Albums Turning 20 in 2020

It’s hard to believe that 2000 was 20 years ago. The turn of the century brought about a lot of culturally important albums that would define where music would be heading in the new millennium. Pop artists from the late 1990s would further establish their careers in the bubblegum sphere that defined those early years of the 2000s. Bands who found their niche earlier in the previous decade would continue to reinvent themselves as musicians and songwriters for an ever-changing world. 2000 also saw the emergence of new artists and sounds that would have a major impact on what tastemakers would be listening to another decade later.

In the spirit of nostalgia, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, is taking a look back at some of the most important albums of 2000. From one-hit-wonders to pop, hip-hop and rock’s heavy hitters, here are 10 albums from 2000 (and a few more) celebrating their 20^th anniversary milestone.

1.       Radiohead, ‘Kid A’: ‘Kid A’ was a controversial album when it was first released in October of 2000, but eventually became one of, if not THE most revered of the band’s works to date. Radiohead’s fourth studio album was supposed to be a departure from the guitar-rock sound they had been known for all throughout the 1990s, instead opting for a more synth-heavy touch. Pitchfork described it at the time as “the sound of a band, and its leader, losing faith in themselves, destroying themselves, and subsequently rebuilding a perfect entity. In other words, Radiohead hated being Radiohead, but ended up with the most ideal, natural Radiohead record yet.”

2.       Coldplay, ‘Parachutes’: It may not be their biggest-seller or even the band’s favorite album of theirs, but Coldplay would not be in the position they are today without the success of debut album ‘Parachutes.’ “Yellow” was a breakthrough track for the band, first at college radio and then on a wider scale. It led to the album reaching double-platinum status and an even more revered album, ‘A Rush of Blood to the Head,’ two years later.

3.       *NSYNC, ‘No Strings Attached’: Freshly independent from the slug that was Lou Pearlman after several years of legal issues, *NSYNC were ready to show off who they really were, and ‘No Strings Attached’ was the magnum opus that did so. The hysteria that ensued after the release of first single “Bye Bye Bye” said it all for the kind of career trajectory the group and pop music in general were taking in the early 2000s. ‘No Strings Attached’ became the best selling album of the year and led to a first-week sales record that would not be broken for 15 years. Justin Timberlake became a star. The album still holds weight today, as *NSYNC mania has increased with nostalgia for the late 1990s and early 2000s coming into fashion.

4.       Britney Spears, ‘Oops…I Did It Again’: After the runaway success of Britney Spears’ 1998 debut ‘…Baby One More Time,’ the singer “did it again” with her sophomore effort, ‘Oops…I Did It Again.’ Thanks to singles “Oops…I Did It Again,” “Stronger” and “Lucky,” the album sold half-a-million copies in its first day and more than 1.3 million in its first week, a record for sales by a female artist that would also last for 15 years. The album proved that Spears had staying power past her first album, as well as the place pop would take in the musical spectrum over the decade.

5.       Linkin Park, ‘Hybrid Theory’: The debut album from “nu-metal” juggernauts Linkin Park, ‘Hybrid Theory’ introduced the world to the band’s aggressive sound and personal, emotion-fueled lyrics. “One Step Closer,” “Crawling” and “In The End” found endless rotation on MTV and radio, leading the album to sell millions of copies and going on to become the “best selling debut album of the 21^st century.”

6.       Green Day, ‘Warning’: By no means their most popular (the album didn’t sell as well as any of their previous releases), ‘Warning’ brought Green Day into the new millennium with as much brash force as their 1990s fare, only with a little wiser, more eclectic touch. Songs like “Minority” and “Macys Day Parade” marked the first time the band got truly political on a record, giving rise to what would be coming from them just four years later.

7.       Dashboard Confessional, ‘The Swiss Army Romance’: The debut album from Dashboard Confessional (the solo project of Further Seems Forever’s Chris Carrabba), ‘The Swiss Army Romance’ is a necessity for anyone who claims to be into “emo.” Led by single “Screaming Infidelities” the album is full of passionate, at times self-deprecating lyrics and acoustic melodies meant to be sung along to at the top of your lungs.

8.       P!nk, ‘Can’t Take Me Home’: P!nk’s debut solo album ‘Can’t Take Me Home’ proves she’s always been a no-nonsense powerhouse pop singer, acrobatic live shows or not. “There You Go” was the big “f--- you” that most of the pop princesses weren’t doing with their music. The rest of the songs follow suit in being fiercely independent, slightly rock informed pieces.   

9.       Eminem, ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’: After finding a bit of fame the previous year with ‘The Slim Shady LP,’ Eminem returned in 2000 with the even more polarizing ‘The Marshall Mathers LP.’ While the album had its humorous, tongue-in-cheek moments with songs like “The Real Slim Shady,” it also got dark and violent with songs like “Stan” (about an obsessed fan who kills himself and his pregnant girlfriend) and “Kim” (which made up a scenario where he killed his wife). Despite the album’s intense nature, it became one of his most successful, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide and going diamond in the US.

10.   Baha Men, ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’: Hard to imagine, but “Who Let The Dogs Out” (both the single and album of the same name) turns 20 this year. The song became inescapable that year, and even breaking the top ten on charts all over the world. It continues to be used during sporting events to this day (although not as heavily).

Additional Selections Turning 20:

·         Nelly, ‘Country Grammar’

·         Matchbox 20, ‘Mad Season’

·         Nelly Furtado, ‘Whoa, Nelly!’

·         Outkast, ‘Stankonia’

·         Papa Roach, ‘Infest’

·         Eve 6, ‘Horrorscope’

·         Disturbed, ‘The Sickness’

The musical landscape has changed a lot in the last 20 years. However, looking back on the popular albums of 2000 gives you a unique perspective on where certain trends came from. Reminisce with us on the albums above and let us know about your favorite albums turning 20 in the comments below.

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Fuel your nostalgia at Vinyl Bay 777! As one of Long Island’s top independent record shops, we have thousands of titles to choose from in a variety of genres from throughout many decades. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music DVDs and memorabilia in store at our Plainview location or online at vinylbay777.com. With more titles being added all the time, you never know what you might find at Vinyl Bay 777.