Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #31-40

Our latest list-- the Most Prolific Artists of the Decade-- looks to chronicle the most important (for better or for worse) artists of the decade. For one reason or another, be it their positive (or negative) cultural significance, landmark moments for music, staying power or otherwise, these artists mattered a great deal this decade.

In no way is this a list of our favorites of the decade. On the contrary, many of our favorites are not present, while others whom we're actually not fans of, have made the list. So without further ado, check out our the second part of our Most Prolific Artists list below. Next to each artist's name, you'll see a basic numeric list of all primary recordings this decade. For many of these, their impact should probably be self-explanatory. Enjoy, and if you haven't yet read our list of the Best Songs of 2009, or Best Albums of the Decade, read up on those too.

40. Miley Cyrus -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2008's Breakout)/2 EPs

39. Grizzly Bear -- 3 LPs (Most recent: 2009's Veckatimest)/2 EPs

38. Ludacris -- 6 LPs (Most recent: 2008's Theater of the Mind)

37. Alicia Keys -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2009's The Element of Freedom)

36. Sufjan Stevens --8 LPs (Most recent: 2009's The BQE)

35. Beck -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2008's Modern Guilt)

34. Spoon -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)/4 EPs

33. Leslie Feist -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2007's The Reminder), Broken Social Scene -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2005's Broken Social Scene)

32. Kelly Clarkson -- 4 LPs (Most recent: 2009's All I Ever Wanted)

31. Daft Punk -- 2 LPs (Most recent: 2005's Human After All)

[Previously on Animal Noises: Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #41-50]

Best Albums of the Decade: #41-50

As mentioned earlier, we're going to be running different features throughout the month, in conjunction with our day-by-day countdown to the 30 best albums of 2009. This week's list is dedicated to the decade in music, specifically the top 50 albums of the past ten years. So for those who missed our top 50 tracks of 2009, read about it all here. And for everyone that's been paying attention to music this decade, read below. All album streams courtesy of Lala.

50. Parachutes, Coldplay (2000)

49. Welcome to the Night Sky, Wintersleep (2008)

48. Chutes Too Narrow, The Shins (2003)

47. Transatlanticism, Death Cab for Cutie (2003)

46. The Mouse and the Mask, Danger Doom (2006)

45. Antics, Interpol (2004)

44. Give Up, The Postal Service (2004)

43. Is This It, The Strokes (2001)

42. Elephant, The White Stripes (2003)

41. Discovery, Daft Punk (2002)

[Previously on Animal Noises: Best Songs of 2009: #1-10]

Matt's Track of the Week: "Digital Love"

Song: Digital Love

Artist: Daft Punk

Album: Discovery

Year: 2001

It's hard to believe that such an iconic and genre defining group like Daft Punk could have come together with the breakup of another musical endeavor. Before Thomas Bagalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo founded their infamous French House duo, they played in a short-lived indie rock group alongside Phoenix's Laurent Brancowitz. The group disbanded after only a few shows together, but not before inspiring the pairing of phrases that would go on to be their new moniker. At the time, a reviewer in the now defunct UK music publication Melody Maker offhandedly referred to the trio's sound as "a bunch of daft punk", and when it came to naming their new project, it stuck out as the clear choice.

When recording Discovery, Daft Punk wanted to invoke the innocence and creativity of childhood through their songs. To do this, the group relied heavily on sampling, and the sounds of 70s and 80s dance music to recreate the fun and carefree nature of those times. "Digital Love" is a perfect example of this in action. It contains a poppy hook, heavy use of auto-tune, and bright synth and guitar sounds. Like others on this seminal release, it's a straightforward love song with a sound that's easy to move to, further paying homage to the album's concepts and the beginnings of dance music. Still, it's complicated production and unique vibe make it a tune that you find yourself returning to time and time again. Check it out below.