Melissa Olund's Best of the 2000s

With the music of the 1990s forming my high school soundtrack, I can only describe the music of the 2000s as the sound of growing up. And in many ways, that's exactly what our society was doing on a parallel track over the course of the past 10 years. We've weathered tragedy, war, cash-flow woes and a messy break-up (Yes, Mr. Bush, I mean you), and as we turn the corner into another decade, there's really no end in sight. So the songs in my lists reflect the turmoil and trouble of 10 years of growing pains, and the songs that got me through them all.

Best Songs of the 2000s
10. 'Such Great Heights,' Postal Service
9. 'Jesus Walks,' Kanye West
8. 'PDA,' Interpol
7. 'Falling Slowly,' Swell Season
6. 'The Seed 2.0,' the Roots
5. 'Hey Ya,' Outkast
4. 'Back to Black,' Amy Winehouse
3. 'Bohemian Like You,' the Dandy Warhols
2. 'Deep Red Bells,' Neko Case
1. 'Beautiful Day,' U2

Best Albums of the 2000s
10. 'The Meadowlands,' the Wrens
9. 'Fox Confessor Brings the Flood,' Neko Case
8. 'Hot Fuss,' the Killers
7. 'Transatlanticism,' Death Cab for Cutie
6. 'White Blood Cells,' the White Stripes
5. 'Funeral,' Arcade Fire
4. 'Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia,' the Dandy Warhols
3. 'Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea,' PJ Harvey
2. 'All That You Can't Leave Behind,' U2
1. 'Back to Black,' Amy Winehouse

Artists of the 2000s
10. Michael Jackson
9. Trent Reznor
8. Radiohead
7. Neko Case
6. The Killers
5. Arcade Fire
4. Amy Winehouse
3. U2
2. Jack White
1. Kanye West

Worst Songs of 2000s
10. (Tie) 'PopoZao,' Kevin Federline / 'Stars Go Blind,' Paris Hilton
9. 'Viva la Vida,' Coldplay
8. 'American Life,' Madonna
7. 'Rockstar,' Nickelback
6. 'The Reason,' Hoobastank
5. 'You're Beautiful,' James Blunt
4. 'Who Let the Dogs Out,' Baha Men
3. 'Laffy Taffy,' D4L
2. 'Trapped in the Closet,' R. Kelly
1. 'My Humps,' Black Eyed Peas

Melissa Olund is the managing editor of AOL Music and has a fiendish obsession with calendars. There are unconfirmed reports that she may be a fan of an Irish band that shall remain nameless.