magazine Kerrang 50 Best Albums of the 21st Century

[ADAM]

In this weeks Kerrang magazine, Muse appear not once...not twice...but THRICE in the "50 Best Albums of the 21st Century" article.

 

A Century of Sound

 

Without our favourite albums, life, with its good times and bad, just wouldnt (BE *typo*) the same. You know that. We know that. So when we asked you lot to nominate the greatest albums of the 21st century, you couldn't respond fast enough!

 

With the votes in and counted, here, then, are

 

THE 50 MOST MEANINGFUL, POWERFUL, EXCITING AND AURALLY PLEASURABLE ALBUMS OF THE LAST NINE YEARS, ACCORDING TO YOU.

 

50) Crisis - Alexisonfire (2006)

49) Permission To Land - The Darkness (2003)

48) Blessed Black Wings - High On Fire (2005)

47) Relationship of Command - At The Drive-In (2000)

46) The Green Album - Weezer (2001)

45) Volcano - Satyricon (2002)

44) Orchestra Of Wolves - Gallows (2006)

43) Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death) - Marilyn Manson (2000)

42) From Here To Infirmary - Alkaline Trio (2001)

41) Take To The Skies - Enter Shikari (2007)

40) Worship And Tribute - Glassjaw (2002)

39) Ghost Reveries - Opeth (2005)

38) Love Metal - Him (2003)

37) Jane Doe - Converge (2001)

36) Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World (2001)

35) Ire Works - The Dillinger Escape Plan (2007)

34) Riot! - Paramore (2007)

33) A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - Panic! At The Disco (2005)

32) II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow - Down (2002)

31) Vol 3: (The Subliminal Verses) - Slipknot (2004)

30) Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water - Limp Bizkit (2000)

29) Black Holes And Revelations - Muse (2006)

28) Mutter - Rammstein (2001)

27) City Of Evil - Avenged Sevenfold (2005)

26) Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation - Funeral For A Friend (2003)

25) Puzzle - Biffy Clyro (2007)

24) Death Magnetic - Metallica (2008)

23) With Teeth - Nine Inch Nails (2005)

22) Ascendancy - Trivium (2005)

21) The End Of Heartache - Killswitch Engage (2004)

20) Lateralus - Tool (2001)

19) Start Something - Lostprophets (2004)

18) The Poison - Bullet For My Valentine (2005)

17) 21st Century Breakdown - Green Day (2009)

16) All Hope Is Gone - Slipknot (2008)

15) White Pony - Deftones (2000)

14) Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park (2000)

13) Origin Of Symmetry - Muse (2001)

12) The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance (2006)

11) Songs For The Deaf - Queens Of The Stone Age (2002)

10) Leviathan - Mastodon (2004)

09) From Under The Cork Tree - Fall Out Boy (2005)

08) The Blackening - Machine Head (2007)

07) Take Off Your Pants And Jacket - Blink 182 (2001)

06) Toxicity - System Of A Down (2001)

05) Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance (2004)

04) A Beautiful Lie - 30 Seconds To Mars (2005)

03) IOWA - Slipknot (2001)

02) Absolution - Muse (2003)

01) American Idiot - Green Day (2004)

 

29) Black Holes And Revelations - Muse (2006)

A brilliantly bonkers and brave balls-out record that bears witness to Muse indulging their every artistic whim to produce a political, proggy, sci-fi sound, touching on everything from Queen, Prince, Rush, Ennio Morricone and Black Sabbath. Sometimes within the space of one song. While Black Holes & Revelations was a new creative watermark, it also saw the trio's commercial star soar, with subsequent tours including a sold-out show at the fabulous Madison Square Garden in New York City and their triumphant two-night stand in Wembley Stadium. The band's status as the reigning kings of British rock was once again reaffirmed.

13) Origin Of Symmetry - Muse (2001)

Younger readers may be suprised to hear this, but prior to the release of Origin Of Symmetry, Muse looked like the band least likely to succeed. The critics, you see, had the West Country three-piece pegged. From the moment they heard the songs that comprised Showbiz, the band's 1999 debut, the verdict was in: Muse were nothing more than a Radiohead copy band. Their music had no value. This lot would not last.

 

How funny. And, erm, wrong.

 

For the most part, Muse's success has been built from the ground up, and the first substancial building blocks came with the release of this,their second album. Propelled by the lead-off single Plug In Baby, this is the set that laid the blueprints of what has come to be known as Muse's trademark sound: bass lines that serve the same purpose as rhythm guitar parts, elongated melodies and falsetto vocal patterns, not to mention songs of such scope that suddenly it seemed as if their creators had the whole wide world in their hands. The mainstream press were caught on the back foot: without permission from the critics, people began to love this band.

 

Origin of Symmetry achieved tremendous things for Muse. It struck a power chord not only in the United Kingdom, but aslo in mainland Europe. (America would have to wait: a contractual dispute with their US label saw the album's release in that territory delayed until 2005.) Hullabaloo, a concert film and live album shot and recorded on the tour in support of the album, was captured at the 15,000-seat Le Zenith venue in paris. Meanwhile in the UK, Muse found themselves headlining the spacious London Arena. This, though, was merely a stepping stone: just six years after the release of Origin Of Symmetry, Matt Bellamy and his friends became the first rock band to headline London's then brand-new Wembley Stadium. Twice.

 

02) Absolution - Muse (2003)

2001's Origin Of Symmetry may have distanced Matt Bellamy's band from their rock 'n' roll heroes - Jeff Buckley, Rage Against The Machine, Queen - and give more space to the frontman's classical music influences - Chopin, Bach, Philip Glass - but on their third album Muse sounded like no-one but themselves.

 

The key to the success of Absolution was its sheer fearlessness: as the band pieced together ideas for the album with producer Rich Costey in Ireland, London and LA, no idea was too outrageous; nothing was off limits. The band's American label Maverick had opted not to release Origin Of Symmetry after Bellamy refused to re-record his falsetto vocals on Plug In Baby and, vindicated by the success of that album everywhere else in the world, the trio were in no mood for compromise this time around.

 

When it emerged in September 2003, absolution sounded massive. From the clanging, portentous sturm und drang of Apocalypse Please to the secy roboto-stomp of Time Is Running Out, through the thunderous metallic grind of Stockholm Syndrome and on to the shimmering electronica (and 48 tracks of choral vocals) underpinning Butterflies & Hurricanes, this was the work of young men operating with absolute confidence in their own abilities, fully aware that they were at the top of their game. The album debuted at Number One in the UK, selling 71,000 copies in the first week, and also hit the top spot on the Billboard Heetseekers chart in the US....prompting a rather embarrasing U-turn among Maverick's big cheeses as to the band's commercial potential. Back at home, within nine months, Muse were headlining Glastonbury festival to an audience of 150,000 people: the weird little band from Devon had officially arrived.

 

Comment / Discuss

[rainingradioheads]

American Idiot is NOT better than Absolution.

 

[*OoS*]

American Idiot outstripped Absolution? Please

[rainingradioheads]

American Idiot outstripped Absolution? Please

 

Inorite, no sense.

[PoisonMeteor]

nice, good to see other cool stuff like ire works up there too, no 2 soooo close.

[rainingradioheads]

The Black Parade is not better than Origin of Symmetry.

[Mozza]

Kerrang

 

Surpised Muse got to number 2 to be fair

[Chenshall90]

Some good albums there, so sad to see American Idiot as number 1. Prefer a lot in there to Abso tbh! Surprised Blood Mountain isn't near the top if Leviathan is in there.

[Chenshall90]

The Black Parade is not better than Origin of Symmetry.

 

Toxicity and Lateralus, among others, are > Abso for me, so it will just reflect Kerrang reader's opinions.

[Waldo]

Most of the albums on that list are shit.

[rainingradioheads]

Toxicity and Lateralus, among others, are > Abso for me, so it will just reflect Kerrang reader's opinions.

 

Well obviously, but I'm at perfect liberty to state my own.

[Clunge]

Kerrang

 

Surpised Muse got to number 2 to be fair

Nah, Muse are Kerrang staples, they tick every box for Kerrang:

 

- they rock

- they have riffs

- they're catchy enough without sounding too poppy

 

Time Is Running Out, Hysteria, Plug In Baby, Knights Of Cydonia and Dead Star are still Kerrang favourites . Infact, I think we all hugely underestimate the benefit Kerrang has been to Muse in the UK - it's certainly how I discovered Muse and I'm sure many others did around 2001/2002. Muse were on pretty much at least once an hour, every day.

[achi]

American Idiot at 1?!

[kev]

oh adam hehe

 

i was reading this in my co-op last night surprised it wasnt here already, was very surprised to find absolution at 2 i thought oos would have been their highest charting one and abso and showbiz had been ignored.

 

american idiot? wtf haha

[Chenshall90]

There was a time when you couldn't watch Kerrang without seeing American Idiot/Holiday/Boulevard/JoS so it's not too surprising.

[ADAM]

oh adam hehe

 

i was reading this in my co-op last night surprised it wasnt here already, was very surprised to find absolution at 2 i thought oos would have been their highest charting one and abso and showbiz had been ignored.

 

american idiot? wtf haha

 

taking for fucking ever to write up!!

[Mozza]

Nah, Muse are Kerrang staples, they tick every box for Kerrang:

 

- they rock

- they have riffs

- they're catchy enough without sounding too poppy

 

Time Is Running Out, Hysteria, Plug In Baby, Knights Of Cydonia and Dead Star are still Kerrang favourites . Infact, I think we all hugely underestimate the benefit Kerrang has been to Muse in the UK - it's certainly how I discovered Muse and I'm sure many others did around 2001/2002. Muse were on pretty much at least once an hour, every day.

 

Yeah but I never really saw Muse as a Kerrang readers favourite, just sort a band that were there without being truly loved. I expected Toxicity to be number 1 seeing as back in 2001 Kerrang made out it was the greatest album ever and nothing else was worth listening to

[New Born Lee]

Ohh I just bought it after having a look-see and finding out.

 

TBH I've always kinda liked Kerrang. Better than NME and Q anyway.

 

We should keep in mind these are Kerrang's readers, not their people or leading critics or whatever, and Kerrang cater for MCR and Green Day and all that...so it basically means an overwhelming amount of Green Day fans listen to Kerrang and Muse or so it seems.

 

Hmm, Slipknot's Iowa is just below Abso...that's a good album. First album's better though...

[Obi]

Apart from Muse it's mostly a horrendous list (with Kerrang that is to be expected).

 

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water - Limp Bizkit (2000) at 30?

 

Maybe the 30th WORST album of all time. It's one of the worst things I've ever been subjected to.

[Mistress]

Green Day? Bitch, please

[Geogaddi]

Let's get something straight. If you're going to get all excited about Muse's inclusion in a list of best albums, you should at least verify the validity of the list first. This is one of the most awful "Best of" lists I've ever seen, not just in relation to music, but in any category whatsoever. I can't even believe how bad these choices are. Yes, I understand that these are aggregate responses coming from a reader poll. But really, do you think that these people liking Muse somehow adds to Muse's credibility as a band, when the other musicians and albums that the same people chose are so fucking terrible?

 

 

 

50) Crisis - Alexisonfire (2006)

49) Permission To Land - The Darkness (2003)

48) Blessed Black Wings - High On Fire (2005)

47) Relationship of Command - At The Drive-In (2000)

46) The Green Album - Weezer (2001)

45) Volcano - Satyricon (2002)

44) Orchestra Of Wolves - Gallows (2006)

43) Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death) - Marilyn Manson (2000)

42) From Here To Infirmary - Alkaline Trio (2001)

41) Take To The Skies - Enter Shikari (2007)

40) Worship And Tribute - Glassjaw (2002)

39) Ghost Reveries - Opeth (2005)

38) Love Metal - Him (2003)

37) Jane Doe - Converge (2001)

36) Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World (2001)

35) Ire Works - The Dillinger Escape Plan (2007)

34) Riot! - Paramore (2007)

33) A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - Panic! At The Disco (2005)

32) II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow - Down (2002)

31) Vol 3: (The Subliminal Verses) - Slipknot (2004)

30) Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water - Limp Bizkit (2000)

29) Black Holes And Revelations - Muse (2006)

28) Mutter - Rammstein (2001)

27) City Of Evil - Avenged Sevenfold (2005)

26) Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation - Funeral For A Friend (2003)

25) Puzzle - Biffy Clyro (2007)

24) Death Magnetic - Metallica (2008)

23) With Teeth - Nine Inch Nails (2005)

22) Ascendancy - Trivium (2005)

21) The End Of Heartache - Killswitch Engage (2004)

20) Lateralus - Tool (2001)

19) Start Something - Lostprophets (2004)

18) The Poison - Bullet For My Valentine (2005)

17) 21st Century Breakdown - Green Day (2009)

16) All Hope Is Gone - Slipknot (2008)

15) White Pony - Deftones (2000)

14) Hybrid Theory - Linkin Park (2000)

13) Origin Of Symmetry - Muse (2001)

12) The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance (2006)

11) Songs For The Deaf - Queens Of The Stone Age (2002)

10) Leviathan - Mastodon (2004)

09) From Under The Cork Tree - Fall Out Boy (2005)

08) The Blackening - Machine Head (2007)

07) Take Off Your Pants And Jacket - Blink 182 (2001)

06) Toxicity - System Of A Down (2001)

05) Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance (2004)

04) A Beautiful Lie - 30 Seconds To Mars (2005)

03) IOWA - Slipknot (2001)

02) Absolution - Muse (2003)

01) American Idiot - Green Day (2004)

 

 

You've got Muse alongside such artistic geniuses as Green Day, Blink 182, MCR, 30 Seconds to Mars, Linkin Park, Slipknot, Lostprophets, Avenged Sevenfold, Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizkit, Panic at the Disco, and Marilyn Manson, for starters. What's worse, is that those aren't even the only shitty artists on there. Very nearly every single selection is fucking garbage. So, congratulations. Muse made it into a top 50 list selected by people with just about the worst possible taste in music you could even have. Epic victory for Muse!!

[Milky Joe]

Loads of quality albums in that list, including Alkaline Trio, Glassjaw and Deftones. However, the inclusion of 30STM at 4th automatically renders the list invalid. Also getting fed up with Absolution being constantly rated higher than OoS in the media.

 

That said, American Idiot is easily better than Absolution lol.

[Henguz]

All Muse albums would be top of the list for me!! But hey i am a muse fan!!

[Deano88s]

Loads of quality albums in that list, including Alkaline Trio, Glassjaw and Deftones. However, the inclusion of 30STM at 4th automatically renders the list invalid. Also getting fed up with Absolution being constantly rated higher than OoS in the media.

 

That said, American Idiot is easily better than Absolution lol.

 

My thoughts aswell

 

Bought that album because i quite like The Kill and From Yesterday but them 2 OK-to-good singles is all worth listenin to on that album imo

[Suvi]

American Idiot is NOT better than Absolution.

 

 

what is it even doing in that list?

what is most of those albums doing in that list?