1. Broken Social Scene You Forgot It in People (Arts & Crafts/Paper Bag) 2002
Broken Social Scene's You Forgot It In People ranks supreme for a number of reasons. Showing no disrespect to great Toronto artists of the past, it's what BSS has done since the release of You Forgot It In People to shape the sound of the city that warrants its top-drawer status. Look around in every local bar and tavern, every record store's local music section, every brownstone apartment's scattering of records — you'll find You Forgot It In People there, on a shelf, in a jukebox or propped against a windowsill. Undeniably, this album heralded the start of something bigger than even founding members — Kevin Drew of K.C. Accidental and Brendan Canning of By Divine Right — could have imagined: the birth of a city-wide thriving music scene, the record label Arts & Crafts and spin-off satellite efforts across the country. While it was Feel Good Lost that launched BSS, it was You Forgot It In People that brought unbelievably talented members into the band's fold, including now indie-household names Charles Spearin of Do Make Say Think, Emily Haines of Metric, Evan Cranley of Stars, Andrew Whiteman of Apostle of Hustle, Jason Collett, Leslie Feist, John Crossingham, James Shaw and Justin Peroff. Together, BSS put out one of the most original and inventive albums — both lyrically and instrumentally — of the decade, which still holds strong as an iconic work. Winning a Juno for Alternative Album of the Year, You Forgot It In People has proven to be a touchstone masterpiece that first showcased the talents of its band members, many who have since embarked upon their own flourishing solo careers. Plus, there are all the local Toronto bands that have aspired to capture the same musical prowess of BSS. Putting not only the Toronto music scene on the map internationally, in terms of recognition and respect, You Forgot It In People has also come to embody the intangible feel of the city. Every time you put it on, you are home again — back in Toronto — regardless of where you are otherwise. The album is unequivocally a part of our collective musical consciousness as much today as it was during its release in the autumn of '02. The band's artists are our troubadours and You Forgot It In People is our city's collection of anthems. Simply put, there is no denying the impact that BSS has had — and continues to have — on the Toronto music scene.