50 Best Albums of the 2010s: 10-1

After months of listening, reflecting, and writing, we've finally made it to the top ten! Again, here's a quick review of how I tried to rank these albums: I graded these holistically, giving (mostly) equal attention to: composition, arrangement, performance, production, innovation, impact, and personal enjoyment. Like all of my music reviews, I probably failed to live up to this impossible task, but I gave it a shot. Enjoy! (And feel free to check out the bottom half of this list here, plus my mid-tier picks here.)

10.) The Marshall Mathers LP 2 - Eminem: I'm just a simple fanboy from southeast Michigan, so take this with a grain of salt - not only is The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Eminem's best album, but it might be one of the greatest rap statements ever recorded. There's something intangibly awesome about the entire project, from the throwback album cover to its overall vibe of playful pop malevolence. Eminem has never been afraid to court controversy - something that persists in this album - but here, it seems to be imbued with a new sense of purpose. This ain't shock for shock's sake, and although it's easy to get lost in Em's big anthemic hooks, it's more important to dig through each line. This album finds its grace in unexpected moments - a feature, a chuckle, a subverted expectation. All in all, this thing is fantastic fun, and was a serious contender for the decade's best rap album. Standout track: While chart-toppers like "Rap God" and "The Monster" are tempting choices, I have to go with the songs produced by the legendary Rick Rubin - "Rhyme and Reason" and "So Far..."

9.) Lemonade - Beyoncé: Whenever the queen arrives, she demands everyone stop and listen. So when this album exploded unexpectedly onto the scene back in 2016, it seized everyone in its grip and refused to let go for months. On Lemonade, Beyoncé is explosive, imaginative, humble, ferocious, weepy, and everything in between. It's a pop album of epic proportions, with unforgettable melodies and truly standout vocal performances. Musicality and cultural flourishes aside, what I appreciate most about this record is its commitment to variety. In its 45-minute runtime it delivers scintillating soul, hypnotic pop, blistering rap, and unpretentious Texas-style country. With features from artists as diverse as Kendrick Lamar to Jack White, it's clear that Beyoncé worked hard to integrate as many varying styles as she could. This is middle-finger music, with as much bite and bile as the medium can conjure up. Standout tracks: I'm obsessed with the textured production of "Daddy Lessons" and the vocal ferocity of "Don't Hurt Yourself." 

8.) The Goat Rodeo Sessions - Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile: I've always loved musical mashups. Like fireworks blossoming into explosions of glittering color, it's fun to see how different artists, songs, and genres intersect. Here, the unparalleled genius of Yo-Yo Ma tackles bluegrass, and it's every bit as weird and thrilling as you'd expect. With popping strings and breathless arrangements, this is unquestionably one of the decade's very best albums. The caliber of musicianship alone is enough to make your jaw drop, but what I find most fascinating is how natural everything sounds. I'd have never imagined twangy Appalachia and baroque formalism would intertwine so effortlessly. Each song is a full-throttled exploration of this bizarre new musical territory - the only thing you can do is let it wash over you. There are so many competing voices and melodies that it's fun to get lost in the multifaceted minutia of every track. This is the sound of bustling streams buried deep in the woods, of fireflies and starshine. Standout tracks: I adore the firebrand intensity of "Where's My Bow?" and the soft smolder of "Here and Heaven."

7.) Nightbird - Eva Cassidy: Although this album is already in the top ten, I still think it should be higher on the list. Really. Nightbird is an album as sweet and sultry as its title. Its jazz is pure, swinging up there with Basie and Q and the best of them (I'm particularly enamored with the tickled ivories and holy skins). But like many of the other records on this list, it all boils down to the vocals. And Eva Cassidy? She's the most talented singer you've never heard of. She's fire and ice, the sky and the sea, sassy and soulful. Sadly, her life and career were extinguished too soon. This posthumous release showcases the full range of her exquisite talent. Call it whatever you want - blue-eyed soul, lounge jazz, fiery folk - it doesn't matter. Nightbird is perfect. Standout tracks: Her versions of "Ain't No Sunshine," "Fever," and "Son of a Preacher Man" are divine.

6.) The Afterman - Coheed and Cambria: Regardless of how intricate the music or masterful the performance, prog-rock is often too esoteric, mathematical, and alienating for most listeners. Thankfully, The Afterman is as emotionally grounded as it is musically impressive. There are a smattering of radio-friendly ditties to keep casual listeners engaged, but mostly? This is a balls-to-the-wall effort. Guitar heroism abounds, the rhythm section is pure thunder, and those vocals? Frontman Claudio Sanchez might be an acquired taste, but he's effortlessly emotive. It's a double-album (Ascension and Descension), meant to be enjoyed as a single experience. The "Key Entity Extraction" series alone is enough to make you a hardcore fan of Coheed's sweeping story and unique vision. Standout track: While a few of my friends love the cinematic grandiosity of "Gravity's Union," the down-to-earth concreteness of "The Hard Sell" just tickles my brain in all the right ways. I also think the bustling percussion of "Evagria the Faithful" is as groovy as prog could ever get. Awesome stuff.

5.) WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? - Billie Eilish: Full disclosure? The first time I listened to this album, I thought it was vaguely interesting garbage. I didn't understand the hype, and I was somewhat irritated by the breathy vocals and spooky instrumentation. But something weird happened. Without realizing it, I found myself gravitating back to it again and again and again. Before long, I'd listened to the entire record almost a dozen times, and I'd somehow been transformed into not only a fan of Eilish, but an admirer of her style. The vocals I once found breathy and limp, I now find intimate and unique. Instead of hearing a cringy Halloweenish production, I now hear inventive synths and unexpected percussion. This album is an ocean at midnight, glittering beneath a pale and distant moon. It is alive and beautiful and foreboding, deeper than you expect and teeming with life. It's certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you listen with an open mind, you'll be surprised by what you find. Standout track: Yes, all the hits are bangers (can anyone even argue with "Bad Guy" or "Bury A Friend"?), but my all-time favorite has to be the knock-down-drag-out bravado of "You Should See Me in a Crown."

4.) Sonic Highways - Foo Fighters: Foo Fighters are simultaneously one of the most overrated and underrated rock bands ever. In one camp, you have hardcore fans who hold up the group as saviors of modern music and the torchbearers of everything kickass. In the other camp, you have snobby music elitists who ignore the humble competence and enduring musicianship of the band altogether. Both camps have their points, yet there's no denying the mythic scope and peerless execution of 2014's Sonic Highways. It's an ambitious project, one that spanned the country and included a host of famous collaborations, from Zac Brown to Gary Clark, Jr. This is the Foo at their most sophisticated, with organic productions and sumptuous songwriting. The album has a slew of memorable moments, like the slow-burn of "Something From Nothing," the minimalist guitar solo in "Outside," and the one-two punch of slinky "Subterranean" with the righteous "I Am A River." This is the best Foo album, and a watershed moment in modern rock & roll. Standout track: My wife and I love every second of "Congregation."

3.) Family Dinner (Volume Two) - Snarky Puppy: You guys knew I couldn't leave the top-5 devoid of jazz, right? Well, here we are. Snarky Puppy is a band that's as surreal as they are sensational, and with this live album they prove themselves to be the best jazz group of the present day. With rhythms that'll make your head spin, solos that are unhinged yet emotionally impactful, and grooves deep enough to make the dead tap their toes, it's no wonder why this record is one of the decade's best. This is technically considered to be "jazz fusion," and the band was not screwing around with the "fusion" part. Here you'll find be-bop, math rock, proggy time signatures, and soulful otherworldly folk. Every song is like a different planet, each with its own gravity, geography, and life. If you're a brave musical explorer, ready to probe the final frontier and boldly go where no man has gone before, then this album should be at the top of your list. Standout track: "Don't You Know," featuring Jacob Collier and Big Ed Lee, is the best jazz song of the decade, and one that's been a playlist staple of mine for years. Get into it.

2.) My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West: I understand that Kanye has become a cultural epicenter, and that by his own often ridiculous actions his brand has become politicized. But if you can actually hear the music through all the static and noise, you will be infinitely rewarded. While Kanye made some incredible music in the 2010s - especially Kids See Ghosts and The Life of Pablo - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy still comes out on top. It is the pinnacle of West's divinely decadent musical excess. Every track is slathered with layer upon layer of vocals, synths, hooks, samples, and collaboration. Hell, in breakout hit "All of the Lights" you get John Legend, Rihanna, Kid Kudi, Alicia Keys, Drake, Fergie, and Elton John. And that's all from a single song! Thankfully, Kanye manages to keep all these plates balanced and spinning. The entire album grooves on without letting up, keeping you hypnotized from the first words to its final half-hearted applause. This is, and may always be, the best rap record of the 2010's. Standout tracks: Ten years have gone by, and I'm still entranced by "Runaway," "Monster," and "Lost in the World." If you can listen to these and still not be a fan, then I don't know what to tell you. This is genius at its most eccentric and ostentatious - and it's almost the best album of the decade.

1.) Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional - The Dear Hunter: Okay okay okay, I know what you guys are thinking. Who the heck is The Dear Hunter, and why the heck are they number one? Well, to anyone not in the know, The Dear Hunter is a prog-rock/pop band that's been around for fifteen years. Most of their lifespan has been dedicated to an ornate, grandiose rock opera told in 6 acts. The story chronicles one man's life as he grapples with love, death, family, and war. Is it pretentious? Oh, you betcha. But is it impressive? Does it actually work? Thankfully, the answer to both of these questions is absolutely.

Although I was tempted to put the equally awesome Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise on this list, it just doesn't strike me like Act V does. The subtitle is Hymns with the Devil in Confessional, a phrase that contains all the pageantry, mysticism, and elegance of the album itself. For fans of arthouse pop acts like Father John Misty or Sufjan Stevens, this will definitely tick a few of your boxes. But this album isn't all cascading waterfalls and drifting leaves - it also blasts out some seriously impressive high-concept rock, stuff that'll leave fans of Coheed & Cambria satisfied.

All things told, Act V is the apex of why I loved music in the 2010's. It's the ultimate statement in metamodernity, paying respect to what has come before and pioneering some innovative new ground. From a technical perspective, all the specs are spot-on, from the warm production to engaging musicianship. And the individual songs themselves? Wonderful. You want pop? Check out the hauntingly beautiful "The Moon/Awake." You want folk? How about the power-pop ballad "Melpomene." How about swing? You've got the raunchy swagger of "The Revival" and the sly "Mr. Usher." You'd rather have something with a bit more edge, something punky? "Gloria" and "The March" ought to do the trick. All these genres coalesce into a single satisfying vision. Plenty of modern artists don't have a distinctive identity or direction. Well, The Dear Hunter has more than enough to go around. And here? They revel in it.

Honestly, this entire album is exquisite - dusky and delightful, glittery and glum, divine yet devilish. I listen to the whole thing probably once a week. Seriously. It is my favorite album of the 2010's, and one of my favorites ever recorded. I strongly encourage you to check it out. Standout tracks? How about the whole damn thing. You're welcome.