My Decade in Music

If I can say one thing about this decade, it is that I am so grateful we have gotten to a point where good music can be discovered without the help of a major label.  These 10 albums are in no particular order, but each had a tremendous impact on my life. I am excited to hear what the next decade has to offer!

Also: here’s a quick mix of my top track from each of these albums.

Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights When I was exploring and discovering NYC for the first time during college, nothing served as a better soundtrack than this album. Now it’s just a timeless reminder.

TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain “Wolf Like Me” launched TV on the Radio into the spotlight and hit me like a ton of bricks. I haven’t gone a month without listening to one of their albums in its entirety and Return to Cookie Mountain is most often the one I choose.

Radiohead – In Rainbows Radiohead is my favorite band of all time, and in my opinion, this album is even better than Kid A.

Jay-Z – The Blueprint Jay-Z was hip hop in the 2000s. Eminem, Outkast and Kanye West gave us some options, but no one came close to what Jay-Z brought this decade.

The Notwist – Neon Golden “Consequence” is my favorite song of the decade, and this album has served as the backdrop for many highs and lows of my life. Do yourself a favor and go fall in love with it.

LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver This album defined a revolution, and every track has remained a must for any party playlist.

Pete Yorn – musicforthemorningafter Oh, where to begin. Pete Yorn is my favorite singer-songwriter of the decade, and no matter what emotion I was wearing at the time, this album held up.

The National – Boxer Ever since I left LA and delved into the startup world, this album has been the great equalizer for me. Through periods of uncertainty it constantly delivered, and “Fake Empire” is one of my top 5 songs of the decade.

Dexter Freebish – A Life of Saturdays This album was the major label debut of my cousin’s band, which captivated audiences around the country with the song “Leaving Town”. I always loved music, but I didn’t truly appreciate music until I had the chance to go out on tour with them during the summer between high school and college. It was an experience that changed my life and set me on a path of being involved with the music business ever since.

Arcade Fire – Funeral This album is so powerful that I still remember where I was when I heard it for the first time. Do you remember?

10 more worth mentioning:

Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American
Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous
The Killers – Hot Fuss
Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
My Morning Jacket – Z
Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
The Strokes – Is This It
Elliott Smith – Figure 8
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Daft Punk – Discovery