Editors' Roundtable: RS Staffers Debate the Decade's Best Music

Determining the best albums, songs and artists of the decade was no easy task, and as our roundtable discussion about the 2000s' best music demonstrates, there's quite a diversity of opinions in the Rolling Stone reviews department. Watch as managing editor Will Dana talks with critics David Fricke, Rob Sheffield and Jody Rosen about how music changed over the past 10 years and their personal picks for the greatest music of the decade.

"Pop divas are the rock stars of the 'naughts," says Rosen, arguing that "in terms of radical sounds, the Top 40 has been dominated by hip-hop production." "I think the first important rock record that had an important pop influence was Kid A by Radiohead," Fricke says, adding he was surprised it was voted Number One on our albums list.

Sheffield's favorite album belonged to the Hold Steady, and he recalls seeing the band (accidentally) in Brooklyn several years ago. Fricke explains why Green Day's American Idiot topped both his albums and songs lists, and Rosen chats about his two Number Ones: Brad Paisley and Missy Elliott. Plus, don't miss Sheffield making his case for Britney Spears' "Toxic" as the era's definitive track.

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  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
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  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
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  TV
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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

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