We fully agree with number 1 on this list.

Complex has officially unveiled its picks for the greatest albums of the 21st century so far, and the list is packed with era-defining classics, culture-shifting releases, and albums that reshaped the sound of modern music. Leading the ranking is Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), a project with masterful production, amazing guest features, and a very memorable album cover.

Right behind it is 50 Cent’s blockbuster debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003), followed by Jay-Z’s timeless blueprint for modern rap, The Blueprint (2001). Rounding out the top five are Rihanna’s Anti (2016)—a bold R&B reinvention that aged like fine wine—and Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), a commercial and lyrical juggernaut that still sparks conversation today.

The list also features Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. (2017) and Drake’s best album, Take Care (2011), to the avant-R&B artistry of Frank Ocean’s Blonde (2016) and Beyoncé’s self-titled visual album (2013).

Also earning high placement: The Weeknd’s dark, haunting debut mixtape House of Balloons (2011), OutKast’s genre-bending Stankonia (2000), and Kendrick’s cinematic breakout good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012). Trap pioneer Future lands with DS2 (2015), Ye’s abrasive experimental effort Yeezus (2013) makes the cut, and closing at No. 15 is one of the most divisive-yet-influential releases of the 2020s: Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red (2020).

Top 10 Albums of the 21st Century according to Complex:

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.