Chart Watch: Lee Flops, Idol Runs Out of Steam

     You might not know it from the Hot 100, but American Idol is still the top show on television.  Although it has been slipping in the ratings and will no doubt suffer next year without Simon Cowell, Idol has been No. 1 for six years now according to A.C. Nielsen ratings.  That's unheard of (All In The Family and The Cosby Show did it for five).  If only this season's winner was as successful.

     Season 9 champ Lee DeWyze made his Hot 100 debut this week with a cover of U2's "Beautiful Day", coming in at a pathetic No. 24.  Assuming the single fails to climb any higher, DeWyze will set the record for the lowest charting debut single from an Idol winner.  After the jump are the peak positions of each winner's first single.

Kelly Clarkson Slams Ryan Tedder In New Track

     A new Kally Clarkson song has leaked online and it seems like a pretty clear swipe at songwriter Ryan Tedder ("Apologize", "Bleeding Love").

     Last year, Clarkson criticized Tedder of essentially giving her and Beyonce the same song with Clarkson's "Already Gone" and Beyonce's "Halo".  In an interview with Idolator, Tedder said he wasn't trying to get two hits with one stone.

     “It’s ludicrous. And she knows me well enough to know I’m not an idiot,” he said. “I’m not the kinda guy who’s gonna bust my ass for ten years to try and pull a fast one on Beyonce or Kelly.”

     Still, Clarkson remains upset about the whole affair.  The leaked "Wash, Rinse, and "Repeat" features a heavily auto-tuned Kelly with the biting lines, "Gimme old, rip it off, let's see if it sticks to the wall again," and "Does it sound familiar, does it linger in your ear like something you remember from just last year?"

     Clarkson has always had an independent streak.  One day her record label will dump her and she can make as many My Decembers as she wants.  "Which of these formulas is your perfect fit?  Wash, rinse, repeat.  Why are you fighting it?"

Simon Hopes Last Season of Idol Creates Lasting Star

    American Idol might be around for years to come, but let's not kid ourselves, this is its last season.  With Paula Abdul already gone and Simon Cowell leaving next season to start X Factor, Idol is destined to lose its relevance.  Sure it will probably continue to be a juggernaut in the ratings, but its popularity and importance will wane and Idol will become a relic of the 00s, a reminder of a simpler time.  Still, Cowell is hoping that the ninth season will produce some lasting musicians.

   "You want somebody who represents what is going on at the moment," Cowell said last week in a conference call with members of the media.  "I'd love to find a Taylor Swift, somebody who's relevant, rather than just a contest winner."

   Could that be a dig at Kris Allen, last year's winner, whose album only reached as high as No. 11 on the Billboard album chart?  Yes.  But it's also a dig at most of the people who have ever won Idol.  In the show's eight years of existence, only two bona fide stars have really emerged, the inaugural idol Kelly Clarkson, and season four winner Carrie Underwood.  Underwood leads in sales having shifted over 10,539,000 albums, but Clarkson is right behind her selling over 10,428,000 to date.

   Other than those two, only a handful of Idol contestants have made much of a dent in popular music.  Chris Daughtry, a fourth place finisher, is actually the third best seller of any Idol alum.  Season six winner Jordin Sparks has sent half of her singles into the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 (that's three out of six).  Obviously, Cowell would like the show to create more lasting and relevant stars.

   The story of the "final" season of American Idol has yet to be told, and maybe this is the season that makes the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood.  Or maybe we'll just have to wait for X Factor to gives us our next true reality show pop star.

   Angela Martin, a contestant who has tried out three times but has failed to make it due to various personal difficulties agrees.

   "I tell anyone I meet I am going to go on the X Factor," Martin told People.com

American Idol: Season 9 Kicks Off

As American Idol gears up to launch its ninth season, it begs the question: will it live up to past seasons? Sure, the glory days of Idol have long since passed-- days when its ratings rivaled that of the Oscars and the World Series...on a weekly basis-- but to say it has lost its mojo is debatable. Last season introduced a new judge, showcased the most talented top five since season 4, gave us the most polarizing contestant in its eight season history (sorry, Sanjaya) aptly nicknamed 'Glambert,' and concluded with arguably the biggest upset in Idol history, making for some great television.

With that said, the show has also recieved an onset of backlash over the past few seasons, and although the votes are still churning in by the billions and trillions, record sales for Idol alum aren't reaching the platinum statuses they used to. Reigning champ, Kris Allen, for instance, has seen tepid numbers with his self-titled debut (although, his first single has recently seen new chart life and has so far climbed to #30, more than Glambert can say). Aside from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, most winners of American Idol have failed to make much of an impression on the music biz.

Season 9 proves to be an equally interesting season; with Paula out and Ellen in, it could make for some much needed humor and charm on the show. Ellen may not being a musician, but who are we kidding? Paula Abdul isn't either.

Only time will tell whether American Idol can maintain its firm grip on the hearts (and remotes) of America and if it can re-secure its position as the most powerful show on television. With 7 Grammys, 1 Oscar, and over 27 million records sold, the show has all but proven it can discover talent. The question standing, however, is "Can it continue to do so?" Tune in Tuesday and Wednesday nights from now until the end of May and see for yourselves.

Chart Watch: A Look Back at the No. 1 Hits of 2009

In 2009, 13 songs topped the Billboard Hot 100 (one of them, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" by Beyonce, was a holdover from 2008). Kelly Clarkson kick started the year by retaking the record for highest jump to No. 1. The Black Eyed Peas spent a record breaking six months at No. 1 that seemed like it would never end. Britney Spears became the first non-American Idol artist to debut at No. 1 in the 21st century. It was quite the year. Let's take a look back at the songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100, the Dow Jones of pop, in 2009.

Lady Gaga
"Just Dance" feat. Colby O'Donis
No. 1 the week of Jan. 17
Spent three weeks at No. 1
Lady Gaga's first No. 1 single

"Just Dance" was released nine months prior and had topped the charts in both Australia and Canada when Gagamania finally hit the United States. The song's ascent to the top took 22 weeks, the longest chart run for a No. 1 hit since 2000 when Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" took 27 weeks to do so. Benefiting from the post-Christmas rush to fill up newly purchased iPods, "Just Dance" sold 419,000 digital downloads in a single week, the second highest one week total up to that point (only Flo Rida's "Low", which shifted 467,000 downloads in a week one year earlier, was ahead).

Kelly Clarkson
"My Life Would Suck Without You"
No. 1 the week of Feb. 7
Spent two weeks at No. 1
Kelly Clarkson's second No. 1 single

Kelly Clarkson broke the Beatle's 34-year-old record for biggest jump to No. 1 back in 2002 when "A Moment Like This" jumped 52-1. Clarkson wasn't able to hold onto her record as long as the Fab Four were however, because it was soon broken by Maroon 5, T.I. (twice), and Britney Spears. When the Max Martin and Dr. Luke penned "My Life Would Suck Without You" pole vaulted 97-1, Clarkson retook her record, which has yet to be broken.


Eminem
"Crack A Bottle" feat. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent
No. 1 the week of Feb. 21
Spent one week at No. 1
Eminem's second No. 1 single, Dr. Dre's third, and 50 Cent's fourth

After Kelly Clarkson's big jump to No. 1 two weeks earlier, Eminem's 78-1 move didn't seem all that exciting, but was the fourth biggest move to the penthouse in chart history. "Crack A Bottle" also posted some big numbers, setting the record for highest first week sales after shifting 418,000 in its first week. That bested the previous record set by T.I. and Rihanna with "Live Your Life". The record would be broken once again a week later by Flo Rida.


Flo Rida
"Right Round"
No. 1 the week of Feb. 28
Spent six weeks at No. 1
Flo Rida's second No. 1 single

Flo Rida is an interesting character. Devoid of personality, this rent-a-rapper makes music that can hardly be considered rap. He is either hit or miss, and the success of his two No. 1 hits is grossly disproportionate to the value he adds to popular music. After "Low" sold more copies in a single week than its parent album did in a full year, Flo Rida only grazed the top ten one other time...until "Right Round". The Dead or Alive sampling pop song sold 636,000 digital downloads in one week, completely obliterating the previous record, 467,000 also by Flo Rida, for "Low". Again, excitement over one of his singles failed to generate interest in him or his album, and Flo Rida quietly crept back into obscurity until he one day he will decide to pop off another worthless but popular smash record.

Lady Gaga
"Poker Face"
No. 1 the week of April 11
Spent one week at No. 1
Lady Gaga's second No. 1 single

When "Poker Face" topped the charts, Lady Gaga became the first female to have her first two singles go No. 1 since Christina Aguilera did it in 2000 with "Genie In A Bottle" and "What A Girl Wants". It was ironic considering Aguilera had said several months prior that she was, "completely unaware of this person (Lady Gaga)," and that she, "didn't know if it was a man or a woman." What do you want to bet that Christina knows who Lady Gaga is now? "Poker Face" only spent a week at No. 1, but spent eight weeks at No. 2, the longest time spent there since Missy Elliott languished as runner-up for 10 weeks with "Work It" in 2002.

The Black Eyed Peas
"Boom Boom Pow"
No. 1 the week of April 18
Spent 12 weeks at No. 1
The Black Eyed Peas' first No. 1 single

With a line like, "I'm so 3008, you're so two thousand and late," "Boom Boom Pow" seemed like it dated itself the moment it was released. Couldn't they have found something to rhyme with nine? Nevertheless, the Black Eyed Peas bounced back from the horror that was "My Humps" to conquer the world. "Boom Boom Pow" topped the charts across the world, including 12 weeks in the U.S., and was crowned the biggest song of 2009 when Billboard released their end of the year lists.

The Black Eyed Peas
"I Gotta Feeling"
No. 1 the week of July 11
Spent 14 weeks at No. 1
The Black Eyed Peas' second No. 1 single

The Black Eyed Peas became the tenth artists in chart history to replace themselves at No. 1 when "I Gotta Feeling" kicked "Boom Boom Pow" out of the penthouse. Little did we know that the national nightmare of their chart dominance had only just begun. The Peas spent a record shattering 26 consecutive weeks at No. 1. That's six months. Half a year. Disgusting. Five songs peaked at No. 2 behind the Peas, and none of them could match both strong radio airplay and digital sales at the same time, allowing "I Gotta Feeling" to spend 14 weeks at No. 1, the second longest run on top in the 2000s.

Jay Sean

"Down" feat. Lil Wayne

No. 1 the week of Oct. 17

Spent two weeks at No. 1

Jay Sean's first No. 1 single, Lil Wayne's second

Jay Sean was an unlikely David to the Black Eyed Peas' Goliath. This British R&B singer was the first artist of Punjab descent to top the U.S. charts, and he did so by a razor thin margin. The Peas had finally ran out of steam and dropped to No. 5, and in the ensuing scramble for No. 1, "Down" competed with the likes of Miley Cyrus and Jay-Z to take the penthouse. Billboard reported it was the closest fight for No. 1 in more than six years.

Britney Spears
"3"
No. 1 the week of Oct. 24
Spent one week at No. 1
Britney Spears' third No. 1 single

Britney Spears used to be sexy. Writhing around in nothing but diamonds or draping a snake around her neck, no one could compete with her. Her recent attempts to be sexy however, have fallen flat on their face. Singing about threesomes? Really Britney? You have two kids now. Max Martin, co-writer of "3", also gave the world "I Kissed A Girl" and "If U Seek Amy". He is the master of making worthless trashy songs that sell boatloads. In fact, "3" sold so many digital downloads in its first week, 255,000, that radio airplay was irrelevant and it debuted at No. 1, the first song in three years to do so (how fitting), and the only song not by an American Idol performer to do so in the 00s.

Owl City
"Fireflies"
No. 1 the week of Nov. 7
Spent two weeks at No. 1
Owl City's first No. 1 single

"Fireflies" was an iTunes free single in July and over half a million people downloaded the track. Two months later, it appeared on the Hot 100 and began its ascent up the chart. Owl City isn't a band, it's actually just one guy, Adam Young, who started making laptop music in his parent's basement in Minnesota. The blogosphere dubbed his music "Postal Service lite", because its digital lighter-than-air quality, but let's be honest, the lyrics suck.

Jason DeRulo
"Whatcha Say"
No. 1 the week of Nov. 14
Spent one week at No. 1
Jason DeRulo's first No. 1 single

It's a wonder that Jason DeRulo didn't credit Imogeon Heap in "Whatcha Say", as a sample from her "Hide And Seek" is the hook of the song. Although DeRulo charmed consumers and radio programmers, Heap fans were livid that their favorite singer had her voice shred through an auto-tuner and commercialized. "Whatcha Say" was the fourth No. 1 of the year that was an artist's first single following Lady Gaga, Jay Sean, and Owl City.

Jay-Z

"Empire State of Mind" feat. Alicia Keys

No. 1 the week of Nov. 28

Spent five weeks at No. 1

Jay-Z and Alicia Key's fourth No. 1 single

The team that everyone loves to hate, the New York Yankees, won the World Series, but it didn't stop New York's new theme song from topping the charts. What's even more surprising is "Empire State of Mind" relied more heavily on radio airplay than digital downloads to go No. 1. I doubt Philadelphia radio stations did much to help the song's cause. "Empire" was the first song to not include its title anywhere in its lyrics since Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" hit the top spot in 2008 as well becoming Jay-Z's first No. 1 with the lead credit. Still, he couldn't have done it without Keys. Her hook makes the song.

The Decade: A Retrospective The Best Songs 10-1

"Clocks"
Coldplay
A Rush of Blood To The Head (2002)

In early 2008 Coldplay was voted The Band Most Likely to Put You to Sleep in the United Kingdom, seemingly a slap in the face. Although they’ve learned to “rock out” a little more than they used to, Coldplay has always had a knack for atmospheric dreamy music, and it’s not a bad thing.

"Clocks" is lighter than air. The gently tumbling piano is beautiful and its the kind of melody that's an instant classic. Our children and our children's children will recognize it their entire lives, even before they're old enough to know who Coldplay is. Despite the simplicity of the track, it feels larger than life. Chris Martin takes lyrics about clocks, tigers, and shooting apples of your head, and sells them more than he's ever sold a song before or since. "Am I apart of the cure or am I part of the disease?" Don't worry Coldplay, you're part of the cure.

"Banquet"
Bloc Party
Silent Alarm (2005)

With syncopated guitars, unyielding drums, and Kele Okereke’s desperate and cathartic vocals “Banquet” is like a kick to the face. The snappy single is like a template for the band’s later hits, exploring themes of alienation, paranoia, and coming of age while mixing post punk with indie and dance rock. The song broke the band internationally and continues to be a must use track for MTV montages and extreme sports video games.

"Banquet" hits you like a machine gun with its lyrics about our disheartened generation and feelings of being underratted and suffocated. "I'm on fire so stomp me out," Okereke sings. The only deliverance comes from Bloc Party’s crisp and energetic performance. A perfect stick-it-to-the-man anthem and the best indie rock the decade had to offer.

"Run"
Snow Patrol
Final Straw (2003)
In America at least, Snow Patrol will always be known for “Chasing Cars” thanks to its placement in the popular television show Grey’s Anatomy. For all the beauty and lovey-dovey feelings that song evokes, “Run” does it even better. Starting out as dark and moody rock and haunted by the protagonist’s love interest being “the only thing that’s right in all I’ve done”, the song is lifted by a sense of hope by the time the chorus comes around.
“Run” reaches hymn-like status as the strings kick in and singer Gary Lightbody proclaims “Light up, light up, as if you have a choice” and all of a sudden, running away from all this mess to a better place sounds like the answer to all of life’s problems. Leona Lewis covered the song in 2008, a version which Lightbody himself described as “phenomenal”.

"Since U Been Gone"
Kelly Clarkson
Breakaway (2004)

Reality show pop stars have gained a notorious reputation for putting out crap, and in all honesty, they deserve that reputation. Inaugural idol Kelly Clarkson however, is one of the few exceptions. “Since U Been Gone” is perfect pop. Its as if it were crafted in a laboratory in Sweden bent on total domination of the world’s radio waves (which it was). Luckily, Clarkson decided the pop ditty needed a little edge and insisted on rocking out as much as Clive Davis would let her.

Released during a time when hip-hop ruled the charts, the song only managed to go No. 2, but it is arguably the most ubiquitous No. 2 hit of all-time. Destined for heavy rotation at karaoke bars for generations to come, "Since U Gone" struck a chord with listeners. It wasn't just a bitter break up song, it was empowering. She wasn't going to mourn the loss of her lover, she was going to move on, and be better than ever. If this was the only good thing to come out of American Idol, it was all worth it.

"Somebody Told Me"
The Killers
Hot Fuss (2004)

It’s no surprise that “Somebody Told Me” would end up in the upper echelons of this list, after all, this blog gets its name from it (“17 tracks and I’ve had it with this game”). Blog names aside, this song stands on its own merits as one of the decade’s best tracks. It oozes Las Vegas glam more than any other song the band has done thanks to the dirty buzz of the synth lines that share space with good old fashioned rock and roll guitar and drums.

The lyrics hint at either bisexuality, sex changes, androgyny, or all three (“Somebody told me that you had a boyfriend that looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year”) and the sexual energy in Brandon Flower’s voice is palpable. Released as the Killer’s debut single, it failed to initially get any traction but took off as soon as the British music press got ahold of it.

"Toxic"
Britney Spears
In The Zone (2003)
Mid-decade Britney Spears was a pop star in transition. She had shed every vestige of her former Mickey Mouse Club wholesomeness and traded her Max Martin produced teen pop in for cutting edge electronica. Her evolution might have been necessary but, it hurt her sales and popularity. Not even a symbolic passing of the baton in the form of a televised kiss with her icon Madonna seemed to be enough to get Spears back on top. She needed nothing less than one of the most inventive pop songs of the modern age.

“Toxic” sounded like the theme song to an anime James Bond movie from space. The bollywood strings were so good it was hard to believe they weren’t sampled, and alongside the surf guitar, synthesizers, and the stop and go beat, it was clear that producers Bloodshy and Avant had struck gold. The video featuring Spears wearing nothing but diamonds was a natural choice, and her tantalizing delivery brought us so high that we couldn’t come down.
"Disintigration"
Jimmy Eat World
Stay On My Side Tonight (2005)
Jimmy Eat World did not peak in 2001. Their crowning achievement is this seven minute and forty four second epic released on their Stay On My Side Tonight EP in 2005. The percussion alone is capable of sending chills down the spine of a grown man as Jim Adkins asks, “I wonder why I’m so caught off guard when we kiss/I’d rather live my life in regret than do this.” Adkins portrays the emotions of grappling with a love once so real and sweet being lost and destroyed. The sleepless nights, the endless fights, the back and forth debating that goes on in the mind of someone trying to decide if all is lost or there is still hope is all captured in the song.

In the end, the band that spends most albums convincing listeners that everything is going to be alright comes to the conclusion that everything is not alright. The love that two people once knew can be destroyed beyond repair. “Hanging on a cigarette, you need me, you burn me” Adkins points out. The song reaches its crescendo as the refrain “lie, lie better next time, stay on my side tonight” is chanted amid building and dizzying guitar and drums before fading out and leaving the listener hopeless.

"Lose Yourself"
Eminem
8 Mile (2002)
“Lose Yourself” justifies Eminem’s entire existence. You’d be hard pressed to find a song that can psyche you up as much as this one does. Eminem gives the best rap performance of his career over a building rock beat asking, “If you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment, would you capture it or let it slip?” His description of the protagonist who dreams of fame only to get booed off stage and return to his trailer park is so graphic and vivid that there was no need for a movie to tell the story.

The song’s strength comes from it’s overarching theme of overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Sure, it’s about a rapper, but the intensity and energy in Eminem's go-for-broke performance translate to any situation where you are the defeated underdog who refuses to be beaten again. Eminem never sounded as raw and believable as his did in "Lose Yourself".

"Umbrella"
Rihanna
Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
The first time you heard it you thought it was weird. The second time you heard it, you thought it might be kind of catchy. By the third time, you loved it. “Umbrella” isn’t so much weird as it is brilliant and ahead of its time. Built, around a slick drum and high-hat loop, Rihanna sings about umbrellas as a metaphor for friendship, the kind that you “take and oath and stick it out to the end”, a topic not routinely covered in pop music. Its not about lust, and not even necessarily about romance, its about offering shelter from the storms of life, a modern day “Stand By Me”.

Originally offered to Britney Spears, and Mary J. Blige, it’s hard to imagine either doing a better job than the Barbados-born pop star. Her vocal delivery, while not technically superior to her peers, is unique and unmistakable as she glides along to the mother of all hooks, “ella ella ella eh eh eh”. Her Alanis-like pronunciation of the word umbrella gives it more syllables than previously thought possible.

"Hey Ya"
OutKast
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
Once every decade, a song comes around that defies genre placement. It transcends gender, age, and racial barriers to receive critical acclaim, commercial success, and be crowned an instant classic. “Hey Ya!” is such a song and it couldn’t have gotten there in a more non-traditional way. A pop song performed by one half of a hip-hop duo combining two of the most commonly used words in the English language that name checks Beyonce and Lucy Liu. It seemed like every lyric became a catch phrase (“What’s cooler than being cool? Ice cold! Shake it like a Polaroid picture!”). To this day, whenever “Hey Ya!” comes on, everyone, and I mean everyone from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, from Mick Jagger to your grandma, everyone within hearing distance will begin to tap their feet and I don’t think we’ll ever get sick of it. It’s that good.

It’s secret was sounding like everything in the history of rock and roll while sounding like nothing you’ve ever heard before. It’s an electrifying funk-dipped, pop-drenched, soul-infested three minutes and fifty-five seconds that sounds like a mash-up of the Beatles, Prince, and the Supremes from the future. The smooth acoustic guitar glides alongside the funky synth before crashing into handclaps and Andre 3000’s back up singing and one of the most poignant questions of the decade: “If what they say is “nothing is forever”, then what makes love the exception?”

The Decade: A Retrospective The 25 Best Albums

The album was a diluted art form by the turn of the century. Greedy record executives reasoned that if a hit song was big enough, they could slap it onto an album with 11 other tracks of filler and people would pay $14 to buy it instead of just selling a physical single. That's how Vanilla Ice, Chumbawamba, and Natalie Imbruglia sold so much. That model worked fine in the booming economy of the 1990s, but it wasn't feasible.

Another nail in the album's coffin came in the form of Napster, which by 2000 was only a few months old. As the site grew larger, illegal downloading began to chip away at album sales, foreshadowing the eventual havoc it would wreck on the industry. When the iPod debuted just over a year and a half later, the single was resurrected as consumers could spend 99 cents to get a solitary song instead of buying an entire album.

As the decade drew to a close, one of the album's leading supporters, Radiohead's Thom Yorke announced that his band was done making albums. Recording a full length had become a "drag," and in this digital world, instantly available singles and EPs were the way to go. Another popular although less critically acclaimed group, the Black Eyed Peas, made similar comments, saying that the album was dying, that in its place would be a living breathing musical creation that would live online.

Even 17 Tracks is feeding this notion as our best albums of the decade list is only 25 creative works while our singles list is a sprawling seven-day-100-entry affair. Still, its easier to latch onto three minutes and 30 seconds of music rather than a 45 to an hour long piece of work. So many of todays albums are nothing more than a collection of songs anyway, strung together with no thought of making something that is lasting and can be called art.

What this list represents is 25 albums that are art. They aren't just a few radio hits slapped onto a disc filled with filler, they are a collection of songs that collectively mean something. They are proof that the album is not dead. You can hop onto iTunes and download the 'must download tracks' that are listed below each album description, but if that's all you listen to, you're doing yourself a disservice. Consider those songs something to whet your appetite, these albums were meant to be listened to in their entirety.

25. American Life (2003)
Madonna
[Maverick/Warner Bros.]

Nowhere near as successful as Green Day's similarly themed album, Madonna tore apart Bush-era America in her forray into folk pop.

Must download tracks: "American Life", "Hollywood", and "Easy Ride"


















24. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)
Arctic Monkeys
[Domino]

The Arctic Monkeys faced intense pressure as the hyperbolic British rock press labeled them the next big thing. They delivered with the fastest selling debut album in UK history.

Must download tracks: "I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor", "Dancing Shoes", and "When The Sun Goes Down"


















23. Futuresex/Lovesounds (2006)
Justin Timberlake
[Jive/Zomba]

Justin Timberlake's sophomore solo effort teamed him up with Timbaland for what would become the producer's creative and cultural peak. The Tims blew our minds with ridiculously good pop.

Must download tracks "My Love", "SexyBack", and "What Goes Around...Comes Around"


















22. Plans (2005)
Death Cab for Cutie
[Atlantic]

For Death Cab's major label debut, Ben Gibbard and company created a sprawling soundscape that spanned "the length of the isle of Manhattan" and reflected on the meaning of love, life, and death.

Must download tracks: "Marching Bands of Manhattan", "Soul Meets Body", and "I Will Follow You Into The Dark",


















21. The Emancipation of Mimi (2005)
Mariah Carey
[Island]

Mariah's mid-decade comeback album showcased the voice just as strong as ever, but more reserved. It remains Carey's classiest album to date.

Must download tracks: "We Belong Together", "Shake It Off", and "One and Only"


















20. 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
Kanye West
[Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam]

Kanye ditched his four year college theme plan and rapping when his mother died and his fiance broke it off all in the same year. His emo-pop art masterpiece became his most divisive release.

Must download tracks: "Welcome to Heartbreak", "Heartless", and "Love Lockdown"


















19. Breakaway(2005)
Kelly Clarkson
[RCA]

Kelly Clarkson let the real her show in her sophomore album, rocking out to some of the best pop rock tunes this decade has heard. Still the best release by an American Idol alum.

Must download tracks: "Breakaway", "Since U Been Gone", and "Behind These Hazel Eyes"


















18. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
Coldplay
[Capitol/Parlophone]

Coldplay became the world's biggest band, but they needed an album to justify that to themselves and everyone else. Ditching a formula that had already sold millions of albums, they teamed up with Brian Eno and ruled the world.

Must download tracks: "Violet Hill", "Viva La Vida", and "Lost!"


















17. Sam's Town (2006)
The Killers
[Island]

Brandon Flowers boasted that Sam's Town would be one of the best albums in 25 years. It's actually the 17th best of the decade. Toning down the synth-glam, the Killers made a the great American rock album.

Must download tracks: "When You Were Young", "For Reasons Unknown", and "This River Is Wild"


















16. Back To Black (2006)
Amy Winehouse
[Island/Universal Republic]

Amy Winehouse captivated the world with her bizarre behavior and catchy neo-retro sound. Filled with drug and alcohol references, her album mirrored her tabloid life, which didn't stop her from winning a slew of awards.

Must download tracks: "Rehab", "Tears Dry On Their Own", and "Love Is A Losing Game"



















15. Transatlanticism (2003)
Death Cab for Cutie
[Barsuk Records]

Death Cab's breakthrough album took snapshots of life, a New Year's party, rummaging through a glove compartment, making out in the back of a car, and it found the drama, beauty, and pain that exists in those moments in time. Ben Gibbard's lyrics are pure poetry.

Must download tracks: "The New Year", "Title and Registration", and "The Sound of Settling"


















14. Intimacy (2008)
Bloc Party
[Wichita]

Bloc Party is the sort of band that assaults your ears with raw visceral guitar and rapid-fire percussion. Not exactly intimate. They managed to craft a deep and emotional record however, one with songs that perfectly describe the rage, anger, and sadness in losing love.

Must download tracks: "Mercury", "Halo", and "Signs"


















13. Blackout (2007)
Britney Spears
[Jive]

Britney Spears is shockingly absent on her greatest album. Her voice is shredded through vocodors to become another instrument in her producer's arsenal, but its haunting, danceable, and dark vibe is a frighteningly accurate soundtrack to her self destruction.

Must download tracks: "Gimme More", "Piece of Me", and "Break the Ice"


















12. The Blueprint (2001)
Jay-Z
[Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam]

Jay-Z wowed the world with his soul sampling The Blueprint, an album that became the blueprint for hip-hop in the 2000s. Without it, Kanye West would never had made it big (he produced several songs), sampling wouldn't have become the default option in rap, and the "-izzle" phenomenon would have never happened.

Must download tracks: "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "Girls, Girls, Girls", and "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)"


















11. A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
Coldplay
[Capitol/Parlophone]

Coldplay's second album cemented their status as one of the biggest bands of the decade. More rocked out than their debut, they still managed to produce some beautiful, lighter than air tracks that resonated with the hopeless romantic in all of us.

Must download tracks: "The Scientist", "Clocks", and "Green Eyes"


















10. Give Up(2003)
The Postal Service
[Sub Pop]

When Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and electronic artist Jimmy Tamborello teamed up, the results were breathe-taking. Their one time Postal Service gig was an indie laptop daydream, and the biggest selling album for the Sub Pop label since Nirvana.

Must download tracks: "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight", "Such Great Heights", and "Brand New Colony"


















9. Richard X Presents His X Factor Vol. 1 (2003)
Richard X
[EMI/Astralworks]

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That was the attitude EMI took after bootleg mash-up artist Richard X was caught illegally distributing mash-ups. This authorized compilation of mash-ups rerecorded by a slew of Europe's biggest pop acts made for the decade's best pop album.

Must download tracks: "Being Nobody", "Finest Dreams", and "Freak Like Me"


















8. Kid A (2000)
Radiohead
[Parlophone/Capitol]

Radiohead welcomed the new century with a disc that oozed millennial fears and paranoia. An alternative rock band using electronica was something new and unheard of, but it won over critics and fans alike.

Must download tracks: "Everything In Its Right Place", "The National Anthem", and "Idioteque"


















7. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
OutKast
[LeFace/Arista]

This wasn't an OutKast album, it was two solo records stitched together, sort of a reverse White Album. The Speakerboxxx side is classic old school hip-hop, a fitting successor to OutKast's body of work at the time. The Love Below was a psychedelic freak-out that drew its influences from the entire history of pop, rock, and rap.

Must download tracks: "Hey Ya!", " Happy Valentine's Day", and "Love In War"


















6. Is This It (2001)
The Strokes
[RCA]

There was a lot of pressure on the Strokes when their debut album came out, so much so that they ironically named their album Is This It. Fortunatley, it was it. The group deserved all the accolades the rock press threw on them and they kickstarted the garage rock revival with this energetic debut.

Must download tracks: "Last Nite", "Someday", and "Hard To Explain"

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5. Interventions and Lullabies (2003)
The Format
[Elektra]
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The Format's 60's inspired guitar pop is the kind of music that you hear for the first time but you swear you've heard it before. Its so catchy and so familiar, yet so original. Exploring themes of youth, coming of age, and both finding and falling out of love to roll-your-windows-down rock is a beautiful combination.

Must download tracks: "The First Single", "Tie The Rope", and "On Your Porch"

4. Silent Alarm (2005)
Bloc Party
[Wichita]

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Don't let the title fool you, there is nothing silent about Silent Alarm. But alarm? Yes. As the premier band in the post-punk genre, Bloc Party introduced themselves with a dance rock debut featuring hard hitting rhythmic friction and pointed lyrics that moves at breakneck speeds. It's an album about growing up in the modern, cold, uncaring world, something every teenager and twenty-something can relate to.

Must download tracks: "Banquet", "Helicopter", and "Like Eating Glass"


















3. Bleed American (2001)
Jimmy Eat World
[Dreamworks]
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Jimmy Eat World was dropped from their record label following their criminally underappreciated Clarity, but the band refused to let that get them down. They went on a grueling touring schedule and recorded their next album on their own dime. The airtight Bleed American was a perfect pop rock album, so perfect in fact, that labels were tripping over themselves to sign the band. Retitled Jimmy Eat World after September 11, this album is a prototype that both J.E.W. and other bands have unsuccessfully tried to replicate.
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Must download tracks: "Sweetness", "The Middle", and "Hear You Me"


















2. Hot Fuss (2004)
The Killers
[Island]
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The Killers were an American rock band who tried to sound British but were raised amind the glam and glitter of Las Vegas. The result was one of the most exciting debuts, not only of the decade, but in the entire history of rock and roll. They fit it all into Hot Fuss. There is sex, mystery, love, pain, synth, and a gospel choir. It couldn't have been pulled off without the knowledge and ambition of front man Brandon Flowers. Flowers understands rock and roll. He understands where it's come from and what it means. He has ambition rivaled by few in the music industry. It's evident in Hot Fuss, an album that so desparatley wants to be numbered among the greats, and pulls it off without sounding like it tried too hard.

Must download tracks: "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", and "All These Things I've Done"


















1. The College Dropout (2004)
Kanye West
[Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam]

Kanye West's debut is a concept album about what it meant to be an African-American in turn of the century America, a successor to The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. Ye touched on drugs, religion, family, and working out so you could get yourself an NBA player and quit your day job at the mall. West appeared in the liner notes wearing a striped rugby shirt with the collar popped, not a basketball jersey and backwards hat. He refused to conform to the stereotypes of who a rapper is supposed to be. In doing that, he opened up the genre to a whole new audience. Capitalizing on what OutKast had already done for rap, Ye took it a step further, and soon, indie kids and rock snobs were certified Kanye West fans. West has proven himself to be one of the decade's most important and influencial artists, and one of the most important rappers of all time, but he has yet to come close to the grandeur of his debut album.

Must download tracks: "Jesus Walks", "New Workout Plan", and "Never Let Me Down"

td:ar albums number 25-1