I think that we've done this before, but for posterity's sake, let's see if we can compile a complete list of all the "buzz" albums that we (or many of us) were cumming over/backlashing on throughout the years. We can revisit these and see which held up and which have not.
Pin this sucker and add to it, as it's appropriate. Correct me/add to it as you think it's necessary, and I'll tack it on to the first post here... keep the list.

So, starting from when I joined CMJ:

• Self - Gizmodgery (2000)
• Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (2000)
• The Strokes - Is This It? (2001-02)
• Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)
• The Wrens - Meadowlands (2003-05)
• Interpol - Turn On the Bright Lights (2005)

(yeah, it's really incomplete so far, so please remind me/us of what was buzzing around here...)
And remember: THESE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL... albums that we were ALL talking about, whether we all liked them or not.

Brother Kite was pretty divisive

Maybe, but I don't remember them dominating conversations, the way that Wrens or Dismemberment Plan did back in the day. This is about those albums that dominated the boards, had maybe 5 or 6 threads mention them on the front page, alone, for a period of months.

Nah. Plenty of people (<-----) just didn't care about it at all.

Arcade Fire - Funeral sparked some heated discussions.

It was supposed to seem "embarrassing" in, what, 10 years? 5?

I still love the dismemberment plan.

The Wrens is the definitive album for this type of thing.

I do remember mucho discussion over the rise of Ryan Adams but can't remember if it was Gold or Heartbreaker that was the point of contention.

My Morning Jacket - Z ?

Agreed with the first statement.
And, I think that the Ryan Adams album in question was Heartbreaker. But, while it was a fairly popular topic of conversation for a little while, it certainly was not to the level of Wrens. (But then, none of them were.)

i remember the wrens hullaballoo

The Hives

The buzz surrounding Self and the Dismemberment Plan must have been before my time.

There was no disagreement on that one: the people who didn't like it were/are idiots.

the girls can tell thread was my first post. the first walkmen record also generated some buzz.

I thought Evil Urges had more crazy talk.

Also, this pretty much includes any thread about a recent release from Spoon, Ryan Adams or Radiohead or whatever critical darling band that some love and some hate. There are so many small instances and maybe one or two large ones to the best of my recollection. I don't know, these are going to be memorable for the vocal proponents of one side or another. Those who didn't care will not remember.

I seem to remember the first Strokes album being a HUGE battle between like 8 people and everyone else, and most of the conversation revolving around class issues or some bullshit.

Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights comes to mind.

Yeah, remember the Strokes stuff, and Interpol.

best non-wrens one I can think of is Wilco - YHF

Also:

Shins - Oh Inverted World
White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Strokes
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Light
Walkmen first album

Maybe that first Joanna Newsom or Animal Collective (certainly brought the arguments and hate)

Can't think of many others or any recent ones

this, meadowlands and YHF are the holy trinity of this category

there was definitely some mid-era Spoon backlash. Right around when half of the board was saying "they are the best band ever" and the other half was saying "all their albums sound the exact same".

Well, I guess that last album shut up both camps, hahaha.

Definitely the Strokes. and probably Kid A/Amnesiac.

I've never even heard those, let alone discussed them.

there are other people on the board besides you, old man who never listens to new music.

Sure but if those are even in the top 100 album discussions here then most of the discussion must have been in the hip hop forum because I remember some discussion but not that much. Of course, these days posting a link in the TWENTYTEN thread and having two people post "Thanks I like" counts for discussion.