Top 150 Greatest Rock Bands of the 2000s
The greatest rock bands of the 2000s were often on the charts, had millions of fans worldwide, and some of them played to stadium crowds. This didn’t happen so long ago. Yet, in a commercial sense, this was the last stand of rock music for a while.
All of the exposure rock bands of the 2000s received was a good thing. Being under such a magnifying glass made many groups make terrific singles and landmark albums.
For Alt77’s Top 100 Greatest Rock Bands of the 2000s list, I looked to get a good mix of all of the rock genres popular during that decade. This means that alt-rock, pop-punk, industrial, post-grunge, and, yes, even progressive-rock got a shoutout. It’s only fair.
I think that I write this list from a perspective of experience and with an insider’s view. I have, after all, been writing thousands upon thousands of music reviews for more than a decade. And, besides, I’ve been in countless bands, all of them holding a debt to 2000s rock groups.
This is a celebration of the 100 greatest rock bands of the 2000s and the 50 great bands that deserve an honourable mention but didn’t quite make the cut.
Greatest Rock Bands of the 2000s Playlist
Make sure that you check out Alt77’s playlist dedicated to The Greatest Rock Bands of the 2000s.
Top 100 Rock Bands of the 2000s
1. The White Stripes
The White Stripes wasn’t just a dynamic duo who played blues-rock. There were plenty of those around. No, Meg and Jack White redesigned indie rock music. They thought of it in small but contrasting elements. From their songs to their general sound, their look and their mythology, The White Stripes was rock music reinvented for the new century.
As a musician, I can’t help but feel slightly jealous of The White Stripes. As a music critic, I am in awe. I think that the greatest ideas are the ones that just seem to exist out in the open. The best artists are those that manage to express them clearly. This is what Jack and Megan White did.
The brilliance comes in the use of that Stooges-like garage-rock aggression. It’s in the use of blues-rock played in a manic, theatrical way. It’s there in the memorable guitar riffs on songs like “Seven Nation Army.” And, certainly, it can be found in Jack’s poetic, almost beat-poetry lyrics.
Once the duo called it a day and the hyped died down, we were left with a series of colossal rock albums. “Elephant” and “White Blood Cells” are some of the best records made around the 2000s. As it turns out, all of the hero-worshipping that accompanied The White Stripes was well warranted.
2. The Strokes
The Strokes were the most successful indie-rock band of the early 2000s in terms of impact and recognition. Blending the sounds of New York luminaries like The Velvet Underground and Television with a keen fashion sense, the quintet’s success seemed nearly instantaneous.
The band’s debut album, “Is This It?” launched a million copycat bands, creating a new interest in guitar music. Predictably, the so-called Garage Rock Revival eventually ran out of steam.
I couldn’t admit to myself that I liked The Strokes when they first came out. After all, despite being an indie band, they were inescapable in the media. But once I spent some time with the band’s debut, I couldn’t deny the group’s qualities.
The Strokes were excellent, I think, at taking the best of New York music, the sound of bands like Television or The Velvet Underground, and transforming it into something punchy, exciting, modern. I’ve also been impressed and surprised by the band’s evolution and the way they have incorporated theatrical new-wave and post-punk sounds into their later records.
But by then, The Strokes were reinventing themselves as a new wave band. Regardless, each time you hear plucky power chords played by people in skinny jeans, it may be because of Julian Casablancas and The Strokes.
3. Radiohead
Radiohead was one of the most talented and inventive alternative bands of the 1990s. But that, seemingly, wasn’t enough. By the early 2000s, the English group was ready to ditch distorted guitars and classic song structures for something all the more experimental. And in many ways, this showed the future for bands of a similarly adventurous spirit.
With the 2000s “Kid A”, Radiohead shocked fans, and it was initially dubbed “career suicide”; it became a great hit without relying on the power of melodic singles. By “In Rainbows,” the band was reinventing how the music industry could work.
I, like many others, have spent a good chunk of my childhood in my room listening to “Ok Computer.” And, like many others, I was suspicious of the band’s decision to move away from that sound that made them famous. But Radiohead has often, I think, glanced at the future of music and has moved both stylistically and in terms of the band’s business to keep slightly ahead of these changes.
Throughout their second act, all the way through the 2000s and beyond, Radiohead remained the guiding light for forward-thinking rock.
4. Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters promised not to take themselves too seriously in the band’s early days. What else could Dave Grohl do after having drummed in Nirvana, the biggest rock band of the 1990s?
I recently reviewed Foo Fighters’ recent album, “Your Favourite Toy.” And, as I was listening to the band trying to recapture its glory days, I was struck by how few bands can do what this group did. Taking a cue from some of the most enjoyable characteristics of both punk-rock and classic rock, Foo Fighters fashioned itself as one of the most important bands of its era.
By the 2000s, however, they were graduating to arena rock status. Foo Fighters was now, most often, a serious-minded, dependable band. And they were a reminder of the classic rock groups of the past. Through various setbacks, Grohl and Foo Fighters have maintained their status and made some strong albums along the way.
5. Weezer
Weezer may be associated, in the eyes of many, with the 1990s alt-rock boom. But, really, by the 2000s, Rivers Cuomo and the band had finally come to terms with their role in the rock music food chain.
If The White Stripes had brought back garage rock and Interpol were responsible for helping revive post-punk, Weezer was doing the same for cheerful power-pop.
I have recently started a power pop band. My songwriting has been veering in that direction for years. And, when I finally sat down and analysed my own songs, I realised just how much of an influence Rivers Cuomo has on anyone attempting to make music in this vein. I find that his use of melodies, chord progression and structure are simply amazing.
Weezer released many great albums during the 2000s, including “Weezer (The Green Album)”, “Maladroit and “Weezer (The Red Album)”. And while those sold less than their predecessors, with hindsight, it’s not a stretch to talk of Cuomo as one of the most important rock songwriters of the 2000s.
6. Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys was so hyped upon the arrival of the band’s debut album that music fans couldn’t be blamed if they’d already formed a clear idea of the Sheffield group before they’d even heard it.
A closer inspection, however, revealed the marvellous wit of Alex Turner’s lyrics and a band that played indie-rock with an intensity that was beginning to go missing.
“Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” remains Arctic Monkeys’ piece de resistance. Their next two releases cemented their reputation across Britain in the 2000s. Meanwhile, the 2010s were beckoning with a new sound and international success.
7. System of a Down
Many didn’t know what to make of System of a Down upon first hearing them. The band played a hyper-energised mix of alt-metal, classic rock, and traditional Armenian folklore. They were ambitious but had a sense of humour.
Their sound was violent, but they were staunchly opposed to war. By the time the world had gotten over its initial shock, System of a Down was one of the biggest rock bands in the world, having sacrificed none of its quirks to get there.
8. TOOL
TOOL is the most influential progressive rock band of the 2000s. Their music was treated with the seriousness reserved for works of philosophy and The French Revolution.
But it’s unclear whether singer James Maynard Keenan and the rest of TOOL were taking things as seriously. Like System of a Down, humour was part of the equation.
What was clear was that TOOL could produce their tense, dynamic alt-metal sound better than almost anyone. Albums like “Lateralus” and “10,000 Days” placed them on a pedestal impossible to get knocked down from.
9. blink-182
blink-182, in many ways, owned rock music in the early 2000s. This wasn’t only because the band’s sound was catchy and fun. And, it wasn’t only because Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker were charismatic and relatable.
blink-182 knew when to pivot. By “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket”, their sunny pop-punk had incorporated elements of emo rock. Their self-titled 2003 album, which lasted for a while, further made the leap into melancholy-fueled rock. They then went away for the rest of the decade, making blink-182’s status even greater.
10. Green Day
Green Day had brought pop-punk to the mainstream in the early 1990s. But they had to suffer the indignity of playing second-fiddle to blink-182 or Sum 41 during the late 2000s. What wretched indignity for Billie Joe Armstrong.
By the 2000s, however, Green Day was ready for one of the greatest comebacks of all time. “American Idiot” was a punk-rock opera that became a global hit. And their future releases and tours made the rock group even bigger than it had been during its original run.
11. Deftones
Deftones was always lumped in with the nu-metal crowd. But in many ways, the band was an anomaly. No other group of the era, understood dynamics better than Chino Moreno’s band. Where their peers were predictable, Deftones were subtle and surprising. “White Pony” is one of the most influential rock albums of the 2000s.
12. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers had run out of steam during the mid 90s, after their “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” album. The unexpected return of mercurial guitarist John Frusciante turned 1999’s “Californication” into a juggernaut of an album.
That’s how, by the 2000s, RHCP was equipped to take over the world once again, one stadium at a time. The songs from albums like “By The Way” were inescapable, and the California group strutted after their reacquired success.
13. Audioslave
Audioslave was initially dubbed to be merely a “supergroup.” The term carried negative connotations that Chris Cornell and the instrumental section of Rage Against the Machine were quick to shake off.
Audioslave’s debut is one of the best of the decade, with Cornell’s heralded singing at a career peak. The band made two more albums and promptly split up. But like other rock groups on the list, Audioslave’s greatness is mostly felt through their absence.
14. The Libertines
The Libertines started as Britain’s answer to The Strokes. Singers-guitarists Peter Doherty and Carl Barat never hid that. Still, before long, the band was writing about what they knew – the British way of life.
These great songs and the chaos that always seemed to surround the band made them one of the more interesting indie-rock groups at the time. The fact that their initial run was short also felt cut from the way classic British rock bands did things.
15. Korn
Korn remade heavy rock in their own image. The only problem was that many other bands copied that image. While Korn had plenty of rivals by the early 2000s, like Limp Bizkit or Linkin Park, many fans still preferred the original blend. Free from the burden of having to be the innovators, Korn made albums like “See You on The Other Side” and solidified their role in the rock music landscape.
16. Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age brought the sounds of desert rock and stoner to the charts in the 2000s. It was through the experience that guitarist-singer Josh Homme acquired experience playing in bands like Kyuss.
Their first couple of albums made QotSA the critics’ darlings. But with a cast of top-class musicians, 2002’s “Songs for the Deaf” became the hit Homme earned. Future albums didn’t exactly innovate on the formula but cemented the rock band’s reputation.
17. Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam was the last surviving Seattle grunge band of The Big Four. The demise of Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden had something tragic about it. This was why Pearl Jam, during the 2000s, did things their way, usually avoiding overexposure.
The group became one of the biggest touring attractions in the U.S., and albums like “Riot Act” proved that Pearl Jam was still running on a full tank of fuel.
18. Linkin Park
Linkin Park achieved success quickly but earned respect slowly. To some rock fans, they were the latest nu-metal group to make it big in the early 2000s. The band’s fame and record sales were colossal.
But after the group pulled further away from the phenomenon of “Hybrid Theory” and incorporated more innovative musical elements, critics began to respect Linkin Park and, especially, singer Chester Bennington’s vocal ability.
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19. The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta positioned itself as the wildest, most daring rock band of the 2000s. In many ways, the musicians were right.
Led by former At the Drive-In members Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez Lopez, The Mars Volta created sprawling concept albums filled with cryptic lyrics and music that incorporated Latin rhythms and avant-garde strategies. Looking back on their output during the 2000s, there are few bands with which The Mars Volta deserves comparisons.
20. Animal Collective
Animal Collective was a rock band that could’ve only begun during the 2000s. Taking the cue from The Beach Boys‘ Brian Wilson and moving the sunny, beach-soaked melodies into even more bizarre territory, Animal Collective created a new kind of psychedelic rock.
At times childlike and playful, at times dark and unsettling, the band reached its peak with 2009’s “Merriweather Post Pavilion.” Enough to warrant a place among the greatest rock bands of the 2000s? You bet!
21. LCD Soundsystem
Just dance! And then, dance some more! Even I could get behind this uber-cool New York outfit who took so much of its sound and aesthetic from German Kosmische Musik, British post-punk and New York punk ethos.
The hype was immense. And I’m not sure that LCD Soundsystem quite ever lived it down. Looking back on the 2000s, and the band’s influence on dance and rock music, I think it’s hard to deny the band’s place on this list.
22. Modest Mouse
The cult of Modest Mouse proves what originality and resilience can, ultimately, create.
Modest Mouse’s DIY tactics had already secured a small, devoted audience when, in 2004, “Float On” turned the group into an indie-rock sensation.
Mean-sounding, but forward-thinking to a fault, Modest Mouse is one of the most important bands of the 2000s.
23. Interpol
Interpol knew precisely what they wanted to sound and look like. They wanted to be a stylish, modern Joy Division. Nothing wrong with that!
But it wasn’t until 2001 that the band’s music began to resonate with audiences looking for something moodier, darker.
I have very often found myself, alone in a room playing bass guitar to Carlos Dengler’s fantastic, post-punk and disco-inspired riffs.
During the 2000s, indeed, there were few bands who could read the room quite as well as Interpol. Many of the band’s early songs are bona fide classics.
24. Wilco
Wilco was a band that achieved success through great songs and elbow grease. Initially, a country-rock offshoot of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco’s consistent release schedule and, eventually, incorporation of more and more sonic influences made the group the critics’ darlings throughout the 2000s.
It was no accident. I’ve been greatly inspired by Jeff Tweedy’s self-help book “How to Write a Song.” Reading the tome, it becomes easy to understand the band’s calculated path to success.
25. The Dandy Warhols
You have to respect the kind of people who have dedicated their lives to looking, sounding and being cool. I think you’ll find a perfect example of that in The Dandy Warhols.
Looking back at the band’s 2000s releases, I’m amazed by their sheer cleverness. Stonesy riffs and Duran Duran-like new-wave sounds are brought together in a perfectly delicious boho-rock. I can’t deny the band a place on this list when I look at their sheer influence.
26. Slipknot
There’s always a band with more hunger that rises to the top. In the 2000s nu-metal, that band was Slipknot, and virtually no other group could match its intensity or the group members’ shared desire for success.
In the 2000s, the Iowa-born group also made its most aggressive records, albums that felt genuinely menacing, created in some kind of mania. Sure, in the following decades, Slipknot became something on par with KISS, a horror travelling circus. The group’s early legacy, however, is undeniable.
27. Avenged Sevenfold
I think that Avenged Sevenfold always had to happen. For all intents and purposes, in the 2000s, the group remade commercial heavy metal as per their own specifications.
Indeed, for the 2000s crowds, Avenged Sevenfold’s albums were as important as Guns N’ Roses or Limp Bizkit had been to previous generations. They’re still selling tickets to arenas filled with fans.
And while I have never personally been enamoured with the group’s sound, closely analysing it makes me realise that the band’s fame is warranted.
28. The Killers
As I write this, the North American-held 2026 World Cup is underway. During every break, the speakers blare out inspiring rock songs. You can hear Bon Jovi and Journey at practically every game. And what’s playing alongside them? The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside.”
Indeed, of all the 2000s indie bands, The Killers were the ones most likely to have their songs being played in stadiums. One of the great singles bands of the era, this Las Vegas band has carved its place in history.
29. Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon promised so damn much. The band’s first three albums were Southern U.S. born garage rock. The Followills were impossibly cool and seemed driven by an inextinguishable need to rock despite their Church-born origins.
The 2000s were the greatest era for Kings of Leon. It deserves celebrating. The following decades were, mostly, reserved for Kings of Leon pop records and stadium tours. But, for a while, KoL promised so much.
30. The Hives
I’ve moments, usually around morning time, that I dream of being on stage with The Hives. Why not? Is there any rock band of the 2000s a better live proposition? I don’t think so.
That high-calibre energy, however, was expertly transferred to the group’s early records, ones in which the Swedes, for all intents and purposes, remade garage-rock in their image.
And how did they survive? Didn’t the garage-rock formulas get wearisome? Somehow, The Hives are able to live within the format they’ve invented for themselves, while always adding a new spice.
31. Franz Ferdinand
The way that I like to think of it is as a “pop problem.” Every once in a while an artist or band comes along and solves that problem. The solution to the riddle, according to Franz Ferdinand, was simple. It involved catchy, jagged guitar riffs. It included a course on modern art. And it was all about taking the songs down to the dance floor.
Franz Ferdinand’s first two albums practically reinvented the indie dance floor. Once that was done, the band took a lengthy art-pop detour. It seemed only fitting. The problem, after all, had been solved.
32. Arcade Fire
Sure, Arcade Fire’s reputation has taken a beating in recent years. But what was happening on the eve of their debut “Funeral”? People were going gaga for the band. Music critics, I remember well, were hurrying to call them the most important group since The Beatles. The likes of Peter Gabriel wanted to show their support.
It was a freak-folk kind of sound that Arcade Fire worked with initially. It was the raw emotion and clever lyrics that made them appeal to large audiences. And it was the introduction of irony and pop beats that signalled the group’s inevitable decline. Still, not mentioning them on the list of the greatest 2000s rock bands would be a crime.
33. Muse
Muse was a prog-rock explosion in the guise of an indie-rock power trio. They could outplay just about any other band. In Matt Bellamy, they had a singer on par with Freddie Mercury, a guitar virtuoso and a masterful, classically-inspired composers.
“Black Holes and Revelations” finally gave the band the success it had rightfully earned. They became a stadium act. And they’ve fought hard to maintain their status, incorporating pop trends. The 200s though, were, I think, the band’s Golden Age.
34. Incubus
Incubus was one of the strangest additions to the 2000s nu-metal scene. This was, essentially, a heavy-sounding art-rock group. Lyrics were clever, and tender moments were blended with gritty riffs. But, initially, nobody seemed to notice. Rowdy audiences just wanted to hear “Pardon Me” while drinking beer.
However, the group’s arts leanings paid dividends. They were one of the few nu-metal bands who never had to take time off. They’ve always had a loyal following. And, if you ask me, beyond the hits, albums like “A Crow Left of the Murder” are sensationally inventive.
35. The Flaming Lips
Let your freak flag fly! That’s what The Flaming Lips. In fact, they did it for years and years. Apart from one novelty hit, it wasn’t until the 2000s that regular audiences started to notice. In fact, the group’s weird, expansive psych-rock fantasies began being praised for their creativity.
The concept album “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” is, to my mind, one of the best recordings of the 2000s. Little has stopped the band since from recording pop singles or hours-long audio experiments.
36. Vampire Weekend
I’ll admit it, Vampire Weekend’s ascent baffled me. In fact, I am still not entirely convinced that the group’s press for their 2008 debut wasn’t some psy-op. That aside, songs like “A-Punk” were marvellously catchy.
It’s no wonder that they were part of advertisements for years. Essentially, Vampire Weekend deconstructed garage-rock-revival sound and gave it a Talking Heads-like set of artsy parameters.
37. PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey is one of the greats. Because of that, her finest work is not reduced to one decade. It was in the 2000s, however, that she produced some of her tidiest, most mature music with glorious albums like “Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.”
Her songwriting is witty and often shocking. Her performances are wild. PJ Harvey was one of the most important alt-rock figures of the 2000s.
38. Fall Out Boy
You can’t ignore Fall Out Boy. Trust me, for years, I have tried. And while its pop-emo 2000s trend-setting ways appeared kind of kitschy to my eyes and ears, the band’s appeal was undeniable.
The band members, especially Pete Way, were on the cover of magazines, in television shows, and busy making Fall Out Boy one of the most recognisable guitar bands of the era.
39. Underoath
Underoath was another band whose music, to me in the 2000s, signalled a strange decline in standards. But I was partially wrong. While I still don’t buy the band’s honesty about its Christian-rock lyrics, the playing and performances are really good. Besides, with albums like “They’re Only Chasing Safety,” it’d be fantastically unfair not to place them on this list.
40. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah, yeah, I include this band, in part, as a way to appease all the music critics who love them. You see, most of these critics reside in New York City, and there are few things that they’re prouder of than Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
The more emotional, clever component of the 2000s garage-rock revival, the band’s first two albums made them heroes of cool indie sleaze. Personally, I think they could’ve sharpened some of their more famous songs, but there you go. They’ll have their place in history regardless of what I have to say.
41. The Offspring
I’m not sure how much of this I want to make public. But imagine that I’m whispering this: I quite love The Offspring. Yes, it’s dumb music made by smart people. But it’s very smart dumb music. If it were easy to produce Offspring-like hits, every pop-punk band would have millions of dollars to spend.
Yes, by the 2000s, The Offspring already had its biggest successes behind it. This a time to reap in the rewards. “Original Prankster” was an inescapable radio and MTV hit. Then, “Hit That” showed that the band could incorporate aggressive synths into its sound. And, by the decade’s end, the band had even made room for reflection and melancholy. Those were good times!
42. The Vines
The Vines are one of the question marks of rock n’ roll. That particular infusion comes with the impression that this “Aussie Nirvana” could’ve been as big as … well, Nirvana.
Those, however, I find are questions with which only managers and accountants of the band ought to concern themselves with.
What I hear even now is a band that made garage-rock exciting and dangerous-sounding again. What I hear in the band’s songs like “Highly Evolved” and the epochal “Get Free” is a group with endless access to anger and creativity. And what if The Vines didn’t outsell the Strokes? Great legacies have been built on less.
43. Porcupine Tree
Writing these articles for Alt77, I find myself running into Porcupine Tree again and again. I don’t love it. Yet, I assure you, I am the guy writing the material and making the choices.
Simply put, unless I’m being massively unfair, there’s no denying Porcupine Tree’s importance. This was one of the biggest prog-rock groups of the era. Steven Wilson was a veritable breakout star. And the band’s musicianship remains sensational. “Fear of a Blank Planet” is widely praised as one of the more important albums of the 2000s.
44. Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs, huh? Dumb, loud and fun? Well, not to begin with. In fact, Kaiser Chiefs’ debut “Employment” was sold by NME staff writers as a clever satire on modern Britain and as an album that followed in the footsteps of post-punk’s artsy innovators.
Sure, we found out the truth soon enough. And, while the group’s never recovered its appeal ever since the release of “Ruby,” Kaiser Chiefs remain one of the more important bands of the 2000s.
45. Sigur Ros
Sigur Ros was one of the few rock bands for which geeky rock critics would be prepared at all times to shed human blood. But are they right to be so passionate about this group that sings in a made-up language and plays the guitar using a cello bow?
I used to love Sigur Rós. But then I travelled to Iceland. My enthusiasm has dipped. That said, with expectations properly recalibrated, these post-rock Nordic stars are among the more important bands of the 2000s.
46. The Black Keys
The Black Keys, believe it or not, were one of the hippest quasi-underground blues-rock bands of the early 2000s. “Thickfreakness” and “Rubber Factory” made them the heroes of the bluesy, garage-rock revival.
By the end of the 2000s, the duo was ready to soften its sound for mass commercial appeal. Many hits followed. And while The White Stripes got better press, there’s no denying that the 2000s Black Keys were an amazing band.
47. Spoon
If you do the right thing once, people might just assume it was a fortunate mistake. If you do the right thing over and over again, people will struggle to keep up.
I suppose that this is what happened to Spoon. In the 2000s, they were one of the most consistent US indie-rock bands available.
I am particularly fond of 2005’s “Gimme Fiction” and the Beatlesque “Sister Jack.” However, realistically speaking, there are few bands on this list that made more good songs during the 2000s than Spoon. It’s as simple as that.
48. Simple Plan
Simple Plan is an important band of the 2000s. Admittedly, the only time Simple Plan used to cross my mind was when I was turning off their videos that were playing on the television.
Later, however, I listened without prejudice and with fresh ears. Yes, Simple Plan was one of the more amusing and entertaining pop-punk groups of the late 2000s. Their inclusion is just about mandatory, despite their dumb album artwork.
49. AFI
There were very few bands who had more devoted fans in the 2000s. The Cult of Davey Havok, AFI’s singer, however, had roots that had been planted all the way back in the 1990s when the band was content with playing fun, fast pop-punk.
BY the 2000s, they’d grown darker, incorporating their love of Misfits and The Cure.
Albums like “Sing the Sorrow” and “Decemberunderground” turned them into proper pop stars. It was the band’s more fertile creative period and one that gets them a spot on this list of great 2000s bands.
50. Phoenix
There was never any doubt about Phoenix’s talent. The doubts, however, had to do with whether the band was going to record an album that matched those abilities.
In 2009, the critics who’d long praised the French indie group were vindicated by the release of “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,” one of the strongest releases of the decade. It got the band in the charts and, frankly, it’s the main reason that they’re on this list.
51. TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio was one of the most inventive, exciting bands of the 2000s. Their best songs were great songs. Their television performance of “Wolf Like Me” is legendary.
They’re important to 2000s rock music! And while their music can get a little tedious at times, an album like “Return to Cookie Mountain” has enough clever production tricks and interesting lyrics to keep listeners interested.
52. Sum 41
You have to make the best of what life gives you. And, in the case of Sum 41, fate provided the Canadian pop-punks with the perfect timing and opportunity.
Sure, the group’s stream of hits didn’t earn them many favourable reviews. But in the 2000s, the group proved it was resilient and more ambitious than many would’ve expected. The group’s body of work is a surprising treat!
53. Bright Eyes
There have been many songwriters, ultimately, silenced by being referred to by critics as “the next Bob Dylan.” Conor Oberst’s songwriting voice may have been too weird and his will too strong to let this happen.
In the 2000s, Bright Eyes’ literate folk-rock songs caught on with the generation of emo-rockers who found in Oberst’s lyrics something of a teenage prophet. The records have aged well, and so has the songwriter.
54. Jimmy Eat World
The odds were stacked against Jimmy Eat World ever getting anywhere. They were too earnest, didn’t seek the limelight, and seemed perpetually out of fashion. Yet, in the early 2000s, the general mood shifted, and the music industry ran toward the band.
Did Jimmy Eat World capitalise? Yes, but not really! They never made “Bleed American Part II.” They stuck to their guns and rewarded the fans who, through it all, felt the same way as the band did.
55. Dinosaur Jr.
Dinosaur Jr. should’ve been merely a retro obsession by the time of the 2000s. Few expected that the original trio would reunite. Even fewer thought that the musicians could make some of the best records of their career.
That’s exactly what happened. And, while the group didn’t become the planet’s most famous band all of a sudden, things have never stopped looking up ever since their return.
56. Bullet For My Valentine
Bullet For My Valentine is a very talented band that dominated the 2000s. I was glad for their success.
But I think that their fame also signalled a worrying trend of power over quality that metal’s never been able to quite recover from.
Back in the 2000s, however, you could not run away from the sounds of “Scream Aim Fire” or “The Poison.” I know because I tried.
57. Killswitch Engage
I’m really glad for Killswitch Engage’s success. They were one of the groups keeping rock music popular during the 2000s.
I could appreciate, in theory, the band blending metal and punk. I could smile at all the fans they were getting. But do I crave sitting with one of their albums every so often? Not particularly!
58. Rammstein
There are certain bands whose fans make it hard to judge the group objectively. Besides Manowar fans, Rammstein supporters may be the worst kind of music enthusiasts to ever have attended shows or shared their opinions online.
Rammstein in the 2000s, however, was an industrial-metal publicity stunt that earned attention everywhere. Their Tanz Metal is, indeed, very inventive. And while it’s led to millions of terrible copycat groups, the Berlin group’s influence is undeniable.
59. Paramore
I include Paramore on this list because, judging objectively, they were one of the more important bands of the 2000s.
Looking through a similar lens, it is easy to see Hayley Williams as one of the most gifted singers of the time.
But, damn, I’ve never been able to get into this group, I admit. The songs are whiny, and the lyrics never go as deep as you’d like them to. Will I let this blind me from seeing their importance? No!
60. Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte was easy to hum along with and hard to take seriously. In the realm of light pop-punk, they made a kind of kindergarten-approved punk yodelling that earned them gold records and alienated critics.
Still, the group’s importance is undeniable. In the 2000s, their catchy singles and their emotion-filled deep cuts turned many into rock fans.
61. Mastodon
Every generation, I suppose, has one progressive rock band that transcends its genre. In the 2000s, that group was Mastodon.
This metal band didn’t make life easy on themselves. Most of the band’s work is comprised of lengthy concept albums, occasionally inspired by serious works of literature.
All that attention to detail eventually became the thing that helped the group stand apart rather than something that held the quartet back.
62. Limp Bizkit
Few rock bands ever got as big as Limp Bizkit did in the early 2000s. Forget about nu-metal’s fame. Fred Durst’s band wasn’t just on MTV and radio. They were part of popular culture in just about any part of this big, green world.
Things slowed down, eventually. The people who hated them, either for their success or for the fact that they seemed to attract an audience made up of aggressive young males set on destroying things, gave up the criticism.
And I did as well. I did not use to like Limp Bizkit. But when you listen objectively, while the lyrics are still rather silly, those riffs, the production, and the band’s influence just cannot be denied.
63. Panic! at the Disco
Ah, emo! Depending on your age and interest, you’ll either think of it as an offshoot of hardcore, or the scene where kids wore eyeliner and cried about their parents.
But it’s not very theatrical, right? Panic! At the Disco certainly challenged that perception. In the 2000s, they were the most charisma-driven of the emo-rock groups. They were clever and entertaining as well. Eventually, P!atD became something of a solo project for Brendon Urie, but boy, were the 2000s heady times.
64. Velvet Revolver
What’s the track record of supergroups anyway? Not great in my opinion. Usually, they’re just an excuse to get record companies to pay for limousines and rehearsal space.
Against the odds, Velvet Revolver was spectacularly different. Maybe it was Slash and Duff McKagan’s rekindled professional relationship. Or maybe it was the hunger and despair that the charismatic Scott Weiland brought to the table. Either way, “Contraband” should now be seen as one of the top albums of the 2000s.
65. Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson created his name and band moniker by piecing together two of the most famous characters in pop culture. Somehow it was he who, eventually, became even more well-known. And, somehow, it was he who was more controversial than both.
That fame was only occasionally on account of the music. That’s too bad before Manson’s 2000s work was intelligent, cleverly built around the industrial rock and goth hybrid that bands like Nine Inch Nails had pioneered, and has aged surprisingly well.
66. Meshuggah
It’s all about the rhythm, right? Rock music is a thing that is supposed to make you move, isn’t it? That’s certainly how Meshuggah treats things.
Inspired by 1980s thrash metal, but taking a particular interest in polyrhythms and aggressive drum tones, Meshuggah became one of the most talked-about rock groups in the world during the 2000s. It was a surprising success, but one that, once more, told us what rock fans really want.
67. Rilo Kiley
I’m happy to say that Rilo Kiley built its career slowly, the old-fashioned way. In the early 2000s, the group’s earnest, heartfelt indie-pop connected with a new generation of romantics.
With each subsequent release during that decade, the group’s star shone a little bit brighter. Isn’t it nice to receive confirmation that honesty and hard work can still get you places in the world?
68. The Bravery
The Bravery’s inclusion on this list is a hill that I’m prepared to die on. In fact, I’m convinced that I’ll find good company. Back in the 2000s, The Bravery were often compared favourably to bands like The Killers.
The band was one of the indie-rock groups getting famous by blending electro beats with rock guitars. But The Bravery’s songwriting was tighter than most groups and the subject matter, often, darker than their contemporaries who were on the charts. In my opinion, this is an underrated group who well deserves their place on the list.
69. Kasabian
Oasis were, virtually, gone. The Arctic Monkeys were young and a little too niche. What could Kasabian do, but try to take over the world, or at least rock clubs in Leicester.
In the 2000s, Kasabian made loud, arena-sized, dark party-rock. They incorporated electro grooves as the Madchester bands had done. They had hooks as big as those used by Noel Gallagher. And they were, somehow, wholly contemporary. The band’s self-titled record and “Empire” are classics of the 2000s.
70. Barenaked Ladies
“It’s been one week…” and so on, and so on. The song’s probably stuck in your head now. You’re going to cuss me out until you manage to get it removed.
But that just goes to show that Barenaked Ladies, unwittingly, constructed one of the catchiest and most divisive songs of the 1990s. It’s a virtual “Macarena.”
However, Barenaked Ladies did more than play the hit in the 2000s. They made funny, clever and always brilliantly crafted power-pop. The charts were not being threatened anymore, but the group’s qualities were undeniable.
71. Dream Theater
By the 2000s, Dream Theater was comfortably riding in its own lane. The group was now established as prog-metal’s most famous band. Arguably, I think, they’re the one household name in this genre.
Albums like “Train of Thought” cemented that reputation. And, while I remember rushing out to buy 2005’s “Octavarium,” listening back to the group’s work from that period, I now feel that technical mastery had largely replaced boundless creativity.
72. A Perfect Circle
It’s quite a thing for a rock singer to be in one successful group for years. It’s quite amazing for there to be two (or even three, based on your opinion) successful groups on whose payroll they remain. This is what Maynard James Keenan did when he joined Billy Howerdel’s A Perfect Circle.
A group that nicely cut the difference between metal and alternative rock, A Perfect Circle scored big hits with albums like “Mer de Noms” and “Thirteenth Step.” Their emotionally charged music was, I thought, was some of the best to come out in the wake of grunge.
73. The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan was one of the few bands still using mystery to their advantage in the 2000s, I thought. Rumours surrounding their wild live shows, or their complex compositions, were numerous.
What was certain was the group’s sophomore release, 2004’s “Miss Machine” was heralded by some reviewers as a masterpiece. It, certainly, is an album that greatly influenced post-hardcore music over the past couple of decades.
74. Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria always aimed high. Their compositions were lengthy and complex. Their lyrics were, typically, built around Sci-Fi epics. And this blend of prog, metal and alt-rock turned the group into a fantastic success story in the 2000s. Looking back, the New Yorkers produced some of the work that has aged best across the entire decade.
75. Placebo
I didn’t think Placebo had it in them. I thought that like most grunge bands, their success was something inevitably tied to the growth of alt-rock in the 1990s.
However, I was proven wrong when the trio’s rocking melodramas led to 2003’s “Sleeping with Ghosts,” the band’s biggest album. “Meds” solidified that newfound fame. And, even though by the end of the decade, the band was holding on to dear life, for a while there were few bigger rock bands in the world.
76. Evanescence
I certainly could’ve imagined the debut album becoming a success. Few, however, could’ve predicted Evanescence’s stay at the top of the rock world. Sure, 2003’s “Fallen” was a global phenomenon. But singer Amy Lee’s leadership of the band ensured that “The Open Door” and the group’s live shows maintained the fame and attention.
77. Opeth
In prog-metal circles, the devotees talk about Opted with the sam reverence that Christians mention the apostles. Is it warranted? I have always been stunned by the ambition and technical proficiency of the band.
I’ve struggled listening for long stretches of time to the Swedish group’s works. Still, I acknowledge that 2001’s “Blackwater Park” or 2005’s “Ghost Reveries” are some of the most influential records of the era.
78. Staind
Listen, I know what you’re thinking about Staind. Sure, the band’s reputation has taken a beating. Yes, they did ride the coattails of post-grunge and Limp Bizkit in the 2000s. Still, I think that you can’t quite talk about rock music of the era without mentioning those American grunge rock ballads from 2001’s “Break the Cycle.”
79. Creed
Yes, Creed is another band that has many critics. In fact, those voices have not died down two decades after the group’s original rise to the top.
Not discussing their influence and popularity on 2000s rock would be unfair, however. The instrumental parts, especially, were very strong if not wholly original. And, few bands were ever bigger than Creed was in the U.S. during this decade.
80. Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is, I think, a strongly misunderstood band. I certainly tried avoiding them when in the 2000s; doing so was near impossible.
Claimed in equal measure by the emo crowd and by the burgeoning mellow indie-rock circles, Death Cab for Cutie’s emotional, intelligent songwriting turned albums like “Transatlanticism” into colossal hits. Listening back, the band was better than I remembered.
Read more:
81. My Chemical Romance
82. Shinedown
83. Seether
84. Our Lady Peace
85. Oasis
86. Trivium
87. 3 Doors Down
88. Godsmack
89. Papa Roach
90. Puddle of Mudd
91. The Fratellis
92. Rise Against
93. Three Days Grace
94. The National
95. Billy Talent
96. Nickelback
97. The Brian Jonestown Massacre
98. The Gaslight Anthem
99. P.O.D
100. The Darkness
If you’re looking to plunge yourself deeper into the waters of rock music, check out our related articles. You may be interested in our articles about The Greatest Albums of the 1990s, The Greatest indie-rock artists and bands of all time, or The Greatest Alternative Rock Songs of the 1990s.
Honorable Mentions
101. Snow Patrol
102. King Tuff
103. Drowning Pool
104. The Von Bondies
105. Aerosmith
106. 30 Seconds To Mars
107. New Found Glory
108. Sufjan Stevens
109. Lifehouse
110. U2
111. Skillet
112. Nightwish
113. Alice in Chains
114. The Fray
115. Hatebreed
116. The All-American Rejects
117. The Black Dahlia Murder
118. Breaking Benjamin
119. Stone Sour
120. OK Go
121. Shadows Fall
122. Yellowcard
123. Symphony X
124. Lamb of God
125. Metallica
126. Bloc Party
127. Hoobastank
128. Switchfoot
129. HIM
130. Daughtry
131. Zebrahead
132. Maroon 5
133. Disturbed
134. The Kooks
135. Death from Above 1979
136. MGMT
137. Yo La Tengo
138. The Thermals
139. The Shins
140. The Hold Steady
141. The Postal Service
142. The Walkmen
143. Wolfmother
144. The Decemberists
145. Between the Buried and Me
146. The Rapture
147. Gojira
148. Tegan and Sara
149. Metric
150. Editors
