100 best albums of the 21st century

(STACKER) – Entering the 21st century, music was just beginning to be consumed en masse online. CDs were still the main source to listen to tunes, but the rise of Napster and file-sharing networks would soon change the game. Along with this shift, musical styles and compositions also changed, and bands adjusted to a market that could consume music with the click of a mouse. More complex albums emerged, ones that tinkered with their own new technologies.

To chronicle the best albums from 2000 to the present date, Stacker compiled data on the top 100 albums of the 21st century according to Best Ever Albums, which ranks albums according to their appearance and performance on 40,000 editorial and data-based charts like Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, and more. For a more in-depth methodology, click here.

The list is heavy on indie rockers from Canada and the United States, and West Coast rappers that redefined hip-hop artistry. Many songs went on to be used in commercials and movie soundtracks, and one specific track on a revered album led to a lawsuit from Cat Stevens. Learn these backstories and more, like how much a landmark “Funeral” cost to produce, and the band that recorded its smash record in a farmhouse with walls lined with tin foil.

So get ready to craft a playlist of melodic love songs and danceable tunes that recreate the feeling of sweaty standing-room-only concerts in Brooklyn. Continue reading to find out if your favorite album released since 2000 made the list. Be sure to check out other similar Stacker stories like Best Grateful Dead albums of all time.

#100. ‘Titanic Rising’ by Weyes Blood

– Rank all-time: #354
– Rank in decade: #45
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2019

#99. ‘The King of Limbs’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #348
– Rank in decade: #44
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2011

#98. ‘Chutes Too Narrow’ by The Shins

– Rank all-time: #346
– Rank in decade: #55
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2003

#97. ‘Third’ by Portishead

– Rank all-time: #343
– Rank in decade: #54
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2008

#96. ‘Brothers’ by The Black Keys

– Rank all-time: #341
– Rank in decade: #43
– Rank in year: #9
– Year: 2010

#95. ‘xx’ by The xx

– Rank all-time: #336
– Rank in decade: #53
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2009

#94. ‘Sea Change’ by Beck

– Rank all-time: #334
– Rank in decade: #52
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2002

#93. ‘Untrue’ by Burial

– Rank all-time: #333
– Rank in decade: #51
– Rank in year: #8
– Year: 2007

#92. ‘The Age of Adz’ by Sufjan Stevens

– Rank all-time: #329
– Rank in decade: #42
– Rank in year: #8
– Year: 2010

#91. ‘The Black Parade’ by My Chemical Romance

– Rank all-time: #328
– Rank in decade: #50
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2006

#90. ‘Oracular Spectacular’ by MGMT

– Rank all-time: #323
– Rank in decade: #49
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2007

#89. ‘The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do’ by Fiona Apple

– Rank all-time: #315
– Rank in decade: #41
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2012

#88. ‘Melodrama’ by Lorde

– Rank all-time: #313
– Rank in decade: #40
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2017

#87. ‘White Blood Cells’ by The White Stripes

– Rank all-time: #312
– Rank in decade: #48
– Rank in year: #9
– Year: 2001

#86. ‘Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends’ by Coldplay

– Rank all-time: #308
– Rank in decade: #47
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2008

#85. ‘Trouble Will Find Me’ by The National

– Rank all-time: #303
– Rank in decade: #39
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2013

#84. ‘Let England Shake’ by PJ Harvey

– Rank all-time: #300
– Rank in decade: #38
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2011

#83. ‘Atrocity Exhibition’ by Danny Brown

– Rank all-time: #295
– Rank in decade: #37
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2016

#82. ‘You Forgot It in People’ by Broken Social Scene

– Rank all-time: #292
– Rank in decade: #46
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2002

#81. ‘Toxicity’ by System of a Down

– Rank all-time: #291
– Rank in decade: #45
– Rank in year: #8
– Year: 2001

#80. ‘Twin Fantasy (Face to Face)’ by Car Seat Headrest

– Rank all-time: #288
– Rank in decade: #36
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2018

#79. ‘Norman F*cking Rockwell!’ by Lana Del Rey

– Rank all-time: #285
– Rank in decade: #35
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2019

#78. ‘I Love You, Honeybear’ by Father John Misty

– Rank all-time: #283
– Rank in decade: #34
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2015

#77. ‘The Smile Sessions’ by The Beach Boys

– Rank all-time: #276
– Rank in decade: #33
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2011

#76. ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ by Eminem

– Rank all-time: #275
– Rank in decade: #44
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2000

#75. ‘Igor’ by Tyler, The Creator

– Rank all-time: #274
– Rank in decade: #32
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2019

#74. ‘Halcyon Digest’ by Deerhunter

– Rank all-time: #265
– Rank in decade: #31
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2010

#73. ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ by Muse

– Rank all-time: #264
– Rank in decade: #43
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2006

#72. ‘Room on Fire’ by The Strokes

– Rank all-time: #263
– Rank in decade: #42
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2003

#71. ‘Hospice’ by The Antlers

– Rank all-time: #262
– Rank in decade: #41
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2009

#70. ‘Late Registration’ by Kanye West

– Rank all-time: #261
– Rank in decade: #40
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2005

#69. ‘Damn.’ by Kendrick Lamar

– Rank all-time: #258
– Rank in decade: #30
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2017

#68. ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’ by Arctic Monkeys

– Rank all-time: #252
– Rank in decade: #39
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2007

#67. ‘To Be Kind’ by Swans

– Rank all-time: #250
– Rank in decade: #29
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2014

#66. ‘Plastic Beach’ by Gorillaz

– Rank all-time: #247
– Rank in decade: #28
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2010

#65. ‘Vampire Weekend’ by Vampire Weekend

– Rank all-time: #237
– Rank in decade: #38
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2008

#64. ‘An Awesome Wave’ by alt-J

– Rank all-time: #225
– Rank in decade: #27
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2012

#63. ‘Teens of Denial’ by Car Seat Headrest

– Rank all-time: #215
– Rank in decade: #26
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2016

#62. ‘Back to Black’ by Amy Winehouse

– Rank all-time: #212
– Rank in decade: #37
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2006

#61. ‘… Like Clockwork’ by Queens of the Stone Age

– Rank all-time: #211
– Rank in decade: #25
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2013

#60. ‘Reflektor’ by Arcade Fire

– Rank all-time: #206
– Rank in decade: #24
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2013

#59. ‘The Money Store’ by Death Grips

– Rank all-time: #205
– Rank in decade: #23
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2012

#58. ‘Parachutes’ by Coldplay

– Rank all-time: #204
– Rank in decade: #36
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2000

#57. ‘Random Access Memories’ by Daft Punk

– Rank all-time: #203
– Rank in decade: #22
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2013

#56. ‘Yeezus’ by Kanye West

– Rank all-time: #200
– Rank in decade: #21
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2013

#55. ‘Origin of Symmetry’ by Muse

– Rank all-time: #199
– Rank in decade: #35
– Rank in year: #7
– Year: 2001

#54. ‘Bloom’ by Beach House

– Rank all-time: #198
– Rank in decade: #20
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2012

#53. ‘This Is Happening’ by LCD Soundsystem

– Rank all-time: #196
– Rank in decade: #19
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2010

#52. ‘Absolution’ by Muse

– Rank all-time: #195
– Rank in decade: #34
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2003

#51. ‘Hot Fuss’ by The Killers

– Rank all-time: #194
– Rank in decade: #33
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2004

#50. ‘AM’ by Arctic Monkeys

– Rank all-time: #191
– Rank in decade: #18
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2013

#49. ‘Lateralus’ by Tool

– Rank all-time: #185
– Rank in decade: #32
– Rank in year: #6
– Year: 2001

#48. ‘The Glow Pt. 2’ by The Microphones

– Rank all-time: #183
– Rank in decade: #31
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2001

#47. ‘Since I Left You’ by The Avalanches

– Rank all-time: #180
– Rank in decade: #30
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2000

#46. ‘Ys’ by Joanna Newsom

– Rank all-time: #178
– Rank in decade: #29
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2006

#45. ‘Vespertine’ by Bjork

– Rank all-time: #175
– Rank in decade: #28
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2001

#44. ‘The College Dropout’ by Kanye West

– Rank all-time: #172
– Rank in decade: #27
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2004

#43. ‘Bon Iver, Bon Iver’ by Bon Iver

– Rank all-time: #168
– Rank in decade: #17
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2011

#42. ‘Hail to the Thief’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #167
– Rank in decade: #26
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2003

#41. ‘Helplessness Blues’ by Fleet Foxes

– Rank all-time: #164
– Rank in decade: #16
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2011

#40. ‘Lost in the Dream’ by The War On Drugs

– Rank all-time: #160
– Rank in decade: #15
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2014

#39. ‘Neon Bible’ by Arcade Fire

– Rank all-time: #156
– Rank in decade: #25
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2007

#38. ‘American Idiot’ by Green Day

– Rank all-time: #155
– Rank in decade: #24
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2004

#37. ‘Channel Orange’ by Frank Ocean

– Rank all-time: #153
– Rank in decade: #14
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2012

#36. ‘Boxer’ by The National

– Rank all-time: #147
– Rank in decade: #23
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2007

#35. ‘Currents’ by Tame Impala

– Rank all-time: #145
– Rank in decade: #13
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2015

#34. ‘The Moon and Antarctica’ by Modest Mouse

– Rank all-time: #144
– Rank in decade: #22
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2000

#33. ‘Discovery’ by Daft Punk

– Rank all-time: #139
– Rank in decade: #21
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2001

#32. ‘Teen Dream’ by Beach House

– Rank all-time: #138
– Rank in decade: #12
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2010

#31. ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ by Animal Collective

– Rank all-time: #135
– Rank in decade: #20
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2009

#30. ‘Fleet Foxes’ by Fleet Foxes

– Rank all-time: #134
– Rank in decade: #19
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2008

#29. ‘Songs for the Deaf’ by Queens of the Stone Age

– Rank all-time: #133
– Rank in decade: #18
– Rank in year: #5
– Year: 2002

#28. ‘Demon Days’ by Gorillaz

– Rank all-time: #131
– Rank in decade: #17
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2005

#27. ‘High Violet’ by The National

– Rank all-time: #130
– Rank in decade: #11
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2010

#26. ‘Modern Vampires of the City’ by Vampire Weekend

– Rank all-time: #126
– Rank in decade: #10
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2013

#25. ‘Amnesiac’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #125
– Rank in decade: #16
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2001

#24. ‘Blackstar’ by David Bowie

– Rank all-time: #118
– Rank in decade: #9
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2016

#23. ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots’ by The Flaming Lips

– Rank all-time: #116
– Rank in decade: #15
– Rank in year: #4
– Year: 2002

#22. ‘Elephant’ by The White Stripes

– Rank all-time: #113
– Rank in decade: #14
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2003

#21. ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ by Bon Iver

– Rank all-time: #104
– Rank in decade: #13
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2007

#20. ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head’ by Coldplay

– Rank all-time: #101
– Rank in decade: #12
– Rank in year: #3
– Year: 2002

#19. ‘Sound of Silver’ by LCD Soundsystem

– Rank all-time: #98
– Rank in decade: #11
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2007

#18. ‘Blonde’ by Frank Ocean

– Rank all-time: #91
– Rank in decade: #8
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2016

#17. ‘Turn on the Bright Lights’ by Interpol

– Rank all-time: #88
– Rank in decade: #10
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2002

#16. ‘Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven’ by Godspeed You! Black Emperor

– Rank all-time: #86
– Rank in decade: #9
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2000

#15. ‘Madvillainy’ by Madvillain

– Rank all-time: #83
– Rank in decade: #8
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2004

#14. ‘A Moon Shaped Pool’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #77
– Rank in decade: #7
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2016

#13. ‘Lonerism’ by Tame Impala

– Rank all-time: #72
– Rank in decade: #6
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2012

#12. ‘Carrie & Lowell’ by Sufjan Stevens

– Rank all-time: #69
– Rank in decade: #5
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2015

#11. ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ by Arctic Monkeys

– Rank all-time: #64
– Rank in decade: #7
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2006

#10. ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ by Wilco

– Rank all-time: #48
– Rank in decade: #6
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2002

#9. ‘Illinois’ by Sufjan Stevens

– Rank all-time: #45
– Rank in decade: #5
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2005

#8. ‘The Suburbs’ by Arcade Fire

– Rank all-time: #44
– Rank in decade: #4
– Rank in year: #2
– Year: 2010

#7. ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City’ by Kendrick Lamar

– Rank all-time: #36
– Rank in decade: #3
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2012

#6. ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ by Kanye West

– Rank all-time: #33
– Rank in decade: #2
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2010

#5. ‘Is This It’ by The Strokes

– Rank all-time: #23
– Rank in decade: #4
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2001

#4. ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ by Kendrick Lamar

– Rank all-time: #20
– Rank in decade: #1
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2015

#3. ‘Funeral’ by Arcade Fire

– Rank all-time: #14
– Rank in decade: #3
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2004

#2. ‘In Rainbows’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #8
– Rank in decade: #2
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2007

#1. ‘Kid A’ by Radiohead

– Rank all-time: #5
– Rank in decade: #1
– Rank in year: #1
– Year: 2000