wrath.
69. DS2 - Future (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Baby carrot bonehead Reese’s Baby girl we can have rich sex.”
You can’t talk about the 2010s in hip hop without Future. His influence in defining trap cannot be overstated: melding toxic masculinity, narcotic-heavy raps with psychedelic production, and lovesick Auto-Tune crooning done like no other, his run of golden-age mixtapes from the decade is absurd. But its the sequel to a mixtape released as an album, DS2, that was Future’s peak, the audio equivalent of being drugged up on a gallon of lean. DS2’s experimentation and innovation with the trap sound shifted the trajectory of hip hop following its release, challenging chart-topping figure heads to conjure a vibe that was equally innovative as it was stream-getting.
68. Antemasque - Antemasque (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “You hit the bottle, but you can’t drink the yellow out of your spine.”
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixlar-Zavala’s best project from the decade was a side venture dedicated to taking classic rock tropes and injecting them with their trademark insanity and angularity. Every song is structurally tight, expertly sung, and rhythmically mathematic, with song of the most potent lyrics and hooks CBZ has ever written. This is easily the most straightforward record the two have ever collaborated on, but it’s still just as refreshing, bewitching and energizing as any of their previous work. While it may be a turn off to some that the two have limited their palette, its most certainly a turn on for me, one that makes me shout and wave my fists every time I hear that opening riff of “4AM” (my favorite single of 2014 from the archived list).
67. You’re Dead! - Flying Lotus (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “Say you will never ever catch me, no…”
There were a lot of great albums primarily concerned with death throughout the decade. But try and find one that emanates a funeral pyre from a cavern of spiritual darkness like this one. FlyLo’s crowning achievement, You’re Dead is the ultimate combination of brain-melting beats, schizophrenic nu-jazz, and meditations on the afterlife through the demented mind of that friend of yours who loves watching anime on [adult swim]. FlyLo has never been this thematically spiritual, this in command of his craft, this innovative, or this capable as a bandleader and beat-maker. While I would not recommend this as the first album to get into him with, I do recommend this album to anyone that wants to know how an electronic maestro sounds at their peak.
66. No Time For Dreaming - Charles Bradley (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “Don’t tell me how to live my life when you never felt the pain.”
I had to include ONE Daptone release on this list, and who better to include than the best rags-to-riches story of the decade, the Screaming Eagle of Soul himself, Charles Bradley. Every word sung by Charles comes attached with years of pain, struggle and heartbreak. But they also come attached with optimism, perseverance and love of the world around it. The stories of his experience, from making it in America to watching the world fall apart around him, make you want to cry as much as they make you want to thank whatever’s out there for everything there is in life. The Menahan Street Band back him up with that vintage sound, but it doesn’t date him as a nostalgic retread. Rather, it elevates him to his true status as one of the last true SOUL singers in the ilk of Sam Cooke. Rest in Peace to a true legend; may his story inspire for decades to come.
65. Eighteen Hours of Static - Big Ups (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Everybody says its getting better all the time but it’s BAD.”
Slint, Fugazi and Big Black have influenced an incalculable amount of bands, Big Ups being proudest among them. With their debut record, they unleashed their oddly jarring guitar and stiff, static bass tones, which have kept drawing me back in for repeated listens over the years. Joe Galarraga’s snark is crude and curt, conveying his rage about hypocrisies and banalities with direct impact. The production is flat and brittle, reminiscent of a slowcore record in an extremely gratifying way. What I love most about this album are its dynamic shifts, and how quickly the atmosphere of the record goes from cacophonous to hushed. But ultimately, its the simplicity of Big Ups that made them one of my favorite bands, and one with a message I thoroughly understood: be angry.
64. m b v - My Bloody Valentine (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “How can I feel true? All times the new you.”
This album didn’t need to come out. Your band’s first new album in 22 years, as desired by fans as it may be, doesn’t typically result in a worthy addition to your catalogue. But when you’re the most essential band in your genre, Kevin Shields is producing his most blissful distortion on record, Bilinda Butcher’s vocals are at their most ethereal, and your rhythm section is playing their grimiest…your record is a damn fine statement. m b v holds the quintessential grasp on “noise as utter beauty” that so, so, SO many modern shogeaze bands have tried to achieve. The opening chord strum of “She Found Now” sends the listener into a paint drenched lucid dream, while “Nothing Is” marches along militantly and head-achingly. “New You” is the most tame pop song of the band’s career, but lyrically fragmented to where its message becomes all the more affecting. Ultimately, m b v only adds to MBV’s legacy, further cementing their status as shoegaze royalty.
63. Winning Star Champion - Ruler (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “Cuz I’m a winning star champion of fucking up, like a high school rebel running out of luck.”
The way Matt Batey is able to phrase what it feels like to have constant insecurity and anxiety resonates with me in deeply personal way; the fact that such sentiments are paired with my favorite genre is an added bonus. The power pop of Winning Star Champion is bright, welcoming, and warm, with a fantastic guitar tone that shines in the mix. The production is clean and indie pop friendly, but its Ruler’s catharsis and understanding that takes you by the hand and gives you reassurance that what you’re going through is understood by others. Whether its constantly doubting your own abilities and answers to life’s problems (“Winning Star Champion”), self-medicating to overcome a toxic relationship (“The Cure”), or not being able to relax because life its too fucking intense (“Keep Moving”), Batey knows exactly how to say what he’s feeling, and how to tell the listener to keep your head up, you’ll get through it.
62. Exmilitary - Death Grips (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “I am the beast I worship”
Long before Death Grips became the defining Fantano-core and “industrial fusion” band (I'm not gonna credit them as anything else, bb *devilish lip curl*), they burst onto the scene with a mixtape of a special “what the FUCK is this??” caliber. Exmilitary is certainly the album of the band’s career most rooted in a single genre, but the way the band takes hip hop and pushes it to its most hedonistic and grimiest extremes is something special - maybe I'm normie, or maybe I just prefer bold simplicity. The samples are brilliant and inspired, (the former MC) Ride’s vocals their most resonant as language and visceral in message. Death Grips debut is ultimately the perfect exercise in bucking genre formula, demonstrating how to invert it like it's never been done before.
61. The Sciences - Sleep (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “Traverse galactic sea - inhaler of the rifftree.”
60. LP1 - FKA twigs (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Was she the girl that’s from the video?”
It took me a while to come around to FKA twigs. In a crowded landscape of alternative R&B, twigs’ experimental ethos and pristine songwriting stood alongside the highest tier of her contemporaries (Frank Ocean & Solange). twigs’ vocals on LP1 are definitive, sung in a sultry whisper with the clarity of spring water. Breakout hit “Two Weeks” flutters into the heavens and soars with affirming passion, reflecting the power twigs possesses as both a pop queen and visionary artistè. Not like any before it, but inspiring many after it, LP1 is twigs’ declaration of her artistry, grabbing the spotlight and never looking back.
59. Convertibles - Chuck Inglish (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “I’m getting turnt like a page, fool”
No one’s quite been able to craft a sound like Chuck Inglish, one that’s just as old-school as it is millennial. His debut solo project, Convertibles, is a hip hop party record that’s just as nonchalant and faded as it is slick-talking and multicolored. From electro jams like “Elevators” and “Came Thru/Easily” to disco bops like “Legs” and soul odysseys like “Glam,” Chuck’s production is at the peak of his career, demonstrating the craft he possesses at making people dance however dad-rap the drums are. But what truly makes the album are its features, perfectly curated and utilized to the best of their individual talents. Whether it’s the bold braggadocio of Ab-Soul, the player-hating swagger of Polyester the Saint, the soulful vocals of Buddy, BJ The Chicago Kid and Chance the Rapper, or the ridiculousness of Action Bronson, every voice heard on this album contributes to a final product worth every second of its runtime. Chuck’s always been one of the cool kids, but on Convertibles, he shows that he may just be the coolest of them all.
58. Gorilla Manor - Local Natives (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “Could it ever be on earth as it is in heaven?”
Feel-good, cleanly produced, harmonious indie rock is too easy to come by. I’m certain you could turn on SiriusXM Alt Nation at any point and hear a trendy, disposable band that fits that bill. So how are Local Natives different? For one, their vocal registers, harmonies, and melodies are better than any other band of their ilk (sorry Grizzly Bear). Their music contains the hallmarks of a Coachella headliner, but with extra added spice - post-punk edge, Afrobeat influenced percussion, lyrics concerned with spirituality and faith in a way unlike their contemporaries. While Vampire Weekend were the first to flourish a Paul Simon revival in the millennial age, Local Natives did it their way, well-assured and confident in songwriting with a vibrant energy and rhythm all their own. With a decade defining song in “Wide Eyes” to boot, Gorilla Manor remains a beacon in one of the most popular shades of indie there is, and my favorite go-to album whenever I need a personal day to just appreciate the world around me.
57. …Like Clockwork - Queens of the Stone Age (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Does anyone ever get this right?”
…Like Clockwork is easily one of QOTSA’s best projects, sitting alongside Rated R and Songs For The Deaf as the gothy Holy Spirit in the Godhead of Stoner Rock. While not the most cutting-edge rock record of the decade, I will say it is one of the riffiest, best-produced, well-performed and passionately sung ones. There are plenty of quirks throughout this record that make it anything from run of the mill, too. The piano ballad “The Vampyre of Time and Memory” features one hell of a synth warble and wail of a guitar solo, while the metallic ting on “If I Had A Tail” catches your ear only for the rhythm section to drag you by a chain down the road.“My God Is The Sun” and “I Sat By The Ocean,” two of the singles from the album, have become quintessential romps in the band’s career. And while Josh Homme may be one of the last true “unrepentant asshole” rockstars, one can’t deny that with …Like Clockwork, he came through with an incredibly crafted album in the alt rock canon.
56. CheemTV - Cheem (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “I don’t think this is what you want for me, but I don’t listen when you talk to me.”
CheemTV is a proud statement of individuality, an album that fully rejects the trends of a self-celebratory scene by creating something gloriously one-of-a-kind. Cheem, who evolved from the least emo-emo band into a post-Nickelodeon pop-rock cluster-fusion, unveiled their true talents and ambitions on their third LP, one that fuses all the guilty pleasure 90s rock you can imagine into something modern and chic. Musically complex and mathematic as ever, but with plenty of studio touches and crystalline sound quality, the album marches from trap Third Eye Blind (“Gala”) to nu-metal revival (“Backhand”) to vaporwave/R&B fusion (“Dream Sequence”) to boy band ska (“Spring Breeze”) in the blink of an eye. The range displayed, and desire to make music on their own terms, shows how inspired Cheem’s music is, and how necessary they’ve been to modern DIY.
55. channel ORANGE - Frank Ocean (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “‘Cause I been thinkin’ bout forever.”
At the time his debut studio album dropped, I didn’t think Frank Ocean was anything special. But that was because I was stupid and acting a fool. Frank operates more as a director on the set of a film than a musician on channel ORANGE, articulating his vision in every production choice, vocal inflection, instrumental passage - really, every millisecond of time. His lyrics, dealing in unrequited love, living in excess to fill a void, and calling back to simpler times, are masterful in expression and potent in introspection. Frank’s emotional vulnerability is the real hallmark of this album, with “Thinkin Bout You” and “Pyramids” reigning as the crown jewels in the collection.
54. Black Messiah - D’Angelo & The Vanguard (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “I believe that some day we will rise.”
D’Angelo’s return was welcomed with open arms and overwhelmingly positive reception, and justly so. Black Messiah is a fine bottle of Pedro Ximenez, an album that wasn’t delayed in release so much as it was undergoing an essential aging process. The music on the album is rich in history, deep in complexion and Afrocentric in themes, glorifying romance and self-love while fighting against the political turmoil of the times. D’Angelo is vocally tight as ever, his falsetto sitting next to Prince in the pantheon of funk greats. With a subdued elegance but a marching message, Black Messiah was not only a return of one our great American artists, but a return of Soulquarian afrocentrism the world desperately needed to hear and heal with.
53. Marely Barch - Barely March (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “Maybe you’ve seen some better days but it’s gonna be alright”
Chris Keough thanks Jeff Rosenstock, Green Day, Weezer, Modern Baseball, PUP, Carly Rae Jepsen, Macseal, and “all the other bands I ripped off” in the credits of his debut record. All are aptly present in the music of his debut, but they’ve been filtered through the keen and astute mind of a power pop genius, one who satirizes self-pity as much as he self-deprecates with it. Keough’s sense of humor is the ideal blend of Sandler-esque debauchery and tongue in cheek awareness, best exemplified in the song titles (“Mambo No. 6.” “Thinking Emoji,” “Live Fast, Cy Young”). The albums inversions of emo tropes with gleeful energy (“Nervous As I’ll Ever Be,” “Corduroy”) scream nuance, yet have a wonderfully sloppy bedroom pop quality thanks to Keough recording every instrument himself. Marely Barch is one of the finest statements from the DIY underground this decade, cementing Keough’s status as a voice to listen to as he continues to evolve.
52. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “Push up, overload, legendary heavy glow.”
The world’s best virtual band’s third album is environmental catharsis, lyrically apocalyptic while sonically synthetic and artificial. Damon Albarn gets the message and sound to stick in your head with the most idiosyncratic pop of his career, combing electro-hop and synth pop in a final package of sleek, fluorescent doomsday prepping. Aquatic textures and grimy beats flow throughout the album, with features utilized to their full potential at every turn (particularly Yasiin Bey, Lou Reed, and De La Soul, who have never disappointed on a Gorillaz collab). Prophetic in its message and weary of the world’s changing climate, Plastic Beach is my choice pick for best Gorillaz album, one of the best works of Albarn’s career, and a highlight in his tremendously productive decade.
51. Lonerism - Tame Impala (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “He knows that you’re dreamin’ about being loved by him.”
Kevin Parker’s embodiment of the ethos of classic psychedelia in the modern era is unparalleled, his insight and knack for innovation belonging to a special breed. Lonerism, the second album by Tame Impala, is a sugar-coated blast of sunshine, a contemplation on modern anxieties washed out with patented synths, bubbly bass and whimsical production flourishes. “Be Above It” hypnotizes with its vocal sample, while the riff of “Mind Mischief” builds like an ocean wave ready to crash. “Elephant,” with its nostalgic Sabbath strut delivers the rock goods, while “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” reaches for the stars and stockpiles you with endorphins. The band’s best emulsion of rock and pop (and of synths with guitars), Parker’s solidification as a modern rock icon was fully earned with Lonerism, with his place as a master producer unquestionably deserved.
50. Isolation - Kali Uchis (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “When the rest of the world is falling through the floor, you gotta get right.”
Kali Uchis is one of the best and most necessary voices in contemporary R&B. Her multi-ethnic fusion of funk, neo-soul, Latin, hip hop, and electro-pop has defined the landscape of alternative R&B, and with Isolation, she unveiled a lusciously seductive culmination of the work she put in throughout the decade. The mood crafted on Isolation is powerful, illustrating a goddess in control of her vocal range, artistic ambitions, and whatever she goddamn wants with romance. Its blissful and refined, wrapping you in silk linens only to feed you Technicolor strawberries dipped in chocolate. Isolation is everything you want from an artist: it’s a victory lap, it’s a unique opus, it’s magnetic it is pull, and it can only be listened to in full when the first track kicks into gear. Here’s to a bright future for one of our brightest shining stars.
49. Blatant - Landowner (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “I can’t make it work so I’m moving again.”
Blatant is the audio equivalent of an anxiety attack, the sensation of repeatedly dissecting your biggest fears to no avail as you desperately seek comfort in an environment that gives you nothing. Holyoke, MA’s Landowner follow the tradition of great Western Mass indie bands; DIY ethos, fuming anger, keep-it-simple-stupid precision. They use utterly ridiculous tunings (think Parquet Courts-meet-Pile in a meat grinder), lock into jarring repetitions, and poetically dismember every ounce of hypocrisy and toxic masculinity present in the Trump age with dreadful yawps. The bass is the real star on this album, from the pulsating groove on “Moving Again” to the unorthodox patterns on “Fake News” and “Progress Bar.” Landowner made one of my favorite post-punk records of the decade, one that I can engage with intellectually as much as I can engage with it primally. You should find out why…
48. Honeys - Pissed Jeans (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Don’t make me say I told you so.”
Pissed Jeans have always taken the primal rage of toxic masculinity and distorted it in the most bitingly satirical way, being hardcore as fuck while performing an autopsy on the fallacies of “being hardcore as fuck.” But Honeys, their best record, is something special for the band, an abusive album that batters the listener to a pulp, only to blend that pulp up and feed it to a Rottweiler. The opening distortion of “Bathroom Laughter” sets the tone for the album, never letting up as the contorted guitar-noodling and sludgy production washes over you. Lyrically the band fixates on incels begging to be loved (“Romanticize Me,” “You’re Different (In Person)," “Male Gaze”), portraying characters that are equal parts disgusting and pathetic. One of the heaviest punk records of the decade (that you can still say is punk), Pissed Jeans’ Honeys is magnificent, representative of my favorite shade of hardcore fuckery.
47. The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “Sometimes I can’t believe it, I’m moving past the feeling.”
From the opening piano chords of “The Suburbs,” you just knew Arcade Fire did it again. The third album from the indie gods is what you’ve come to expect from the band: grandiose statements, meditations on the human condition, sing-for-the-heavens anthems. But The Suburbs is the also best arranged, composed and produced of any Arcade Fire record, making it all the more emotionally affecting because of it. It’s also the bands best rock record, taking equal influence from Springsteen, Petty and Knopfler and meshing it with their baroque tendencies and lyrical theme of escaping the place where you come from while not leaving anyone behind. But don’t worry, they still leave room for “Sprawl II,” the best synth exercise the band has ever done. What Arcade Fire accomplished with The Suburbs was tremendous, and while it may be their last great record, it’s comforting to know that this album continues to resonate with all those who get behind its wheel.
46. Run The Jewels 2 - Run The Jewels (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “My business card says you’re in luck/I do two things, I rap and fuck.”
Run The Jewels captured the zeitgeist of early-decade underground hip hop unlike any other MC/Producer duo did, riding on a wave of hype into the mainstream that was unabashedly deserved. Killer Mike step into his rightful place in the spotlight with his politically ferocious and Southern-spiced raps, backed by the dad-joke braggadocio and noisy electronic palette of East Coast legend El-P. The bars throughout this album are endlessly quotable and gut-bustingly hilarious, mixing ridiculous imagery with protestor’s action. They prove they have something to say beyond perfect shit-talking, dictating theorems of the prison industrial complex and police brutality at the same time they decimate the fuckboi mentality. A lean, mean hip-hop machine, Run The Jewels 2 is an excellent document of two MCs collaborating at their peak, pushing each other to perform their best while not forgetting to not take it too seriously.
45. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “My presence is a present, kiss my ass”
I’m sure you’ve read enough on why MBDTF is a classic record. It was Kanye’s comeback, a meteoric ascension to God status that ushered high art into hip hop in a way that forever altered the course of modern music. One of America’s greatest egomaniacs made a daring, elaborate and damn-near perfect collection of beats and rhymes that analyze the public persona of Kanye in ways that would forever alter the direction of his lyrical content. It contains “Power,” “Monster,” “Runaway,” and “All of the Lights.” So why isn’t it higher on the list? For one, its personally not my favorite Ye release, and two, because he’s made a better, more authentic album to who and what Kanye is this decade…
44. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “We gotta wipe the wipers, and dodge the snipers, and try to keep the rattlesnakes from fucking it up.”
The debut from UMO sounds timeless, influenced by a multitude of genres but unable to be pinpointed to an exact era or location. It’s a lo-fi psych-funk indie rock expedition into texture, melody, and groove, incessant in its buoyancy and mesmerizing in its sound and charm. From the opening seconds of “FFunny FFriends," every aspect of the band I love is in full effect; tight, crunchy drums, a splendid bass line, and Ruban Nielson’s signature guitar tone and vocals, which are always saying something you can’t quite understand. Nielson wanted to make an album influenced by “psychedelic records of lost tunes,” and with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, he did just that, setting the stage for one of the best discographies in indie rock this decade.
43. Need To Feel Your Love - Sheer Mag (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “If you don’t give us the ballot, expect the bayonet.”
Everything about Sheer Mag is power pop perfection. Influenced by every 70s rock band that made you dance, the riffs throughout this LP reflect as much history as they do a deep-fried delectability. The lettered lyrics, sung by Tina Halladay in her nasally howl, call for a rise to action as often as they are lovesick and heartbroken, forming the perfect dichotomy of protest and passion. The sequencing on this album is masterful, with the three-song run of “Need To Feel Your Love,” “Just Can’t Get Enough” and “Expect the Bayonet” being one of the best three song runs this decade. But its ultimately what Sheer Mag embody - queer pride, progressive politics, nostalgia-done-OUR-way - that make them champions of a scene, a wholly necessary band in today’s day and age, and the best descendant of Thin Lizzy I can think of. Need To Feel Your Love isn’t just an album title, its what I say to myself whenever I need my life to brightened by this band’s music and message.
42. Die Lit - Playboi Carti (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “Don't care, that pussy got some mileage, mileage”
Die Lit is punk as fuck. Its the culmination of all "mumble-rap" and trap trends from the decade, purified into the most simplistically psychedelic dumb fun ringtone-rap I’ve ever heard. Pi’erre Bourne makes a case for best producer in the game with this record, his beats ingeniously assembled, entrancing and mysterious. Carti’s flows and lyrics are a syrupy reduction of all the hedonism and clout-chasing from the decade in hip hop, finding all the right pockets to ride and fill with ridiculous ad-libs. Nothing about this record should work, or be listenable, or be GREAT. And yet it is.
41. The SATURATION Trilogy - Brockhampton (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Break necks I’m the chiropractor.”
2017 was Brockhampton’s year, the year they burst through the fiberoptics of the Internet with THREE albums of unparalleled charisma, consistency, diversity, swagger, stream-ability and, most importantly, personality. Not since Hieroglyphics has a rap collective had such an eclectic crew of individual voices - leader Kevin Abstract, cool-spitting Matt Champion, hype beast Merlyn Wood, however the fuck you want to describe JOBA - and each one shines through with the force of a thousand freight-trains when the timing is right. Saturation introduces you to all their influences, Saturation II perfects them, and Saturation III makes one hell of a party out of them. Take your pick as to which one is best, but when writing this list, I couldn’t separate them; probably because you can’t.
40. E-MO-TION - Carly Rae Jepsen (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “And I want you, do you want me, do you want me too?”
From the bubblegum pop origins of “Call Me Maybe” to becoming your favorite pop star’s favorite pop star, Carly Rae Jepsen’s career evolution is thanks to E-MO-TION, my favorite pure pop record from the decade. Nostalgia for the 80s and its subsequent revivalism was present everywhere this decade, but no one in the mainstream made a defining statement using these influences as well as Carly Rae did. The opening saxophone of “Run Away With Me” embodies M83 grandiosity, the bubble of “Gimmie Love” capturing 2010s bounce and synthesizing it through the lens of Cyndi Lauper. “I Really Like You” has that same infectiousness that made her first single an international hit, and “Boy Problems” and “When I Needed You” deliver the funk while promoting Carly Rae to the status of contemporary queen.
39. Emotional Mugger - Ty Segall (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “Candy Sam, leave me be now that I have my candy.”
"Garage punk" was my first genre love when I became a music nerd, Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees being chief among my favorite artists. Ty’s prolific nature may make it difficult to pinpoint his single greatest achievement, but in my opinion, Emotional Mugger takes the cake unlike any of his other projects. The noise and distortion he achieved with this record is the most idiosyncratic of his career, the sound of warped tape and melted cassettes being boiled in oil and spilt on a bed of hot coals. The riffs are his heaviest, the vocals his most ghoulish, the characters his most despicable, the aura his most blistering. Of all his projects, this is the one that most fully rocks out in the garage, and one that defines Ty’s most creative aspirations and raucous performance abilities.
38. Can You Please Not Help - Two Inch Astronaut (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “In competition with the bad guys just to see who can get away with feeling worse off.”
The final album by the Maryland DIY band is full of uncertainty in one’s self; specifically, in one’s ability to support themselves, in one’s ability to make an impact, and in one’s ability to convey who they are to someone, anyone, who will listen. It’s these contemplations on insecurity that make the record so comforting and robust, a profound statement on maintaining a positive outlook despite all that brings you down. Musically, the record hits the sweet spot of emotive and angular, influenced by Dismemberment Plan and Brainiac and comparable to Ovlov and LVL UP. Whether it’s the trudge and pleads of the title track, the cooing harmonies and swinging falsetto on “Play To No One,” or the interplay on “Snitch Jacket,” Two Inch Astronaut deliver songs that are emo in sentiment, driven in tone, and brawny in impact. It’s a record that I’ve found myself listening to when I either don’t have the answers to my problems, or when I need a perfect indie rock record with edge to soundtrack my uncertainties. Easily one of the best swan songs from a DIY act I grew particularly close to.
37. The Electric Lady - Janelle Monae (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Cause baby it’s a prime time for our love, ain’t nobody peekin’ but the stars above.”
Janelle Monae is one of my personal inspirations. The confidence she possesses in her sexual identity helped me be proud of who I am, and her visionary approach to R&B - science fiction concepts, innovative production, suite-building unlike any other - has made her someone I will Stan until the end of time. The Electric Lady follows the fourth and fifth suites in her Metropolis narrative, and delivers the best neo-soul she has made to date. From the jagged funk of Badu-collab “Q.U.E.E.N.” to the soaring slow jam of “Primetime,” to the Stevie Wonder spiritual successor of “Ghetto Woman” and the building ballad of “Sally Ride,” Janelle tells a story with conviction and with allegory to our modern times. It's a non-replicable work of individuality and spirit that legions of albums wish they could get a sniff of. As the android keeps making music, let it be known that no one can step to this (not that they’d want to).
36. Multi-Love - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “That sounds great, I’m kinda busy, could you call back again?"
Amping up the fidelity without losing an ounce of their mystique, Multi-Love is UMO’s poppiest, danciest and cleanest record, an assortment of Bohemian indie pop that strikes as much gold behind the boards as it does in its words. Thematically driven by the polyamorous relationship he and his wife engaged in, Ruban Nielson’s lyrics throughout the record come from a place of confusion, trying to work out whatever he’s feeling in as healthy a way as he can. They’re potent, uncomfortable, and fully human - which can’t be said about the music, which is alien in its sound but arranged to keep you peeling back its layers endlessly. With highlights including the keyboard driven title track, the samba-esque “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone,” the somber “The World Is Crowded,” and the gentle “Necessary Evil,” Multi-Love is a triumph, an album that not only drove the sound of the band forward, but provided an original viewpoint on romance not before heard.
35. good kid, m.A.A.d. city - Kendrick Lamar (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “But I could never right my wrongs ‘less I write it down for real.”
good kid, m.A.A.d. city is a film on record, a story so expertly told you’d think Spike Lee hopped in the booth. Kendrick’s major-label debut follows his upbringing in gang-ridden Compton, as he attempts to navigate his crime infested world while trying to abide by his moral compass. The production on good kid is cinematic and immaculate. There isn’t a single beat on this album that is subpar, tonally or emotionally out of sync with the albums themes, or undeserving of being spit over, thanks in large part to Dr. Dre’s executive influence. But the true heart of this project, as with all of his work, is Kendrick, our generation’s best rapper. Here, he analyzes with an introspection millions would kill to have, all the while making songs that are infectious and can be listened to without the context of the narrative. It’s an amazing feat that any artist would want to have in their catalogue, one that seems near-impossible to top. Turns out he would later on down the road…
34. Ctrl - SZA (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Why you bother me when you know you don’t want me?”
Whoever hurt SZA needs to get the hands. The debut album from the Top Dawg signee is one of the most relevant, and important, albums dealing with love and romance in the age of social media. Ctrl is raw, hurt, and detested, but articulate, graphic, and held together by SZA’s desire to find self-worth and the right companion. The music of the album is a vast improvement from SZA’s previous project Z, pushing alternative R&B to its creative limits while maintaining a slick and commercial atmosphere. This album grows on me more and more with every listen, as I’m continuously blown away at how deep her razor-sharp words can cut, only to have them heal just as quickly, thanks to a goddess-like melody or the perfectly placed synth. Ctrl ultimately embodies what its title suggests, and shows the listener than SZA will be here to critique how fucked up modern love is for years to come.
33. Phonyland. - Phony PPL (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “If this is how love feels, I want to keep you around.”
The first album I downloaded off of Bandcamp was Phony PPL’s Phonyland, a first-rate R&B record that emanates youthful energy while displaying wisdom beyond years. Phonyland conjures a romantic, relaxing, and soothing aura, influenced by the Roots but filtered through the Beast Coast ethos. It’s an expertly assembled album of jazz, funk, rock and soul, demonstrating instrumental proficiency (“4 The 1st Time,” “I Wish I was a Chair,” “Whamsz.com”), good-hearted intentions (“If This Is How Love Feels,” “Break It Off”), and a desire to change the world (“Current Events,” “Save My Generation”). Dyme-a-Duzin’s best rapping AND singing of his career are linked to this album, but my favorite aspect of this album are its synths and textures, particularly on album standout “Break It Off.” Downloading was one of the best musical decisions of my life, as it introduced me to one of my favorite bands and all that they are capable of - euphoric vocals, mid-album instrumental passaging, a traditional-yet-contemporary approach to R&B and hip hop, and grooves for days. As great as this album’s been, it’s been even more rewarding to see their growth…
32. DAYTONA - Pusha T (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “If we go by connections made, I can still climb ladders when complexions fade.”
DAYTONA is the culmination of everything Pusha T’s career has been leading towards. Rapping his best since his days in Clipse, Pusha delivers the hardest hitting coke raps of his career, coupled with double entendres and his signature wit and wordplay. Executively produced by Kanye, the album has an instrumental grandiosity and adventurousness that feels equal parts luxurious and blunt in impact. At only 7 tracks and 21 minutes in length, Pusha leaves no room for error, every detail meticulously crafted, every annunciation laced with menace and intimidation. But it’s the cultural impact this album has made that cannot be overstated. From ushering the phrase “If You Know You Know” into the social media lexicon, to “Infrared” reigniting his Drake feud and subsequently leading to the hip hop shock of the 21st century (“The Story of Adidon”), DAYTONA is a snapshot of one of the most important years in hip hop in recent memory, and is the magnum opus of one of the greatest rappers of all time.
31. Acid Rap - Chance The Rapper (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “This your favorite fuckin’ album and I ain’t even fuckin’ done.”
In the words of Bubs from Homestar Runner, the one word I would use to describe Chance the Rapper is personality. Acid Rap was Chance’s breakthrough project, an album-as-a-mixtape that is packed to the brim with whimsical flows, infectious melodies, trademark ad-libs, generation-defining quotables, heartfelt soul, and a voice unlike any other. Musically, it’s a jazzy, juke-y, funky, hypnotic, sugary and psychedelic offering, a tie-dye canvas on which Chance paints his self-portrait. The amount of bops on this tape is absurd; “Good Ass Intro,” “Cocoa Butter Kisses,” “Juice,” and “Favorite Song” still hit as hard today as they did when I was in high school, having downloaded this tape off of DatPiff. Acid Rap solidified Chance as one of our generation’s most beloved entertainers, and no amount of “I love my wife” memes will ever be able to dethrone the classic status that this tape has. Eeagh!
30. Piñata - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Smack it up and flip it then I rub it down/Zip it up and then I ship it to another town”
For me, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib has always been a match made in heaven, the ideal pairing of psych-jazz production and pragmatic gangster bars. Piñata oozes a cinematic quality, thanks to the blaxploitation film samples and soulful loops that embody the imagery and scenarios Gibbs’ lyrics contain. Freddie’s flow, cadence, and ability to engage the listener in what he’s rapping about is methodical, fitting into every off-kilter pocket Madlib throws his way and murdering the beat. As a standalone rap album, its one of the decade’s best, an illustration of the world according to Freddie on the pages of a wizard’s spell-book. But when put next to Madvillainy, which all Madlib collaborations inevitably get compared to, it stands in its own league, one equally enjoyable and inventive while supplying a completely different type of thrill. MadGibbs’ streak has continued with this year’s Bandana, but nothing can quite compare to the magnificence of Piñata, the greatest gangsta rap statement brought to fruition in the 2010s.
29. “Awaken, My Love!” - Childish Gambino (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “Do you misbehave? Haunt you to your grave, I’m going to eat you alive.”
Donald Glover’s evolution into one of our generation’s greatest renaissance men has been a treat to watch, especially as an avid fan of his acting and writing (30 Rock, Community, Atlanta…need I say more?). His musical career started with humble beginnings, releasing entertaining but middling hip hop albums that objectively were trying too hard. But with “Awaken, My Love!” Glover took a hard right turn into P-Funk and vintage R&B, and the results are an immaculate continuation of the mothership’s central message, delivered with more gusto and authenticity than 98.5% of artists working today. Glover on this album is the ultimate performer, displaying ridiculous command of his vocal range and dedicated character embodiments. On top of it all, “Awaken, My Love!” beautifully reflects the love Glover has for his wife and family, giving it a maturity that shows mounds of personal growth. As he continues to evolve as a generational talent, we’ll always be able to come to this album, his musical magnum opus, a proclamation to the world that this man cannot be touched.
28. Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “I don't know just what I feel but I feel it all tonight.”
Ok, yeah, Beach House might go down as the most important dream pop band of the 2010s...however: the omnipresence of jangly, surfy, laid-back dream pop from the 2010s owes itself almost entirely to Beach Fossils’ debut, the barebones blueprint of what such bands would endlessly imitate but never quite replicate. From the opening reverb of “Sometimes,” the album rings out its signature guitar tone, one of this writer's FAVORITE EVER, cultivating a radiant comfort in the listener that can put anyone at emotional ease. Dustin Payseur’s vocals, distinctly monotone, somber and lacquered in reverb, give the songs a ghostly quality that pairs exceptionally well with the musical sunshine. While this record doesn’t represent the ambitiousness Beach Fossils would show with subsequent albums, it provides the DNA for the one band I love most and one of the five genres I’ve fallen in love with most during my lifetime.
27. II - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “I wish that I could swim and sleep like a shark does.”
II, the second LP from UMO, strikes even more gold than their debut’s formula does, providing more intricate guitar showmanship, more intelligible vocals, and some of the best melodies of the band’s career. Nielson’s lyrics are marked by evolution in thematic range; while still cryptic and imagery laden, they embody universality through their obsession with the plight of human nature. Whether its isolation and depression (“From the Sun”), a relationship that just couldn’t work (“So Good at Being in Trouble”), or dependency on substances (“Faded In The Morning”), Nielson conveys the themes eloquently with the abstract language he loves to use. With a track list containing the band’s most popular singles - “Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark),” “So Good at Being in Trouble,” and “Faded in the Morning,” - II is worthy of the status it receives from fans as a spectacular display of neo-psychedelia done like no other. And yet, they’ve made an album that’s even better at presenting the glory of what they can display…
26. Under Color of Official Right - Protomartyr (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Can you hear that distant laughter? Desperate men making empty chatter.”
Not many records have accomplished the balance that Detroit’s Protomartyr does with Under Color of Official Right. As a post-punk record, UCOOR is as much Bauhaus as it is the MC5; it emanates a haunting aura and reverberated atmosphere while backing it rhythmically with rusty grit and grime. Joe Casey’s vocals rumble with a booming baritone thats both stifled and direct in the delivery of its scholarly lyrics. Protomartyr reveal themselves as one of the most intelligent bands in modern music, with an art school mentality and aesthetic of surrealism that produces warped blue-collar sentiments and the summoning of evil spirits. I fell in love with this record from the opening seconds of its first track, “Maidenhead,” one of my favorite songs of all time and the perfect encapsulation of this record: its guitar ascends into murky darkness, its lyrics portray a character on the brink of sanity, and when it picks up on the noise and distortion, it doesn’t disappoint. Any album in their discography is worthy of your attention, but UCOOR reigns supreme due to its production value, song craft, and its representation of everything the band does well.
25. The Life of Pablo - Kanye West (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “And as far as real friends, tell all my cousins I love ‘em/Even the one that stole the laptop, you dirty motherfucker.”
At this point in history, there is no other - and most likely there will be no other - record that encapsulates the entirety of Kanye West as a human being than The Life of Pablo. EVERY aspect of Kanye’s existence as a public figure/human being/walking god/asshole (past and present) is on TLOP, an abstract array of his personage diffused through all of the sounds and styles Kanye attempted on his prior work (Yeezus’s noisy distortion on “Feedback,” MDBTF’s self-promoting grandiosity on “Famous,” The College Dropout’s personal faith on “Ultralight Beam”). It’s a messy record, much like how Kanye is a messy person. But the true hallmark of this album is the vulnerability Kanye demonstrates, making you marvel at his flawed humanity in a way never-before-so done. With the album’s two best highlights being the two best songs Kanye has ever made - the despondent cry for connection “Real Friends” and the bars-on-bars-on-BARS of Kendrick featuring “No More Parties In LA” — TLOP is the last will and testament of Kanye West, the album that will forever represent who he is, what he’s done, and why we should care.
24. Beloved - Mo Troper (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “But you’re gonna be disappointed when the paint starts peeling away.”
From the opening lyrics of “Tonight, I’m gonna drink until I’m someone else,” you know exactly the character Mo Troper is going to portray: a lovesick sad-sack bro in PAIN. Normally, sentiments coming from such an individual are unlistenable, self-pitying slop. But on Beloved, Troper gives these sentiments snarky, wry humor, self-awareness, honesty, and above all, authenticity, that results in compelling songs of meta-commentary within the structure of power pop. Blasting away with high-gain garage rock riffs, melodic bass and brittle drumbeats, the songs of Beloved are short, sweet and succinct, delivering pure rock thrills again and again. Troper’s vocals don’t miss a single note, and his simple melodies are diverse enough to never repeat while taking permanent residency in your conscious. Indebted to its genre’s hallmarks as much as it is to its scene, Troper molded one of the best albums in DIY, power pop, and rock this decade, not just as a result of its perfect execution, but as a result of having one of the best singer-songwriters working today crafting an album that’s just as good the 500th time you listen to it as it was the 1st.
23. Blackstar - David Bowie (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “Look up here, I'm in heaven”
There has never been, and never will be, an album like Blackstar. Even within his unparalleled discography, Bowie’s swan song stands alone, one of his finest albums, and the solidification of his Herculean status as one of the world’s greatest artists. Released on his 69th birthday, two days before his death from liver cancer (his battle, at the time, had not been made public), Blackstar is Bowie’s acceptance of his own mortality, backed by ethereal, twisted no-wave jazz. To be able to turn the face of death into the last testament of your legacy is uncanny, and listening to this album will fill you with as much sorrow and dread as it will optimism. Despite its eldritch nature, Blackstar’s production and arrangements are clean enough to make the album stand on its own merits without being forever-linked to its context. Ultimately, Blackstar encapsulates all of Bowie’s artistry while preserving his legacy and propelling it forward for the rest of time.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Replace with Cloud Nothing’s “Attack On Memory.”
21. Good Thing - Leon Bridges (2018)
Lyric of Choice: "Don't get your feelings broken for nothin’”
Leon Bridges burst onto the scene via a wave of 60s nostalgia and revivalism with Coming Home, which caused him to be (mis)labeled as a Sam Cooke clone. But on Good Thing, Bridges solidifies himself as not a clone, but a peer of the classic soul singers in the lineage of R&B greats. Each song on Good Thing hearkens back to a vintage era of R&B, much like his debut, but their fidelity, clarity and quality make them contemporary in sound while being on an elevated lyrical plain. Bridges’ lyrics are wholesome, uplifting and romantic, universal in sentiment and articulate in emotion. The strings and glittering falsetto on “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand” results in one of the best soul songs I’ve ever heard, the swagger of “Bad Bad News” struts along with greaser imagery, the acoustic and country-tinged “Beyond” is as much Al Green as it is Joe Simon, and “Georgia to Texas” illustrates Bridges’ upbringing passionately and affectionately. There isn’t a song that isn’t great on this album, but its Bridges’ voice, one that will go done as one of the best ever, that compels me to keep listening to this over and over and over and OVER. Good Thing isn’t just good, its damn fine, a record marked by an uptick in ambition and endless joy received when affected by its charms.
20. St. Vincent - St. Vincent (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “I prefer your love to Jesus.”
St. Vincent, real name Annie Clark, is the best guitarist of our generation, a statement I will stand by until disproven otherwise. On her self-titled album, her riffs, distorted trickery, tonal placement, whimsical melodies and warped harmonies are at the peak of her career, demonstrating her unrivaled mastery of avant-pop. The songs on this album are flawless, from the disjointed rumble of “Rattlesnake” to the soaring squalls of “Birth In Reverse” to the David Byrne influence dance-funk of “Digital Witness.” Her vocals, yet again astounding, deliver her off-kilter lyrics with pronounced impact and confidence that is, at the very least, admirable…or maybe even a little jealousy inducing. If self-titled albums are intended to represent everything about an artist, then St. Vincent does just that, solidifying her not just as a generational talent, but as one of the greatest artists of our time.
19. We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic - Foxygen (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “There’s no need to be an asshole, you’re not in Brooklyn anymore.”
Before they declined into a shell of their former self, Foxygen rode their wave of hype boldly, staking their claim as the indiesphere’s masters of schizophrenic pop. Absorbing influence from every cool rock band ever, 21st Century Ambassadors is firmly rooted in 60s psychedelia and 70s pop, while making something wholly original and personality-ridden for modern times. Sam France’s lyrics and cocky delivery is infectious, with a sense of humor so meta, so tongue-in-cheek, it’ll sting any hipster within a 1,000 mile radius. However, it’s the band’s (especially Jonathan Rado’s) grasp of musicianship that is most remarkable, as every diversion on the album flows fluidly into the next without being janky or trying-too-hard. The hits on this album pack a punch - “No Destruction,” “On Blue Mountain,” “San Francisco,” and “Shuggie” are considered among my favorite songs of all time. While Foxygen would go on to release middling projects of diminishing returns post this record, 21st Century Ambassadors remains one of the highest marks in indie pop this decade, an album that captured an absolute riot of a band at the height of their artistic aspiration and coherency.
18. Malibu - Anderson .Paak (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “This one's for all the little dreamers and the ones who never gave a fuck.”
The depth and range displayed on Anderson .Paak’s Malibu is STOOPID. As a rapper, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and jack-of-all-instruments, there are few, if any, contemporaries on .Paak’s level, and with his second studio album, he proves just how spectacular he is. From the family documenting “The Bird” to the bubble-and-groove of “Am I Wrong,” to the multipart “The Season | Carry Me” and the anthemic and aspiration-affirming “The Dreamer,” every moment of this record is packed with heart, soul, funk, rhythm and grooves. The features on this record - especially ScHoolboy Q, Rapsody, Talib Kweli - are employed to perfect use, fitting into the pockets .Paak molds as if they were preordained by God to be. Malibu is a near perfect suite of R&B, a record that feels like it could be .Paak’s very own Songs In The Key of Life without an ounce of blasphemy in that comparison. As he continues to evolve and produce music, .Paak will remain one of the most vital voices in R&B, and Malibu will forever remain one of the greatest R&B statements released within the confines of the 21st century (maybe ever…)
17. Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts (2013)
Lyric of Choice: “Socrates died in the FUCKING gutter.”
Parquet Courts truly are masters of their craft. The Brooklyn band’s fusion of slacker rock, post-punk, and country twang coupled with their acerbic lyrics made them a band to notice on Light Up Gold, a record with such a niche understanding of history and self-awareness that it’s almost frustrating how well executed it is. While subsequent releasees would show more ambition, all their releases post this album contain this record’s DNA, and none have quite matched the direct impact and catchiness of songs like “Master Of My Craft,” “Borrowed Time,” “N Dakota” and “Stoned and Starving.” My favorite aspects of this album are A. Savage’s distinct and hilarious vocals, the band’s perfect guitar tone (seriously, it’s one of the best guitar sounds from any band this decade), and how brilliantly the stuck-up characters are written and portrayed. Here’s to a continued career of greatness for the best overachieving underachievers.
16. This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem (2010)
Lyric of Choice: “ I can change if it helps you fall in love.”
James Murphy’s songwriting encapsulates a very specific type of humor for a very specific type of person, one that’s been quite influential in forming my own likenesses and tastes. This Is Happening is the finest statement of his influential and iconic career, an album that satirically rips the bullshit of modern romance and adulthood while being cognizant of how to not become the person it’s sending up. Musically, every built groove and song progression is earned and rewarding, indebted to the new wave and art rock of the 70s and 80s while being made contemporary like only Murphy can do. I could go on and on about how this record is a triumph, one of the best indie/electronic records ever made, or how it almost singlehandedly shaped the person I am today, but I’ll keep it short and sweet: if you don’t love this album, fix your brain and dance yourself clean.
15. I Love You Like A Brother - Alex Lahey (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Time moves slowly when there’s no money.”
As a queer twenty-something transitioning into adulthood while battling anxiety, depression, and self-doubt, there is perhaps no better record to help one get through this exact experience than Alex Lahey’s I Love You Like A Brother. Lahey has become one of my favorite singer-songwriters ever, primarily due to how she is a perfect lyricist. Her ability to take complicated sentiments, phrase them with simplicity, add a unique perspective with personality and wit, and back it with the best pure pop punk to come out of this decade, is uncanny, heartwarming, enlightening and goddamn life-touching. All the songs on this record a phenomenal, and you’ll recognize that that’s statement is true from the opening riff of “Everyday’s The Weekend.” The title track is one the cutest odes to family I’ve ever heard, while “I Haven’t Been Taking Care Of Myself” hits a bit too close to home for anyone who’s ever felt that they’re letting themselves go too early. But its the love songs and ballads on this record, particularly “I Want U” and “There’s No Money,” that resonant with me on a near spiritual level, one that gives me drive to continue living while cherishing life for what it is. Alex Lahey has the world ahead of her going forward, and I’ll be listening to everything she releases for as long as I can currently comprehend.
14. Carrion Crawler/The Dream - Thee Oh Sees (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “ *distorted WOOOOHs* “
Thee Oh Sees were the first modern “underground” band I became a fan of. I was lucky to have gotten into a band as prolific as Thee Oh Sees, and the variety of psych-garage-punk jams they spit out as if they were just laid to tape was something I thrived on. Their best album with their best line up, Carrion Crawler/The Dream is the band at the height of their career, a throttling fusion of raucous garage rock, droning psychedelia, and dynamic krautrock. “Carrion Crawler” opens the album with angular twists and turns, and it never lets up thanks in part to the two drummers pounding away on the kits - something that would become essential to the group’s later-career works. The grooves on this record pulsate with unmatched energy (“Contraption/Soul Desert”), the vocal harmonies between John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson are at their most playful, and the production reverberates with a cavernous timbre I adore. Of all the albums in this band’s catalogue, this is the one I find myself going back to most, and its one I’ll continue to get physical to as the years pass on by.
13. There Is Only Now - Souls of Mischief & Adrian Younge (2014)
Lyric of Choice: “Alone in the crowd just puffing on loud/Evil eye up in the sky, see the ominous cloud.”
There Is Only Now is the best hip hop concept record of the decade, a perfect pairing of heavyweights that breathes new life into history while preserving status and pushing boundaries. The story begins with the Souls being shot at by the lunatic Womack outside a club (based on true events), and proceeds to unfold into a surrealist, ethereal plane dwelling crime thriller of intertwining romance and revenge. Think David Lynch’s The Warriors, or Killer of Sheep meets Cape Fear. Every verse on the album progresses the story forward, and the Souls rap with newfound energy, thematic focus and a revived command of their craft. Younge’s instrumentals are excellently arranged soul-jazz, totaling to a film score that’s Native Tongues influenced, mysterious in atmosphere and dynamic in tonal shifts. The momentum this record propels forward with is tremendous, and the narrative interludes of Ali Shaheed Muhammed help to provide context for the listener and a vintage radio-play quality that hearkens back to the era of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. There Is Only Now is ultimately one of the best albums of the decade because of how enamored one become’s with its story; its the same exact feeling I get from rewatching one of my favorite films, and being able to achieve that in a different medium is an accomplishment in its own right.
12. mo-za-ik. - Phony PPL (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “I’m just a milimeter from leaving you, it’s so bad/But there’s something about your love.”
Phony PPL’s finest statement yet — and the mark of their evolution from young guns finding their voice to masters of their artistic vision — is mo-za-ik. From the opening keys of “Way Too Far.,” you get swept up into the band’s dreamlike portrait of New York City, as they onward march with gleaming synths, soulful drum clicks, jazzy and mathematic interplay, tasteful production flourishes, Elbee Thrie’s best vocals to date, and an amped-up rock edge. Lyrically, Phony PPL’s love songs are mature, well-intentioned, and introspective, landing blissfully on the ears while they capture the essence of modern day life as only they can. The band’s tropes and techniques - mid-album instrumental passaging, rapping, fusing multiple genres - have been refined and perfected, causing this project to be engaging at every turn, and never losing steam because of it. In reality, every reason I love this album can be boiled down into one song, my favorite song of the decade, “somethinG about your love.” From the intricately textured drumming to the progressive build up, Elbee Thrie’s lyrics to the beautifully layered keys and synths, to that goddamn perfect, Prince-capturing guitar solo, this song is a masterpiece, and so is this entire album. As they continue to progress and evolve, I’m excited for wherever their sound and songs take me next.
11. Blonde - Frank Ocean (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “Wish I was there, wish we grew up on the same advice, and the time was right.”
Blonde reads more as a loosely assembled collection of vignettes rather than direct songs, but as a result of its fractured nature, the impact of Frank’s confessions grow all the more potent. No album has been able to turn heart-wrenching emotions into simple, resonant phrases quite like Blonde has, and the emotional relatability that results turns one’s mans journey of self-discovery into the comfort of millions. Musically, the arrangements on this album are experimental, progressive, and perfectly placed; take for example “Self Control,” with its combination of melancholic guitar and pitched vocals evolving into a reverberated drone of soulful melody in real time. When this album came out, I was transitioning into college with more uncertainty in who I was than any other point in my life. But I listened to Blonde, I became more certain of myself through the empathy and wisdom of another man’s journey. If this doesn’t represent what Blonde is capable of, or why it’s as acclaimed as it is, I don’t know what does. Frank Ocean is a voice of our generation, an artist whose impact has forever changed the world — especially mine.
10. “Abysmal Thoughts” - The Drums (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Yes, it’s true that I hurt you/But I still love you, I love you, I still do.”
The Drums have never gotten the recognition they deserve as one of the most influential and important indie pop bands of the decade. “Abysmal Thoughts,” their fourth album, is my single favorite pop record to come out of the 2010s, the quintessential combination of the band’s surf-tinged guitar leads, circular rhythms, quirky synth accents and Jonny Pierce’s divulging lyrics. Every song’s respective sentiment documents the feeling of wanting to give love as much as you feel it, but with all the trials and tribulations that modern romance has in store. “Mirror” opens the album with Pierce’s contemplation on losing his identity after a breakup, while “Blood Under My Belt” admits fault while wanting to return to former glory. “Heart Basel” is a brutal look at a dysfunctional relationship wrapped in a blanket sunshine melody and reverb, while “Under the Ice” is ostensibly about gathering strength to tell someone of the same sex you’re attracted to them, yet not being able to because of fear. As a queer man, there hasn’t been an album I’ve felt more personally this decade than this one. While he’s truly full of abysmal thoughts, Pierce is able to take his insecurities and frame them around the best music of his career, crafting an album full of empathy, vulnerability, profound simpilicity and sonic gaiety. Identifying with this album - and knowing that my queer experience has an outlet to relate to - has been one of my adult life’s greatest joys. I’ll advocate for anyone to listen to this bands magnum opus at any given opportunity.
9. XXX - Danny Brown (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “Me to rap is like water to raves.”
It starts with his voice. Danny Brown’s tonality and cadence has always brought visceral reactions out of those who dare to listen - mainly, HOW THE FUCK DO YOU LISTEN TO THIS? But once those first inflections burrow their way into your cerebellum, they never leave, and you can’t help but be dragged through this man’s downward spiral. XXX, in retrospect, is Brown’s solidification as the most idiosyncratic and innovative MC of the decade. The woozy, warbly, and tortured beats are minimalist as fuck, leaving all the more room for Brown to ramp up the jackal yawps, hedonism and drug-fueled ascension to frightening heights. But then, just when you think the high can’t get any higher, Brown crashes down, wallowing in the despair of addiction with more introspection and pain than any other rapper has been able to muster up (save for Kendrick). Brown carved his face into the Mount Rushmore of 2010s Hip Hop this decade through his relentless experimentalism, distinctive vocals, ridiculous bars and unmatched execution. Without XXX, we may have never gotten the chance to bear witness to a modern visionary; thankfully, this album broke him through, and remains an iconic project for an iconic figure.
8. holo pleasures/California Dreamin’ - elvis depressedly (2016)
Lyric of Choice: “If there’s a cool spot in hell, I hope you get in.”
My favorite band to be a figurehead in DIY this decade? E-ZEE: elvis depressedly. The 12 tracks of holo pleasures/California Dreamin’ all clock in at under two and half minutes, but within their micro-song structure, gleam the most blissful melodies assembled on any project this decade. Musically, the fuzzed-up guitar, gossamer synths, crisp drums and muddled bass present the gold standard for lo-fi bedroom pop songwriting, with a hazy blanket of production covering it all and adding warmth and comfort. Despite all the positive vibes that emanate from this project, Mat Cothran’s lyrics are full of…well, dark shit. Every word comes from a place of personal despair, veiled by self-medication as they attempt to process the pain and hatred Cothran feels for himself and others. While such wallowing can be a turn-off, Cothran’s sings these lyrics with self-awareness and enough desire to improve that the sentiment’s don’t only become relatable, they’re motivation to stay on life’s course. To be able to take the lowest point of misery - full of addiction, depression, insecurity, self-hate and toxicity - and turn it into pure serotonin is nothing short of a miracle, but elvis depressedly have proven time and time again that NO ONE has the gift of doing so more than Cothran.
7. Won - Lina Tullgren (2017)
Lyric of Choice: “Don’t compare me to anyone you knew before.”
Won is the best solo debut album - DIY, underground, mainstream or otherwise - released this decade. It’s easy to hear why; beginning with the opening guitar line of “Asktell,” Tullgren’s musicianship is marked by idiosyncrasy in tonality, playing, and atmosphere. The compositions on this album bend with angular twang, contorting with sound and solace that’s impossible to classify genre-wise (prime examples being “Face Off,” “Red Dawn,” and “Fitchburg State”). Tullgren’s experiences of coming into adulthood and developing as an individual are written with such craft and deft (the contemplative “Perfect,” the yearning “Slow,” the self-affirming “Get Lost”), that you become enamored in both the individuality of Tullgren and what each song presents. I knew from the first listen of this album that it would be my album of the year. Upon repeated listens, it’s only persisted as one of my favorite albums I’ve ever heard in my lifetime. What Lina Tullgren represents - as a musician, as a songwriter, as a member of the queer community - cannot be taken away from them, and as they continues to release music (like 2019’s astounding Free Cell), I’ll be listening with an open ear.
6. Sex & Food - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2018)
Lyric of Choice: “If you’re going to break yourself, you’re gonna break me.”
Sex & Food is UMO’s magnum opus, the amalgamation of every sound and style they’ve previously attempted, and the culmination of Ruban Nielson’s development as a songwriter. What distinguishes Sex & Food from the band’s other LPs is it’s universality, in its lyrics and accessibility. Nielson takes the same themes he’s written about prior (alienation, anxiety, modern romance, etc.), and expands their scope to strike the ultimate balance between personal and objective, plainspoken and surreal, nihilism and optimism. Take for instance “Hunnybee,” an ode to his daughter warning her of the uncertain world ahead, that vocally flutters over the band’s grooviest pop song to date. The production on this album still emanates low fidelity from a bygone era (“Major League Chemicals,” “American Guilt,” “This Doomsday”), but when the goal is to get the people moving (“Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays,” “Not In Love We’re Just High”), the cleanliness of the recording makes the off-kilter beats and rhythms that much more pronounced. Unknown Mortal Orchestra became my favorite band with every new album they made throughout the decade, and in my humble opinion, their greatest accomplishment is the one that’s most representative of everything this band is capable of, has accomplished, and what they will continue to create.
5. ReturnOf4Eva - Big K.R.I.T. (2011)
Lyric of Choice: “I never left the crock pot, bitch I’m cookin’ now.”
As an MC, producer, arranger, composer, songwriter - hell, probably as a human being - Big K.R.I.T. is underrated, under-appreciated, and under-sold. The most talented overall artist to emerge from the South’s hip hop landscape this decade, K.R.I.T. constantly put in work that synthesized his old-school influences, modernized the sound with the most delectable of beats, and lyrically dealt with everything ranging from his faith, his Southern culture, his political conscience and - least we forget - his SUB. His breakout mixtape, ReturnOf4Eva, remains his crowning achievement, the only 100% certifiable SOUTHERN CLASSIC dropped this decade that could stand toe to toe with the greats that influenced it. Everything’s here, from the trunk-knockers (“R4 Theme Song,” “Rotation,” “My Sub,” “Sookie Now”), to the godlike displays of introspection (“Dreamin,” “American Rapstar,” “Highs & Lows,” “Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism”), to the smooth funk punches (‘Made Alot,” “Get Right,” “Amtrak,” “Players Ballad”). The mythology K.R.I.T. crafted with this project, which would ultimately define his career, is what’s most striking about this project, and what represents K.R.I.T. in all his glory. If ReturnOf4Eva was his only project, it’d still be enough to solidify his acronym as truth: the King Remembered In Time he shall be.
4. Is Survived By - Touche Amore (2013)
Lyric of Choice: Every fuckin’ word.
The best hardcore/emo/punk/rock record of the decade is one that can be summarized in one word: empathy. Jeremy Bolm, one of the greatest artists to ever grace hardcore, unleashes empathy on Is Survived By through his impassioned screams, brutal honesty, vast insight, and unmatched grasp of anthemic melody. Whether dealing with leaving a legacy, accepting mortality, offering support, shame from addiction, or whatever else is on his agenda for self-improvement, Bolm delivers the most potent dissertation on what it means to be alive and living in the moment this decade. Musically, the post-hardcore the band creates is just as encapsulating of the record’s themes as its lyrics are, in both the most jarring and beautiful of ways. The angular riffs of Clatyon Stevens and Nick Steinhardt wallop the listener with reckless abandon, yet invite them to listen in with their strikingly positive tonalities. Eliot Babin’s drumming thunderously crashes and clacks within the framework of its time signatures, while Tyler Kirby’s bass holds it all together with throbbing intensity. As a queer kid who came into his own through the DIY scene and hardcore, Is Survived By is one of the records that formed the person I am today. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be who I am without Touche Amore, and for that, they’ve earned this spot on this list, and in my heart.
3. B4.DA.$$ - Joey Badass (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “This the death of a psychopomp but a birth of God's son”
What makes B4.DA.$$ such a remarkable LP - despite its noted lack of innovation - is how Joey Badass bears his all, defining who he is and what he aspires to be with craft and wisdom well beyond his years. From the opening fade in of “Save The Children,” the listener is taken to New York City through the contemporarily adapted traditions of East Coast hip hop and boom bap, emphasizing Joey’s technical abilities (he has one of the best flows of any rapper this generation), wordplay, cadence, tonality, and, above all else, spirit. The album is perfectly sequenced and produced, following a loose concept that maintains its energy and flow throughout, every segue expertly placed, every change in tone earned. Joey engages the listener with his ability to spit bars at a heightened level, but it’s how this album’s story of personal growth unfolds, revealing Joey layer by layer, that confounds and captivates you. Of any album released this decade, I find B4.DA.$$ to be the one that encapsulates everything about an artist - who they are, what they represent, what they will go down in history as - better than any other project. Joey is a force of a rapper, but it’s the humanity and understanding within him that defines this record as one of the perfect examples of how when you abide to a beloved genre’s roots, you can still shine through as the individual that you are.
2. To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar (2015)
Lyric of Choice: “And everything you buy, taxes will deny/I’ll Wesley Snipe your ass before thirty-five.”
To Pimp A Butterfly is the 21st century’s What’s Going On - in social impact, in political conscience, in musical character, and in CLASSIC status. With a musical palette of jazz, funk and soul permeating every avant-beat on the record, Kendrick takes the listener on an odyssey through the trials and tribulations of the black American experience, both historically and contemporarily. Kendrick tackles themes of exploitation, inequality, black identity, spirituality, addiction, hope, fear, hypocrisy, depression, and discrimination with more deft and introspection than any one of his contemporaries, solidifying his place as our generation’s Great American Songwriter. Through the heaviness of its message, Kendrick provides his career defining songs - “King Kunta,” “Alright,” “The Blacker The Berry” and “i” - and makes everything digestible enough within its experimentation to get its message across, whether you’ll accept it or not. From just another kid from Compton, CA to the greatest rapper of the 2010s (and top 5 all time), Kendrick’s ascension to legend status is fully warranted, and with To Pimp A Butterfly standing as the crowning achievement of hip hop this decade, his body of work will define American art and the state of the nation at this point in history for the remainder of time.
1. Rocket Juice & The Moon - Rocket Juice & The Moon (2012)
Lyric of Choice: “Up and away, on your journey to the sun…”
This album is a one-off side project. One of its members is a Red Hot Chili Pepper. It barely received any coverage. So why the hell is it the album of the decade? Well, admittedly, it “objectively” isn’t, but I’m not gonna sit here and apologize for my music taste, now am I, ya punk? No, this album is the album of the decade for one reason only. Everything I want in the music I listen to - a whimsicality of sound, a hypnotic sense of groove, innovation and experimentation with an appreciation of history - is on this record, a futuristic excursion into the worlds of Afrobeat, psychedelic funk and experimental hip hop that sounds like no other record released in the 2010s.
Rocket Juice & The Moon is composed of Blur/Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn, bassist Flea and Fela Kuti’s kit master, Tony Allen. From the opening polyrhythm of “1-2-3-4-5-6,” the trio locks in to an intergalactic display of musical chemistry and innovation unparalleled in the contemporary landscapes of the genres they’re performing in. The keys on this record are lysergic and ridiculous, as Albarn unleashes twisted, warped, fuzzed and sputtering textures and tones that are alien yet rooted in West African melody. He’s not the only one to contribute like this, however; this record’s collaborators are one of its greatest assets, every act adding the perfect ingredient to the pot at the appropriate time.
The rhythm section on this album is perhaps the highlight. Flea, arguably playing with more maturity and creativity than he’s ever displayed, is the perfect pairing with Tony Allen, his symbol and snare snaps making for irresistible repetitions. I particularly love “Hey Shooter,” “Forward Sweep,” “Rotary Connection,” “Follow-Fashion,” and “Dam[n],” as each of the grooves send me to the moon, or give me rocket juice, or whatever the hell description. The ultimate groove is “There,” featuring Cheick Tidiane Seck, which combines avant-funk synths, dynamic horn bops, synthetic melodies and mellow tones to become the true definition of the word “vibe.” When vocals are on the songs, whether sung by Erykah Badu and Fatoumata Diawara or rapped by M.anifest, they contribute just as much instrumentally as they do intellectually.
There are definitely flaws to this record, and understandably so. The production is at times quite stiff, or flat in timbre. Albarn only provides front vocals on “Poison” (and album highlight) and background vocals on “Rotary Connection.” The songs run as a collection of loose groove assemblies and vignettes that bleed together in vibe as opposed to expansive jams. But even with its flaws, I go back to this record enjoying every second. This album is what allowed for me to think about music the way I do, it turned me into the music nerd that I am now, and its my favorite album that’s been released during my lifetime. I think that sells it well enough.
Rocket Juice & The Moon - Rocket Juice & The Moon (2012)
To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar (2015)
B4.Da.$$ - Joey Badass (2015)
Is Survived By - Touché Amore (2013)
ReturnOf4Eva - Big K.R.I.T. (2011)
Sex & Food - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2018)
Won - Lina Tullgren (2017)
holo pleasures/California Dreamin’ - elvis depressedly (2016)
XXX - Danny Brown (2011)
“Abysmal Thoughts” - The Drums (2017)
Blonde - Frank Ocean (2016)
mo-za-ik - Phony PPL (2018)
There Is Only Now - Souls of Mischief & Adrian Younge (2014)
Carrion Crawler/The Dream - Thee Oh Sees (2011)
I Love You Like A Brother - Alex Lahey (2017)
This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem (2010)
Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts (2013)
Malibu - Anderson .Paak (2016)
We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic - Foxygen (2013)
St. Vincent - St. Vincent (2014)
Good Thing - Leon Bridges (2018)
Attack On Memory - Cloud Nothings (2012)
Blackstar - David Bowie (2016)
Beloved - Mo Troper (2016)
The Life of Pablo - Kanye West (2016)
Under Color of Official Right - Protomartyr (2014)
II - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2013)
Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils (2010)
“Awaken, My Love!” - Childish Gambino (2016)
Piñata - Freddie Gibbs & Madlib (2014)
Acid Rap - Chance The Rapper (2013)
DAYTONA - Pusha T (2018)
Phonyland. - Phony PPL (2012)
Ctrl - SZA (2017)
good kid, m.A.A.d. city - Kendrick Lamar (2012)
Multi-Love - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2015)
The Electric Lady - Janelle Monae (2013)
Can You Please Not Help - Two Inch Astronaut (2017)
Emotional Mugger - Ty Segall (2016)
E-MO-TION - Carly Rae Jepsen (2015)
The SATURATION Trilogy - Brockhampton (2017)
Die Lit - Playboi Carti (2018)
Need To Feel Your Love - Sheer Mag (2017)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (2011)
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West (2010)
Run The Jewels 2 - Run The Jewels (2014)
The Suburbs - Arcade Fire (2010)
Honeys - Pissed Jeans (2013)
Blatant - Landowner (2018)
Isolation - Kali Uchis (2018)
Lonerism - Tame Impala (2012)
Plastic Beach - Gorillaz (2010)
Marely Barch - Barely March (2018)
Black Messiah - D’Angelo & The Vanguard (2014)
channel ORANGE - Frank Ocean (2012)
CheemTV - Cheem (2018)
…Like Clockwork - Queens of the Stone Age (2013)
Gorilla Manor - Local Natives (2010)
Convertibles - Chuck Inglish (2014)
LP1 - FKA Twigs (2014)
The Sciences - Sleep (2018)
Exmilitary - Death Grips (2011)
Winning Star Champion - Ruler (2018)
m b v - My Bloody Valentine (2013)
Eighteen Hours of Static - Big Ups (2014)
No Time For Dreaming - Charles Bradley (2011)
You’re Dead! - Flying Lotus (2015)
Antemasque - Antemasque (2014)
DS2 - Future (2015)
You’re Nothing - Iceage (2013)
Just Married - Glocca Morra (2012)
Tomorrow’s Hits - The Men (2014)
From Kinshasa - Mbongwana Star (2015)
Alvvays - Alvvays (2014)
Telefone - Noname (2016)
Apocalypse - Thundercat (2013)
Sincerely Yours - Iamsu! (2014)
The Unnatural World - Have A Nice Life (2014)
In Colour - jamie xx (2015)
Confess - Twin Shadow (2012)
Luminiferous - High on Fire (2015)
Random Access Memories - Daft Punk (2013)
Like Wind Blows Fire - Cheers Elephant (2012)
Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes (2015)
Mista Thug Isolation - Lil Ugly Mane (2012)
Crack-Up - Fleet Foxes (2017)
The Epic - Kamasi Washington (2015)
Routines - Hoops (2017)
Rodeo - Travis Scott (2015)
The World’s Best American Band - White Reaper (2017)
Capture - Thunder Dreamer (2017)
7eppuku - seventeen years (2016)
The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth (2010)
Ology - Gallant (2016)
Meir - Kvelertak (2013)
Wolf - Tyler, The Creator (2013)
Underneath The Pine - Toro y Moi (2011)
Nothing But Love - Just Friends (2018)
No Regerts - Chastity Belt (2013)
100. Purple - Baroness (2015)
