The Best Album Brackets logo

The Best Album Brackets

Archives
Subscribe
September 8, 2026

#584 The 8 Best Albums of 2001

Best Album Brackets Logo #2.jpg

Hey folks!

Here are the 8 best albums of 2001 as decided by you, the voters. If anyone asks you what the 8 best albums of 2001 are, you direct them to this official and binding list. The albums are presented in seed order, from highest to lowest, from most expected to be here to least expected. Any album with a seed of #9 or lower was an underdog and had to fight a higher seed to be here, so kudos to the two albums that did that. (One of these albums, in fact, was an underdog twice and pulled off two upsets in a row to be here. Double kudos!)

Without further ado, the 8 Best Albums of 2001:

#1 Wilco, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT

A low angle photograph, tinted beige-brown, of the two towers of the Marina Complex building in Chicago. It is unsual-lookingin that every level consists of disc or clam-shaped balconies, just hundreds of them stacked on top of each other.
Defeated #128 Slipknot, IOWA, 261-99-1; defeated #64 Rufus Wainwright, POSES, 171-60-2; defeated #32 Mary J. Blige, NO MORE DRAMA, 152-82-2; defeated #16 Low, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE, 179-140.

#2 The Strokes, IS THIS IT

A close up of a woman's ass, in profile, with top of her legs and part of her stomach, just above the groin, is visible. A black glove, made of rubber or latex or something, rests on the woman's ass. Presumably it's hers, but maybe not. Her skin is so white is almost matches the white wall behind her. Also, this could be a guy technically, I don't know, I'm not making any judgments here.
Defeated #127 Ryan Adams, GOLD, 268-21-4; defeated #66 Shakira, LAUNDRY SERVICE, 183-86; defeated #31 The Dismemberment Plan, CHANGE, 121-72; defeated #15 Aaliyah, AALIYAH, 167-87-1.

#3 The White Stripes, WHITE BLOOD CELLS

A color photo of The White Stripes: Jack, white man with black hair wearing a white t-shirt and red pants and Meg, a white woman with long black hair wearing a red shirt and white pants. They are standing against a red wall and are being menaced by six figures wearing all black and black hoods, turning them into silhouettes, like what stage puppeteers wear. The ground looks like it has white paint spilled over it. Jack looks a little unnerved, but Meg is inscrutable, which is normal for her.
Defeated #126 Squarepusher, GO PLASTIC, 160-55-3; defeated #67 Mogwai, ROCK ACTION, 169-65-1; defeated #35 Life Without Buildings, ANY OTHER CITY, 137-91-1; defeated #19 Kylie Minogue, FEVER, 154-76-1.

#4 Daft Punk, DISCOVERY

The Daft Punk logo rendered in a silver, mercury-like liquid. Underneath the letters are glowing highlights, running the rainbow from red on the left to indigo on the right. This is on a black background.
Defeated #125 Tipsy, UH-OH!, 149-58; defeated #61 Pulp, WE LOVE LIFE, 138-69-1; defeated #29 Built to Spill, ANCIENT MELODIES OF THE FUTURE, 130-83-1; defeated #13 Rilo Kiley, TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS, 132-82-3.

#5 Björk, VESPERTINE

A black and white photo, tinted in a bluish-grey, of Björk, a white woman, laying on concrete in the sun, one arm over her face and casting it in shadow. Her eyes are closed and mouth is slightly open, intending a kind of sensual feeling. I believe she's naked, but her chest is obscured by a drawing of a goose or swan overlaying the image. The word VESPERTINE can just be made out in the bird's feathers.
Defeated #124 Nas, STILLMATIC, 159-31-5; defeated #69 Air, 10 000 HZ LEGEND, 144-38-3l; defeated #28 Andrew W.K., I GET WET, 157-70-3; defeated #12 Fugazi, THE ARGUMENT, 144-113-2.

#8 Gillian Welch, TIME (THE REVELATOR)

Gillian Welch, a thin white woman with long brown hair, sits on a table that have cushions on them. (They're calling this a futon in the Bluesky comments but honestly I don't think that's what this is. That looks like storage underneath the cushions.) She is in a red dress covered with white flower shapes. The cushions have a multicolored, striped, kind of plaid pattern on them. The woman looks off to the right with a slight look of puzzlement.
Defeated #121 Ash, FREE ALL ANGELS, 162-53; defeated #72 Kristin Hersh, SUNNY BORDER BLUE, 90-47-4; defeated #25 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, THE TYRANNY OF DISTANCE, 103-70; defeated #9 Spoon, GIRLS CAN TELL, 138-116-2.

#11 Missy Elliott, MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE

A blue tinted photo of a close up of Missy Elliot, a Black woman with short black hair in what I'd call a Pat Benatar style. She wears large hoop earrings with diamonds, and a collared jacket that is vaguely like camouflage. Behind her are two spherical metal objects, covered with sharp spikes. That are reminiscent of both ocean mines and viruses.
Defeated #118 Ruby, SHORT-STAFFED AT THE GENE POOL, 118-31; #54 Unwound, LEAVES TURN INSIDE YOU, 111-46; defeated #22 System of a Down, TOXICITY, 135-78-2; defeated Radiohead, AMNESIAC, 158-143-1.

#23 Drive-By Truckers, SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA

A drawing of a two lane blacktop going through a field of yellow grass. A black owl flies across the road. To the left, a sign reading HIGHWAY 72. Leafless trees and a fence on the horizon.
Defeated #106 Tricky, BLOWBACK, 110-57-3; defeated #42 Ladytron, 604, 117-111; defeated #10 The Shins, OH, INVERTED WORLD, 126-122-2; defeated #7 Gorillaz, GORILLAZ, 147-143-2.

Conspicuously missing:

#6 Radiohead, AMNESIAC (Defeated by Missy Elliott, MISS E… SO ADDICTIVE, 158-143-1.)

#7 Gorillaz, GORILLAZ (Defeated by Drive-By Truckers, SOUTHERN ROCK OPERA, 147-143-2.)

Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to The Best Album Brackets:
← Newer #585 The Best Album of 2001, Round 5 (Elite Eight) Match #121: Wilco vs. Gillian Welch Older → #583 The Best Album of 2001, Round 4 Match #120: Radiohead vs. Missy Elliott

Add a comment:

Posting this comment will subscribe you to this newsletter with the email address you enter.
Powered by Buttondown, the easiest way to start and grow your newsletter.