Albums of the Years: 1997-2006

Audio Overflow has been around for less than a year, and I've been listening to decent music for a few years longer than that. But I've often wondered, "If I were doing this back in the day, what music would I choose for my annual Album of the Year honors? So what the hell? I've got nothing better to do!

The following is a list of albums that I probably would've chosen for album of the year over the past decade. Enjoy!

Album of the Year - 1997


Radiohead: "OK Computer"
Arguably one of the best albums of all time, and widely considered so, Radiohead surprised everyone with this amazing album. It features such timeless tracks as "Karma Police" and "No Surprises," while also being the home to my favorite song of all time, "Paranoid Android." "OK Computer did more than just legitimize the talents of Thom Yorke and Co., but it also crowned Radiohead as the "saviors of rock music." Their future albums have proven that they were not only uninterested in such titles, but that they passed up rock music a long long time ago.

Album of the Year - 1998


System of a Down: "System of a Down"
All things considered, 1998 was a pretty crappy year for music. It was the birth year of the reinvention of boy bands and pop stars. Britney Spears, *Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Five (remember them?)...they all made it big in 1998. In the midst of it all, however, System of a Down Came out of nowhere and gave everyone who lent an ear a good solid rocking of the balls. Sure, Offspring and Korn were big at the time...but where are they now? System of a Down was born in 1998. Thank goodness!

Album of the Year – 1999


Built to Spill: "Keep It Like A Secret"
If only we had more years like 1999. Blink 182, Creed, Willenium! Sarcasm aside, Built to Spill put out their greatest album that year, and haven’t fully lived up to it since. Despite awesome albums from Of Montreal (“The Gay Parade”) and The Flaming Lips (“The Soft Bulletin”), “Keep It Like a Secret” was by far the most solid album released in 1999…at least that I’ve heard of.

Album of the Year – 2000


Radiohead: “Kid A”
So like I was saying earlier, everyone was expecting Radiohead to save rock music after 1997’s “OK Computer.” And then they throw this curveball into the mix. Rather than be hindered by the limited structure of the alternative rock of the time, Radiohead dove into electronic music, and did so flawlessly. “Kid A” is my personal favorite Radiohead album, and definitely one of my Top 10 Albums of all time!

Album of the Year – 2001


Incubus: “Morning View”
This was the last great album that incubus released. Flawless in almost every way, it showcased Brandon Boyd’s voice and the rest of the band’s respective talents equally in a way that many other Incubus albums failed to do. “Morning View” will rock your balls off before demanding a lighter be thrown into the air and waved around like a loser at a concert. But it’s all in good fun. How I miss the good ol’ days of Incubus.

Album of the Year – 2002


Sigur Ros: “( )”
People often ask me, “What is the best album ever made?” and I always respond with this one. However, I can’t really decide if I mean that literally, or if I’m just speaking figuratively. Here’s my justification for the title. “( )” is an album without a title, without song titles, without actual lyrics…and yet you understand everything. Everything is portrayed beautifully, every emotion, everything. The heartbreak, the mourning, the joyfulness is all conveyed in a made-up language (Hopelandic), and what makes it so awesome is that it’s understandable in any language. A person in Siberia could feel the exact same thing I’m feeling when I’m listening to this album, and that’s beautiful.

Album of the Year - 2003


The Postal Service: “Give Up”
This album will long be remembered as one of the biggest influences in my life. It was the first indie album I can recall listening to and enjoying, and as such, it opened me up to a world of music that is void of Scott Stapp. The album remains just as awesome today as it was back then, and I still listen to it frequently. No joke. It gets crazy mad plays on my iPod. That being said, these guys need to come back and make another album, because The Postal Service is amazing.

Album of the Year – 2004


Of Montreal: “Satanic Panic in the Attic”
In 2004, I started the Cale awards back on my very own Xanga blog (RIP) and “Satanic Panic in the Attic” was the clear choice for winner of album of the year. It marked Of Montreal’s first foray into electronic music while simultaneously boasting one of the most solid tracklisting in recent memory. This album is a gem from start to finish, and “Rapture Rapes the Muses” never gets old.

Album of the Year – 2005



Sufjan Stevens: “Illinois”
People thought that “Michigan” was a fluke, and with good reason. His previous two outings were decent, but nothing near the accomplishment of that album. “Seven Swans” restored some hope in the young man, but it’s minimalist approach was still clouded by the heap of instrumentation on “Michigan.” And then came “Illinois,” Sufjan Stevens’ masterpiece. An album that covers every last second of a standard CD, and fills each second with such grandeur that it’s a little hard to take in. But then again, how could you not love this album? I’ve yet to meet someone to dismiss it as utter crap. But then again, I pride myself on not associating with morons.

Album of the Year – 2006


The Flaming Lips: “At War with the Mystics”
I can’t say enough about this album. It is one of the few albums I would ever consider giving a 10 out of 10 Star rating to, and justly so. “Mystics” is so awesome, so complex, so intricate that you can’t help but smile when you’re listening to it. One of the few bands that can be fun, poignant, and talented all at the same time, The Flaming Lips outdid themselves on this album…and they may never be this good again. Here’s hoping the will be.