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Best experimental songs of the 2000s

The industry lost control of distribution and the music got stranger for it. Blogs did the job radio used to do. The South took the charts outright, and Kanye West began a run of reinventions that outlasted the decade he started it in.

Songs from the experimental albums of the 2000s, ordered by their own ratings rather than the record's.

Family Tree cover№ 1I've Seen It AllBjörk · Family Tree2 ratings
  1. 2The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast coverGerms Burn for Darby CrashMatmos · The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of A Beast2 ratings
  2. 3Black Sea coverGlass CeilingFennesz · Black Sea2 ratings
  3. 4Merriweather Post Pavilion coverSummertime ClothesAnimal Collective · Merriweather Post Pavilion1 rating
  4. 5Merriweather Post Pavilion coverMy GirlsAnimal Collective · Merriweather Post Pavilion1 rating
  5. 6Merriweather Post Pavilion coverBluishAnimal Collective · Merriweather Post Pavilion1 rating
  6. 7Merriweather Post Pavilion coverIn the FlowersAnimal Collective · Merriweather Post Pavilion1 rating
  7. 8Alles wieder offen coverDie WellenEinstürzende Neubauten · Alles wieder offen1 rating
  8. 9Supreme Balloon coverRainbow FlagMatmos · Supreme Balloon1 rating
  9. 10Venice coverChateau RougeFennesz · Venice1 rating
  10. 11The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble coverThe Nothing ChangesThe Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble · The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble1 rating
  11. 12Horn of Plenty coverLa Duchess AnneGrizzly Bear · Horn of Plenty1 rating
  12. 13Fi coverPuddled in the MorningBibio · Fi1 rating
  13. 14The Eraser coverThe EraserThom Yorke · The Eraser1 rating
  14. 15Family Tree coverImmature (Björk's version)Björk · Family Tree1 rating
  15. 16Post Live coverI Miss YouBjörk · Post Live1 rating
  16. 17Drawing Restraint 9 coverStormBjörk · Drawing Restraint 91 rating
  17. 18Nosferatu coverL'agent ReinfeldArt Zoyd · Nosferatu
  18. 19The Eraser coverHarrowdown HillThom Yorke · The Eraser
  19. 20Vespertine coverHidden PlaceBjörk · Vespertine
  20. 21The Ascension coverThe AscensionGlenn Branca · The Ascension
  21. 22The Ascension coverLight Field (In Consonance)Glenn Branca · The Ascension
  22. 23The Ascension coverStructureGlenn Branca · The Ascension
  23. 24The Ascension coverThe Spectacular CommodityGlenn Branca · The Ascension
  24. 25The Ascension coverLesson No. 2Glenn Branca · The Ascension
  25. 26Fast CarJim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  26. 27Good TimesJim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  27. 28Life Goes OffJim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  28. 29Halfway to a ThreewayJim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  29. 30There’s Hell in Hello, But More in Goodbye & Movie on the Way DownJim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  30. 31[untitled]Jim O’Rourke · Live at Japan 2002.9.16
  31. 32Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverMello (Live)The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  32. 33Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverLullaby (Live)The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  33. 34Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverStupid Steppenwolf, Pt. 2The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  34. 35Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverStupid Steppenwolf, Pt. 1The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  35. 36Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverA Beautiful Thought, Pt. 2The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  36. 37Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverHarry Dreams the DreamThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  37. 38Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverSoul TrackThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  38. 39Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverMagic TheatreThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  39. 40Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverDividedThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  40. 41Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverThe Title On the CoverThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  41. 42Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverInterludeThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  42. 43Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverA Wolf of the SteppesThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  43. 44Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverThe Mothers and the FathersThe Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  44. 45Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack) coverA Beautiful Thought, Pt. 1The Durutti Column · Treatise On the Steppenwolf (Soundtrack)
  45. 46The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live) coverInterview (Recorded 13.8.1981)The Durutti Column · The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live)
  46. 47The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live) coverFor Belgian Friends (Live 13.8.1981)The Durutti Column · The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live)
  47. 48The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live) coverSelf Portrait (Version) [Live 13.8.1981]The Durutti Column · The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live)
  48. 49The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live) coverThe Missing Boy (Live 13.8.1981)The Durutti Column · The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live)
  49. 50The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live) coverStains (Useless Body) [Live 13.8.1981]The Durutti Column · The Durutti Column Live In Bruxelles 13.8.1981 (Live)

One great song, one bad album

Tracks carry their own ratings here, so a record you would never play front to back can still have a song worth defending.

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