Albums of the Aughts: 10 for 10

Here is a compilation of my 10 favorite songs from 10 of my favorite artists of the decade. Each of these musicians/bands mark a significant period of explosive fandom in my life at some point during the past 10 years.

The criteria:

• All songs have to be from this decade (which is why PJ Harvey isn’t on here, for example).

• I had to see them in concert at least once (except for Johnny Cash, for obvious reasons).

• I had to obtain all of the albums they released this decade (which is why Murder by Death isn’t on here, for example).

• I had to follow them fervently for at least one year (which is why Kings of Leon, The Hold Steady, and Snow Patrol aren’t on here, for examples).

• They don’t necessarily have to still be one of my favorite artists/bands (which is why Chris Carrabba is on here, for example).

So, here we go …

Ryan Adams

1. I See Monsters (from 2003’s “Love Is Hell, Pt. 2”)

2. Come Pick Me Up (from 2000’s “Heartbreaker”)

3. Let It Ride (from 2005’s “Cold Roses”)

4. Rosalie Come and Go (from 2001’s “Gold” bonus disc)

5. My Love for You Is Real (from 2007’s “Follow the Lights” EP)

6. Goodnight Rose/Two/Everybody Knows (from 2007’s “Easy Tiger”)

9. Gonna Make You Love Me (from 2001’s “Gold”)

10. La Cienega Just Smiled (from 2001’s “Gold”)

Chris Carrabba

1. Vindicated (from 2004’s “Spider-Man 2” soundtrack)

2. Ender Will Save Us All (from 2000’s “The Swiss Army Romance”)

3. So Impossible (from 2001’s “So Impossible” EP)

4. Hands Down (from 2003’s “A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar”)

5. The Moon Is Down (from Further Seems Forever’s “The Moon Is Down,” 2001)

6. Don’t Wait (from 2006’s “Dusk & Summer”)

7. So Beautiful (from 2003’s “A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar”)

8. The Good Fight (from 2001’s “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most”)

9. In A Big Country (from 2006’s “Don’t Wait” single)

10. The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (from 2001’s “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most”)

Johnny Cash

1. God’s Gonna Cut You Down (from 2006’s “American V: A Hundred Highways”)

2. I Came to Believe (from 2006’s “American V: A Hundred Highways”)

3. I See A Darkness (from 2000’s “American III: Solitary Man”)

4. Further On (Up the Road) (from 2006’s “American V: A Hundred Highways”)

5. One (from 2000’s “American III: Solitary Man”)

6. Personal Jesus (from 2002’s “American IV: The Man Comes Around”)

7. Hurt (from 2002’s “American IV: The Man Comes Around”)

8. The Man Comes Around (from 2002’s “American IV: The Man Comes Around”)

9. On the Evening Train (from 2006’s “American V: A Hundred Highways”)

10. I Won’t Back Down (from 2000’s “American III: Solitary Man”)

The Gaslight Anthem

1. The ’59 Sound (from 2008’s “The ’59 Sound”)

2. Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis? (from 2008’s “Senor and the Queen” EP)

3. We Came to Dance (from 2007’s “Sink or Swim”)

4. Great Expectations (from 2008’s “The ’59 Sound”)

5. 1930 (from 2007’s “Sink or Swim”)

6. I’da Called You Woody, Joe (from 2007’s “Sink or Swim”)

7. I Coulda Been a Contender (from 2007’s “Sink or Swim”)

8. Miles Davis & the Cool (from 2008’s “The ’59 Sound”)

9. Film Noir (from 2008’s “The ’59 Sound”)

10. Angry Johnny and the Radio (from 2007’s “Sink or Swim”)

The National

1. Slow Show (from 2007’s “Boxer”)

2. Daughters of the Soho Riots (from 2005’s “Alligator”)

3. Fake Empire (from 2007’s “Boxer”)

4. Mansion on the Hill (from 2008’s “The Virginia EP”)

5. Lucky You (from 2003’s “Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers”)

6. Secret Meeting (from 2005’s “Alligator”)

7. Start A War (from 2007’s “Boxer”)

8. Mistaken for Strangers (from 2007’s “Boxer”)

9. About Today (from 2005’s “Cherry Tree” EP)

10. Green Gloves (from 2007’s “Boxer”)

Pearl Jam

1. Life Wasted (from 2006’s “Pearl Jam”)

2. Sad (from 2003’s “Lost Dogs”)

3. Love Reign O’er Me (2006 Christmas Single)

4. I Am Mine (from 2002’s “Riot Act”)

5. Insignificance (from 2000’s “Binaural”)

6. Unemployable (from 2006’s “Pearl Jam”)

7. Come Back (from 2006’s “Pearl Jam”)

8. Grievance (from 2000’s “Binaural”)

9. Severed Hand (from 2006’s “Pearl Jam”)

10. Arc (from 2002’s “Riot Act”)

Bruce Springsteen

1. Long Time Comin’ (from 2005’s “Devils & Dust”)

2. Nothing Man (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

3. My City of Ruins (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

4. The Rising (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

5. You’re Missing (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

6. Radio Nowhere (from 2007’s “Magic”)

7. Further On (Up the Road) (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

8. The Wrestler (from 2009’s “Working on a Dream”)

9. Lonesome Day (from 2002’s “The Rising”)

10. Mrs. McGrath (from 2006’s “We Shall Overcome”)

U2

1. Beautiful Day (from 2000’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”)

2. Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own (from 2004’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”)

3. Walk On (UK Single Version) (from 2001’s “Walk On” single)

4. Breathe (from 2009’s “No Line on the Horizon”)

5. Vertigo (from 2004’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”)

6. Electrical Storm (William Orbit Mix) (from 2002’s “The Best of: 1990-2000”)

7. The Ground Beneath Her Feet (from 2000’s “Million Dollar Hotel” soundtrack)

8. Magnificent (from 2009’s “No Line on the Horizon”)

9. FEZ—Being Born (from 2009’s “No Line on the Horizon”)

10. City of Blinding Lights (from 2004’s “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb”)

Jack White

1. Seven Nation Army (from The White Stripes’ “Elephant,” 2003)

2. Hello Operator (from The White Stripes’ “De Stijl,” 2000)

3. I’m Bound to Pack It Up (from The White Stripes’ “De Stijl,” 2000)

4. Icky Thump (from The White Stripes’ “Icky Thump,” 2007)

5. I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself (from The White Stripes’ “Elephant,” 2003)

6. Carolina Drama (from The Raconteurs’ “Consolers of the Lonely,” 2008)

7. These Stones Will Shout (from The Raconteurs’ “Consolers of the Lonely,” 2008)

8. Portland, Oregon (from Loretta Lynn’s “Van Lear Rose,” 2004)

9. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (from The White Stripes’ “White Blood Cells,” 2001)

10. Black Jack Davey (from The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” single, 2003)

Wilco

1. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (from 2002’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)

2. Company in My Back (from 2004’s “A Ghost Is Born”)

3. You Are My Face (from 2007’s “Sky Blue Sky”)

4. Impossible Germany (from 2007’s “Sky Blue Sky”)

5. I’m the Man Who Loves You (from 2002’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)

6. Jesus, etc. (from 2002’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)

7. Poor Places (from 2002’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)

8. Ashes of American Flags (from 2002’s “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)

9. Kamera/War on War/Heavy Metal Drummer/Pot Kettle Black (from 2002’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”)