100 Best Albums of the Decade: 30-21

30: Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)

Indie rock on the grandest of scales. Arcade Fire came roaring ever so elegantly into the world in 2004 with their heartfelt, passionate and resonating folk rock that packed quite the powerful punch for a band that used cellos. A family affair headed by husband and wife Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, this mix mash of Americans and Canadians are pioneers of the sound that is so common in rock n roll now adays - gargantuan music paired with grand statements about humanity - too bad no one does it better than Arcade Fire. Top Tunes:( Wake Up, Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Rebellion (Lies))

29: Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (2000)

QOTSA are a mighty machine. Each song is built off of one giant sludge rock riff that is constructed for the purpose of making you (a) head bang (b) dance (c) want to see colors or (d) all of the above. Rated R was the band's sophomore effort as well as the band's first record with bassist Nick Oliveri and Screaming Tree's vocalist Mark Lanegan. Josh Homme and the rest of the gang prove they are the kings of stoner rock from the get go. The opening track's lyrics read like a grocery list for a good time - "Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ecstasy and Alchohol... C-C-C-C-C-COCAINNNNNNEEEEE!" Top Tunes: (I Think I Lost My Headache, Better Living Through Chemistry, In The Fade)

28: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever To Tell (2003)

Karen O made no bones about what she wanted out of life on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs debut album - dick. Like a nun who finally saw the light at her first Motley Crue concert, Miss Orzolek came to take her pants off, swig adult beverages and have one hell of a party. Nick Zimmer matched her energy with thunderous guitar riffs and Brian Chase rattled and rolled on the sticks. But for all the chaos and sexual energy that oozes from every track, the most tender moment on "Maps" is the indisputable stand out. They don't love you like I love you Karen. Top Tunes:(Maps, Date With The Night, Tick)

27: Fountains Of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)

Fountains Of Wayne were the masters of pop this decade - and they only made two albums. Welcome Interstate Managers is these New Yorker's most refined, slick and catchiest work of their career. Songwriters Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger are master storytellers and use their craft to maximum effect. Whether singing about high school football, unfortunate heart attack victims or all of our Japanese friends chillin' out across the ocean, these guys know that the bottom line is to make it memorable. Paint a pretty picture and they will come. You know what... I just talked about this album without mentioning "Stacy's Mom"... oh wait. Top Tunes:( Mexican Wine, Hackensack, Bought For A Song)

26: PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000)

Polly Jean is always sad. Men never satisfy her and I suppose she doesn't really like herself most of the time - why else would so much of her music be so damn melancholy? Stories finds PJ happy for once with Mr. Wonderful. I'm immortal when I'm with you" she sings to the lucky bastard. When this English songstress is in the right mood, her music is just as fantastic as anyone. Unfortunately, lightning has only struck once for Miss Harvey. I'm still waiting for another reason to put "like" and "PJ Harvey" in the same sentence. Top Tunes:( Horses In My Dreams, Big Exit, A Place Called Home)

25: Bob Dylan - Love & Theft (2001)

Bob Dylan rediscovered his love for the blues during a decade full of lost chances and wasted opportunities - thanks Bush. His first album of the 00s Love And Theft was his shining star. Old school rock and blues ambitions all kept in check under the watchful eye of a resurgent rock icon. He makes it look so easy too. Top Tunes: (Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, Summer Days, Mississippi) couldn't find any links to these songs... sorry

24: Missy Elliott - Miss E... So Addictive (2001)

Before Timbaland worked with Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado or Chris Cornell and became stale and repetitive... he found his muse in Missy Elliott. While most of her songs simply said "I'm Missy Elliott, you need to dance, Timbaland made this hott joint, and I'm Missy Elliott," that was all that you needed. The beats were exotic, hypnotizing and wouldn't let go of you. Missy E put you in a trance. I think the E stands for ecstasy. Her follow up album Under Construction was another solid effort before this dazzling rapper vanished for the rest of the decade. Top Tunes: (Get Ur Freak On, One Minute Man, Take Away)

23: Daft Punk - Discovery (2001)

Sure this duo of French DJs never showing their faces and wearing space suits on stage might be a bit of a gimmick, but don't let that distract you from the the beats. A techno / electronic album as universal as vanilla ice cream - this album fits in at weddings, bar mitzvahs, hell even funeral marches or your regular check up at the dentist. Top Tunes: (One More Time, Digital Love, Superheroes)

22: Animal Collective - Merryweather Post Pavillion (2009)

Soft rock made for the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Out of this world trippy-ness blends perfectly with an album cover so easy to stare at that you could easily waste your weekend looking at it. Top Tunes: (In The Flowers, My Girls, Summertime Clothes)

21: Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (2006)

One of the most colorful albums of the last ten years was also one of the biggest surprise hits. Much like the cover, St. Elsewhere was an explosion of so many different elements that even the slightest misstep could've made the album fall apart. But when Danger Mouse is producing, you tend to be in good hands. When the dust settled Gnarls Barkley were briefly deemed kings of the musical world behind the awesome "Crazy". Sure they haven't matched that level of success again, but that doesn't mean you can discredit something so funky. Top Tunes:( Crazy, St. Elsewhere, Go-Go Gadget Gospel)