The 2000s were only some of the significant era for rock. There were big bands in the decade, but hard rock bands were coming into the era, not starting in that. While that is true, there were some fantastic new indie and garage rock bands. It’s the era of Arctic Monkeys, The White Stripes, The Killers, and many new bands that would ease the transition period. Most of all, the 2000s transitioned from hard and gritty riffs to melodic pop-rock sounds for rock music and bands. It was the era of experimentation and exploring of what rock could be.
Rock was certainly not as popular in the 2000s as in the previous era. Rock music took a backseat to pop, hip-hop, and emerging electronic music. Still, there were some bands that not only were worth mentioning but also managed to become rock legends. Due to their softer and catchier sound, these bands brought new fans who became rock lovers. The influence of some of these bands continues even today, and almost all of them are still working.
This article covers the best and brightest of 2000s rock bands, their albums, and their songs. We will try to share what made us fall in love with these bands and their music. Whether you are looking for new music or a remembrance of some old hits, this article has you covered.
Early 2000s Rock Bands
The 2000s decades started with some fantastic new bands. Arctic Monkeys formed, and some superstars from Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine decided to collaborate together.
Arctic Monkeys
Arguably, Arctic Monkeys are the best rock band formed in the early 2000s. The band was formed in 2002 in Sheffield, England, by Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Andy Nicholson, and Matt Helders. Nicholson left Arctic Monkeys in 2006, and Nick O’Malley replaced him.
They owe some of their early success to popular platforms of the era, like MySpace. The band released their first album, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not,” in 2006, and it became the fastest-selling debut album in UK history. Songs like “When the Sun Goes Down” and the first big hit, “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor,” were immediately loved by fans. During the 2000s, Arctic Monkeys released three albums. Apart from the one we already mentioned, the band released “Favourite Worst Nightmare” (2007) and “Humbug” (2009). Later albums were much more mature and had a darker sound. Some of the shift should be attributed to Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, who produced the albums.
Arctic Monkeys are still active and one of today’s most famous rock bands.
We love
We love Arctic Monkey for their authenticity and Alex Turner’s lyricism – his clever wordplay and storytelling.
Audioslave
The 2000s were a good time for rock supergroups; one of the best of these bands was Audioslave. The band formed when Soundgarden’s lead vocalist Chris Cornel joined forces with Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Bred Wilk. The band’s music and sound were built around Cornell’s powerful vocals and Morello’s unique guitar style. Audioslave has three original Rage Against the Machine members, but the sound is very different. Replacing Zach de la Rocha with Cornell brought huge differences.
Despite the considerable success, Audioslave disbanded after releasing only three albums: the self-titled “Audioslave” (2002), “Out of Exile” (2005), and “Revelations” (2006). Cornell’s desire to focus on his solo career and “irresolvable personality conflicts” were reasons for the band’s disbandment. While working together, they released several big hits, “Cochise” and “Like a Stone” were their first big hits.
We love
Audioslave is a perfect example of the influence of distinctive vocals on music, even if all the other parts remain the same. We love the band’s extreme concentration of talent, which fits almost seamlessly.
Arcade Fire
We already mentioned that the 2000s was an excellent decade for indie rock bands that were not afraid to experiment. The Canadian band Arcade Fire formed in Quebec in the early 2000s. Due to their emotional lyrics and mellow sound, they quickly gathered followers. They boldly implemented instruments that are usually not part of rock music, like violins, accordions, and xylophones.
During the 2000s, Arcade Fire released three albums: “Funeral” (2004), “Neon Bible” (2007), and “The Suburbs” (2010). “The Suburbs” is the band’s most commercially successful album, and it also won the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year.
We love
We love Arcade Fire because they were not afraid to use deeply emotional themes in their songs. They made incorporating heavier themes in their songs look easy and sound great.
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band that started in the early 2000s. The band mixes pop, rock, and emo with a fast tempo and emotionally charged lyrics. Unlike Arace Fire, Fall Out Boy covered simpler and more cheerful themes.
During the 2000s, Fall Out Boy released four albums: “Take This to Your Grave” (2003), “From Under the Cork Tree” (2005), “Infinity on High” (2007), and “Folie à Deux” (2008). Their second album had the band’s biggest hits, singles like “Dance, Dance” and “Sugar, We’re Goin Down.” Some of the popular video games, including “Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock” and “EA Sports Madden NFL 06”, featured “Dance, Dance.”
We love
Fall Out Boy has excellent energy in the songs, especially “Dance, Dance.”
Popular 2000s Rock Bands
Depending on the list, the top 10 bands of the 2000s in terms of popularity were Foo Fighters, The Killers, Green Day, Linking Park, The Strokes, Coldplay, The White Stripes, Muse, Kings of Leon, My Chemical Romance, Artic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand. And, of course, there are some bands everyone will forget, like System of a Dawn. If we have to pick just one rock band that had the best decade during the 2000s, it would likely be The White Stripes.
Muse
Muse is amongst the most exciting bands on our list. They mix rock, alternative, electronic, and symphonic music, creating a great sound from this fusion. They are characterized by gritty guitar riffs and Matt Bellamy’s powerful voice. The band released their first album, “Showbiz,” in 1999. The album has some excellent tracks but did not bring Muse international recognition. A few years later, that will change with the release of “Origin of Symmetry “(2001). The lead single, “Plug In Baby,” was an instant hit and left fans waiting for more. In the 2000s, Muse released three more albums: “Absolution” (2003), “Black Holes and Revelations” (2006), and “The Resistance” (2009).
“The Resistance” is the band’s most successful album. They won a Grammy for Best Album.
The band is still working today. They are currently touring and will continue to do so in 2005.
We love
We love Muse for their heavy guitars and ability to consistently change their sound while remaining recognizable.
The Strokes
The Strokes formed in the late 90s but achieved their greatest success during the 2000s. People credit them with revitalizing garage rock and bringing a fresh new sound to the era’s music.
Their first album, Is This It, was released in 2001, and they became known worldwide. Hits like “Last Nite” and “Hard to Explain” were among the era’s most famous songs, battling pop and hip-hop at the top of the charts. Their music had a positive reception among fans and critics, and they were among the popular 2000s rock bands. During the 2000s, The Strokes released three albums. Apart from the debut “Is This It,” they released “Room on Fire” (2003) and “First Impressions of Earth” (2006).
We love
We love The Stroke for their catchy tunes and carefree attitude, which perfectly matches their sound.
The White Stripes
From the carefree attitude of the Strokes to the stripped-down rock sound of The White Stripes, this American band was one of the most popular indie rock bands in the 2000s, if not the most popular. They released all but their debut album during the 2000s, and even self-titled The White Stripes was released close in 1999. During the decade, they released “De Stijl” (2000), “White Blood Cells” (2001), “Elephant” (2003), “Get Behind Me Satan” (2005), and “Icky Thump” (2007).
White Stripes are Jack White and Meg White. They were married and divorced in 2000 but continued to play together. If you thought they were brother and sister, Jack devised an elaborate ruse, claiming they were the youngest of ten. According to him, this was supposed to keep the media focused on the music rather than their relationship.
The band dissolved in 2011.
We love
There is plenty to like about The White Stripes: their raw energy, simplicity of music that still sounds great, and even the aesthetic and consistent use of red, white, and black.
Evanescence
While not a favorite among rock fans puritans, Evanescence was among the popular rock bands of the 2000s. The band drew some of its listeners from pop music fans. One thing no one can deny is that Evanescence immediately gained mainstream attention. Their debut album, “Fallen” (2003), was a mix of gothic rock, alternative metal, and some symphonic elements and immediately “caught fire.” After Fallen, the band released one more album in the 2000s, “The Open Door” (2006).
Even with the release of the new albums, the “Fallen” lead single “Bring Me to Life” remains Evanescence’s most famous and recognizable song.
The band’s core was vocalist Amy Lee and former guitarist Ben Moody for a long time. Evanescence had several lineup changes. You can learn more about that from Jen Majura’s interview with our own Urosh Veljkovic.
We love
It’s hard to deny most of Evanescence’s sound comes from Amy Lee’s vocals.
Best Rock Bands of the 2000s
The Killers
The Killers are among the best rock bands of the 2000s and perhaps even the top band of the era. The band hails from Las Vegas, and they are known for energetic live performances and a mix of rock with many other styles. Like many great bands, they started their career with a hit album. Hot Fuss was released in 2004 and immediately launched the band to stardom. The album had three standout songs: “Somebody Told Me,” “All These Things That I’ve Done,” and the biggest hit of the album, “Mr. Brightside.”
During the 2000s, Killers released two more albums, “Sam’s Town” (2006) and “Day & Age” (2008). The band’s sound evolved but stayed close to the music, which made fans fall in love with them.
We love
We love The Killer’s catchy riffs and choruses.
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters, one of the best rock bands from the 90s, is an American rock band formed by Dave Grohl after Kurt Cobain’s death and Nirvana’s break up. What started as a solo project for Grohl quickly grew into one of the best rock bands of the 2000s. The band’s name was inspired by unexplained aerial phenomena that World War II pilots described.
During the 2000s, Foo Fighters released three albums, One by One” (2002), “In Your Honor” (2005), and “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” (2007). “The Pretender” from “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace” is considered by many Foo Fighters fans as the band’s finest song.
We love
We love Foo Fighters’ raw energy, powerful riffs, and Dave Grohl’s musical talent.
System of a Down
The Armenian-American rock band System of a Down (SOAD) formed in California. The band is easily recognizable thanks to Serj Tankian’s vocals and its incorporation of traditional Armenian music elements. It uses strange tempos and breaks in a rhythm, making System of a Down instantly recognizable.
SOAD released its first album at the end of the 90s. However, it wasn’t until 2001, when the band released Toxicity, that it hit big. “Chop Suey!” “Aerials” and the title song “Toxicity” are the most popular songs on the album. The album not only debuted on top of the Billboard 200, but people also considered it one of the best albums by rock bands in the 2000s. In the decade, SOAD released three more albums: “Steal This Album!” (2002), “Mezmerize” (2005), and “Hypnotize” (2005).
We love
We love the unique sound that the band has and the thought-provoking lyrics.
Slipknot
Slipknot released their first album at the end of the ’90s, but the band’s glory days came in the 2000s. They are known for their energetic music and even more for the masks that they always had. They managed to slip into a metal niche left vacant during the 2000s and soon became one of the most popular metal bands of the era.
After the release of Slipknot in 1999, they released “Iowa” (2001), “Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)” (2004), and “All Hope Is Gone” (2008). “Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)” and “All Hope Is Gone” were notable because the band shifted toward more melodic music while retaining the raw sound.
We love
We love the pure energy in the Slipknot music.
2000s Alternative Rock Bands
Linkin Park
The American band Linking Park was one of the most influential and loved bands of the 2000s. People knew them for their fusion of rock/metal and hip-hop. They became a commercial success by releasing their first album, “Hybrid Theory” (2000). It had one of Linkin Park’s most famous songs, “In The End.” During the 2000s, they released three more albums, “Meteora” (2003), “Minutes to Midnight” (2007), and “A Thousand Suns” (2010). The band kept getting new followers during the decade and grew into one of the most famous American rock bands of the 2000s. Chester Bennington’s tragic death in 2017 was devastating both to fans and the music community.
We love
Linkin Park’s mix of Mike Shinoda rapping and Chester Bennington singing was excellent.
My Chemical Romance
The American rock band My Chemical Romance formed in Newark. Although people associate them with the rise of the emo genre, they incorporated elements of many other genres into their music. During the 2000s, the band released albums: “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love” (2002), “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge” (2004), “The Black Parade” (2006), and “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” (2010). The MCR standout album was “The Black Parade.” It brought the band more extensive international recognition and following.
In 2013, three years after the release of their last album, My Chemical Romance announced their breakup.
We love
My Chemical Romance was a voice for those who felt misunderstood or marginalized during the era.
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock trio formed in California in the early 1990s. It is among the most entertaining pop-punk bands in history. The band entered the established decade and released two albums during the 2000s: “Take Off Your Pants” and “Jacket” (2001) and an untitled album known as “Blink-182” (2003). Album “Blink-182” had a more mature and developed and featured songs like “I Miss You” and “Feeling This.”
Blink-182 is still active. In 2023, after a seven-year hiatus, they announced that they are working on a new album, “One More Time…”.
We love
We love the Blink-182 for their playful approach to music and their goofy sense of humor.
Florence + The Machine
Florence + The Machine is an English indie rock band. It’s one of the freshest rock bands of the late 2000s and, perhaps more importantly, one of our favorite bands of the period 😊. Florence Welch fronts the group, and she is accompanied by “The Machine,” a collective of musicians. Florence + The Machine’s sound is a mix of many different genres, including art rock, indie rock, and baroque pop.
They released only one album during the 2000s, but it was a smashing success. “Lungs” (2009) had three massive hits: “Dog Days Are Over,” “You’ve Got the Love,” and “Kiss with a Fist.”
We love
We love Florence’s fantastic voice.
Hard Rock Bands of the 2000s
Hard rock was less prevalent in the 2000s than decades ago. That did not mean some bands needed to be better; they were fantastic! The decreased metal music production during the era also blurred the lines between the genres. The genuine lack of exciting metal bands in the era made us mix both genres here.
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band formed at the end of the ‘90s. The band’s music was a post-grunge/hard rock/alternative mix with some emo “twist.” The band released three albums during the 2000s: “Three Days Grace” (2003), “One-X” (2006), and “Life Starts Now” (2009). Their debut album, “Three Days Grace,” was the band’s breakthrough album as well, especially in North America. The band was unafraid to bare it all in the songs, especially on the later albums, when reflecting on themes like addiction, pain, and loneliness.
We love
The band honestly shared themes like personal struggles and mental health with their fans. The openness about the subjects helped many fans who were struggling at the time.
Mastodon
The American heavy metal band Mastodon formed in 2000 in Atlanta. The band is characteristic of picking unique themes for their albums. The book “Moby Dick” inspired them on their breakthrough album “Leviathan.” This album helped establish the band as one of the best metal bands of the era.
They released four studio albums during the 2000s: “Remission” (2002), “Leviathan” (2004), “Blood Mountain” (2006), and “Crack the Skye” (2009). In the later albums, Mastodon experimented a bit with its style. “Crack the Skye” is regarded as the band’s best album.
We love
We love Mastodon’s musical skills. Each member is a highly skilled musician, and mixing mastery is not always easy, but Mastodon does it well.
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold started as a hardcore and metalcore band from California. In the mid-2000s, the band approached new albums with more melodic elements and cleaner vocals, which increased their appeal and broadened their audience.
The band released five albums during the 2000s: “Sounding the Seventh Trumpet” (2001), “Waking the Fallen” (2003), “City of Evil” (2005), “Avenged Sevenfold” (2007), and “Nightmare” (2010). The late 2000s was a period of tragedy and triumph for the American rock band. Bend lost the drummer and had a hard time dealing with The Rev’s passing. Despite the impact his death had on the band, they decided to continue. Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater temporarily filled in on drums to record “Nightmare.”
We love
We love Avenge Sevenfold for their energy and musical abilities.
Opeth
Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band formed in 1990. They released four albums during the 1990s, but it wasn’t until “Still Life” (1999) and “Blackwater Park” (2001) that they started to receive widespread recognition. The band’s first album of the 2000s era is arguably its finest album. “Blackwater Park” was a perfect balance of aggression and melody, which attracted new fans.
During the 2000s, they released five albums: “Blackwater Park” (2001), “Deliverance” (2002), “Damnation” (2003), “Ghost Reveries” (2005), and “Watershed” (2008). The band was not afraid to experiment, and in the mid-2000s, they shifted to a more progressive sound.
We love
We love Opeth for their musical mastery and willingness to experiment and evolve their sound.
American Rock Bands 2000s
The 2000s showed American rock’s transition phase, with raw energy mixing with introversion and experimentation, mainly distinguishing features from other global artists. Meanwhile, British bands relied on either revivalist or experimental rock sounds. American bands thrived on storytelling combined with diverse influences, from grunge remnants to punk and indie vibes. Here’s our list of the top 20 American rock bands that defined the era:
- The White Stripes
Champions of minimalist garage rock, they redefined what a duo could do with raw riffs and anthems like “Seven Nation Army.” - Foo Fighters
Dave Grohl carried the grunge torch forward with arena-ready rock anthems. - Linkin Park
Blending nu-metal with electronic elements, they gave a voice to millennial angst. - Green Day
Their rock opera “American Idiot” became a cultural critique of the decade that has an enormous impact on various societies nowadays (2024). (We recommend our article about the American Idiot! musical by Galway University Musical Society.) - My Chemical Romance
Emo’s flag-bearers they brought theatrics and vulnerability to rock. - The Killers
Synth-driven anthems like “Mr. Brightside” became iconic. - Paramore
With Hayley Williams at the helm, they made emo-pop accessible and fiery. - Kings of Leon
Southern rock with a modern, soulful twist. - Panic! at the Disco
Unparalleled theatrics and quirkiness in storytelling. - Fall Out Boy
One of the originators of pop-punk, melding pop accessibility with clever wordplay. - Evanescence
Amy Lee’s ghostly wails brought gothic rock to the mainstream airwaves. (Music Nonstop Today is a proud producer of the rock and metal podcast Denim and Leather and episode 5 in which the guest is Jen Majura, the guitarist of Evanescence in the period 2015-2022) - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Experimental rock with Karen O’s kinetic force. - The Strokes
New York garage rock revivalists with a cool, casual sound. - Modest Mouse
Indie rock’s quirky philosophers, crafting surreal and relatable tunes. - Queens of the Stone Age
Masters of desert rock, infusing grooves with heaviness. - Death Cab for Cutie
Leaders of heartfelt, introspective indie rock. - The All-American Rejects
Power-pop rockers with infectious hits like “Gives You Hell.” - Jimmy Eat World
Emo pioneers who merged emotional depth with mainstream appeal. - The Shins
Indie icons whose gentle melodies became indie film soundtracks. - Taking Back Sunday
Pop-punk with raw, relatable lyrics and fiery performances.
These bands dominated the charts and shaped the cultural and emotional landscape of the 2000s rock scene. Their impact endures, proving that American rock in the 2000s wasn’t just music – it was a movement.
The Legacy of 2000s Rock Bands
In short, in the 2000s, rock music split between established rock bands with recognizable sounds and new bands that formed during the period. These new groups were eager to expand on indie and garage rock, often mixing elements from pop and other genres.
