00's Superlatives

I think for Best Pop/Rock Songwriters of the Decade you've got to include Gibbard. The guy writes pop music in the truest sense of the word.

Bjork & PJ Harvey

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

I guess my criteria for this would be someone who has managed to maintain a steady stream of influence and buzz around them, primarily for their music.

I *would* nominate Amy Winehouse, but it's really no longer about her music, is it?

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

I guess my criteria for this would be someone who has managed to maintain a steady stream of influence and buzz around them, primarily for their music.

I *would* nominate Amy Winehouse, but it's really no longer about her music, is it?

To me, Amy Winehouse is the Katy Perry of 2 years ago. She came out with a nice-sounding single and then became a celebrity. It's hard to call "Frank" a significant release, so all she's got going for her is one album. PJ Harvey and Bjork peaked in the 90s and while they still command respect, they're not part of this discussion. I don't know which female artists you could slot in for this decade. Not Feist, Cat Power, Joanna Newsome. That's a tough one.

For men, I'd have to agree that Kanye is part of the discussion. Cannot stand him or his music, but motherscratcher has released all his records this decade and they've all been notable and successful with nary a flop or much of a (musical) stumble.

Everybody wrote:
Bjork & PJ Harvey

the question was "the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's", not "most likely to be part of a threesome in the average hipster's fantasy" :D

for the ladies, bjork, maybe… but no way PJ is on the list.  how about madonna?  yes, she's been around forever but her music still sells and she's hugely influential.  not selling quite as well but definitely influential is britney.  before the pitchfork nazis jump all over the above: i can't stand any of the artists mentioned above other than PJ.  i'm not saying they're any good, i'm saying they are influential.

but since the question is "relevance", we probably need to talk about beyonce and mary j blige.

As vomit inducing as it is for me to type this: Gwen Stefani.

sweetcell wrote:
but since the question is "relevance", we probably need to talk about beyonce and mary j blige.

I was thinking about this. Beyonce might be a clear forerunner for this.

She's one of few that managed to sell, remain relevant, and be wildly influential in the culture of the 2000s. Even with Destiny's Child, really.

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

Kanye West would nom Kayne West.

Julian, wrote:
I think for Best Pop/Rock Songwriters of the Decade you've got to include Gibbard. The guy writes pop music in the truest sense of the word.

I'd vote for DCFC and Gibbard in the writer / male category. At the very least as a humble HM.
Death Cab infiltrated the mainstream, while maintaining their indie cred & original sound. Kids, adults all seem to love them and/or know of them. Plus, lyrics are innocent, basic, yet poetic. And, an album about death on a major label - and sold plenty still - is something. Give 'em one more album that does well and they'll secure a spot on this list, imo.

How are they different from Modest Mouse? Even MM had an actual sorta radio hit.

Couple of additions….

Songwriters: Ryan Adams has to be in the conversation, given that every album he released in his solo career came in the '00s.

Artist: Jay-Z has to be in the discussion, if not towards the top of the list.  Kanye doesn't go anywhere without him. Released this decade: The Dynasty (2000), Unplugged (2001), The Blueprint (2001), The Blueprint 2 (2002), The Blueprint 2.1 (2003), The Black Album (2003), Collision Course (2004), Kingdom Come (2006), American Gangster (2007) - not to mention the countless unofficial mashup releases and appearances on other albums/songs.


Rick Rubin, Marc Ronson, Danger Mouse, and Brian Eno should also be in the discussion, thinking along the lines of producers.

Danger Mouse would be a GREAT nomination.

Not to mention, his near flawless track record in terms of production. You could also refer back to how he's been influential in making a lot of those retro organ sounds and throwback songwriting in general, popular again.

Brian Eno?



I agree with Danger Mouse though. He's been innovative and is riding a lot of the modern/current trends and such.

Jay-Z to me is a 90s dude. The Blueprint is the only 00's album that will be remembered. His whole "executive" sabbatical hurt his momentum, along with those shitty albums he put out.

Relaxer wrote:
Brian Eno?



I agree with Danger Mouse though. He's been innovative and is riding a lot of the modern/current trends and such.

Jay-Z to me is a 90s dude. The Blueprint is the only 00's album that will be remembered. His whole "executive" sabbatical hurt his momentum, along with those shitty albums he put out.

With Eno?  Sure - if people are going to claim the Arcade Fire is in the discussion on the back of two albums, I can claim Eno is as a producer on the back of U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind and Coldplay's Viva La Vida on their own.  When you add to that the forthcoming U2 album, his collaborations with Paul Simon and David Byrne, his solo material, etc etc - he can absolutely be talked about.  Not to mention all of the things he has partial credits on for the decade.

As for Jay-Z, I just think you're wrong.

Relaxer wrote:
Jay-Z to me is a 90s dude. The Blueprint is the only 00's album that will be remembered. His whole "executive" sabbatical hurt his momentum, along with those shitty albums he put out.

yeah, this is flat-out wrong.

to expand a bit:  i'm really not that plugged into hip-hop, but being influential in that world doesn't just mean releasing big albums, it means producing, guest tracks, mixtapes, remixing, running a label, finding new talent, etc, etc, etc … lil wayne was one of the biggest rappers in the world in the couple of years leading up to his last album - released in summer 2008 - because of all the mixtapes and guest appearances

jay-z pretty much owned hip-hop in the 00's (gave kanye his break, etc) … kanye was hot on his heels

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

I guess my criteria for this would be someone who has managed to maintain a steady stream of influence and buzz around them, primarily for their music.

I *would* nominate Amy Winehouse, but it's really no longer about her music, is it?

Can I nominate a band?  If so: Radiohead.

callat703 wrote:

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

I guess my criteria for this would be someone who has managed to maintain a steady stream of influence and buzz around them, primarily for their music.

I *would* nominate Amy Winehouse, but it's really no longer about her music, is it?

Can I nominate a band?  If so: Radiohead.

This, to me, is a situation where the criteria really matters.  I would consider Radiohead as the _best_ band of the decade, but not as the most relevant/influential.  They're off on their own island.

ixkpd-bk wrote:
I'm curious who you guys would nominate as the most relevant male and female musicians of the 2000's?

I guess my criteria for this would be someone who has managed to maintain a steady stream of influence and buzz around them, primarily for their music.

I *would* nominate Amy Winehouse, but it's really no longer about her music, is it?

Alicia Keys
Norah Jones
Avril Lavigne
Britney Spears

HoyaSaxa03 wrote:

callat703 wrote:

Can I nominate a band?  If so: Radiohead.

This, to me, is a situation where the criteria really matters.  I would consider Radiohead as the _best_ band of the decade, but not as the most relevant/influential.  They're off on their own island.

Interesting.  I think it also comes down to how you define relevance.

callat703 wrote:

HoyaSaxa03 wrote:

callat703 wrote:

Can I nominate a band?  If so: Radiohead.

This, to me, is a situation where the criteria really matters.  I would consider Radiohead as the _best_ band of the decade, but not as the most relevant/influential.  They're off on their own island.

Interesting.  I think it also comes down to how you define relevance.

True, but "relevance" is kind of a weasel word.  Who did the Radiohead of the 00's influence?  Not a rhetorical question, I just can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

Whereas the Strokes were enormously influential (on both sides of the pond), but only put out one great album.  Same with Amy Winehouse, although I never really followed that white-girl neo-soul revival thing, someone else might have been the spark there.

i think radiohead were plenty influential. maybe not in the same way as the strokes, who spawned countless imitators in terms of actual sound. but radiohead was a very popular band that played, y'know, guitar rock, then completely revamped their sound and changed directions, and it was then that they went from being radiohead to RADIOHEAD OMGO OMGOMGOMG!!!!! that artistic free will, or whatever you wanna call it, will have a more lasting influence than a particular "sound" that gave us the vines and the cribs. everyone pretty much looks to radiohead for "what comes next," that's not really the case with any other band.