Doug’s Top 60 albums of the decade 2010-2019!!!
Okay! 10 years ago I sat down to post my top 50 albums of the decade and I ended up with 60…. so let’s just stick with 60 - 60 is hard to narrow down to as it is… The criteria is pretty much the same as it was 10 years ago when I wrote “My criteria for the most part was mostly based on simply what I thought was the best and what I listened to the most (when I wasn't listening to Zeppelin, Hendrix, Marley, or the Stones etc.). I kind of tried to put them in order but the order isn't exact.”
This was TOUGH. I had to cut many great albums to get to 60 and ranking them was difficult but I’ll still characterize it as a loose and not-exact ranking.
1. Swervedriver - Future Ruins (2019) Yep this could very well be #1. Just starting to get close to peaking on this one I think, but as with most Swervedriver albums there’s a good chance it will still be revealing new layers for years to come. The title track is an instant classic and one of my favorite songs of all time. Adam Franklin is a genius and hasn’t lost his penchant for creating something completely unique - snatched from the cosmos that only he seems to have access to. Saw them this fall at PJ’s Lager House in Detroit which was a real treat and the band hung around to chat afterwards. I’ll have plenty more to say about these guys on this blog since I always have plenty more to say about the Swervies.
2. New Order - Music Complete (2015) New Order defied the odds (again) by making possibly their best studio album without Peter Hook… Wow. They even got Iggy Pop to guest on the spoken word jam “Stray Dog” to kinda bring things full circle in a way since Iggy’s The Idiot was the last album Ian Curtis listened to before he took his own life in 1980 giving birth to New Order out of the ashes of Joy Division… This IS a New Order album through and through even without most of the Peter Hook style lead bass lines.
3. Band Of Horses - Infinite Arms (2010) I first saw this CD in a Starbucks. I can’t remember where I ended up getting it but this album owned me for the better part of the decade especially as a road trip mainstay. “Blue Beard” and “Neighbor” are two of the most gorgeous songs I’ve ever known.
4. The Church - Man Woman Life Death Infinity (2017) Didn’t expect The Church to follow up Further / Deeper with another album so fast, and I didn’t even know they were working on one. They had them for sale the night before the release at their show at the Magic Stick in Detroit in 2017. Wasn’t expecting this masterpiece - I mean I only expect greatness from these guys but I LOVE this one. Still making their best music at a crazy clip after almost 40 years in the game.
5. Beck - Morning Phase (2014) Feels more like the follow up to Sea Change even though it’s 12 years and 4 albums later. A mellow masterpiece.
6. NaS & Damian Marley - Distant Relatives (2010) Had never listened to NaS but anything Marley is pretty much an automatic for me, and what a cool collab - rap and reggae fused together with neither one dominating over the other really in style or vibe. Perfect really.
7. Prince - HITnRun Phase One (2015) I was devastated when Prince passed away and I wrote about it here. I hope you give it a click - it’s a tribute I’m proud of and if you’re a fan like me you’ll understand. I am thankful he hit another creative peak before he left us with the 4 albums he released in 2014-15 and this is probably my favorite of the 4.
8. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye (2014) Another shocking and awful loss to the music world, and just like David Bowie and Prince was making some of his best music before he passed. This is the last Tom Petty album and it’s one of his best all the way through. If Tom Petty to you is “American Girl”, “Free Fallin’”, “Refugee” etc. - the casual fan stuff you know from the radio then you’re truly missing out if you don’t spend some time with this one and the few that preceded it.
9. Steven Wilson - Hand. Cannot. Erase. (2015) The former Porcupine Tree front man basically keeps making incredible Porcupine Tree albums - this one a concept loosely based on the bizarre story of Joyce Vincent (whose body lay undiscovered in her apartment for TWO years after she died - no one noticed she was gone) which haunts the proceedings. Progressive rock with incredible songwriting and musicianship - gives me chills when “First Regret / 3 Years Older” kicks in - loudly and brilliantly - soaring, sweeping and epic.
10. Prince - HITnRUN Phase Two (2015) If these Prince placements in the ranking are partly sentimental in nature I’m not apologizing. They are fantastic Prince albums, and it’s PRINCE.
11. Slayer - Repentless (2015) A great final (?) Slayer album - repentless, relentless, and uncompromisingly SLAYER. A band that never ever sold out even a little over a 38 year career? Incredible! Heck, Metallica sold out 10 years in. A brilliant album even after the death of one of the primary songwriters in the band Jeff Hanneman. They didn’t miss a beat.
12. Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania (2012) Part of the unfinished Teargarden By Kaleidyscope project, the best SP album since Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness back in 1995 and the first one to hit me like SP albums used to back in the day. “Pinwheels” is the highlight for me here but the whole thing is incredible save for the last three songs which are average oddly enough. The fact that I still hold it in such high regard speaks to how good the first 10 tracks are.
13. Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013) AIC continues to be a force - the two albums they put out this decade are both worthy and as much as I loved Layne it’s getting close to the point where the Mach II version of the band stands up to the original catalogue as a whole on its own merit.
14. Tool - Fear Inoculum (2019) Obviously since this came out this year it’s hard to say much because I won’t fully understand this album for another 5 years if I ever do since that’s just how it is with Tool albums. But I know enough so far to know it’s another Tool masterwork that they made us wait 13 years to deliver.
15. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) So good. Maybe my favorite since OK Computer (?). Grabs you immediately with “Burn The Witch” and takes you on a trip from there…
16. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011) Hard to believe that Adam “MCA” Yauch has been gone almost 8 years. This still stands as a great swan song for the boys.
17. Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt (2013) More in the vein of Yield than Riot Act - a soaring Pearl Jam anthemic vibe which I love instead of a weird detour vibe which I still like, but I prefer this.
18. Gov’t Mule - Shout! (2013) Warren Haynes continues to amaze with his growth as a rock songwriter, vocalist and guitarist - there’s no one that possesses all three at the level he does at this point in my opinion. Kinda cool that they released this with the whole album also recorded with different guest vocalist versions of every song. “Captured” is incredible.
19. The Flaming Lips - The Terror (2013) If I ever get a chance to walk on the moon or visit Mars I suspect it will feel like listening to this album.
20. Brad - United We Stand (2012) In the gone-too-soon category once again Shawn Smith and the guys delivered this gem in 2012. Shawn passed away earlier this year and I’m pretty sad about it. I think he was the most underrated pure singer of my generation.
21. Jane’s Addiction - The Great Escape Artist (2011) Maybe it’s me but I think this was overlooked as far as being a GREAT Jane’s Addiction album.
22. Black Sabbath - 13 (2013) A bummer that they couldn’t work it out with Bill Ward to drum on this album, but it’s still a fantastic classic Sabbath album that is worthy of the legacy for sure. Certainly better than Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die - and sure that’s not saying much per se since that shouldn’t be the bar, just pointing out it’s a worthy successor to Sabotage if this were to follow that as the “next” Ozzy Sabbath album. Good one to end on.
23. Ice Cube - I Am The West (2010) Cube is still the boss. The third of a creative roll he was on starting with Laugh Now, Cry Later in 2006, this 2010 release would be the last for another 8 years. Cube lets ‘em know with “No Country For Young Men”. Spittin’ fire!
24. Joe Walsh - Analog Man (2012) Who’d have known Joe would have this in him? All the elements of his great early solo work before addiction really took over… Even another installment in the “Funk” series with “Funk 50”!
25. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Damage And Joy (2017) Man was I happy to hear the Reid brothers had reunited, and then I was skeptical about this album when I heard that there would be a few recycled songs from Jim’s Freeheat project. I thought it wouldn’t really be a legit new album. I was wrong. It’s fantastic. JAMC are in top form here.
26. Depeche Mode - Spirit (2017) Depeche Mode has never stopped making records, but this one is slightly more special I think than the couple before it - they’re all great but this one is so cool. “You Move” and “So Much Love” are two of my faves.
27. Jack White - Lazaretto (2014) Jack released three solo albums this decade and a Raconteurs album. This is the best one by far of all of them and the only one to make this list. None of them are bad (although I thought Boarding House Reach was bad for a while - I almost didn’t get there with that one), but this one is amazing and what you would expect from him. “High Ball Stepper” is a great example of his bizarre genius.
28. Swervedriver - I Wasn’t Born To Lose You (2015) This was the comeback album that they actually bettered with the follow up Future Ruins but this is still pure Swervedriver awesomeness.
29. Drive-By Truckers - American Band (2016) This band is still the closest I come to country. But it’s not country. It is but it isn’t - it’s still alt-country and the country part is tongue in cheek enough to not offend if you get it. And if you do get it you’ll be rewarded because this is a great band who has been making consistent records for decades.
30. Anthrax - Worship Music (2011) Holy crap! I think the last two Anthrax albums are actually the BEST Anthrax albums. Fight me. Tight and furious with Joey’s vocals in top form and the riffs are everywhere. Wow - “The Devil You Know” will stomp your head in - that’s a good thing.
31. Rose City Band - Rose City Band (2019) This one currently owns me and it just came out recently. I think it’s kind of a side project (?) of the main guy from Wooden Shjips but it’s just an amazing vibe. The vocals are mostly buried but the whole thing is just hypnotizing. Kind of an alt-country jam band thing.
32. PIL - What The World Needs Now… (2015) I’ve always been a PIL guy - Johnny Rotten is the ultimate troll, to the point of just being a total dick. You might even say he can be….rotten. Yet when it comes to PIL albums at his best that’s what makes them ferociously excellent and he’s at his best on this. What does the “world need now”? Well, it needs “another f-ck off” according to Johnny in the closer “Shoom” as only he can declare it.
33. The Black Ryder - The Door Behind The Door (2015) Speaking earlier of the Jesus and Mary Chain I discovered this band opening for them at St. Andrews Hall a couple years ago and I was blown away. Come to find out chatting with the band afterwards they’ve done some work with Tim Powles - the Time Bandit himself - from The Church! Not surprising. Psychedelic dreampop shoegaze goth - the three song cycle in the middle of the album “Let Me Be Your Light”, “Santaria”, and “Throwing Stones” are glorious.
34. Wilco - The Whole Love (2011) Wilco albums have started to run together for me for some reason… they are all still great though and this one from 2011 seems to still stand out for me in the past decade. Just classic to hear Jeff Tweedy sing a song called “I Love My Label” on the bonus second disc after their history with labels… Genius.
35. Ty Segall - Freedom’s Goblin (2018) Ty Segall had been on my radar for some time but it was my buddy Alex who actually turned me on to him. I’ve been listening to him a ton lately. Prolific as can be, I liken him to a noisier Beck - covers lots of styles and sometimes all at once. “Despoiler Of Cadaver” is deliciously groovy and creepy, and the cover of Hot Chocolate’s “Every 1’s A Winner” is AWESOME.
36. David Bowie - Blackstar (2015) David Bowie went out with a flurry of creative activity while he was ill after being absent from the scene for a while, and his last two albums were actually the first two I had spent any time with in a very long time. Blackstar is the final one and the title track is otherworldly.
37. King Princess - Cheap Queen (2019) I am SO impressed with King Princess. She is the genuine article and I loved her recent SNL performance - became an instant fan and I’m currently really into her Cheap Queen album. Just a really fresh and unique viewpoint - I really dig it. Great songs and she just seems fearless to me. She’s the daughter of a recording engineer and she writes all of her stuff and she plays guitar too - she won’t even be 21 for two more weeks as of this writing.
38. Kings Of Leon - Mechanical Bull (2013) From King to Kings, these Kings knocked it out of the park with Mechanical Bull. The whole album is great and maybe more accessible than usual but it doesn’t suffer as a result. “Family Tree” is such a cool jam.
39. The Woodentops - Granular Tales (2014) Such a welcome return from one of my favorite bands in high school - underrated and overlooked, this album stands beside their best work.
40. The House Of Love - She Paints Words In Red (2013) Another welcome return from an underrated 1st wave alternative band I loved in the 80’s, this album removes some of the fuzz but none of the quality. The opener “A Baby Got Back On Its Feet” sets the tone.
41. Queens Of The Stone Age - …Like Clockwork (2013) It’s starting to feel wrong to have some of these ranked so low but they can’t all be top 10. QOTSA never disappoints. This slot could have been filled by the next album Villains as well (even on the strength of “The Evil Has Landed” alone) but I think this album might be a hair stronger overall (?). Josh Homme crassly states “I blow my load over the status quo” on “Smooth Sailing” and he’s not wrong.
42. Warren Haynes - Man In Motion (2011) As good as any Gov’t Mule album from beginning to end. This guy never seems to lack for ideas and the songs and the execution are fantastic.
43. Alice In Chains - Rainier Fog (2018) The latest AIC album and another worthy chapter. I saw an interview where Jerry said he was influenced by David Bowie’s “Fame” for the opener “The One You Know” (you can hear it slightly), and “Maybe” is also a highlight for me here.
44. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - The Punishment Of Luxury (2017) Yes OMD! What a cool album - these guys are reenergized and producing great material here. This ain’t just a bunch of “Secret” and “If You Leave” rewrites. This is exciting music.
45. Death Cab For Cutie - Codes And Keys (2011) I’ve become a fan of these guys and Codes And Keys is filled with great songs. “Doors Unlocked And Open”, “You Are A Tourist”, and “Unobstructed Views” are three of the best here.
46. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding (2010) Believe it or not this was my first Superchunk album. It was a comeback and I had never heard any of their old stuff. But I LOVE this album. “Crossed Wires” and “Fractures In Plaster” are fantastic. Great energy on this album.
47. Underground Lovers - Staring At You Staring At Me (2017) A great Australian band and one of many I’ve discovered because of a collaboration with a member of The Church (in this case Steve Kilbey on the album Damaged/Controlled under the name Steve Kilbey / GB3 which could have made this list). I love “It’s The Way It’s Marketed” but the whole album is great.
48. Clutch - Psychic Warfare (2015) Stoner metal veterans Clutch keep on making killer records and this one is typically heavy and swampy with “Sucker For The Witch” and “Son Of Virginia” being highlights for me.
49. Stephen Marley - Revelation Pt. II: The Fruit Of Life (2016) The Marley kids just keep growing and creating as artists and this is another great one. Highlights are “Music Is Alive”, “So Strong” and “Rock Stone” Yes there’s reggae here but this album goes beyond reggae.
50. American Aquarium - Burn. Flicker. Die. (2012) A great slice of Americana - amazing Southern rock out of North Carolina. CaptainsDead used to be one of my favorite music blogs and they were hyping this album as the best in its category for 2012 so that’s how I came to it. Love it.
51. Prince - Art Official Age (2014) The third Prince album on this list. “The Gold Standard” and “Funknroll” are classics.
52. Band Of Horses - Why Are You OK (2016) I thought 2012’s Mirage Rock was great but there was just a little something slightly missing, so I was happy when Band Of Horses hit the mark once again with 2016’s Why Are You Ok. I love “Country Teen” and the collab “In A Drawer” with Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis.
53. The Wombats - Glitterbug (2015) Sunny pop/rock that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the 1st wave of alternative music and I really like this band from Liverpool! “Be Your Shadow”, “Emoticons” and “Your Body Is A Weapon” are catchy as hell.
54. The Muggs - Straight Up Boogaloo (2015) Local Detroit boogie bluesy trio who ROCK. I found these guys with the old school route of asking for a recommendation in a record store and bought this album on vinyl on the spot. It didn’t disappoint and I’ve seen these guys live since. What a great band that deserves to be known outside of Metro Detroit! Heck they’re hardly known here, but I love ‘em.
55. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (2016) The last album from these guys? Looks that way but what a fantastic comeback and a kaleidoscope of sounds.
56. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Mojo (2010) So damn good. I’m kinda glad in a way that these songs weren’t overplayed to death like the earlier stuff. “U.S. 41” and “Candy” are amazing.
57. The Church - Further / Deeper (2014) The first album after Marty Willson-Piper’s departure and I was a little nervous about how I’d feel about it. Ian Haug came into the band and he’s a great guy - I’ve met him and he’s totally humble and happy to be in the band - great player and contributor and this album along with the one mentioned earlier is a fantastic Church album. “Miami”, “Pride Before A Fall”, and “Laurel Canyon” are all dreamy and sound like prime Church.
58. Filter - The Sun Comes Out Tonight (2013) Richard Patrick is another guy who has been at this with Filter for a long time now and has never made a bad album. Right from the opener “We Hate It When You Get What You Want” you know they mean business.
59. Drive-By Truckers - English Oceans (2014) Another Drive-By Truckers album on the list. “Til He’s Dead Or Rises” and “Grand Canyon” are two of my faves here.
60. Sublime With Rome - Sirens (2015) Not sure if there are still haters who don’t like the Sublime name used like this without Bradley Nowell (I get it) but the fact is I like Rome Ramirez. No, it’s NOT Sublime. But it’s still music made in the spirit of the name and satisfies the Sublime fix for me to a degree. I’m okay with it. I don’t get the sense he’s ever tried to be Brad, and this is a fun album so I snuck it in here.
So there it is!!! My top 60 of the last decade. If you like the list please feel free to share it and comment below if you like.
As an added bonus, below is the top 60 cut and pasted from my Facebook post of 10 years ago for the previous decade…
But also while I have you here….
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Doug's Top 60 albums of the decade 2000-2009
1. Gov't Mule - High & Mighty
2. Ice Cube - Laugh Now, Cry Later
3. The Secret Machines - Now Here Is Nowhere
4. The Allman Brothers Band - Hittin' The Note
5. Black Sabbath (Heaven And Hell) - The Devil You Know
6. New Order - Get Ready
7. The White Stripes - De Stijl
8. The Church - Untitled #23
9. The Greyb0y Allstars - What Happened To Television?
10. Wolfmother - Wolfmother
11. Porcupine Tree - In Absentia
12. Prince - The Slaughterhouse
13. The Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs
14. Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze
15. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
16. Gov't Mule - Deja Voodoo
17. Tool - Lateralus
18, Radiohead - Kid A
19. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
20. Porcupine Tree - The Incident
21. Slayer - Christ Illusion
22. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
23. Gov't Mule - By A Thread
24. The Church - Forget Yourself
25. Beck - The Information
26. Tool - 10,000 Days
27. Early Man - Closing In
28. Dio - Magica
29. Noctorum - Offer The Light
30. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
31. Beck - Sea Change
32. Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip
33. Stone Temple Pilots - Shangri La-Di-Da
34. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
35. The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
36. R.E.M. - Accelerate
37. Ice Cube - Raw Footage
38. Foo Fighters - One By One
39. Kings Of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
40. Metallica - Death Magnetic
41. Echo And The Bunnymen - Siberia
42. Spirit Caravan - Jug Fulla Sun
43. Tom Petty - Highway Companion
44. Prince - 3121
45. Beck - Modern Guilt
46. Jane's Addiction - Strays
47. The Cure - Bloodflowers
48. Queens Of The Stone Age - R
49. John Mellencamp - Cuttin' Heads
50. Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue
51. Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
52. The Church - Uninvited, Like The Clouds
53. Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe
54. The Derek Trucks Band - Songlines
55. New Order - Waiting For The Sirens' Call
56. Nada Surf - Let Go
57. Filter - The Amalgamut
58. Paul Westerberg - Mono/Stereo
59. Ace Frehley - Anomaly
60. Brad - Welcome To Discovery Park
M10 Social is owned by Doug Cohen in West Bloomfield, MI and provides social media training and digital marketing services from the Frameable Faces Photography studio Doug owns with his wife Ally. He can be reached there at tel:248-790-7317, by mobile at tel:248-346-4121 or via email at mailto:doug@frameablefaces.com.
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