10 Best Albums 2007

Any year which sees new releases by both Arcade Fire and Radiohead is going to be a good year, but the 10 best albums of 2007 had more to offer than just those two bands. Read on to find out why it was one of the best years for music that the ‘00s had to offer.

1. “In Rainbows” by Radiohead. Radiohead created quite a buzz by releasing “In Rainbows” online before offering it in CD format. They were one of the first former major label artists to do so. That made this the most talked-about album of 2007, but it wasn’t all hype and no substance. This was one of Radiohead’s best efforts, and easily the best album of 2007.
2. “Neon Bible” by Arcade Fire. Radiohead proved that hugely successful bands no longer need major labels, but Arcade Fire did the same thing without ever being on a major label.  Signed to indie rock label Merge Records, Arcade Fire have practically come to define indie rock. This, their second album, is one of the reasons why.
3. “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank” by Modest Mouse. With the addition of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to their line-up, Modest Mouse made perhaps their most significant change since becoming a band. Luckily, it didn’t shake things up too badly. This is still a solid effort and one of the best albums of 2007.
4. “Oracular Spectacular” by MGMT. Few new artists generated as much buzz in 2007 as MGMT. With radio-ready singles like “Kids” and “Electric Feel,” this album was catchy enough for the mainstream but quirky enough for the indie scene. We’re still humming some of these songs to ourselves every now and then.
5. “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” by Spoon. Like Arcade Fire, Spoon have found the perfect home on Merge Records. While the album’s title may not convey a sense of gravitas, it doesn’t have to. “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” is about as much fun as a person can have listening to rock music.
6. “Untrue” by Burial. Burial helped usher in dubstep as the electronic music subgenre du jour with “Burial,” a dark, minimalist affair that conveyed urban isolation and angst about as well as any one album could hope to do. It’s a great album to listen to while waiting at the bus stop in the rain, and the stand-out of the year among electronic music.
7. “Challengers” by The New Pornographers. The New Pornographers have a knack for creating catchy, polished pop tunes. Despite their Canadian supergroup status, they still retain a level of intimacy missing from many smaller bands. With standouts like “Myriad Harbour,” “Challengers” was one of the best albums of 2007.
8. “The Sound of Silver” by LCD Soundsystem. Burial wasn’t the only electronic act with a noteworthy album in 2007. LCD Soundsystem returned for their second album, and it was a whole lot more danceable than its dubstep cousin. Not surprising, considering the instant classic status of their previous album.
9. “The Reminder” by Feist.  Feist has been a contributing member of Broken Social Scene for a while now, but she came into her own as a solo artist with “The Reminder,” the best album to ever be promoted primarily through iPod ads. It’s no wonder it was picked for an ad campaign, though; it had some of the catchiest, earworm songs of the year.
10. “A Weekend in the City” by Bloc Party. While not quite the commercial and artistic success of “Silent Alarm,” Bloc Party’s follow-up album “A Weekend in the City” had plenty going for it. For instance, it has an opening song that heavily references Bret Easton Ellis’s “Less Than Zero.” That can only be a good thing.  Also, there is a superbly realized sense of post-9/11 angst. Now that the band is on hiatus, perhaps this album will be looked back on a bit more fondly.