Rock music gradually became less and less popular by the end of the 1990s and the early 2000s. This was a time when hip-hop and pop music came to the scene. But despite all of that, the rock bands of the 2000s managed to stay relevant on the mainstream music scene.
Rock music was still popular, notably alternative rock. Genres such as post-grunge, pop punk, nu-metal, post-Britpop, metalcore, indie rock, and similar styles prevailed.
In the 2000s, the charts were dominated by boy bands like Backstreet Boys and Westlife, high-energy disco groups, and Britney Spears who became the biggest star in the world.
In the 2000s, we also saw the music industry change. Internet users started sharing copyrighter works through peer-to-peer networks such as Napster. It made it easy for people with digital copies of recorded music to share them with other users.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the famous rock bands 2000s.
Gorillaz
The English virtual band was created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett. They consist of four animated members, 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobs.
Their fictional universe is presented in music videos, interviews, and short cartoons. Their music features collaborations with other artists.
Albarn departed from the distinct Britpop music he played in his previous band Blur. With Gorillaz, he explored a variety of styles, including hip-hop, world music, and electronic music.
Gorillaz are praised for their postmodern approach to music. They always have some themes within their albums. For example, their third album, Plastic Beach, featured environmentalist themes.
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars, they are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1998, the band consists of brothers Jared Leto and Shannon Leto. Yes, the same Jared Leto who is a famous American actor.
They released their debut album 30 Seconds to Mars in 2002 to limited commercial success. But their second album, A Beautiful Lie, brought back a lot more success and multiple certifications all over the world.
Green Day
Green Day was formed in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt. For much of their career, they had a third member, drummer Tre Cool.
While the band was formed in the late 1980s, they enjoyed most of their commercial success in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Their most successful album remains Dookie, released through Reprise Records in 1994.
Their 2004 rock opera album, American Idiot, found popularity with the young generation. The band has earned 20 Grammy Award nominations, winning five of them.
Linkin Park
If you are looking for the most popular rock bands 2000s, Linkin Park has to be on your list. The American rock band from California enjoyed massive success. Chester Bennington and Mark Wakefield were part of the initial lineup. The current lineup consists of Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Dave Farrell.
They were formed in 1996 and rose to international fame with their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory. The album was released during the peak of the nu-metal scene, with singles like In the End, Crawling, and One Step Closer making the charts.
Their second album Meteora continued the success. With their third album, Minutes to Midnight, the band explored experimental sounds.
Arctic Monkeys
The English rock band was formed in 2002. It consists of Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley, and Matt Helders.
They are known as one of the first bands to come to public attention via the Internet. Arctic Monkeys represented the possibility of a change in the way in which new bands are promoted and marketed.
Their debut album, Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I’m Not became the fastest-selling debut album in UK history.
They won the Brit Award at the 2007 ceremony for Best British Album.
Blink 182
Blink-182 is an American rock band from California. Formed in 1992, they are often stylized in all lowercase. It consists of Matt Skiba, Mark Hoppus, and Travis Barker.
Their sound has changed over the years. But it continues to blend styles like pop melodies and punk rock.
They toured and recorded for years as an independent band before signing to MCA Records.
My Chemical Romance
The Newark, New Jersey American rock band consists of Gerald Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, and Mikey Way.
The band released its debut album in 2002, and then signed to Reprise Records the next year. They received their biggest success with their 2006 concept album, The Black Parade. It received triple platinum certification in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Foo Fighters
We cannot ignore one of the best rock bands in the US. Formed in Seattle, Washington in 1994, it was basically a one-man show for a while. Former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl formed the band after the dissolution of Nirvana and the suicide of Kurt Cobain.
The band released the debut album Foo Fighters in 1995, featuring Grohl as the only official member. After that, Grohl recruited Nate Mendel as bassist and William Goldsmith as a drummer.
Over the years, the lineup has changed, but Grohl remains the mainstay.
Muse
The English rock band was formed in 1994. It consists of Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard, and Chris Wolstenholme.
They released their debut album Showbiz in 1994. They got famous because of Bellamy’s falsetto and the band’s alternative rock style.
But with their second album, Origin of Symmetry, released in 2001, Muse incorporated wider instrumentation and romantic classical influence. This album helped them reach recognition as an energetic live performance alternative rock band.
Throughout their existence, Muse has won numerous awards. For example, they have won Grammy Award two times, Brit Award two times, and MTV Europe Music Award five times.
The White Stripes
The American rock duo from Detroit, Michigan was formed in 1997. It consists of Jack White and his ex-wife Meg White.
They released several singles and three albums before rising to prominence in 2002 as part of the garage rock revival scene.
Their song, Seven Nation Army, remains the most recognizable single. For the single, The White Stripes used a guitar and an octave pedal to create the iconic opening riff.
Described as a garage rock band, they also played alternative rock, punk blues, and indie rock.
Arcade Fire
The Canadian indie rock band consists of husband and wife Win Butler and Regine Chassagne. But Win’s younger brother and other members help out as well.
The band was founded in 2000 and came to prominence with their debut album Funeral. In 2008, they released their second album, Neon Bible, winning the 2008 Meteor Music Award for Best International Album.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
We cannot have a list of 2000s rock bands without mentioning RHCP. The Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band from Los Angeles. They started their journey in 1983, using elements from alternative rock, punk rock, funk, and psychedelic rock.
The band consists of Flea, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, and John Frusciante. They have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time.
Some of their best songs like Otherside and Can’t Stop were released in the early 2000s.
The Killers
The American rock band was formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning. After going through several drummers and bass players, they welcomed Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. in 2002.
They are praised for releasing seven consecutive chart-topping studio albums from 2004 to 2021. It all started with Hot Fuss in 2004 and ended with their latest album Pressure Machine in 2021.
Considered one of the biggest rock bands in the 21st century, they have performed in more than 50 countries in the world and on six continents.
Limp Bizkit
Let’s continue with the band that got famous thanks to skating video games like Tony Hawk. Their music was part of the video game. Limp Bizkit consists of Fred Durst, Sam Rivers, John Otto, DJ Lethal, and Wes Borland.
Durst’s angry vocal delivery and Borland’s sonic experimentation are what makes the group unique. They became popular playing in the Jacksonville underground music scene in the late 1990s.
Nickelback
There are so many jokes about this band. But you cannot deny their success. Just type Nickelback jokes on Google. They are harmless and funny.
The band consists of Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger, and Daniel Adair. They are one of the most commercially successful Canadian rock bands. Over the course of their career, Nickelback has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.
Their song How Your Remind Me is the best-selling rock song of the 2000s.
U2
We can finish the list with U2, arguably one of the most successful rock bands of all time. Yes, they formed in 1976. But they continued releasing music well into the 2000s.
For example, one of their best songs, Beautiful Day, was released in 2000. The group consists of Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., and the Edge. But it is all about Bono as vocals. His delivery is something that no other band can copy.
So far, they have released 14 studios album. With more than 150 million record sales worldwide, U2 is among the best-selling music artists. Take this into consideration. The band has won the Grammy Award 22 times, more than any other band in the world.
