Modern Classics?
 

We're coming to the end of the decade this year, and I wanted to know what everyone thought were sort of the new "classic" albums. Every decade has them, and while this may be sort of early, I think it could be an interesting discussion. In any case, it could be a cool way for people to catch up on some albums they may have missed from the last while.

Anyway, here are some albums that I think will be appreciated as classics in time:

Muse- Origin of Symmetry
Arcade Fire- Funeral
Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood To The Head (not perfect, but it's mainstream success will ensure that it is remembered)
The Killers- Hot Fuss (again, its one of those albums that people will remember just because of how big it was at the time
Bloc Party- Silent Alarm

Well Kill Me Tomorrow's The Garbageman and the Prostitute will certainly be a classic for me, probably not for most people though.

MuM - Yesterday Was Dramatic - Today is OK
Nothing else sounds like MuM's debut album, except perhaps some moments in their succeeding records. Though their sound has been watered down to sound slightly less impressive over the years, their debut still sounds incredibly original, disorienting, and thus classic.

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
I've said it before and I can't believe that amount of disagreement! This is Wilco's defining moment, combining eccentric production with brooding Americana. This is a deep record whose meaning and purpose will fly over some people's heads, but don't let it fly over yours.

Sufjan Stevens - Come on Feel The Illinoise
I have a feeling this is going to be, if not his last, then Sufjan Steven's most impressive state dedication. It mixes religion with state philosophy and the human spirit. All the songs are memorable, even the interludes, and its so effortlessly seamless it can be nothing but a modern classic.

Radiohead - Kid A
What's there to say about Radiohead's Kid A that hasn't before? Their most engrossing effort may not be their most ambitious but it's still a solid effort.

Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner
Will be remembered by underground rap enthusiasts for breaking the trend that rap has been setting for the past few years. It's not money, crystal and hoes for Dizzee Rascal.
The Arcade Fire - Funeral
Although Neon Bible is often considered their better effort, Funeral was the album that got the Arcade Fire where they are today. Its the most personal of the two albums they have out so far and thus their most relatable.

These are the albums I know will make it to most critic's decade end lists.

Just talking in terms of popularity, I would also add:

Linkin Park- Hybrid Theory
My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade

You can argue about the quality of those ones all you want, but they sold well. People listened to those albums, and because of that those ones are going to be remembered.

Also, they're not disposable albums. I think that both are great, so I think they'll stay with people.

Looking back at the ones on this thread, if they are going to be remembered as the classics of this decade then I have no objections to no more new music ever being created again.

There are plenty of amazing albums in my collection alone to keep me entertained for a lifetime and even more out there that I have yet to get. It really wouldn't bother me one bit if not one more album or song was written.

I've never heard either one of those albums. Heard of them, but I've never listened to them.

Personally, I think that their great, and would definately reccomend them. Although, both have some sentimental value attached for me, so i'm not exactly the most objective person to ask for this.

From what I've heard of both bands neither album really seems like it would be my cup of tea, but maybe someday I'll give them a listen.

TBH The Black Parade is MCR's worst effort to me. Hybrid Theory, I can see being considered a classic nu-metal album someday.

One of my friends wrote an essay on what bands (and summarily albums) would be classics in the next twenty years. I've come to the conclusion that there are these that I'd like to remember (and hopefully pass on to posterity):

Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R (2000)
This is when I believe Josh Homme's songwriting finally began to click. It's a vast departure from his desert rock beginnings but it still has that hard-edged tinge to it.

Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (1997)
A unilateral work of genius by another one of my favorite songwriters, Jason Pierce. This is certainly no Spacemen 3 album. It's thick, a masterpiece in sonic production, but it still has incredible aesthetic appeal as well in the poignant lyrical themes.

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002)
The Flaming Lips have evolved over the last score of years to become one of the quirkiest group of individuals, and this album is a summary work of everything they've accomplished, from psychedelia to space rock. Few records can live up to this work's genius.

The Mars Volta "De-Loused In The Comatorium" is the first one that comes to mind.

Good call on both of these! I can't believe I didn't think of either one (although I might have gone for Songs for the Deaf instead of Rated R).

Also, even though presently I think a lot of people think They Were Wrong, So We Drowned is the weakest Liars album, I bet in the future it will be recognized as the work of genius that it is.

Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Show Your Bones

I think time will give this the credit it deserves.

Of those, I guarantee none will be remembered as classics save Funeral. Not because it's necessarily better than the others, but because none of the others really have anything near enough the critical acclaim nor the pervasive popular music-geek support necessary to end up classics.

They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top is Liars best album IMO, the self titled is excellent too whilst They were Wrong... has its moments.

I'll say

The Walkmen - Bows + Arrows. I think this is particularly underrated, its a superb album, the musicianship is excellent and the barrage of fast paced, energetic noise the collective creates is infectious. Not a weak song on it.

This is no doubt, one of my favorite albums. I still seem to enjoy Spacemen 3 more though. *sigh* What I wouldn't give for a reunion between Sonic Boom and J. Spaceman.

I love all of Liars albums but I have to say They Threw Us All In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top sounds a little too much like its influences to be considered a classic for me. Even though I like that album a lot, I'm glad they changed their sound after that. I think I would've lost respect for them if they kept sounding like early Gang of Four album after album after album.

I like Spacemen 3 but it seems like most of their work revolves around a wall of distortion. I guess that must be Sonic Boom's influence on the band. I have heard that his drug addictions were getting to be problematic towards the end, which is why the other three members split.

Which reminds me, I seem to have lost every Spiritualized album sans We Are Floating in Space, must get back on that...

i appreciate the progression they took but i think it just became too experimental as to almost be rendered alienating. Dont get me wrong, i love experimental music, but Drums Not Dead in particular was bewildering, its overemphasis on percussion didnt work in my opinion. They Were Wrong... is better, its quite abrasive and angular which appeals to me, but i cant maintain focus on it as an entirety. I think the self-titled is excellent, its experimental whilst retaining a sense of accesability, it has a pop sensibility immersed within it somewhere. I have to agree though, on the whole an excellent band.

Have we lost sight of the discussion a bit? The topic's supposed to be what will go down as a classic. The only reasonable way of predicting that is by looking at how much acclaim it garnered from critics and the generality of fans at the time. Like um, say Fleet Foxes from last year. That will unquestionably go down as a classic.

I think that the popularity of songs like Clocks and Mr. Brightside will guarantee that those albums will at least be remembered. Also, Origin of Symmetry definately has music cred. I forget where, but it was voted one of the best albums of all time. And the riff for Plug In Baby was voted the best of all time (again, I forget where).

Despite the fact that Showbiz beats it <.<

Plug In Baby was #8 in some guitar magazine, I don't think it should be that high but it is a great riff.

Drug addiction wasn't why the band broke up, but it did contribute towards it. I'm pretty sure it was the birth of Spiritualized. Peirce had covered "Anyway You Want Me" by the Troggs, which Kember had wanted to cover for years and that was the final straw.

Relationship of Command?

Interpol- Turn On the Bright Lights (2002)
Post punk revival at its finest.

Both Gorillaz albums
An orgasmic collision of genres, courtsey of Damon Albarn.

LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver (2007)
One of the best (if not the best) dance punk records of the decade.

Fixed ;)

I'd say Takk from Sigur Ros will be fairly iconic in the future. It's hard to say what band will be remembered at the front of the post rock movement but at this point I'd give it to Sigur Ros. Takk isn't my favorite from them but among listeners it's usually the most popular and very approachable. The band itself is also a great story being from Iceland and all so that would probably add to the 'classic' appeal.

I have to concur with Turn On The Bright Lights, i think Is This It? will be seen as a classic too, although TOTBL is better ;)

Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye

Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun

^^^
Two releases very unpredictable in nature, but still fairly accessible.

Venetian Snares - Rossz csillag alatt született
Not a huge fan, but I already see this getting a lot of praise.

Then there are a few metal releases as well that could be considered a classic, but honestly, many metalheads now a days are so full of themselves. The music isn't l337 or underground enough for them. Basically, they are more after power chords, blast beats or how 'br00tal/undergound' their music.

I agree with these two.

I'd add:

The Strokes - Is This It
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat

Madvillainy, as far as underground hip hop goes it was a pretty huge release, and I really see esteem for it growing. I think it will be remembered for a while.

Return to Cookie Mountain, especially if TV on the Radio last for a while longer and garner even more attention.

Ooo good calls underground wise.

The White Stripes - White Blood Cells (2001)
I know not everyone on this site loves this band, but this has to be one of the biggest rock albums of this decade and it also was the first Stripes album that had big mainstream success.

Arcade Fire - Funeral
Certainly the greatest debut album of the 00s.

At The Drive-In - Relationship of Command
This album is just a blinder from start to finish. It has already proved it can stand the test of time since it was released nearly 9 years ago.

Sigur Ros - '()'
Another album that can stand the test of time. It will still sound fresh in another 10 years. The same can be said for all their albums though.

Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
I dont like them that much but this album will certainly be remembered in years to come.

Ill think of some more albums later on.

Hmm, I may put Elephant ahead of that, just because of the success of Seven Nation Army and Hardest Button.

Where are all the other musical genres in this thread?
Here is only a tiny list from from what I feel are modern classics from this decade :)
Lucinda Williams-Essence
Rufus Wainwright-Poses
John Mayer-Room for Squares
Jill Scott-Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds, Vol. 2
D'Angelo-Voodoo
Kenny Wayne Shephard-10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)
Jonny Lang-Lie to Me
Jeff Healy-Mess of Blues
Ednita Nazario-Apasionada
Scissor Sister-self titled
Placebo-Sleeping with Ghosts
Mer de Noms-A Perfect Circle
Disturbed-The Sickness
Amy Winehouse-Back to Black and Frank
Shakira-Fijacion Oral vol. 1 (Vol. 2 is in english and is a let down)
Alejandro Sanz-Unplugged Live
Coldplay-Parachutes
Celtic Woman-Self Titled
Dropkick Murphy's-Sing Loud, Sing Proud
NIN-And All That Could Have Been
Angie Stone-Mahogany Soul
Michael Buble-It's Time
Chris Botti-Night Sessions
Slipknot-Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

Love it to death, my favorite from them, but it doesn't have the commercial appeal that Takk or Agaetis Byrjun have so I'd deem it less likely to be a "classic."

Do classics have to have commercial appeal? For example, I'd say Suicide's first album is a classic but I don't know how much commercial appeal it's ever had, especially not when it came out back in 77.

I'm hoping this:

Lift To Experience get's the credit it deserves. Phenomenal album.

They don't have to be mainstream albums. A lot of albums will be cult classics in years to come remember.

That's what I'm saying.