Since 2020, I’ve been ranking and reviewing the top 5 albums - plus a fair few extras - according to users on rateyourmusic.com (think IMDB for music) from every year from 1960 to the present. If you want to know more, I wrote an introduction to the ‘challenge’ here. You can also read all the other entries I’ve written so far by heading to the lovely index page here.

Welcome to 2001, the year George W. Bush became president, 9/11 happened, John Prescott punched a protestor who threw an egg at him, and I entered year 9. We’re here for the music though right? Here’s what the nerds on rateyourmusic.com rated as the year’s top 5 albums:

#1 Björk - Vespertine
#2 The Microphones - The Glow Pt. 2
#3 Daft punk - Discovery
#4 The Strokes - Is This It
#5 Unwound - Leaves Turn Inside You

I’m also grabbing a bunch from further down the list:

#6 System of a Down - Toxicity
#7 Tool - Lateralus
#8 Converge - Jane Doe
#10 Aphex Twin - Druqks
#12 Radiohead - Amnesiac
#29 Aaliyah - Aaliyah
#35 Life Without Buildings - Any Other City

That’s plenty, off we go.

“Aaliyah is the third and final studio album by American singer Aaliyah. Aaliyah is described in critical commentaries as an album of R&B, neo soul, and dance-pop, while drawing on an array of other genres such as funk, hip-hop, alternative rock, electronica, and Latin music.” - Wikipedia

Aaliyah’s final album, before her tragic death in a plane accident the same year, is a solid, smooth and very listenable album that throws some interesting influences into its production. Lyrically I found it a little bland though.

Song Picks: We Need a Resolution, More than a Woman

6.5/10

“Discovery is the second studio album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. It marked a shift from the Chicago house of their first album, Homework, to a house style more heavily inspired by disco, post-disco, garage house, and R&B. Discovery is credited with influencing pop production over subsequent decades. In 2020, Rolling Stone included it at number 236 in its updated list of ‘The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time’.” - Wikipedia

There’s no doubt that Discovery has a few iconic tracks on it, One More Time is surely one of the most influential pieces of dance music ever, and even plenty of the lesser known stuff is very fun. However, for me, there’s a bit too much fluff on here for it to be a great album. Brilliant in parts, but inconsistent. Shoot me.

Song Picks: One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love

6.5/10

“Leaves Turn Inside You is the seventh and final studio album by the American post-hardcore band Unwound. The album received critical acclaim from several music publications, both contemporarily and after its original release.” - Wikipedia

Unwound were to break up in a fairly messy manner 10 months after the release of this album, and it serves as a spectacular goodbye. I haven’t listened to the band’s other releases, which I’m told are much more noisy, but this one is often soft and undoubtedly pretty. For me it doesn’t quite pay off its 1 hour 17 minute run length though, and feels like it could have done with a bit more focus.

Song Picks: Look a Ghost, December

7.5/10

“Jane Doe is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Converge. Although Jane Doe did not chart, it was a commercial breakthrough for the band and received immediate acclaim, with critics praising its poetic lyrics, dynamics, ferocity and production. It has since been listed as one of the greatest albums of the metalcore genre by various publications, and has developed a cult following, with the cover art becoming an icon of the band.” - Wikipedia

A chaotic, ferocious break-up album that doesn’t quite fit into any of metal’s many buckets. It has an insatiable punk energy which refuses to be bound to that genre’s conventions too. Essentially, it’s singular.

Song Picks: Concubine, Homewrecker

8.5/10

“Morning View is the fourth studio album by American rock band Incubus. Continuing the move away from nu metal, the album ranges widely from soft to hard rock sounds in the style of alternative rock. Morning View generally achieved critical praise and went double-platinum, making it the band's highest selling album.” - Wikipedia

Incubus was my favourite band from year 10 until the end of school, and much of that was due to this album (though Make Yourself and SCIENCE were also on regular rotation in my bedroom). Returning to it now, I think it holds up - Einziger’s riffs are pulverising, but it’s the way the band flow from smooth world music inspired breakdowns to heavier nu-metal that sets them apart from the decade’s plethora of nu metal bands. Jose Pasillas was my inspiration as a drummer growing up, and I still think he’s very underrated, with a musical style that goes beyond others in the genre and really helps to make the more ethereal breakdown sections work. Brandon Boyd’s lyrics are definitely the band’s weakness, as he has a tendency to throw in the odd clunker. His vocals also divide opinion, but I feel like they fit the band well, cutting through and adding a certain unhinged quality to stop everything sounding too smooth.

Overall, this has been a very fun revisit, and though I think it perhaps repeats its party-trick one too many times by the end, it’s still a very good album, and one that feels fresh in a genre that was getting a little stale at this point.

Song Picks: Circles, Wish You Were Here, Are You In?

8.5/10

“Vespertine is the fourth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. Björk aspired to create an album with minimal and intricate electronic music to evoke an intimate and domestic feeling, in contrast with the louder styles of her previous studio album Homogenic. Lyrically, the album drew inspiration from Björk's new relationship with Matthew Barney, exploring themes related to sex, intimacy, eroticism, and love. Other lyrical sources include the poetry of E. E. Cummings and British playwright Sarah Kane's Crave. Vespertine received universal acclaim from music critics, with some considering it Björk's best album to date. The album appeared on several publications' lists of the best albums of 2001 and of the decade, and has been evaluated by many critics to be one of the best albums of all time.” - Wikipedia

The production on this is a gorgeous collage of softer, cloudy tones and sparkles. It feels like being transported to some sort of crystal palace (no, not that one) while a mysterious voice sings from some unreachable corner of it. Vocally, Bjork's style is as hypnotic and singular as always, but here it soars over much quieter arrangements, and the two feel somewhat juxtaposed. No bad thing, but to me her vocals work more when followed more closely by punchier arrangements.

Song Picks: Unison, Hidden Place, Undo

8.5/10

“Toxicity is the second studio album by the American heavy metal band System of a Down. Expanding on their 1998 eponymous debut album, Toxicity incorporates more melody, harmonies, and singing than the band's first album. Categorized primarily as alternative metal and nu metal, the album features elements of multiple genres, including folk, progressive rock, jazz, and Armenian and Greek music, including prominent use of instruments like the sitar, banjo, keyboards, and piano. It contains a wide array of political and non-political themes, such as mass incarceration, the CIA, the environment, police brutality, drug addiction, scientific reductionism, and groupies. Toxicity received highly positive ratings and reviews from critics, among them perfect ratings from AllMusic, Kerrang!, and Blabbermouth.net. Many critics praised the album's sound and innovation, and it ranked on multiple "best albums" lists.” - Wikipedia

I'm finally coming across an album I listened to when it came out. I loved this in Year 9 and I think it holds up now. Their ability to change a song's direction on a dime, and to pull huge roared crescendos out of parts that already sounded like crescendos is magical. The album’s eclectic influences help to give it a bunch of personality. Toxicity is unafraid to get political, it’s cerebral and technical, and it’s just so damn moshable. Pure adrenaline fuelled fun.

Song Picks: Chop Suey!, Toxicity, Forest, Science

8.5/10

“Amnesiac is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 30 May 2001 by EMI. It was recorded with the producer Nigel Godrich in the same sessions as Radiohead's previous album Kid A (2000). Radiohead split the work in two as they felt it was too dense for a double album. Amnesiac was named one of the year's best albums by numerous publications. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize and several Grammy Awards, winning for Best Recording Package for the special edition. "Pyramid Song" was named one of the best tracks of the decade by Rolling Stone, NME and Pitchfork, and Rolling Stone ranked Amnesiac number 320 in their 2012 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". - Wikipedia

I'm handing over this review to Stick Around co-host Michael Johnson. Here's his 2009 review of this on rateyourmusic.com, which I wholeheartedly agree with:

“This is a difficult record, to me. Took me a while to fully appreciate, then the glory of it came to the fore in the end. I seem to be in some sort of minority, at least generally, of people who adored Kid A from the first listen, but that didn't help me here. This album is way out there. I reject any suggestions that it sounds like a collection of rejected Kid A cuts though. It has its own appeal, and is only Kid A's poor little brother in the sense that any album juxtaposed with that triumph would be.”

SP (mine): Morning Bell / Amnesiac, Life In a Glasshouse, Pyramid Song

9/10

“Drukqs (stylised as drukQs) is the fifth studio album by the British electronic music artist and producer Richard D. James under the alias of Aphex Twin.It is a double album that includes a variety of contrasting styles, from meticulously programmed beats inspired by jungle and drum and bass, to classical-type piano and prepared piano, ambient, and electroacoustic pieces.

James released Drukqs to pre-empt a potential leak after he accidentally left an MP3 player containing his music on a plane. It received polarised reviews from critics: many dismissed it, focusing on its perceived lack of innovation and similarity to James's previous works, while some praised it as an accomplished work.” - Wikipedia

I love this. Maybe you need to be a hardcore Aphex Twin fan to feel like this doesn't push what he does forwards? To me, it's an insanely ambitious, calculated mess of an album that provides 1 hour and 40 minutes of edge of your seat entertainment. It sounds like every note and beat was laboured over with intent, yet it also feels like the spontaneous digital meltdown of a genius.

Song Picks: Avril 14th, Vordhosbn

9/10

“Is This It is the debut studio album by American rock band the Strokes. For their debut, the band strived to capture a simple sound that was not significantly enhanced in the studio. The album received widespread critical acclaim, with many critics praising it for its charisma and rhythm, which often referenced the works of 1970s garage rock bands. The release of the album is widely considered to be a watershed moment, and crucial in the reinvention of post-millennium guitar music. It has featured in several publications' lists of the best albums of the 2000s and of all time.’ - Wikipedia

The drums are rudimentary, the tempo is the same for most songs, and there's practically no dynamics; the quiet as fuzzy as the shouted. All these sound like criticisms, in reality though it means nothing distracts from the album's main strengths - which are Casablancas' ear for simple catchy melodies, the songwriting, and the catchy guitar interplay. The simple sound also creates a breezy vibe: one that doesn't rely on your emotional investment but is always a good time.

This is the album that most reminds me of school, but somehow makes me do it in a more objective and accepting way than other albums I liked at the time. The album feels wise somehow, Casablancas' shouts mature, the simple guitar riffs calculated. It's also packed with genuine bangers, though the last couple of tracks feel comparatively inconsequential, which perhaps holds me back from calling it a masterpiece.

Song Picks: Last Nite, New York City Cops

9/10

“Lateralus is the third studio album by the American rock band Tool. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 555,200 copies in its first week of release.” - Wikipedia

This is the cultured choice for favourite nu metal album isn't it? Good. It's my favourite. Full of the crushing riffs you'd expect in the genre; peppered with a sophisticated selection of time signatures you wouldn't. The band makes the album’s complexity feel completely effortless, and it never feels showy for the sake of it. Every twist and turn makes it hit harder. It feels like the ultimate, mature refinement of a genre that defined the decade,

Song Picks: Parabola, Ticks & Leeches, Lateralus

9.5/10

2. Any Other City

Life Without Buildings

The Glasgow band made one album and then split when they all felt what they’d started for fun had become too serious. That one album was a masterpiece. Sue Tompkins’ vocals sound like nothing else, a kind of energetic spoken word that is as likely to break into a shout as it is a catchy melody. They sound spontaneous, and as full of life as any vocal I’ve heard.

The band backs her performances perfectly, with mathy, but never overly complex, arrangements that seem to bloom and swell with Tompkins’ emotions. Nothing feels pre-rehearsed, it all feels like it’s happening right now, for the one and only time, and you’re a lucky bastard to get to listen to it. Any Other City is an album that feels as free as a spontaneous dance through deserted city streets after a particularly good night out. It could only have been written by the type of people who would amicably break-up to follow their own artistic pursuits despite rising success - because this was never meant to be a long term thing.

Song Picks: Let’s Get Out, Juno, The Leanover, New Town

9.5/10

“The Glow Pt. 2 is the third studio album by American indie folk and indie rock project the Microphones. The album takes influences from numerous music genres such as black metal, ambient and avant-garde, as well as non-musical sources like the American drama television show Twin Peaks and primary member Phil Elverum's relationship to Khaela Maricich. Elverum was responsible for the album's production in its entirety.

Musically, The Glow Pt. 2 diverts from the band's previous studio release It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water, and features experimental production, alongside musical techniques and lyrics that often reference nature and the Pacific Northwest. An immediate critical success, it has since appeared in multiple rankings of the best albums of the 2000s, and is considered by many music critics to be the Microphones' best work and an important release in the lo-fi genre.” - Wikipedia

Elverlum's lyrics are uncomplicated and pretty, while the production jumps from discordant, to messy, to gorgeously melodic with the ease of a passing breeze. The album breathes with the pain and beauty of being human, or as Elverum puts it on the title track: 'my blood flows harshly'.

Elverum's seemingly off the cuff vocals, along with the completely unpredictable production and arrangements add to a feeling that this whole thing was never written, and has somehow always existed. How can something so bloody beautiful and groundbreaking feel so effortless?

When an album is hard to describe, it's usually a good thing, and that's the case here. I'm not sure what box it belongs in other than the one labelled 'one of a kind masterpieces'.

Song Picks: I Want Wind to Blow, The Glow Pt 2, The Moon

10/10