25 for '25, or: The Best Metal Albums of the Century So Far

[Mosh]

Happy new year Maidenfans! I was surprised to look at my calendar and see that we are a quarter of the way through the 21st century! So it seems like now would be an opportune time to reflect on the last 25 years and see if we can put together a Maidenfans best album for the last 25 years (2000 to 2024). This will be an experimental game, I will start by curating lists and see what kind of participation we get, and then move on to the next phase accordingly. Right now I am in the 'see how it goes' phase. With that in mind, here are the rules:

1: PM me with a list of your favorite metal album from each year (2000 to 2024) using the following format:

Year: Artist Name - Album Title

There should be 25 albums total.

2: It has to be a metal album! I will not be as rigid as Metal Archives about what is and isn't Metal, but a blatant disregard of this parameter will be discarded.

3: The album has to have been released in that calendar year and recorded within the 21st century (basically archival releases do not count).

I look forward to seeing what we come up with!

 

[Diesel 11]

Quick question: do they have to be studio albums or can we include live albums as well?

 

[Mosh]

Quick question: do they have to be studio albums or can we include live albums as well?

Studio albums only

 

[Siddharth]

There should be 25 albums total.

Necessarily or we can give our favourites by skipping some years?

 

[Mosh]

Please don’t skip years, the point is to choose an album from every year.

 

[Shmoolikipod]

So we agreed that some 2019 albums came out in 2018 right? Cool, thanks!

 

[Mosh]

So we agreed that some 2019 albums came out in 2018 right? Cool, thanks!

I’m not sure what you mean here, but your list should be based on release year. For example, Senjutsu is a 2021 album despite having been recorded in 2019.

 

[Shmoolikipod]

I’m not sure what you mean here, but your list should be based on release year. For example, Senjutsu is a 2021 album despite having been recorded in 2019.

Lol, just joking about how 2019 had so many albums I wanted to include (while I only have two 2018 albums)

 

[Poto]

I struggle big time with the years 2017 to 2024. I've barely listened to a album from those years.

 

[Mosh]

I struggle big time with the years 2017 to 2024. I've barely listened to a album from those years.

Hopefully this will help you discover some new favorites!

 

[Jer]

It has to be a metal album! I will not be as rigid as Metal Archives about what is and isn't Metal, but a blatant disregard of this parameter will be discarded.

Can you give a few edge case examples on this, like where the line between inadmissible rock and admissible metal falls, and where industrial and grunge would run up against the rails here?

 

[Mosh]

Can you give a few edge case examples on this, like where the line between inadmissible rock and admissible metal falls, and where industrial and grunge would run up against the rails here?

Basically I’ll admit any list given in good faith. Not going to quibble with edge cases if people want to submit a grunge album and call it metal. I am mainly trying to avoid things like pop or Pink Floyd albums.

I’m not worried about it, everybody here knows better. Most of the wacky things that show up in GMAC came from outside lists, not forum members.

Btw lots of great lists so far. Still deciding on a format but I’m thinking there will be some sort of head to head component. There are a couple years with a dominating album (including 2024 but NOT Judas Priest or Bruce surprisingly). Not sure how to approach that yet.

 

[KiDDo]

Studio albums only

Are EPs allowed or full-length albums only?

 

[Mosh]

Are EPs allowed or full-length albums only?

Sure, EPs are fine!