As we near the end of the decade, it is time to look back on the music that has helped shape the last ten years. These are some albums that have left an impact on me with their unparalleled music quality and influence.
10: D’Angelo – “Black Messiah” (2014)
This 2014 album was D’Angelo’s first album since 2000. Not only is “Black Messiah” an expert-class on how to successfully accomplish a neo-soul album in the 21st century, it is also a beautiful Frankenstein of psychedelic funk and R&B. The unique sound D’Angelo created echoes through other albums even now, five years later.
9: Car Seat Headrest – “Twin Fantasy” (2011)
Despite being a re-recording of an album Will Toledo released in 2011, this album is anything but a simple reboot. The album lacks a common theme, but it works to demonstrate a wide variety of emotion regarding the trials and tribulations of love and relationships.
8: Big K.R.I.T. – “4eva is a Mighty Long Time” (2017)
This album is an individual tale of growth, faith, a little flexing and remembering where you come from. This album serves as a sequel in K.R.I.T.’s ongoing “4eva” series. Never once in its 85-minute runtime does it lose its quality or the interest of the listener.
7: Flying Lotus – “Cosmogramma” (2010)
When asked about “Cosmogramma”, Flying Lotus said, “I’m finally getting to the point where I can make the kind of records that I wanted to make when I was younger.”
By doing what he wanted on this album, he ended up making arguably the greatest producer-released album of the decade. This album put Flying Lotus on the map and gave way to some of the best instrumentals and collaborations of the 21st century. This is why it makes my top ten.
6: Danny Brown – “Atrocity Exhibition” (2016)
Danny Brown’s 2012 “XXX” project was one of the best mixtapes of the decade. However, this album allowed him to secure his place in the highest rank of rappers. This album broke down barriers regarding vulnerability in rap. These aspects and Brown’s fragile and nearly broken psyche being inflected in his lyrics all come together to make this album an instant-classic.
ICYMI: Teren Kowatsch’s review of Kanye West’s “Jesus is King”.
5: Solange – “A Seat at the Table” (2016)
This R&B spectacular comments on the struggles of women of color as well as the historical struggles of Solange’s ancestors. It masterfully rounds these topics up to the Civil Rights movement, as well as the ongoing topics like police brutality in today’s world. This album may not be the most accessible to everyone, but its influence can be seen on albums like SZA’s “CTRL.”
4: David Bowie – “Blackstar” (2016)
This haunting, yet beautiful album released mere days before Bowie’s death, is an amazing album of vulnerability and hurt. This album is essentially Bowie’s life flashing before his eyes. From his love-life to his acknowledgement in the history of music, this album is truly David Bowie’s will, and I don’t believe there will be another album from as great a musician that will give us the equivalent to “Blackstar.”
3: Mount Eerie – “A Crow Looked at Me” (2017)
Where “Blackstar” was self-reflection of Bowie’s mortality, “A Crow Looked at Me” is a piece of music resulting from the loss of Phil Elverum’s wife. The listener truly feels the love and the despair Elverurm has for his wife. The album is truly the musical equivalent of the six stages of grief for Elverum. This album is one to listen to with tissue boxes next to you, but it is truly a beautiful record not only from a folk-perspective, but from a musical-perspective.
2: Kendrick Lamar: “To Pimp a Butterfly” (2015)
This album is a perfect mix of jazz, funk, and rap. Almost all aspects of this album are amazing including the production, features and skits. “To Pimp a Butterfly” was truly one of the best albums of the decade. In my opinion only one album has surpassed this one this decade.
1: Kanye West – “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” (2010)
The oldest album on this list is also the best. West’s lyrics are unapologetic, brash, self-absorbed and excellent. This album was ahead of its time and set the scene for the new up-and-coming show-off generation of rappers of today, as well as the grandiose production stylings also ever-present in rap today. This is not only the most influential rap album of the decade; it is the best. Despite being over nine years old, the waves this album made are still rippling today and this album is truly the best the 2010’s had to offer.
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected].