albums of the decade | 2000-2009

As the last summer of this decade comes to a close and "best of the decade" talk starts to pop up on various corners of the internet, we've decided to post a concise list of our favorite albums of the '00s. We wanted this to be a small post/discussion, as opposed to some overwrought, massive thing, so we pared the list down to the 20 albums that, for us, defined the last 10 years. The list is below, with a foreword from Carles of popular weblog Hipster Runoff:

"You continue to come back to Gorilla vs. Bear for a reason. It seems to be 'simple', like 'not making a big deal' about sharing emerging artists. While many blogs continue to generate zany memes, muckraking 'newsbits', and spiral into a terrible voice that cannot be corrected, Gorilla vs. Bear stays pretty 'straightforward' and has never really 'shot itself in the foot' by expanding beyond its core competency.

In the final 4 months of 2k9, you will see more 'Best of the Decade' gimmick lists than have ever been generated at the twilight of any decade. It seems like the 'list' gimmick has been exhausted, but there is still a responsibility of 'relevant' voices to generate a list, not only for the 'mad hits', 'search engine optimization', and 'shitload of comments' , but to give your followers a 'landmark', saying 'We have lived through this. Now we shall reflect upon this.' While some outlets can do this naturally because of their brand/voice, it seems likely that most people will 'seem like ass holes' for making lists.

This is the top albums of the decade list by some bros who live in Texas, but seems like it means 'more' because the bros behind it have a 'respected blog.' While you are above concepts like 'lists', 'time', 'labeling periods of time', and 'judging art', it is a social responsibility of a relevant tastemaker to make 'seminal lists.'"

--Carles, designer of IAMCARLES.com

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gorilla vs. bear's favorite albums of the decade | 2000-2009

01 panda bear | person pitch (2007)
02 the strokes | is this it (2001)
03 ghostface killah | supreme clientele (2000)
04 outkast | stankonia (2000)
05 radiohead | kid A (2000)
06 j dilla | donuts (2006)
07 sufjan stevens | michigan (2003)
08 burial | untrue (2007)
09 joanna newsom | the milk-eyed mender (2004)
10 m.i.a. + diplo | piracy funds terrorism vol. I (2004)
11 sigur ros | Ágætis Byrjun (2000*)
12 the arcade fire | funeral (2004)
13 white denim | fits (2009)
14 animal collective | feels (2005)
15 the streets | a grand don't come for free (2004)
16 grizzly bear | veckatimest (2009)
17 clipse | hell hath no fury (2006)
18 beach house | devotion (2008)
19 madvillain | madvillainy (2004)
20 the knife | silent shout (2006)

[*UK release date]

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