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Top 10 Greatest Albums of the 2000S

Which 2000s album deserves the #1 spot? From Radiohead's genre-bending Kid A to Arcade Fire's heartfelt Funeral, the decade gave us records that still shape music today — across rock, hip-hop, and indie. Cast your vote below and see where the crowd stands!

2026250 viewsMar 28, 2026 Updated Oct 3, 2026

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#1
Kid A — Radiohead
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Kid A is the defining album of the 2000s, topping both Pitchfork and Rolling Stone's decade-end lists. Its experimental sound, featuring the eerie vocoder of 'Everything in Its Right Place,' set a benchmark that no other album on this list has matched for ambition.
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#2
The Marshall Mathers LP — Eminem
Eminem's raw, confessional lyrics and incisive storytelling earned the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2001, and its sales of over 10 million copies worldwide dwarf the average hip-hop album from the era.
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#3
Is This It — The Strokes
Is This It revived guitar-based rock in 2001, credited with inspiring an entire generation of indie bands. Its roughly 3 million copies sold made it one of the era's most commercially successful rock debuts. The loose, propulsive energy of tracks like 'Last Nite' directly influenced the Arctic Monkeys and countless others.
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#4
The College Dropout — Kanye West
The College Dropout shifted hip-hop's trajectory in 2004 with soul samples and introspective lyrics that challenged gangsta rap conventions. Its accessible yet profound approach, with hits like 'Jesus Walks,' outperforms the typical debut album's critical and commercial reception by a wide margin.
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#5
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below — OutKast
OutKast's 2003 double album stands as a towering achievement in hip-hop and pop, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year 2004 and surpassing even the sales of #6 Funeral by over 4.5 million copies in the US alone, with 5.5 million sold. It spawned the #1 single 'Hey Ya!', which dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for 9 consecutive weeks, and sold over 11 million copies worldwide, making it the group's most commercially successful release.
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#6
Funeral — Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire's 2004 debut Funeral emerged from profound personal loss, yet it became a critical juggernaut, ranking among the very best-reviewed albums of the 2000s on multiple critics' decade-end lists. Recorded for under $100,000, it sold over 500,000 copies in the US, and its emotional intensity stands alongside its more polished follow-up The Suburbs, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2011.
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#7
Elephant — The White Stripes
The White Stripes' fourth album Elephant was recorded in just 10 days on vintage analog gear at Toe Rag Studios, yet it rivals the production depth of #5 Speakerboxxx/The Love Below through raw, stripped-down power. It spent 54 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, sold over 4 million copies globally, and its opening riff from 'Seven Nation Army' has been covered over 200 times, becoming a global anthem faster than any other track on this list.
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#8
Back to Black — Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse's Back to Black became the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK, moving over 20 million copies worldwide. It won 5 Grammy Awards in 2008, the most ever for a British female artist at the time, and its single 'Rehab' spent many weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing its legacy as a soul revival landmark.
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#9
In Rainbows — Radiohead
In Rainbows changed the music industry with its 2007 pay-what-you-want digital release. Over 1.2 million people are estimated to have downloaded the album within its first month of release. By blending bold strategy with undeniable melodies, Radiohead crafted an album that proved innovation and quality can coexist.
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#10
Illinois — Sufjan Stevens
Illinois is the most ambitious indie folk project of the 2000s, with Sufjan Stevens weaving 22 tracks into a cohesive state-themed concept album. Stevens' intricate orchestration and heartfelt storytelling create a warm, immersive journey that feels both personal and epic, securing its place as a definitive work of the era.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the best-reviewed album of the 2000s? Radiohead's *Kid A* (2000) is widely regarded as the decade's most critically acclaimed record, earning a perfect 10.0 from [Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com) and a spot on [Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/).

Which 2000s album sold the most copies? Eminem's *The Marshall Mathers LP* set the record for the fastest-selling rap album in US history (1.76 million copies in week one, per the [RIAA](https://www.riaa.com)), while Amy Winehouse's *Back to Black* became the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.

How were these albums chosen? Rankings reflect a composite of critical scores, certified sales figures, cultural longevity, and live reader votes here on Top10Grid. Cast yours above to influence the list!

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Frequently asked questions

What criteria are commonly used to rank the greatest albums of the 2000s?

Rankings typically consider critical acclaim, commercial success, cultural impact, and influence on later music, with lists from publications like Rolling Stone or NME often providing a consensus.

Which albums are frequently cited as the best of the 2000s?

Common top contenders include Radiohead's 'Kid A', The Strokes' 'Is This It', OutKast's 'Stankonia', Kanye West's 'The College Dropout', and Arcade Fire's 'Funeral'.

Why is Radiohead's 'Kid A' often named the greatest album of the 2000s?

It is praised for its groundbreaking fusion of electronic and rock music, its thematic depth, and its profound influence on the direction of alternative music in the decade.

Are these lists based solely on sales or are they subjective?

They are subjective compilations by critics or publications, often balancing commercial performance with artistic merit, though no single list is universally definitive.

How do the greatest albums of the 2000s compare to those of the 1990s?

The 2000s saw a shift toward digital production, indie rock revival, and genre blending, while the 1990s were dominated by grunge, hip-hop's golden age, and alternative rock.