Or it could be the Animal Collective's generation. No other band had as flawless of an output as these guys.

In terms of hip-hop, and maybe music as a whole, Kanye West just dominated the decade. But MF Doom and Madlib created a classic that West, and no other rapper, could match.

Bizarre narrative, but musically, it's unbelievable. Mindblowing in so many ways.

Before "Float On" made them ultra-popular (for a summer, atleast) Modest Mouse crafted this masterpiece.

Album about youth, home, and loss. Both comforting and tragic, and relentlessy gorgeous.

The Shins rise to fame was deserved, no matter how ridiculous Zach Braff's assistance may seem in retrospect. A less bombastic, more intimate Funeral.

Best electronic album of the decade, easily. Difficult at times, but rewarding. Also has aged beautifully.

Drone metal was everywhere, but Sunn O))) broke from the pack to make an overpoweringly dark masterpiece.

They created shoe-gaze that was so much more than My Bloody Valentine worship. Stunning, haunting, beautiful.

Metal that has more in common with post-rock. Intellectually, emotionally, and aurally powerful.

Canadian indie super-group. Honest songwriting paired with flawless instrumentation.

Polarizing electro-pop. Dark and unsettling, despite danceable beats and synths.

Avant garde laptop composer Christian Fennesz made an unexpectadly accessible album, which contained his best work yet.

Epic ambient album. Drones that penetrate your soul, however cheesy that sounds.

They've matured, and their music is better for it. Like M83, they create shoegaze that is more than the sum of their influences.

Hardcore band that has delt with a ton of internal strife (deaths, personel changes, etc) and come out the better for it. Still very heavy, though.

It took a long time for me to get in to this one, but one day it just hit me. Once you get past all the goofy antics, this is a wildly intelligent record.

Songs that are ready for a poetry course, and a band that can make them rock. Like what Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band used to do.

Will challenge even the most patient listener with her sprawling and subtle verse. But the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward. Sometimes, atleast...

I thought I could get away with no Radiohead on my list. But In Rainbows is a great (not perfect) album that nearly returns them to OK Computer glory without sacrificing their new-found avant garde edge.