# Song/Album of the decade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904 "2009-03-18T17:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/1 "2009-03-18T17:08:19Z")
Since we are in the last year of the double-aughts, I’m putting together my thoughts of the song and album of the decade. For the selections, I am trying to come up with picks that: A) are at least reasonably popular B) are in my mind objectively great C) somehow capture at least a small bit of the zeitgeist of the decade So far my leading candidate for Song of the Decade is _Seven Nation Army_ by **The White Stripes**. Great song by one of the more prolific bands of the decade, and it definitely brings to mind the spectre of the global coalition that supposedly existed for the Iraq war and by extension the war on terror. Album of the Decade has been trickier for me. I can think of plenty of albums that meet 2 of the criteria, but none that really meet all 3. I’m tempted to go with a **Modest Mouse** album, because they are the best band of the last 20 years, but that would be a homer pick and unfortunately for them they hit qualification A after their best work was behind them. At gunpoint, right now, I would go with _Costello Music_ by **The Fratellis**. It is a phenomenal album from start to finish - the worst song on it is a B-/C+ - and was reaasonably popular. It was also featured in an iPod commercial, which reflects the .mp3 revolution that started last decade but avalanched in this one. What do you think? You don’t have to follow my criteria (unless you want to). What are your picks for Song of the Decade and Album of the Decade? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/2 "2009-03-18T17:49:30Z")
I don’t have any real nominations for Song… perhaps _American Idiot_. Seems to sum up a number of things about this decade… For Album I would nominate _Yankee Hotel Foxtrot_, or (since you mentioned **Modest Mouse** ) _Good News for People Who Love Bad News_. _Illinois_ from **Sufjan Stevens** should probably get a mention too. All of these are, I think, objectively great but perhaps fail at both the popularity and zeitgeist requirements… ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/3 "2009-03-18T17:52:57Z")
My pick for Album of the Decade would probably be **Green Day** ’s _American Idiot_, for fairly obvious reasons. It’s a terrific album, and it captures the outrage and despair many people felt during the past eight years. Song of the Decade is harder. I would nominate: “Rehab” by **Amy Winehouse** : great soul/R&B throwback sound with contemporary lyrics. “Crazy” by **Gnarls Barkley** : fantastic single that defies any certain genre and has a certain “what the hell, we’re all crazy” attitude in its lyrics. Some other possibilities for Song: “Not Ready to Make Nice” by **Dixie Chicks** “Beautiful Day” by **U2** “Lose Yourself” by **Eminem** ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/4 "2009-03-18T18:04:06Z")
I agree with _American Idiot_. I don’t think there’s another album that matches its popularity and relevance. To top it off, it’s a great album. Its biggest clunker is probably “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and even that was a hit. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/5 "2009-03-18T18:08:44Z")
From a hip-hop perspective I’d nominate either the **Blue Scholars** ’ \*Bayani \*or **Lupe Fiasco** ’s _Food and Liquor_. They most definitely touch on a few of the zeitgeists of the decade. Objectively speaking, they are classics. As far as popularity goes, they for sure would qualify within the genre, but of the two, Lupe has a much farther reach outside of it. Beyond hip-hop, maybe **The Decemberists** ’ _Picaresque_? ‘16 Military Wives’ certainly captures the essence of the lead up to the Iraq War, and it is a solid album all the way through. Lest we not forget, they also have received the “Colbert bump”. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/6 "2009-03-18T18:12:46Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > “Crazy” by **Gnarls Barkley** : fantastic single that defies any certain genre and has a certain “what the hell, we’re all crazy” attitude in its lyrics. Great pick. _St. Elsewhere_ could, perhaps, even qualify for the album too. I’ve heard people I’d never expect listening, and loving that one. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/7 "2009-03-18T18:26:34Z")
Yeah I’m going to have to give American Idiot strong consideration. Although really that might be song of the decade, since I didn’t think the rest of the album was particularly good. Maybe I didn’t give it enough chance, I will investigate further. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/8 "2009-03-18T18:36:31Z")
Song of the decade: Gollums song (Emiliana Torrini) from Lord of the Rings - The two towers. Movie trilogy of the decade as well. Album of the decade: Tori Amos - Scarlets Walk\*, inspired by 9-11. \*) even better: Kayak - Merlin, bard of the unseen. “No-one” knows that one though. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/9 "2009-03-18T22:09:50Z")
Album: **Outkast** , _Speakerboxx/Love Below_ Song: **White Stripes** , “Seven Nation Army” ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/10 "2009-03-18T22:36:16Z")
Song of the Decade: Gnarls Barkley - Crazy Album of the Decade: Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Regarding Green Day, The Fratellis, etc. I think a reasonable demand is that the album is at least on top100 on > **[Acclaimed Music](http://acclaimedmusic.net/)** > > Acclaimed Music. The most recommended albums and singles of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/11 "2009-03-18T23:23:26Z")
I’ve loads of favourites, but think that _Funeral_ by Arcade Fire is the only one that really has the gravitas to be spoken of in best of decade terms. _Relationship of Command_ and _Songs for the Deaf_ are amongst my favourite ever rock albums, but I’m not sure that they have the wider appeal to be considered as overall, decade-defining classics. I think fans of radiohead will pick Kid A. I like radiohead OK, but IME a lot of hardcore fans see the band as being really special, a level above all others. So I’ll also suggest Kid A by proxy. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/12 "2009-03-19T00:52:59Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Regarding Green Day, The Fratellis, etc. I think a reasonable demand is that the album is at least on top100 on > [http://acclaimedmusic.net/](http://acclaimedmusic.net/) That site would have a lot more clout if it didn’t have **The Strokes** as the #1 album of the decade. Ye gods. Otherwise it isn’t a bad list. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/13 "2009-03-19T01:41:13Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > That site would have a lot more clout if it didn’t have **The Strokes** as the #1 album of the decade. Ye gods. Otherwise it isn’t a bad list. It’s not horrible, but it’s wayyy too biased toward a particular sound. I don’t dislike the music they rank highly, necessarily, but it’s very “this is what white kids listen to in college.” Aside from a few token albums, pop and hip-hop are neglected almost entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/14 "2009-03-19T03:58:21Z")
Radiohead - Kid A Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica a very close second. Both from 2000, and while there have been a lot of amazing albums since, nothing that I’ve heard has reached that level. Hell, even Radiohead and Modest Mouse have been unable to get back to that peak. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/15 "2009-03-19T07:16:57Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#): > > It’s not horrible, but it’s wayyy too biased toward a particular sound. I don’t dislike the music they rank highly, necessarily, but it’s very “this is what white kids listen to in college.” Aside from a few token albums, pop and hip-hop are neglected almost entirely. Agreed, although it is an aggregation site (if i understand it correctly) so it is basically an amalgam of sites, probably mostly made by that demographic which would explain the bias to a large extent. And upon further review, American Idiot is a much better song than album. Although I still like 7 Nation Army as a better representative. Green Day just seems so 90s to me. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/16 "2009-03-19T08:09:35Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > That site would have a lot more clout if it didn’t have **The Strokes** as the #1 album of the decade. Ye gods. Otherwise it isn’t a bad list. I personally agree with that sentiment. But you should note, it’s not a specific site with it’s own opinion. It’s a site that takes _all_ critics lists, and creates a meta list from them. > [@shy\_guy](#): > > Aside from a few token albums, pop and hip-hop are neglected almost entirely. Critics generally don’t like pop and hip-hop so much. Claiming there is not as much deeper musical content in those genres as in rock. I agree with the critics on this. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/17 "2009-03-19T15:26:16Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > Critics generally don’t like pop and hip-hop so much. Claiming there is not as much deeper musical content in those genres as in rock. Then those critics don’t know what they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-album-of-the-decade/489904/18 "2009-03-19T15:32:54Z")
> [@HoboStew](#): > > And upon further review, American Idiot is a much better song than album. Although I still like 7 Nation Army as a better representative. Green Day just seems so 90s to me. You may be right. I’m biased because I don’t like the White Stripes (though I do like the song “7 Nation Army”). And yeah, I did have a little bit of a problem with giving “album of the decade” to a band that I, too, think of as a 90’s band.