Honorable Mention - Ryan Adams

While this writer would've preferred to see Ryan Adams with a top 10 position on this list, it fits Adams' critical reputation to see him with an honorable mention ranking. The quality of his output is often derided as inconsistent, and sometimes this label has followed his work unfairly. Indeed, Adams seems to have squandered most of a loyal fan base, already partially formed from solid late-90s work with his group Whiskeytown, by following his classics Heartbreaker (released in 2000 and created with the ridiculously underappreciated duo of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) and his 2001 breakthrough album Gold (made even stronger with a limited edition bonus disc) with a random-sounding collection of studio outtakes in Demolition (a clunker despite jewels like ""Cry on Demand"" and ""Chin Up, Cheer Up""), the regrettably rockier Rock N Roll, and the overly-hyped label-delayed Love is Hell. By the time Adams formed a permanent backing band and became Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, many were willing to lazily dismiss 2005's two-disc Cold Roses as predictably inconsistent and rife with filler. A second listen is in order for those who have overlooked this sleeper classic, and those who never even gave the follow up Jacksonville City Nights a try are missing out on one of the finer albums of the decade. His checkered history has caused all reviews for later albums to be introduced by a similar-sounding introduction, but no amount of background can save the rambling and boring 29, or the pleasant but predictable Easy Tiger and Cardinology. Nevertheless, a good Ryan Adams album is a great album, and this writer is optimistic that we haven't seen his decline yet.