Favorite CDs of the '00s -- NUMBER ONE!

#1. THE MOFFATTS - "Submodalities"
(EMI/Canada, 2000)

I've prattled on before about my undying love for this album, so suffice to say that I've never let a month (it was a week for awhile at the beginning) go by without listening to this disc, I have yet to get tired of hearing it, and I never skip over any of the tracks when I do. "Just Another Phase" carries the sweeping grandeur of Oasis and U2 ... "Walking Behind" sounds like a cross between Train and Paul Simon ... "California" mixes the furious crunch of Green Day with the "a-doo-dah-mama" of the Beach Boys but totally works anyway ... "Typical" has the momentary key switch-up, that desperate moan from Scott, and a chorus that compounds with each repetition, all of which make me love it ... "Spy" sounds like Radiohead and Queen teaming up to do a lost James Bond movie theme ... and "Life On Mars" is a way-groovy, sitar-licious '60s psychedelia trip without the need for drugs. The ballads "Always In My Heart" and "Who Do You Love", as well as the big single, "Bang Bang Boom", sound almost boring by comparison, but then with an album this phantasmagoric they needed some ordinary just to stave off the sensory overload. With the guiding hand of veteran producer Bob Rock, the brothers Moffatt (all of whom were, incredibly, still mere teenagers when this album was recorded) ended up creating a masterpiece that absolutely everyone should hear before they die.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #3 and #2

3. NSYNC - "No Strings Attached"
(Jive, 2000)

Here it is: the album that needs no introduction, and the one against which all other boyband albums would be measured. (Funny, they probably said the same thing ten months earlier about Backstreet Boys' "Millennium"!) "No Strings Attached" was delayed for almost six months by NSYNC's legal battle to free themselves from control of their money-grubbing overlord, Lou Pearlman -- an eventually successful effort which inspired the album's title. Their newfound contractual freedom suited them well, resulting in an album whose creative energy and sonic momentum carried from the opening of "Bye Bye Bye" to the final harmonies of the sumptuous a cappella closer "I Thought She Knew". To say that every track could have been a single really is no exaggeration. In every sense -- creative, business, and otherwise -- boyband pop would never be the same again.

2. ESPEN LIND - "This Is Pop Music"
(Universal/Norway, 2001)

He's helped write for some of the most popular artists around -- Leona Lewis, the Jonas Brothers, David Cook, Beyoncé, Ne-Yo, Jordin Sparks, and Train -- but what a lot of people don't know is that he's also a superb pop musician in his own right. This is his third album, and I dare say there's not a thing about it that isn't great. The songs are well-written and balanced nicely between the slow ("Everybody Says"), the energetic ("This Is The Time! This Is The Place!"), the in-between ("Everything's Falling Apart"), and the indescribable ("Pop From Hell"). Lind's vocals are as flawless and beautiful here as they always are, but the most interesting thing may be the instrumentation. I've listened to this album over a dozen times, and on every listen I pick up little intricacies buried in the mix that I didn't hear before. That fact alone makes this his best and most entertaining album by far.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #5 and #4

5. BEN LEE - "Awake Is The New Sleep"
(New West, 2005)

You know that one album by a particular artist that turns you from a casual listener into an ardent fan? The one that makes you buy not only all of its CD-singles (for the B-sides), but also the artist's whole back-catalog? Well, this was the album that so galvanized my devotion to Ben Lee. I had heard and liked some of his stuff in the past, but when I picked up the advance EP for this album I ended up falling head-over-heels for its charms before I knew what had happened. From what I've read about Lee, he seems to have an enlightened and unconfined mind, and that sensibility tends to carry forth into his music -- especially on the anthemic but untreacly "We're All In This Together" -- and to me that makes both the man and the music all the more likeable. When you hear songs like "Begin", "Into The Dark", and "Gamble Everything For Love", you know they're from his heart.

4. A-TEENS - "Teen Spirit"
(Stockholm, 2001)

Putting out an album of only ABBA covers as their first effort could very easily have rendered the A-Teens not only a one-album flash-in-the-pan, but also a pop-culture punchline. Fortunately, they had a strong and very appealing battery of original songs at the ready for their second album. Of course, it helped that the kids were likeable and seemed to enjoy and appreciate their burgeoning pop stardom. Whether it's upbeat tunes like "Halfway Around The World" and "Slammin' Kinda Love", ballads such as "Firefly" and "For All That I Am", or the mid-tempo treats "...To The Music" and "That's What (It's All About)", the energy and feeling that Dhani, Sara, Amit and Marie poured into each of the songs is almost contagious. As sugary as this album is, I can't help but confess that whenever I listen to this album I really can't skip over a single track, I like them all so much.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #10 to #6

10. ERAN JAMES - "Ten Songs About Love"
(Heaven/Australia, 2007)

At the tender age of 15, with the well-honed voice of a man twice his age, he wowed Australia with an album of soul and R&B covers, leading none other than James Brown to exclaim, "Man, you're blacker than me!" He returned three years later with this album of twelve (no, not "ten") original songs which are not as lively, but show off his phenomenal voice just as well. He's at times breezy and refreshing, at other times passionate and soulful, but he's always goosebump-inducing. I've listened to a lot of music over the years, and I'm not afraid to call his the most amazing singing voice under 25 years old that I've ever heard.

9. FIVE - "Kingsize"
(BMG/UK, 2001)

If there's one boyband that went out at the top of their game, it was Five. Not only were every one of this album's singles excellent -- "Let's Dance" is still one of the best dance songs around, "Closer To Me" was probably the most beautiful ballad they ever did, and "Rock The Party" had the greatest sampling of a classic tune ("Grease" by Frankie Valli) that I've ever heard -- but the rest of the album, even the filler, was fantastic ... the semi-folksy "Take Your Chances On Me", the soaring anthem "Feel The Love", and my personal favorite, the absolutely kick-ass "Hear Me Now". At least no one can say they didn't save their best for last.

8. TAKE THAT - "Beautiful World"
(Polydor/UK, 2006)

Is there a better reunion album out there? I'm having a lot of trouble thinking of one. Take That proved they still had what it takes, ten years later and without Robbie Williams. Of course, it didn't hurt that they came back with an absolutely amazing batch of songs, equally balanced between uplifting anthems and subdued ballads. I love "Ain't No Sense In Love" and "Hold On", "Patience" still puts a lump in my throat, and "Reach Out" never fails to lift my spirits. It's really no wonder that it became the UK's second most popular album of the year, ended up selling over three million copies, and earned the gang four BRIT Award nominations.

7. McFLY - "Wonderland"
(Universal/UK, 2005)

While their spirited debut certainly had plenty of great songs, there's something to be said for showing a mature side, especially when such skilled songwriting is part of the package. I could heap praise on just about every single tune here (because I never skip over any of them), but suffice to say I love the curve-ball tempo of "Nothing", the heartbreaking beauty of "All About You", the bouncy optimism of "I'll Be OK", and the fervent symphony of "I Wanna Hold You". Their first disc may have had a lighter and more carefree mood, but track-for-track this album is the more enriching and appreciable listen.

6. FERRAS - "Aliens & Rainbows"
(Capitol, 2008)

Where the heck did this guy come from? Out of nowhere, seemingly, to win me over big-time with this near-perfect pop record. "Hollywood's Not America", the track that got the most attention, is in a way the most boring one on the album. Something like a cross between Elton John and Daniel Bedingfield, Ferras jammed his debut full of absurdly enjoyable piano-centric pop that makes you want to dance ("Something About You"), cry ("Rush"), and think ("Dear God"). I have no idea why his album wasn't a huge hit, because it undoubtedly deserved to be. I'm just glad to hear he's recording a follow-up!

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #15 to #11

15. HANSON - "Underneath"
(3CG, 2004)

This was the Hanson album that I'd been waiting for, only I didn't know until I heard it. As good as their previous albums were, they'd never sounded as pure and natural as they do here. The anthemic "Dancin' In The Wind", the breezy "Penny & Me", the bouncy ballad "Deeper" (featuring Michelle Branch), and the foot-stompin' "Lost Without Each Other" ... if I'd known it was going to be this good, I'd have been willing to wait a lot longer than four years.

14. MICHAEL TOLCHER - "I Am"
(Octone, 2004)

His single "Sooner Or Later" got picked to be the theme to a short-lived network drama show, but otherwise this guy was sadly lost in the crowd of Gavin deGraws and Mat Kearneys that flooded the scene in the middle of the decade. But it's still in print, so there's time to correct that injustice. Cycle through the audio clips online -- there's not a bad song on this album -- and you'll find twelve compelling reasons to add this one to your collection.

13. THE FEELING - "Twelve Stops And Home"
(Universal/UK, 2006)

This UK band burst onto the scene with some of the most enchantingly melodic pop-rock since Supertramp. Whether it's upbeat fare such as "Love It When You Call" or "Fill My Little World" that you're looking for, or subdued balladry like "Same Old Stuff" or "Sewn", there's an awful lot to like here. Maybe if they'd used the whimsical and colorful UK cover art for the album's US release, it might have sold better.

12. KRISTIAN LEONTIOU - "Some Day Soon"
(Polydor/UK, 2004)

I started out liking the comparable Daniel Powter at first, but before too long I was trading in Powter's CD out of boredom and becoming fonder of this disc with every listen. Unique but familiar-sounding singer-songwriter tracks dressed with equal parts electronica and organic instrumentation, it's lifted my spirits on more than one occasion ... probably the best impulse-buy from an unknown (to me) artist that I've ever made.

11. NICK CARTER - "Now Or Never"
(Jive, 2002)

Forget Justin Timberlake, I thought to myself back then ... this was the solo boyband singer's album I had been waiting for. I still love nearly every rockin' tune on this disc, sung in Nick's endlessly charming, Bryan-Adams-styled rasp -- especially "My Confession", "Blow Your Mind", "Heart Without a Home", "Help Me", and my favorite, "I Got You" -- and I'm still pissed that we have yet to see a second solo album from him.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #20 to #16

20. BENT FABRIC - "Jukebox"
(Hidden Beach, 2005)

Seldom has an album been more appropriately named. The melodies of Danish pianist Bent Fabricius-Bjerre get a 21st-Century makeover by an army of producers, mixers, instrumentalists and vocalists, resulting in an album that almost sounds more like a various-artists pop compilation than an album by a single jazz artist. Crowned by his classic, untouched, signature tune "Alley Cat", this album will jump-start any party.

19. BARENAKED LADIES - "Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits"
(Reprise, 2001)

Putting a greatest-hits album in my countdown might be cheating, but as far as BNL are concerned, it's justified. (Besides, it fits my self-imposed rule of at least two new tracks being included.) If the extent of your exposure to this band is their biggest hit, "One Week", do yourself a favor and buy this title, and immerse yourself in the amazing tunefulness and musical versatility that is Barenaked Ladies. Every single track on here is a gem.

18. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - "Justified"
(Jive, 2002)

Some people say "FutureSex/LoveSounds" is better, but it's a bit too "far out" for me ... I like my pop a bit more straightforward and accessible, and the almost-universal appeal of this album is indisputable. There's the instrumental intricacy of "Cry Me a River", the semi-tropical groove of "(Oh No) What You Got", "Like I Love You" is just plain catchy, and "Rock Your Body" is the best Michael Jackson song that MJ never did.

17. KEANE - "Perfect Symmetry"
(Interscope, 2008)

Their previous albums might be more compelling and meaningful, but when it comes to pure enjoyment, this one totally floats my boat. Maybe it's because I grew up in the '80s and can thus totally get into the very '80s groove they seem to effortlessly maintain throughout this album. Suffice to say, they had me from that Human League-ish distorted melody line at the very beginning of "Spiralling", and didn't let go for 50 minutes.

16. ERIK FABER - "Passages"
(Epic/Norway, 2006)

It's been over three years since Erik Faber has put out a new album, and perhaps that's a good thing ... he seems to be getting better and better with each release, so I fear that at some point he'll have reached his peak and I'll be disappointed with his next disc. This one is certainly no disappointment. The top-flight single "Not Over", the mesmerizing duet "Racing", the heartbreaking "Song for H" ... a hard-to-find album, but worth the search.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #25 to #21

25. TAKE 5 - "Against All Odds"
(Elektra, 2000)

Their first album (hard to find, and probably for the best) was about as bland as could be, but this American boyband found a solid groove on their follow-up, landing somewhere between the harmonic balladry of Backstreet Boys and the hip-hop-laden R&B of Five. Their distinctive voices also helped tunes like "Perfect Sense", the Diane Warren-penned "Can I Come Over", the Richard Marxish "Never In My Life", and my favorite, "Bounce", win me over in a big way.

24. "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC - "Straight Outta Lynwood"
(Volcano, 2006)

Label politics rained on Al's parade by keeping a James Blunt parody off his twelfth album, but Al got the last laugh when his backup plan -- the Chamillionaire takeoff "White & Nerdy" -- became his biggest hit ever. Other excellent parodies like "Canadian Idiot" and "Confessions Part III", and enjoyable originals such as "Virus Alert" and "Don't Download This Song", made this Al's best and most popular album in more than a decade.

23. TEDDY GEIGER - "Underage Thinking"
(Columbia, 2005)

He had boy-next-door good looks, an appealing voice, and some serious singer-songwriter talent, resulting in this excellent album of mostly self-penned pop-rock tracks. Columbia apparently believed in him enough to issue a deluxe edition of this album several months later ... so why did they then abruptly drop him from their roster? It just doesn't make sense ... and Teddy is one of the artists on this countdown I miss the most.

22. EMAN - "Favorite Enemy"
(Lunapark, 2002)

Emanuel Kiriakou is a prolific writer, producer, and session musician who has worked with dozens of the most popular Top-40 artists in the world ... but if you ask me, he's wasting his talents. You see, several years ago he was on the other side of the microphone and turned out this fantastic set of pop-rock tunes. Once you hear "Falling", "Wonderfully Strange" and "Picture Day", you'll hate him for not recording more albums, too.

21. TINTED WINDOWS - "Tinted Windows"
(S-Curve, 2009)

Since it consisted of members of Hanson and Fountains of Wayne, it was pretty-much a given that I'd like this band, but I was still impressed with how much I fell for their album. Don't expect profound lyrics or intricate melodies -- but then, power-pop isn't about that stuff anyway -- but do expect one track after another full of toe-tapping, hand-clapping, sing-along choruses that you simply won't be able to resist.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #30 to #26

30. KALAN PORTER - "Wake Up Living"
(Sony BMG/Canada, 2007)

"The Little Prince" (so nicknamed for his resemblance to the literary character), who won the second season of "Canadian Idol", is probably my favorite "Idol" alumnus, foreign or domestic. Not only are his songs fantastic -- particularly "Karma King", "Destination", and the rocking kiss-off "Hurray" -- but there's just something about that big, beefy voice coming out of such a thin, cherub-faced body, that makes him all the more interesting.

29. DURAN DURAN - "Red Carpet Massacre"
(Epic, 2007)

Featuring guest appearances and production by such hitmakers as Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, this is Duran Duran's best album -- and the farthest ahead-of-their-time that they've sounded -- in a decade and a half. Spellbinding tracks like "Falling Down", "Dirty Great Monster", "Box Full O'Honey", "The Valley", and "Last Man Standing" prove that the joining of these two pop music forces was a match made in heaven.

28. STEPHEN GATELY - "New Beginning"
(Polydor/UK, 2000)

I've always been annoyed that his bandmate Ronan Keating has had the longer and more successful post-Boyzone discography ... but that's okay, 'cause I've enjoyed Steo's one and only solo album more than all of Ronan's combined. The beautiful ballads like "I Believe" and "Where Do We Go", and fine upbeat tracks such as "Stay" and "Coming Back", are made all the more enjoyable with the late Mr. Gately's sweet-as-honey vocals.

27. RYAN CABRERA - "Take It All Away"
(Atlantic, 2004)

I got clued into his charms a few months before the rest of the world did -- and met him in person (nice guy!) -- after picking up a free 3-track promotional disc. He would later fall victim to media overexposure, a silly haircut or two, and a sophomore album plagued with boring, whiney ballads, but his major-label debut was a sunny, catchy, well-crafted thing of pop-rock beauty, thanks to a helping hand from Goo Goo Doll John Rzeznik.

26. PHANTOM PLANET - "The Guest"
(Epic, 2002)

After a promising but little-noticed debut -- but before they descended into emo-punk junk on their third album -- these guys hit their peak with this power-pop magnum opus, which gave them a huge boost in popularity thanks to the use of its melancholy track "Lonely Day" on various TV soundtracks and, of course, the smash hit single "California" being chosen as the theme song to the hit TV series, "The O.C.".

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #35 to #31

35. GIL - "The Album"
(BMG/Germany, 2000)

Gil showed here that he was ready to take music seriously, ditching the pop fluff of his debut in favor of more sophisticated melodies and more substantial lyrical content, including topics such as social responsibility ("Right Now", not the Van Halen song) and sex (the outstanding "Out Of My Bed (Still In My Head)", which should have been an international hit single). The heavy "Stop" and the country cover "It's Your Love" are other high points.

34. WAVE - "State Of Mind"
(Warner/Canada, 2002)

You can dismiss them as a two-man Canadian version of BBMak if you want to, but there's no denying that in their two albums, these guys put out some of the most appealingly breezy pop songs to be found anywhere. "Save a Little Part", "Morning Delight", and "Moon Underwater" are good enough, but wait until you hear "Don't Say Sarah", where the guys do the best Hall & Oates since Hall & Oates!

33. KAVANA - "Special Kind of Something: The Best of Kavana"
(EMI, 2007)

When I realized this compilation had been issued in anticipation of his making a comeback, I was ecstatic since it had been far too long since hearing his wonderfully smooth voice. Two years later, that supposed comeback still hasn't materialized, but at least this disc gives us all his best tracks plus three previously unreleased songs, including the beautiful duet "Heart Like The Sun" with the legendary Lulu. Oh Kav, where art thou?!?

32. SUGAR RAY - "Sugar Ray"
(Atlantic, 2001)

Their smash breakthrough album "14:59" got all the attention, but I'm a much bigger fan of this disc. Between the hot rockers "Sorry Now" and "Answer The Phone", the mid-range numbers "Waiting" and "Under The Sun", and the cool breeze of "Stay On" and "Just a Little", I can't skip over a single track on this album whenever I listen to it. And they saved the best for last: the fantastic (and cleverly titled) "Disasterpiece".

31. COLIN HAY - "Company of Strangers"
(Lazy Eye, 2002)

This has got to be one of Colin Hay's best albums; his skill for melody ("Dear J") and sardonic wit ("Lucky Bastard") have never been in finer form. From the introspection of the title track to the rumination of "Lifeline", and from the helplessness of "No Win Situation" to the cautious optimism of "Beautiful World", this is probably the album that would have made me a Colin Hay fan if I hadn't been one already.

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #40 to #36

40. JOEY McINTYRE - "Meet Joe Mac"
(Atlantic, 2001)

Joey was always my favorite New Kid, so I guess I can't help but love this album. "Rain" is a fine power ballad, "With a Girl Like You" a great upbeat track, and "Easier" probably his most beautiful slow song ever ... and then there's my guilty pleasure, "National Anthem of Love", complete with the B-52s' Fred Schneider on backing vocals! Goodness knows there were a few duds here, but I forgave them long ago.

39. A1 - "Make It Good"
(Columbia/UK, 2002)

Call it their "coming-of-age" album. Forgoing the synth-centric dance beats, the British boyband A1 turned to a more grown-up guitar-based pop-rock sound, and the results were surprisingly good. They do try their hand at dirty '70s-style rock on one track, but they've mostly mellowed out with strong, well-written mid-tempo delights like "This Ain't What Love Is About", the whistley bounce of "Do You Remember", and the stellar title track.

38. AMY GRANT - "Greatest Hits 1986-2004"
(A&M, 2004)

I love Amy Grant's voice, but I really don't like Christian music, so you can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon this, her secular-based hits collection. It's inevitable that it would include a bunch of tracks from "Heart In Motion" and "House of Love", but it's also justifiable, since those were the two multi-platinum crossover albums that practically turned her into a household name in the early '90s.

37. GRÉGORY LEMARCHAL - "Je Deviens Moi"
(Mercury/France, 2006)

This angel-faced lad with the soaring voice captured his country's heart by winning the fourth season of France's "Star Academy" performing arts competition series. His debut album is nothing short of stirring, with the delicate "Je T'Écris", the Queen-ish rock-aria "Je Suis En Vie", and the anthemic "Le Feu Sur Les Planches". Tragically, his death the following year at age 23 from cystic fibrosis made this album all the more precious.

36. V - "You Stood Up"
(Universal/UK, 2004)

This 5-member UK boyband packed their debut with fantastic upbeat tunes ("Blood Sweat & Tears", "Hip To Hip" and the Jackson 5 cover "Can You Feel It") and lush ballads ("Stop The Tears" and the title track), and even got an assist from popular labelmates McFly, but despite their best efforts, the album failed to make a splash. Maybe 2004 was too early for an attempt at a boyband "renaissance".

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #45 to #41

45. BLEU - "Redhead"
(Aware, 2003)

Owsley's debut album dropped in 1999, so I guess that means power-pop albums this good by single-named solo artists come along about twice in a decade. This poor guy was lingering unappreciated in my library for a long time, until picking up his new album a few months ago refreshed my memory. "That's When I Crash" ... "Something's Gotta Give" ... "We'll Do It All Again" ... there's nothing like the aural bliss of Bleu.

44. RELISH - "Wildflowers"
(EMI/UK, 2001)

Frontman Ken Papenfus unintentionally did a pretty good Lenny Kravitz impersonation, but other than that this Irish rock band was unique and very enjoyable. Their semi-spiritual anthem "Rainbow Zephyr" was so amazing that Westlife did a lousy cover of it (cringe-inducingly titled "Hey Whatever"). Other highlights on this debut include the breezy ballad "You I'm Thinking Of" and the rocker "Heart-Shaped Box" (no, not the Nirvana hit).

43. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT - "Want One"
(Dreamworks, 2003)

There's nobody out there like Rufus, and it's probably a good thing, 'cause the world wouldn't know what to do with a second one. This was his album of the moment when I saw Rufus live, so consequently several of its tracks -- "Beautiful Child", "I Don't Know What It Is", "Vibrate", "Oh What a World", "Go Or Go Ahead" -- stick out firmly in my mind. I still don't know why I'm not more of a fan of his than I am.

42. NELLIE McKAY - "Get Away From Me"
(Columbia, 2004)

She's a feminist spitfire with the singing voice of Doris Day, the rhyming chops of Eminem, the scathing wit of George Carlin, and the gumption to insist on releasing a double-disc album as her debut (not to mention making its title a sly jab at Norah Jones). She effortlessly ricochets between traditional jazz vocal stylings, hip-hop, and contemporary pop ... and amazingly, she makes them all sound right at home side-by-side.

41. McFLY - "Motion In The Ocean"
(Universal/UK, 2006)

On their third album, the British emo-pop band took a step back toward the fun-loving cheekiness of their debut, although I somewhat missed the moody growing pains of their sophomore effort. That's not to say this album doesn't have moments just as shining as ever, like "Bubblewrap", "Star Girl", "Little Joanna", and one of my absolute favorite songs of all time, the amazing "Transylvania" (which alone pushed this album more than ten notches up!).

Favorite CDs of the '00s -- #50 to #46

50. TEDDY THOMPSON - "Separate Ways"
(Verve Forecast, 2005)

And to think I almost missed out on this guy after his first recording contract came and went in 2000. But fortunately the folks at Verve saw fit to bring him back five years later with this excellent sophomore package of folk-rock tunes, including "I Should Get Up", "Altered State", "That's Enough Out Of You", and "Everybody Move It". Rarely has anti-social behavior ever sounded this enjoyable.

49. WILLIAM SHATNER - "Has Been"
(Shout! Factory, 2004)

Everyone would probably agree that once in 36 years is more than often enough for an album as patently bizarre as Shatner's "The Transformed Man". But thankfully, since we now know to expect the guy to be a little warped (pun intended), this follow-up -- produced by Ben Folds and featuring a host of guest artists such as Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann, and Brad Paisley -- is far more coherent and enjoyable ... even a little inspired.

48. WILL YOUNG - "From Now On"
(BMG/UK, 2002)

The very first winner of the "Idol" program that started it all, Will Young also continues to be one of the most successful "Idol" alumni in the world, and this debut album makes it eivdent why he captured the winning vote. It may not be remarkable fare as far as pop music in general goes, but it's infinitely enjoyable when sung by his nimble, resonant voice -- especially "You and I" as well as his take on the José Feliciano arrangement of "Light My Fire".

47. VERTICAL HORIZON - "Everything You Want"
(RCA, 2000)*

Their major-label breakthrough deserved every bit of the attention it got, if not more. Four amazing singles were spawned from this album, including the #1 hit title track and the Top-Ten "You're a God". But the good solid rock songs definitely don't stop there ... nearly every one of the eleven tracks on this double-platinum tour-de-force will leave you humming to yourself for hours.

46. JAMIE CULLUM - "Catching Tales"
(Verve Forecast, 2005)

With its thoroughly entertaining blend of original tunes (the tenderly nostalgic "Photograph", the witty marketing satire "7 Days To Change Your Life", and the enchanting "Mind Trick") and innovative cover arrangements ("Our Day Will Come", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and the Doves' "Catch The Sun"), this is the album that made me fall in love with the British jazz-pop singer-songwriter and his adorably raspy voice.

*Okay, this one was actually released in 1999, but I didn't realize that until I was writing this entry, and I didn't feel like swapping it out for another item. It's not my fault -- the printing I have actually states 2000 as the copyright date!