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94 Coldplay - X&Y 2005 (Fav non single track: What If)

 

The third album by the earnest English mainstream rock band saw them take a more electronic turn with their music, consolidating on the success of their first two studio albums.

 

93 Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer 2008 (Featured track: Leeds United)

 

 

The (former?) Dresdon Doll had her debut album produced by Ben Folds. It featured her trademark biting sarcastic, caustic and humourous lyrics with her distinctive Brechtian gothic punk vocals. The lead single featured here was written after her breakup with former boyfriend the Kaiser Chiefs Ricky Wilson is one of many examples of this throughout this album.

 

92 Cat Power - The Greatest 2006 (Fav track: The Greatest)

 

Chan Marshall's jazz tinged bluesy vocal peaked with this wonderful homage to the Southern soul, jazz and gospel that she grew up with thanks to the wonderful warm, soulful, laid-back vibe that runs throughpout the album.

 

I'd forgotten how good Black Jacks by Girls Aloud is actually :wub: agree about Boots, I also think she might be the next Cathy Dennis

 

Darius though :wacko: he must be to you what Mariah and Westlife were to me :lol:

I'd forgotten how good Black Jacks by Girls Aloud is actually :wub: agree about Boots, I also think she might be the next Cathy Dennis

 

Darius though :wacko: he must be to you what Mariah and Westlife were to me :lol:

 

The Darius album is good. Not least because it was produced by legendary producer Steve (U2, Peter Gabriel, Kirsty MacColl, Pogues, XTC, The Smiths & Morrissey, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Talking Heads, Simple Minds, Big Country, Crowded House, Dave Matthews Band) Lillywhite, so it has a great sound to it. Plus there are some seriously good songs albeit with cheesy lyrics on the album.

 

I certainly have a good dozen or so albums less cool than that in my countdown IMHO. As like Big Brother Reality TV contests in the early part of the decade were more credible than the joke and farce they are now.

Since the lsat comment:

99 Corinne Bailey Rae - Corinne Bailey Rae 2006

97 Madonna - American Life 2003

96 Little Boots - Hands 2009

95 Girls Aloud - Tangled Up 2007

 

I love 'Tangled Up', and for me, 'Out Of Control' isn't patchy that much! :o And whilst I'm at it :kink:

Fully agreed on Tangled Up. Recently its replaced Chemistry as my favourite GA album. A lot stronger than Out Of Control though.

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91 Robyn - Robyn 2007 (Featured track: Konichiwa Bitches)

 

Released in her native Sweden in 2005, it saw the former Swedish teebn star, discover electronic music and self-finance the album, that feature the wonderful UK#1 hit With Every Heartbeat from 2007 when the album was issued in the UK. It also featured the singles Be Mine, Handle Me, Who's That Girl and the quirky track featured here.

 

90 Take That - The Circus 2008 (Fav track: Julie)

 

The man band's second album since their incredible revival as a four piece minus Robbie Williams, saw an album not quite as impressive as their comeback album but still packed with enough melodic mainstream pop songs to show Gary Barlow and co have continued the torch of classic songwriting.

 

89 Gorillaz - Demon Days 2005 (Fav Track: Demon Days)

 

Damon Albarn's second animated project album, saw a far stronger set of songs assembled than their debut. A lot of the credit must go to electronic maverick producer Danger Mouse who seemed to reign in the (former?) Blur frontman's excesses of the debut. (Featuring the monster hits Feel Good Inc & DARE).

Demon Dayz is one of my fave albums all time, I haven't played it for a long time "goes and hunts it out"

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88 Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare 2007 (Featured track: 505)

 

Their second album released to a Be Here Now sized saviours of UK indie Rock'n'roll fanfare at the time of its release, and it has suffered accordingly since. However, whilst the set of songs are not as overall good or distinctive as their debut release; it is musically a far more diverse and moodier set of sounds used than their musically narrowier but straight to the point debut.

 

87 M.I.A - Kala 2007 (Fav non single track: 20 Dollar)

 

UK born of Sri Lankan origin Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam released her second album two years after her debut Arular. Again featuring an ecletric range of electronic sounds and dance music. Featuring the worldwide smash Paper Planes and lesser hits Jimmy and Boyz.

 

86 Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By The Way 2002 (Fav track: Cabron)

 

The eighth studio album by the Californian alternative funk rocking four piece saw the band build on the momentum of their Californication album to release their most complete, diverse, yet a strong set of songs to date on one album, as it was very accessible and melodic without sacrificising their trademark energy.

 

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85 Gwen Stefani - Love Angel Music Baby 2004 (Fav track: The Real Thing)

 

The No Doubt's lead singer released a blockbuster debut album full of great catchy, colourful pop tracks, unfortunately the album featured a few duds hence its relatively low placing. Featured the singles: What You Waiting For, Rich Girl, Hollaback Girl, Cool and Luxurious.

 

84 Lucie Silvas - Breathe In 2005 (Fav track: What You're Made Of)

 

The English singer songwriter who had cut her teeth writing songs for Will Young, Sarah Whatmore, Gareth Gates, Rachel Stevens and Liberty X, got her break when BBC Radio 2 commissioned a radio show to track Silvas' development in the music industry, supporting her career, and adding her tracks to their playlist after her signing to Mercury Records. Her debut album is littered with great songs and a decent cover of Metallica's Nothing Else Matters.

 

83 Rufus Wainwright - Want Two 2005 (Featured track: The Art Teacher)

 

The fourth album by Canadian singer-songwriter (and the music critics favourite charismatic 21st century male recording artist with the initials R and W), saw a darker sibling to the previous Want One album featuring a wide range of romantic choral orchestral pop music and a whole range of his friends (sister) Martha Wainwright, Antony Hegarty, Teddy Thompson, Joan Wasser, etc helping him out.

 

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82 Robbie Williams - Reality Killed The Radio Star 2009 (Fav track: Different For Weirdos)

 

The most recent album in this countdown sees the return of the Robster, more grown up, mature and relatively reserved by his standards. In short this album is similar yet different to everything else he has done before, except as he has taken three years to craft this album, the filler quota is kept to a bare minimum as he attempts to win back the fanbase he lost from that 2005 Take That documentary (where the general public realised that it was Robbie not Gary who was the fat twat in the 1990s boy band), the coma inducing borefest that was Intensive Care and he's gone bonkers Rudebox album. Buy the album it is far better than the surprisingly very poor JLS album.

 

81 Amy Winehouse - Frank 2003 (Featured track: Stronger Than Me)

 

What can be said about Amy Winehouse that has not already been said. Personally I'd side with producing legend Quincy Jones who hailed Amy "the greatest female vocalist of the past 25 years" to butter seller John Lydon "aimless winehouse for imitating black music in her idiotic way". A good album but lacking focus and strong songwriting in places. Still this was put right for her follow up....

 

80 Justin Timberlake - Justified 2002 (Fav non single track: Nothin' Else)

 

Talk about coming out of the blocks in style, this lead singer with the generic US boyband N'Sync unleashed an astonishing sexy, stylish, R'n'B debut album showcase largely thanks to the futuristic Michael Jackson-esque productions of the Neptunes and Timbaland.

nice to see Lucie Silvas and Take That, both are in my 'top 84'

 

listening to Robbie's album now, it's a very strong comeback, ten times better than the JLS album I agree

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79 Amy Macdonald - This Is The Life 2007 (Fav non single: Let's Start a Band)

 

Scotland's new female singer/songwriter delivered a very good debut album that featured no less than six singles. Probably the only act I saw play my local pub a good nine months or so before the album was released, as her manager former Wiltshire born musician Pete Wilkinson was producing her album at his home studio. Needless to say she was the best female singer I've seen play my pub, not least because I and a lot of the punters were impressed how such a young person could hold her own with banter with the locals.

 

78 Shelby Lynne - Love …. Shelby 2001 (Fav track: Wall In Your Heart)

 

The American country rock singer (think in the Bonnie Raitt/Sheryl Crow ballpark and you are close) released her 7th USA album (but second to be officially released in the UK). Not quite as stunning as her previous 1999 album I Am Shelby Lynne, but still a damn fine collection of songs added to a warm emotional vocal.

 

77 Nerina Pallot - The Graduate 2009 (Featured Track: When Did I Become Such A Bitch)

 

Jersey born singer/songwriter/musician released her third album after finishing her English Literature degree. Not quite as strong or as varied as her second album Fires, but still a fine set of songs with witty intelligent lyrics that Radio 2 support despite the general indifference of the Great British public.

 

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76 Duffy - Rockferry 2008 (Fav Track: Distant Dreamer)

 

When I first heard the Welsh songstress debut single release Rockferry I was stunned at its brilliance, the follow up the Northern Soul inspired Mercy topped the UK singles chart; and the follow up Warwick Avenue sounded like a cover of an unknown Dusty Springfield classic. The rest of the album was equally good, as having former Suede guitarist/songwriter Bernard Butler as producer/songwriter greatly helped not least on the McAlmont & Butler inspired meets David Bowie's Wild Is The Wind track Distant Dreamer. Hopefully the follow up will be as good but that dreadful advert and the awful Bond theme reject have set alarm bells ringing.

 

75 Anastacia - Anastacia 2004 (Fav non single track: Pretty Little Dum Dum)

 

On her third album the Tina Turner/Taylor Dayne soundalike made by far her most rewarding album which reigned in the oversinging of her first two albums, and also featured a very solid set of songs from start to finish.. Lets forget about the laser eye and plastic surgery, the shockingly wonky live performances (for a previously great live performer) and the embarrassingly mutton dressed as lamb video for I Can Feel You that killed the follow up Heavy Rotation album in its track.

 

74 Catatonia - Paper Scissors Stone 2001 (Featured track: Is Everybody Here On Drugs?)

 

The fourth and final album by Welsh band Catatonia, was released at the time when the lead singer Cerys Matthews was in a bad way being treated for alcohol and smoking problems, and arguably an emotional breakdown following the split with boyfriend, guitarist and co-songwriter in the band Mark Roberts. Indeed that is why this album is an unheralded classic as the lyrics feature some incredibly dark and coded lyrics and emotionally disturbing vocals about their relationship breakdown that make Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album seem like a Aqua's Greatest Hits album in comparison. The band announced their disbandment shortly after its release.

I found Duffy's album quite fillerish other than the singles...I'm not expecting her second album to be up to much, she's probably another Mika 'of the time' sort of person

 

Anastacia was definitely at her peak in 2004, Sick & Tired was fantastic :wub:

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73 Goldfrapp - Black Cherry 2003 (Fav non single track: Forever)

 

After the Alpinic debut, Goldfrapp consolidated that atmospheric filmic sound with more contemporary sounding synths, electroclash-inspired drum machines, and more overtly sexual lyrics to their music. The overall quality of the album suffered, but it did bring the rewards of moving them to the mainstream. However bar Strict Machine, the greatest rewards lie in the tracks that sound most similar to the debut album by the duo.

 

 

72 Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below 2003 (Fav non single: Dracula's Wedding)

 

Big Boi & Andre 3000 democratically split their material over two separate CD's hence craeting their own equivalent of the Beatles' White Album. Like all classic double albums, the music is ambitious, eclectic, sprawling with too many tracks on, but is still a joy to listen to because of the sheer variety of musical genre jumping available to listen to. The Love Below is preferrable to the more traditional hiphop/R'n'B Speakerboxx CD, but the peaks are many.

 

71 Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger 2005 (Featured track: Limassol)

 

Like the similar sounding contemporaries Franz Ferdinand & the Kaiser Chiefs their use of earnest post punk/new wave revivalism with a bit of electronica thrown in is very effective. But the Newcastle based bittersweet, angry, thoughtful, and funny, often within the course of the same song, melodies make them more endearing than their more successful counterparts. This debut album was stocked full of potential singles.

 

#16 Kate Nash Made Of Bricks (2007)

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Hands up who else was fooled into buying this album due to the sheer brilliance of Foundations only to find over the half the album was rubbish no Laura Marling folk or irritating sub Victoria Wood piano parody ditties? Still track 8 was aptly named....

 

My hand is firmly down :angry:

 

:heart: :heart: :heart: The album

Florence - 139

Snow Patrol - 116

Christina Aguilera - 113

 

 

only :(

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70 Rufus Wainwright - Poses 2001 (Featured Track: Grey Gardens)

 

The second album by the critically acclaimed Canadian singer/songwriter with the distinctive nasally camp Thom Yorke meets Jeff Buckley vocal deliverally was further evidence of what a great mercurial talent in the making he was.

 

69 Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters 2004 (Fav non single track: Return To Oz)

 

New York's very flamboyant act made a very retro debut album full of good time camp tunes that evoked memories of Elton John, Pink Floyd, the Bee Gees, David Bowie and Disco which struck a cord with the UK and European audience.

 

68 P!nk - I'm Not Dead 2006 (Fav non single track: Cuz I Can)

 

Alecia Moore's fourth album saw her move away from the underwhelming rock sound of the third album, back towards the template used on her second album M!ssundaztood except with less R'n'B and more electronica. It also saw the strongest set of songs she has assembled to date on one album.

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67 Alanis Morissette - Under Rug Swept 2002 (Fav Track: That Particular Time)

 

On her third proper album, the Canadian superior proto Avril Lavigne reigned in her own idiosyncrasies to make a far more coherent album than Jagged Little Pill's follow up Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. It has a new agey atmospheric sound to it that evoke memories of Joni Mitchell and Sarah McLachlan.

 

66 Cherry Ghost - Thirst For Romance 2007 (Featured track: People Help The People)

 

Bolton resident Simon Aldred made a no nonsense singer songwriter album full of decent tunes and melodies in an indie band format that evoked memories of Coldplay, David Gray, Embrace and Elbow.

 

65 Bats For Lashes - Fur & Gold 2007 (Fav Track: What's A Girl To Do)

 

Brighton based Natasha Khan released the deservedly Mercury Music Award nominated debut album with echoes of Björk, Sandy Denny and Siouxsie Sioux which can be heard throughout Bat for Lashes' mystical indie rock sound.

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64 David Bowie - Heathen 2002 (Featured Track: Slip Away)

 

Britain's greatest male artist ever released his critically acclaimed 25th out of 26 studio albums (if you count the two Tin Machine albums) in 2002 which drew praise for the very personal and heartfelt nature of the music and lyrics which seemed to have the theme of him facing up to his mortality. (Which is even more apt today seeing he had a near fatal heart attack in 2004, and heavily rumoured couple of strokes in 2006 which have not been denied). It also saw him reunited with his longtime producer from his 1970s heyday Tony Visconti and by no coincidence has come to be largely regarded as his best album since 1980s Scary Monsters.

 

63 Paul Weller - 22 Dreams 2008 (Fav Track: All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You))

 

The former Jam & Style Council frontman whom had spent the second alf of the 1990s and first half of the 21st century suddenly came out with a spawling CD length worth of material that was easily his best work (at least) since the Britpop days of Stanley Road. This (his career 21st) album was full of pastoral, yet tightly constructed tunes and melodies mixing in folk, psychedelia, rock and jazz to great effect featuring assistance from Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Craddock; Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer and Blur's Graham Coxon.

 

62 Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke 2008 (Fav Track: Magic)

 

New Zealand's Pip Brown released this fantastic collection of 1980s inspired pop songs influenced as much by ELO and Fleetwood Mac as more obvious 1980s New Romantic synth pop. So far six singles have been taken from the album, and a sign on how durable this album is the fact it topped the album charts in her native New Zealand in October 2009 ..... 13 months after the album was released.