White Stripes Produced Most Significant Album?

by Daniel Falconer | 29 October 2013

Former White Stripes rocker Jack White

The White Stripes' 'Elephant' has been voted the most significant album of the past two decades.

The blues rock duo's 2003 record - featuring their huge hit 'Seven Nation Army', which propelled them to global stardom - was voted top in the '20 Albums That Shook the Last 20 Years' poll of readers by MOJO magazine, beating off strong competition from Bob Dylan, Arcade Fire and Radiohead.

The magazine's editor-in-chief, Phil Alexander, said: "A decade on from its release, 'Elephant' has lost none of its charm or power.

"Building on the band's three previous LPs, it delivered accessible and complex material in equal measure. The album helped spawn a raft of two-piece imitators, yet continues to stand alone."

Jack White - who headed up the duo with drummer Meg White - said in 2004 he was pleased to have finally achieved wider success through 'Elephant'.

He said: "If it connects with people, then we're succeeding, I guess. It's hard to connect with people in a conversation, never mind write a song that they enjoy, or tell a joke that they think is funny."

The White Stripes split up in 2011, citing Meg's anxiety issues as a cause. Jack has gone on to have success as head of the Third Man record label and as well as playing in a number of bands, he released his first solo record, 'Blunderbuss', in 2012.

MOJO magazine's 20 Albums '20 Albums That Shook the Last 20 Years' in order of popularity:

01. The White Stripes - 'Elephant'

02. Arcade Fire - 'Funeral'

03. Bob Dylan - 'Time Out Of Mind'

04. Radiohead - 'OK Computer'

05. The Strokes - 'Is This It'

06. Flaming Lips - 'The Soft Bulletin'

07. Fleet Foxes - 'Fleet Foxes'

08. Wilco - 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'

09. DJ Shadow - 'Endtroducing'

10. Arctic Monkeys - 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'

11. Beck - 'Odelay'