Top Ten Pop Albums of the Decade

The first decade of the 21^st century saw a metamorphosis in the music industry as music downloads took hold, eventually overtaking hard copy CD sales. No longer were music lovers forced to purchase an entire CD to get their music fix. But, while single track sales certainly had an impact on sales, there were certainly some artists who were still able to break records in terms of CD sales.

I have amassed a list of the albums I consider to be the top pop albums of the decade, based on sales, innovation, and artist development.

10. Daughtry (Daughtry - Released November 21, 2006): Chris Daughtry was considered a front-runner on the fifth season of 'American Idol,' and his shocking fourth-place elimination is still one of the most discussed events in the history of the show. Daughtry dusted himself off, formed a band, and released a debut album that went on to sell nearly five million copies, placing him at No. 3 on the list of best-selling Idol albums of all time. Daughtry also set a new record for time spent on the Billboard 200 (150 weeks).

9.Confessions (Usher - Released March 23, 2004): Usher's' fourth studio album was a smash hit, selling 1.1 million copies in its first week, setting a record for sales by an R&B artists. The album spawned four hit singles, including the dance hit "Caught Up" and "My Boo," a duet with Alicia Keys. Confessions has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and earned Usher a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2005.

8.Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (Gwen Stefani - Released November 22, 2004): Gwen Stefani's first solo project was a lavish affair and firmly established her as a veritable pop phenom. The album spawned six singles, including the definitive hit of the year, "Hollaback Girl," and went on to sell nine million copies worldwide. You may not have heard of Gwen Stefani prior to 2004, but she has since become one of the top pop artists of the decade.

7. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (OutKast - Released September 3, 2003):This double album sold over 15 million copies, won a Grammy for Album of the Year, and forever put this interesting group in the forefront of pop music. The album's biggest hit, "Hey Ya," became the anthem of the year and topped the Billboard charts. The album is a collaboration of some of the biggest rap artists of the decade and fuses soul, pop, jazz, and funk in a two-and-a-half hour festival of music.

6. The Marshall Mathers LP (Eminem - Released May 23, 2000): This was Eminem's third studio album and his most successful. The album sold nearly 1.8 million copies in its first week making it the best selling album ever. It won a Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2001. It has since gone on to sell over nine million copies in the U.S. and 19 million worldwide. The album's biggest hit, "The Real Slim Shady," won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. This album firmly established Eminem as one of the rappers in the world.

5. Songs in A Minor (Alicia Keys - Released June 5, 2001): Alicia Keys hit the music scene in a big way this decade, kicking off her career with an album that has become an R&B classic. This talented artist did most of the arrangements and co-produced the album. Her first single, "Fallin'" was the biggest hit of 2001.Songs in A Minor won five Grammys and sold over 6.2 million copies in the U.S. and 12 million worldwide.

4. Circus (Britney Spears - Released November 28, 2008): One of the biggest entertainment stories of the decade had to be the meltdown of former pop princess Britney Spears. And after lukewarm sales of her fifth album, Blackout, no one really thought Britney would ever be able to return to the top of the charts. But she did it again! Circus debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has spawned four hit singles to date - "Womanizer," "If U Seek Amy," and "Circus." The album has sold over three million copies to date and is still going strong.

3. B'Day (Beyonce - Released September 4, 2006): Beyonce established herself as a solo artist with 2003's Dangerously in Love, but B'Day gave her a chance to take a huge leap artistically and seal her position as the one of the best female R&B artists of the decade. B'Day's appeal to me is that Beyonce wrote and co-produced the entire album, bringing to life her vision of a lush production that would allow her to express herself both musically and emotionally. The album is rich instrumentally, yet offers a cool blend of pop, hip-hop, and R&B along with Beyonce's sensational vocals.

2. FutureSex/LoveSounds (Justin Timberlake - Released September 12, 2006): Although this was Justin Timberlake's second solo album, it really marked his evolution as a serious solo artist and bonafide superstar. The album is a smooth blend of Dance, R&B, and electronica, with some killer songs that became smash hit singles. Timberlake not only brought "Sexy Back," he also demonstrated his musicianship in songs like "What Goes Around." The album sold four million copies in the U.S. (nine million worldwide). Why is it my number one selection? The album has "legs" and remains fresh each time I listen to it. I'm also impressed by his transformation from the boy-bander to a legitimate artist.

1. Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson - Released November 30, 2004): Kelly Clarkson won the first 'American Idol' on the strength of her vocals and girl-next-door appeal, and her debut album played on these qualities. But Kelly never hid her desire to get a little edgier, and while Breakaway is decidedly pop, it allowed Kelly to show off her rock chops on some of the tracks, including her monster hit "Since U Been Gone." The album went on to sell over six million copies in the U.S. after a string of hits that also included "Walk Away," "Breakaway," "Because of You," and "Behind These Hazel Eyes." It's my favorite album of the decade because it legitimized 'Idol' as a star-producing machine, and made Kelly Clarkson a superstar.