10 Albums Turning 10 This Year

Wow, a lot dropped in 2006.

A Perfect 10 - If you can believe it, 2006 was 10 years ago. It’s not like we’re trying to make you feel old, but these set of albums were markers for the artists and the sandbox they played in. A couple weren’t that memorable, but a few would inspire the artists to step up their game years later. Check out what dropped in on '06 —Jon Reyes(Photos from left: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images for NARAS, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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A Perfect 10 - If you can believe it, 2006 was 10 years ago. It’s not like we’re trying to make you feel old, but these set of albums were markers for the artists and the sandbox they played in. A couple weren’t that memorable, but a few would inspire the artists to step up their game years later. Check out what dropped in on '06 —Jon Reyes(Photos from left: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images for NARAS, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Jay Z, Kingdom Come - Jay’s return from “retirement” was a critical flop and in a countdown of all of Jay Z’s albums, Kingdom Come will mostly likely be in the last spot. Since then Jay’s managed to find the wonderful line of critical acclaim and commercial smash with Watch the Throne and Holy Grail... Magna Carta.(Photo: Def Jam)

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Jay Z, Kingdom Come - Jay’s return from “retirement” was a critical flop and in a countdown of all of Jay Z’s albums, Kingdom Come will mostly likely be in the last spot. Since then Jay’s managed to find the wonderful line of critical acclaim and commercial smash with Watch the Throne and Holy Grail... Magna Carta.(Photo: Def Jam)

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black - Amy’s sophomore album was released in fall of 2006 in the United Kingdom. Five months later, this amazing vocalist was introduced to the States and the album made a critical and commercial splash. Sadly, due to Amy’s known struggles with substance abuse, Back to Black would be the last album we’d get from this incredible siren. A posthumous compilation, titled Lioness: Hidden Treasures, released shortly after her passing, featured work that predated her fame and other tracks waiting for later release.(Photo: Island Records)

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Amy Winehouse, Back to Black - Amy’s sophomore album was released in fall of 2006 in the United Kingdom. Five months later, this amazing vocalist was introduced to the States and the album made a critical and commercial splash. Sadly, due to Amy’s known struggles with substance abuse, Back to Black would be the last album we’d get from this incredible siren. A posthumous compilation, titled Lioness: Hidden Treasures, released shortly after her passing, featured work that predated her fame and other tracks waiting for later release.(Photo: Island Records)

Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds - JT upped the ante with his follow-up to Justified. This time around he brought on Timbaland to produce the entire album and it really was a sonic ride into the future. With singles “SexyBack” and “My Love” (which featured T.I.), Timberlake proved once and for all he was here to stay.(Photo: Jive Records)

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Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds - JT upped the ante with his follow-up to Justified. This time around he brought on Timbaland to produce the entire album and it really was a sonic ride into the future. With singles “SexyBack” and “My Love” (which featured T.I.), Timberlake proved once and for all he was here to stay.(Photo: Jive Records)

John Legend, Once Again - Just two years after his debut, Get Lifted, John put together this homage to lounge music, of course fused together with soulful R&B. In fact, it was thanks to this album that John met his now wife, Chrissy Teigen. They met on the set of his “Stereo” video.(Photo: GOOD Music / Sony Music Entertainment)

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John Legend, Once Again - Just two years after his debut, Get Lifted, John put together this homage to lounge music, of course fused together with soulful R&B. In fact, it was thanks to this album that John met his now wife, Chrissy Teigen. They met on the set of his “Stereo” video.(Photo: GOOD Music / Sony Music Entertainment)

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Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor - Lupe’s debut leaked in April of 2006 and Lupe took that disaster as a chance to polish the debut up a bit. By the time the album was released in September, it was a critical success and one that paved the way for Lupe in the next decade.(Photo: 1st & 15th Entertainment / Atlantic Records)

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Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor - Lupe’s debut leaked in April of 2006 and Lupe took that disaster as a chance to polish the debut up a bit. By the time the album was released in September, it was a critical success and one that paved the way for Lupe in the next decade.(Photo: 1st & 15th Entertainment / Atlantic Records)

Beyoncé, B’Day - Bey’s sophomore album made a #1 debut on the Billboard chart even though the first two singles weren’t killing it on radio like those from her debut album. However, B’Day was a more cohesive body of work most likely due to the fact that the tracks on the album were recorded within a two-week period.(Photo: Columbia Music)

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Beyoncé, B’Day - Bey’s sophomore album made a #1 debut on the Billboard chart even though the first two singles weren’t killing it on radio like those from her debut album. However, B’Day was a more cohesive body of work most likely due to the fact that the tracks on the album were recorded within a two-week period.(Photo: Columbia Music)

Pharrell, In My Mind - Pharrell’s solo debut had a lot to live up to, and it didn’t quite hit the mark not because it was commercial failure, but because it didn’t create much of an impression, even to Pharrell. Recently, Skateboard P said about the album, "I wrote those songs out of ego. Talking about the money I was making and the by-products of living that lifestyle. What was good about that? What'd you get out of it? There was no purpose. I was so under the wrong impression at that time."(Photo: Star Trak / Interscope)

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Pharrell, In My Mind - Pharrell’s solo debut had a lot to live up to, and it didn’t quite hit the mark not because it was commercial failure, but because it didn’t create much of an impression, even to Pharrell. Recently, Skateboard P said about the album, "I wrote those songs out of ego. Talking about the money I was making and the by-products of living that lifestyle. What was good about that? What'd you get out of it? There was no purpose. I was so under the wrong impression at that time."(Photo: Star Trak / Interscope)

Ne-Yo, In My Own Words - Ne-Yo was already penning hits (don’t forget Mario’s “Let Me Love You”) and his debut as an artist did not disappoint. With hit singles “So Sick,” “When You’re Mad,” and “Sexy Love,” Ne-Yo proved he can throw down on the mic as fiercely as he could on the pen. There hasn’t been a songwriter who can do both writer and artist so seamlessly since Babyface.(Photo: Def Jam / Compound)

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Ne-Yo, In My Own Words - Ne-Yo was already penning hits (don’t forget Mario’s “Let Me Love You”) and his debut as an artist did not disappoint. With hit singles “So Sick,” “When You’re Mad,” and “Sexy Love,” Ne-Yo proved he can throw down on the mic as fiercely as he could on the pen. There hasn’t been a songwriter who can do both writer and artist so seamlessly since Babyface.(Photo: Def Jam / Compound)

Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury - The rap duo’s sophomore album took four years to release. Not for any other reason than that label politics held the album up. Further complicating the release, the group sued their then-label Jive Records for not releasing them out their contract, which further delayed the album. The lengthy process influenced the album, making it dark and much angrier than originally intended.(Photo: Star Trak Records)

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Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury - The rap duo’s sophomore album took four years to release. Not for any other reason than that label politics held the album up. Further complicating the release, the group sued their then-label Jive Records for not releasing them out their contract, which further delayed the album. The lengthy process influenced the album, making it dark and much angrier than originally intended.(Photo: Star Trak Records)

Ciara, The Evolution - Ciara’s debut was a massive hit thanks to “Goodies.” The follow-up wasn’t as well received, yet managed to release a string of successful and timeless singles in the form of “Like a Boy” and “Promise.” While Jazze Pha had a big presence in her debut, The Evolution had only one Pha song, “Get Up,” which was originally released from the soundtrack to the film Step Up.(Photo: Sony Music)

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Ciara, The Evolution - Ciara’s debut was a massive hit thanks to “Goodies.” The follow-up wasn’t as well received, yet managed to release a string of successful and timeless singles in the form of “Like a Boy” and “Promise.” While Jazze Pha had a big presence in her debut, The Evolution had only one Pha song, “Get Up,” which was originally released from the soundtrack to the film Step Up.(Photo: Sony Music)