List: NME's Top 50 Albums of the 00s

Yet another list from a UK Music Magazine. NME always prided itself on being the cool UK Magazine, well since it changed its name from New Musical Express, and since Melody Maker disappeared along with Cliff Richard's shadows. So what's their list of the Best albums of the decade like? Keep reading.

50. MIA - Arular
49. Muse - Absolution
48. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
47. Brendan Benson - Lapalco
46. Delgados - The Great Eastern

This list starts so much better than many others. It's great to see one of Benson's solo albums getting a mention, especially Lapalco rather than The Alternative to Love. MIA's Arular is also a great choice. Muse's Absolution is half a great album, and half an average one. Their follow-up was far better.

45. Avalanches - Since I Left You
44. Outkast - Loveboxxx/The Love Below
43. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
42. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
41. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

The Avalanches are also a fantastic pick, Since I lfet You is a marvellous album. Outkast's record was overrated at the time, and people should have realised that by now. Yes, it had some fantastic singles, but it had little else. YHF: yes!!!!!!!

40. Ryan Adams - Gold
39. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
38. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
37. The Knife - Silent Shout
36. Spirtualized - Let it Come Down

The Knife are one of those Picthfork-hyped bands that people should have enough sense not to listen to. Yes, they are alternative and all, but the music is awful. Bloc Party's debut was fantastic, and Ryan Adams' second album is even better. Pity it's his only entry on the list.

35. Babyshambles - Down In Albion
34. Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump
33. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
32. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
31. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning

This is where the English love-in starts. Babyshambles album one of the best of the decade? I hardly think so. I love Pete and all, but the two Libertines records are more than enough. However, I can't argue with the inclusion of any of the other four albums. Yes, even Neon Bible. Looking back, it's probably a better album than Funeral. It's more consistent, certainly.

30. Elbow - Asleep In The Back
29. Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World
28. Johnny Cash - Man Comes Around
27. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
26. Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner

More and more UK albums starting to appear now (don't worry, I'll offset this by having Irish albums in my best albums of the decade list). Great to see a nod to Johnny Cash and the Furries. No problems with either of the other three either.

25. Rapture - Echoes
24. The Libertines - The Libertines
23. Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
22. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
21. The Coral - The Coral

However, here I have some problems. There is no way either the Rapture or the Coral should be here. Especially the Coral. If you want to include them on a list, put them at number 50, not 21. The new Klaxons album I'm not sure about either. There were many albums ranked lower that are far better in every way.

20. Blur - Think Tank
19. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
18. The White Stripes - Elephant
17. Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
16. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free

Having two White Stripes albums in a row is very strange, but it's also damn accurate. They all should be on this list. Ahead of the Streets though. Major props to putting Think Tank on here, as it's a fantastic album that many have forgotten about - especially since they got back together and performed at Glastonbury.

15. Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
14. Radiohead - Kid A
13. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
12. LCD Soundsystem - The Sound Of Silver
11. At The Drive In - Relationship Of Command

Fantastic to see Kid A not topping this poll. In no way is it the best album of the decade. One of the best surely, but not worthy of the number one spot. Songs for the Deaf is Josh Homme's finest moment, and something he will never top. I never got into ATDI though.

10. Radiohead - In Rainbows
9. The Streets - Original Pirate Material
8. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights
7. Arcade Fire - Funeral
6. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

In Rainbows ahead of Kid A? Controversial. But correct. It's a much better album. Especially after you forget about how much you actually paid for it. Meh on the Streets' debut though. But PJ Harvey's Stories is all kinds of amazing.

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell
4. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
3. Primal Scream - xtrmntr
2. The Libertines - Up The Bracket
1. The Strokes - Is This It

That is a fine top five. Whether we'll be looking back in twenty years time on Alex Turner's first impression is another question, but it certainly deserves praise. (Although Sheffield's Richard Hawley also does, and there's no sign of him on this list!) The top 3 is nice. The Strokes album could well be the best album of the decade. It certainly inspired more albums and bands than any other record this decade.