The best artists (and their albums) of the past 10 years

In no particular order, because I don't do that kind of thing.

The Shins



Albums: Oh, Inverted World (2001), Chutes Too Narrow (2003), Wincing the Night Away (2006)
Must have songs: New Slang, Girl Inform Me, Phantom Limb, Red Rabbits, Sleeping Lessons

Rilo Kiley


Albums: Take Offs and Landings (2001), The Execution of All Things (2003), More Adventurous (2004)
Must Have Songs: Science vs. Romance, Portions for Foxes

Red Hot Chili Peppers


Albums: Californication (1999), Stadium Arcadium (2006)
Must Have Songs: Cailfornication, Dosed, Under the Bridge, Snow

Guster


Albums: Lost and Gone Forever (1999), Keep it Together (2003), Ganging Up on the Sun (2006)
Must Have Songs: Happier, Fa Fa, Diane, Careful, Keep it Together, Come Downstairs and Say Hello, Ramona, The Captain, Ruby Falls

Gomez


Albums: How We Operate (2006)
Must Have Songs: How We Operate, See the World, Hamoa Beach

Bob Dylan


Albums: Modern Times (2006)
Must Have Songs: Someday Baby

The White Stripes


Albums: White Blood Cells (2002), Elephant (2003), Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
Must Have Songs: Seven Nation Army, My Doorbell, Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Hotel Yorba, Blue Orchid, The Denial Twist

Eels


Albums: Beautiful Freak (1997), Electro-Shock Blues (1998), Daisies of the Galaxy (2000), Souljacker (2002), Shootenanny! (2003), Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (2005), Oh What a Beautiful Morning (2005)
Must Have Songs: Novocaine for the Soul, Mr. E's Beautiful Blues, Last Stop: This Town, Trouble with Dreams, Hey Man, My Beloved Monster

Coldplay


Albums: Parachutes (2000), A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), X&Y (2006)
Must Have Songs: Yellow, Clocks, In My Place, White Shadows, What If, A Message

Beck


Albums: Sea Change (2002), Mellow Gold (2004), Odelay (2004), Guero (2005), The Information (2006)
Must Have Songs: Loser, Girl, E-Pro, Where It's At

Modest Mouse



Albums: The Lonesome Crowded West (1997), The Moon and Antarctica (2004), Good News for People Who Love Bad News (2004), We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)
Must Have Songs: Gravity Rides Everything, Dramamine, Float On, The World At Large, Ocean Breathes Salty, Dashboard

Neutral Milk Hotel


Albums: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998), Everything Is (2001)
Must Have Songs: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Holland 1945

Elliott Smith




Albums: Either/Or (1997), XO (1998), Figure 8 (2000), From a Basement on a Hill (2004), Roman Candle (2005) *Note: Smith committed suicide in 2003, his final two albums were released posthumously*
Must Have Songs: Say Yes, Waltz No. 2, Sweet Adeline, Bottle Up and Explode, Bled White, Son of Sam, Pretty (Ugly Before)