Best 2000s rock bands
The 2000s were a golden era for rock music, giving rise to bands that defined a generation with their raw energy, genre-blending sounds, and stadium-filling anthems. From garage rock revivalists to arena-conquering giants, these bands shaped the soundtrack of a decade and influenced countless artists who followed. Now it's your turn to settle the debate — cast your vote for the best 2000s rock band and see how your picks stack up against the rest.
What counts: Seeded with approximate figures where shown — the crowd's votes decide the order.
Coldplay▲ Rising
'Clocks' turned a bunch of British sad-boys into the biggest arena act on the planet, with piano arpeggios so ubiquitous they became a genre unto themselves. Love them or roll your eyes, 'A Rhythm of Life' and 'Yellow' scored a million montages, and no 2000s rock band sold more stadiums on pure earnestness. The critical backlash was real, but the chart receipts and lighter-waving choruses earn them a permanent seat at this table.
Formed: 1996Signature Album: A Rush of Blood to the HeadStudio Albums (2000s): 4Grammy Awards: 7Records Sold: 100 MCritical Acclaim: 8/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 10Still Active: ✓
added by IJRin 3 rankings
77
The White Stripes▲ Rising
Two people, red-and-white candy-stripe suits, and a riff so primal it hijacked football stadiums and Apple commercials alike — 'Seven Nation Army' single-handedly proved garage rock could still dominate the mainstream. Jack and Meg White stripped rock back to blues-bone basics right as everyone else was piling on effects pedals, making minimalism feel like a revolution. Their raw, lo-fi swagger reset what a 'rock band' even needed to be in the 2000s.
Formed: 1997Signature Album: ElephantStudio Albums (2000s): 4Grammy Awards: 3Records Sold: 20 MCritical Acclaim: 8.5/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 2Still Active: —
added by IJRin 2 rankings
49
The Killers▲ Rising
'Mr. Brightside' didn't just soundtrack the mid-2000s — it refused to leave the charts for two decades, becoming the eternal last-call anthem of every wedding and bar in existence. Brandon Flowers fused Vegas glam, New Order synths, and pure heartbreak into 'Hot Fuss,' giving indie-leaning rock radio its glitziest, most theatrical hit machine. Few bands from this era have aged into bigger legend status than a song that somehow keeps getting more famous.
Formed: 2001Signature Album: Hot FussStudio Albums (2000s): 3Grammy Awards: 0Records Sold: 28 MCritical Acclaim: 7.5/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 5Still Active: ✓
added by IJRin 2 rankings
45
Linkin Park▲ Rising
'In the End' and 'Numb' turned nu-metal's angst into something radio-friendly and generation-defining, with Chester Bennington's screams-into-melody formula becoming the emotional blueprint for a decade of rock-rap hybrids. 'Hybrid Theory' remains one of the best-selling debut rock albums ever, proof that raw catharsis could also be commercially massive. Their influence on everything from emo to mainstream pop-rock production makes their spot here non-negotiable.
Formed: 1996Signature Album: Hybrid TheoryStudio Albums (2000s): 3Grammy Awards: 2Records Sold: 100 MCritical Acclaim: 7/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 10Still Active: ✓
added by IJRin 3 rankings
-1
Gorillaz▼ Falling
Damon Albarn built a virtual band out of cartoon avatars and somehow made 'Feel Good Inc.' and 'Clint Eastwood' feel more real than half the flesh-and-blood acts on the radio. By blending rock, hip-hop, dub, and animation into one project, Gorillaz argued that genre and even identity were optional in the 2000s — you just needed a killer hook and a Del the Funky Homosapien verse. It's the most genre-defiant, forward-thinking entry on this list, and the culture is still catching up to it.
Formed: 1998Signature Album: Demon DaysStudio Albums (2000s): 2Grammy Awards: 1Records Sold: 25 MCritical Acclaim: 8/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 3Still Active: ✓
added by IJR
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Arctic Monkeys▼ Falling
'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' arrived like a shot of lightning from Sheffield, turning Myspace buzz into the fastest-selling debut album in UK history with 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.' Alex Turner's rapid-fire, kitchen-sink lyricism about nightclubs and taxi queues made mundane British life sound like poetry set to jagged post-punk riffs. They proved the internet could crown a rock band before the industry even knew what hit it, reshaping how bands broke through for years after.
Formed: 2002Signature Album: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm NotStudio Albums (2000s): 2Grammy Awards: 0Records Sold: 15 MCritical Acclaim: 8.5/10Billboard Top 10 Hits: 2Still Active: ✓
added by IJR
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Comments (9)
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Exactly the kind of argument the internet was built for.
This order is closer to right than any editor would've gotten.
The crowd is sleeping on the bottom half of this list.
Voted — and the gap between #1 and #2 should be bigger.