First off, I need to make it abundantly clear that I refuse to call 2010 the start of the new decade. Technically, 2011 is the start of the new decade. You see, we start counting at one, not zero. So it’s day one, month one, year one. So if the first year is 1, the last year of the decade would be 10. The start of the next decade would be 11 and ending at 20. I had the same issue with the supposed “New Millennium” in 2000, but no one listened. Such is the life of a prophet.

But no matter, because this isn’t a list of the last decade, it’s the last 10 years. Even though I refuse to recognize 2010 as the dawn of a new decade, it does have me feeling nostalgic. So I decided I would do some Top 10’s this week, starting with something that is near and dear to my heart: music.

This list is not the top ten most influential albums in terms of music as a whole, but these are ten of the albums that have had a great impact on me. Sure, there are more than ten, but these are the heavy hitters that brought me to my musical palate today.

Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
Radiohead ruled the brit-rock scene of the mid-to-late 90s, but they broke the doors open with Kid A. They won me over with The Bends, but this delightful album helped me take the bold step into electronic music.

Jurassic 5 – Quality Control (2000)
J5 put intelligent hip-hop on the map, and thus helped mature my taste in hip-hop and black culture in general. Cutting through the clutter of crap that was the MTV-served “hip-hop” (very loosely termed) they made a big move in bringing intelligent hip-hop to the masses.

Pedro The Lion – Control (2002)
My indie-roots grew deeper when I first head Pedro on the way home from a trip to Omaha. This is how music should be written – each song holds it’s own, but together the songs write a tragically beautiful story.

Thrice – The Illusion of Safety (2002)
Finger-melting riffs, gut-quaking chugs, and the most amazing harmonies this side of the Mississippi. I had the pleasure of seeing Thrice at the M-Shop at Iowa State the year they released this album and it changed my view of how beautiful and technical metal could be. Every album since has been a welcomed evolution in their songwriting abilities. To date, still probably my favorite band.

mewithoutYou – [A->B] Life (2002)
I never knew that shouting could be so worshipful, then I saw mewithoutYou in concert, and then their album won my heart over. The poetic lyrics mixed with amazing instrumentals is a surefire way to win me over.

Beloved – Failure On (2003)
Beloved is what I had been looking for in the post-hardcore era: great vocals, catchy riffs, and clean tones. As an added bonus, their Christan-themed lyrics brought some good indictment to my life.

Sigur Ros – Taak… (2005)
One word to describe this album: beautiful. I can’t understand a single, made-up word, but I think that’s the point. Each song is perfectly layered and orchestrated. It’s probably my favorite album to fall asleep to.

Sufjan Stevens – Illinois (2005)
Sufjan opened my eyes to a new realm of songwriting. Not only are the lyrics and melodies fantastic, but each song takes you on an orchestral journey. After recording the guitar, be sure to pick up the banjo, recorder, flute, trumpet . . . well, anything you can find in a junior high band room.

Leeland – Sound Of Melodies (2006)
Leeland did the unthinkable, they wrote Christian worship songs that didn’t sound like adult contemporary songs on Lite 104.1. I couldn’t believe my ears, I actually wanted to sing these songs, and listen to them repeatedly. “Tears For The Saints” and “Carried To The Table” still bring tears to my eyes. This is an incredibly beautiful album.

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
Ten years earlier, Elliot Smith opened my eyes to the modern singer/songwriter. His music was honest, and I loved it. In 2008, Bon Iver did the same thing. I can tell this album with be a favorite for years to come.

There’s the ten. The last ten years brought forth a lot of fantastic music. I’m sure there are albums that influenced me more, but I can’t think of them right now. Eh, who cares, really?

I have long been a fan of Sufjan Stevens. From his early, raw and exposed works to his richly layered work of late, it’s all amazing. He is definitely a talent.

But he has really outdone himself.

Sufjan Stevens wrote and performed a symphony titled The BQE, inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, which was just released. The BQE is nothing short of a masterpiece, moving seamlessly from movement to movement, even from orchestral to electronic. My mind was instantly blown.

This video is but a foretaste of the audial treats that behold you. Do yourself a favor and by the album, which comes packed with a companion video. Your ears, and your heart, won’t be disappointed.

There are so many awesome things about this video. Presenting: the amazing Darren King of MuteMath. And yes, Katie, we know you had dinner with him. Blah, blah, blah . . .