We’re approaching the end of a decade, and with that comes what will likely be an ungodly number of lists attempting to name the best that the past 10 year has had to offer. Here at Culture Bully, we’re trying to make things a little more personal; rather than re-listing lists of lists of lists, we’re attempting to recall songs and albums that meant something special to us along the way. Here is an ongoing tally of our thoughts (constantly updated, mind you) on what music has meant the most to us during the first decade of the new millennium.

2000
At the Drive-In Relationship of Command
Erykah Badu Mama’s Gun
Dead Prez “Hip-Hop”
PJ Harvey Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
Reflection Eternal Train of Thought
The Tragically Hip “My Music at Work”
Wu-Tang Clan “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)” (NEW 11/12/2009)

2001
Aesop Rock “Daylight”
Bran Van 3000 feat. Curtis Mayfield “Astounded”
Converge Jane Doe
Super Furry Animals “It’s Not The End Of The World”
The Strokes Is This It
The White Stripes White Blood Cells

2002
The Chemical Brothers “Star Guitar”
The Coral “Dreaming of You”
The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton Irony is a Dead Scene EP
The Libertines Up The Bracket
N.E.R.D In Search Of…
RJD2 Deadringer
Spoon “Kill The Moonlight”

2003
Brother Ali Shadows on the Sun
OutKast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
The Postal Service Give Up
Sufjan Stevens Michigan (NEW 11/06/2009)

2004
Ambulance LTD “Anecdote”
Animal Collective Sung Tongs
Danger Mouse The Grey Album
The Hold Steady “Almost Killed Me” (NEW 11/11/2009)
The Magnetic Fields i
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus

2005
Animal Collective Feels
Bright Eyes I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
The Clientele Strange Geometry
Edan Beauty and the Beat
LCD Soundsystem “Losing My Edge”
James McMurtry “We Can’t Make It Here”

2006
J Dilla Donuts
Girl Talk Night Ripper
Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
Peter and the Wolf “Safe Travels”
Regina Spektor Begin To Hope

2007
Babyshambles “There She Goes”
Burial Untrue
Caribou Andorra
El-P I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver
The National Alligator (NEW 11/09/2009)
The Teeth “Ball of the Dead Rat”

2008
Hank Williams III “Six Pack of Beer”
Meshuggah obZen
Plants and Animals Parc Avenue
TV on the Radio “Dear Science” (NEW 11/12/2009)

2009
Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca

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Top Albums of the Decade (Guest Lists Prepared by Twin Cities-Based Musicians)

Big Trouble (Steve McPherson)
Chibalo (Travis Bos)
Condominium
Dessa
Lucy Michelle
Slapping Purses (Jason Powers)
STNNNG (Chris Besinger)
Wolvhammer (Heath Rave)
Zoo Animal (Holly Newsom)