This could be the greatest (and most accurate) description of modern rock radio I’ve ever heard.

I think I have to admit that some time in the last few years I took my seat in the rocking chair that I’ll be condemning new music from until I’m dead. But I will say this in an attempt at “objective” historical analysis:

The music that has changed my life more than any other, I actually discovered in the 2000s. Why? Well, when I look back to the 90s, like you guys have said, all of my favorite music came from rock-oriented major record labels. (Weezer, Radiohead, Ben Folds Five, Third Eye Blind, Sublime)

In the 2000s, in my opinion, the landscape of major-label rock has been a testosterone-fueled wasteland (with some exceptions, i.e. Jack White) – as if a homophobic, walking, talking man-penis was writing every song on the radio only for profit. Maybe a better metaphor would be a rock Titanic, fueled by huge, money-burning engine rooms and captained by a uniform-clad set of cock-and-balls. One thing seems for sure, the ship is sinking.

In the 90’s, turning on the radio sufficed for me – there were lots of great artists to be found and I was satisfied leaving it at that. Now things are different; now we have the internet for music finding. Whether the chicken or the egg came first, I don’t know, but all the creative people seem to have decided to jump the major label money ship and become net pioneers. The amazing thing is that it seems to be working!

A number of amazing rock artists have found a home in the internet-aided world of indie and quasi-major labels, (Coheed and Cambria …etc.) while another growing throng of musicians are putting out some of the most inventive music I’ve ever heard that blur the rock/pop boundaries with genres that never sold well on the money ship. (St. Vincent, Amanda Palmer, Arcade Fire, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear)

Perhaps best of all, the lack of easy-to-find, quality radio music has also resulted in my finding listening time for discovering amazing radio-neglected genres and artists for the first time. (Ralph Stanley, Tim Eriksen, the Sacred Harp hymn tradition)

In my opinion, the 90s OWN the 00s in regards to “official/sponsored/professional” music. I think the issue that will make it difficult for us to wrap our heads around the 00s will be the shifting paradigm that asks the question: “what is the definition of official/sponsored/professional music?”

In my opinion, the emperor has been thrown down, to the benefit of “peasant” musicians everywhere.

Willy is right about the indie artists. The death of the record labels really opened up the doors for more artist like that to find a fan base.

You can’t really compare Pearl Jam and Sigur Ros or Arcade Fire and Oasis.

Only time will tell how to compare these bands.

You should say something about how your list is more objective than subjective and make sure everyone knows that disagreeing with you means they’ve been blinded by their personal bias.

Just a suggestion.

And Tyler I’ll post you’re top 10 and my top 10. I can promise you will hate my top 10