- 5 months ago
From psychedelic soundscapes to post-punk revivals, these groups have defined rock in the new millennium! Join us as we count down our picks for the best rock bands of the modern era. Our list celebrates artists who've made their mark since 2000, showcasing innovative sounds and genre-bending approaches that have kept rock music evolving and thriving into the 21st century.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best groups active in the 21st century and or the last decade.
00:15This doesn't count bands like Green Day that already achieved success before the millennium.
00:18Number 10. Tame Impala. Kevin Parker is the brainchild of this Australian act.
00:33Under his direction, Tame Impala is a new kind of psychedelic band.
00:37The trippy quality of each record lingers in your mind for long afterward.
00:48Taking in layers of instrumentation, listeners find themselves swimming in other dimensions.
00:58Albums such as Inner Speaker and Lonerism introduced a global audience to the act.
01:09With other records like Currents, Parker pushes the limits of the genre with guitars, synths, and slick beats.
01:18The singer's high-pitched voice guides you through many mystical trips.
01:27You might not be dancing to it all, but you'll probably be lost in a trance.
01:30Number 9. The 1975.
01:33In the 2010s, these pop rockers quickly made a case for themselves.
01:37Maddie Healy and company had the look, attitude, and production values to wow listeners.
01:41Now you're never gonna quit it, now you're never gonna quit it if you don't start smirkin' it.
01:47That's what she said.
01:48Over the last decade, they put out consistently fun and engaging records.
01:52These range from entertaining sing-alongs to more heartfelt ballads.
02:02Healy's controversial antics steal the spotlight, but his bandmates each bring some sophisticated playing to their songs.
02:09George Daniel's drumming is just one highlight of their eclectic sound.
02:12Through five albums, the British quartet have grown to try more baroque and experimental works.
02:17There's also the welcome inclusion of other instruments, like the saxophone.
02:25Number 8. Arctic Monkeys.
02:27As exciting things were happening in America, these guys reinvigorated rock in their home country.
02:32Arctic Monkeys entered the scene as fresh-faced wonders, with a hit record.
02:36Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not.
02:46It's pure and unadulterated fun.
02:48They reached the big time in the late 2000s, forging ahead with notable singles and big swings.
02:53Your past times consisted of the strange, and twisted and deranged, and I loved that little game you had called Crying Lightning.
03:05Singer Alex Turner is a force of nature, bringing British swagger to his every performance.
03:10A chain of good work followed with songs like Do I Wanna Know, creating new fans in the 2010s.
03:15Crawling back to you, I never thought I'd call and run, you laugh at you, cause I'm always you.
03:26Their innovative efforts defy easy labels, making for a sometimes abrasive, and otherwise satisfying execution.
03:33Number 17. My Chemical Romance.
03:35Some music fans would describe this band as emo, or something else entirely.
03:39Long ago, just like the hearse, you'll die to get in again, we are so far from you.
03:54With their signature makeup, haircuts, and wardrobe, My Chemical Romance certainly has a striking look.
03:59Their music is even more breathtaking, with Gerard Way and his bandmates lighting the way.
04:04I am not afraid to keep on living.
04:07I am not afraid to rock this world alone.
04:12They roared into the mainstream with three albums in the 2000s.
04:15This string of work represented some of the group's most popular music, including 2006's Welcome to the Black Parade.
04:21On both a visual and thematic level, the musical act knew when to push boundaries for dramatic effect.
04:26We'll carry on, and the reality, God believe me, that memory we'll carry on.
04:36Their fourth record, Danger Days, saw them venturing once again into rock opera.
04:41While they broke up in 2013, the rockers later reunited at the end of the 2010s.
04:51Number 6. Haim.
04:53With the power of three siblings, Haim knows how to make compelling rock.
04:57Their sound almost feels like a throwback to the likes of Fleetwood Mac.
05:00Their debut featured the kind of rocking grooves that make you want to sing and dance.
05:11Danielle, Esta, and Alana are all multi-instrumentalists with tremendous talent.
05:17The lead vocalist alone can sing, play drums, and work a guitar to perfection.
05:21Their third record, Women in Music Part 3, expanded their musical output, giving them more positive reviews and chances to stand out.
05:29Cause now I'm in it, and I've been trying to find my way back for a minute.
05:35Their music videos also highlight their artistic sensibilities, humor, and dance moves.
05:40The pop influence gives their most recent record, I Quit, some edge, proving they can keep people guessing.
05:45To want you all over me.
05:49And I want you all over me.
05:55Number 5. Vampire Weekend.
05:57Across multiple decades, this band still projects a youthful energy.
06:02Lead singer, Ezra Koenig, doesn't seem to age, and neither does his musical tastes.
06:06Look at the sound, the record's gonna say oh.
06:10Vampire Weekend released their self-titled debut in 2008, having contributed to the recent legacy of indie rock.
06:16The riffs of A-Punk feel like something of an anthem for the subgenre.
06:20So when I throw slowly into the setting, thoughts and river, I feel it's known.
06:25Throughout the 2010s and 2020s, Koenig and his fellow musicians found ways to keep listeners invested.
06:31There's incredible rhythms on the likes of Giving Up the Gun, but then you get some clever wordplay in Diane Young.
06:37On all fronts, the group blend a quirky energy into their effervescent catalogue.
06:46This also extends itself to more recent work, such as Capricorn, and what looks to be a promising future.
07:03Number 4. Fallout Boy.
07:05Taking a stab at pop-punk, Fallout Boy became successful during another boom for the genre.
07:09It was a time when other bands like Panic at the Disco were doing the same.
07:20Their debut had promise, but then their follow-up, from Under a Cork Tree, brought them to a major label.
07:26Hits like Sugar Were Going Down also showed off their ability to create catchy earworms.
07:30On their third album, the quartet revealed that they could keep firing off big singles.
07:40Thanks for the Memories marks yet another high point of their earlier output.
07:44One more time.
07:47Thanks for the memories.
07:48Even though they weren't so bad.
07:51Throughout the decades, they've endured through several musical left turns, such as an ode to the Munsters.
07:56Number 3. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
07:59It might be easier to say what this band isn't.
08:01King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are an Australian collective with a loyal following, bringing together all kinds of artistic influences.
08:08The Rock Act explores various psychedelic, jam, and metal elements.
08:17Rather than being another fish or Grateful Dead, the group paved their own way.
08:24They've managed to conquer venues around the world while avoiding the traditional spotlight.
08:29Fish in the world, fish in the world, fish in the world, I can't feel her name.
08:36Aiming for something more than the Billboard charts, the act garnered a more pointed fan base through their musical abilities.
08:42Gizzard fans might point to the band's ever-changing catalog or the lively stage shows.
08:47Whatever the reason might be, this collective strikes a chord with certain rock fans.
08:51Number 2. The Killers.
09:01The Las Vegas band were ready for the 21st century, with their blend of alternative and new wave sounds.
09:06Are we human?
09:09Or are we dancers?
09:13My sign is vital.
09:17My hands are cold.
09:19When The Killers released Hot Fuss, they were already set with a slew of awesome songs.
09:24Somebody told me, and Mr. Brightside immediately established them as a band to watch.
09:28The run in the 2000s featured some major highs and hit albums, from incredible guitar lines to space-themed singles.
09:47The group built up an effective career of updating classic sounds.
09:50You sit there in your heartache, waiting on some beautiful boy to, to save you from your old ways.
10:00They later took funkier and dance rock detours, while never betraying their early success.
10:05By the time they worked with Springsteen, the musicians achieved yet another level of musical credibility.
10:10Castles in the sky sit stranded vandalize, withdrawing riches closing.
10:18Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:22Arcade Fire, mixing alternative rock elements.
10:25The Montreal Act won over critics and audiences.
10:28Sometimes I can't believe it, I'm moving past the feeling.
10:36The Struts, the Queen influences strong, in a British outfit full of glam and arena rock sounds.
10:41I wanna taste love and pain, wanna feel pride and shame.
10:47Avenged Sevenfold, a high-intensity metal band with energy and raw talent for days.
11:00Fontaine's DC, the outspoken Irish band provides a different look at post-punk.
11:04I wanna see you alone, I wanna shout the song, I wanna bounce the ball, I wanna mess with it.
11:09The Black Keys, using a blues influence, this duo from Akron, Ohio, knows how to rock out.
11:15They wanna get my gold on the ceiling.
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11:33Number 1, The Strokes.
11:38You could call them the most important American band of the 2000s, or just a great one.
11:43The Strokes helped shape the trajectory of 21st century music.
11:46With their alternative style, the New Yorkers created a mashup of garage rock and post-punk.
11:51In many ways, they'll miss the good things, someday, someday.
12:00Julian Casablanca spearheaded the group's vintage-sounding songs.
12:03Using solid riffs and punchy lyrics, they created a template that inspired droves of imitators.
12:08Last night, she said, oh baby, I feel so down, till you turn me on, when I feel left out.
12:20Is This It and Room on Fire were essential documents of the time, while their follow-ups were arguably underrated.
12:26Their 2020 record, The New Abnormal, was something of a comeback that earned them a Grammy win for Best Rock Album.
12:32Don't go there, cause you're never tired, I know you think of me, when you think of me.
12:38Did we forget another amazing band from the last 10 years?
12:41Let us know in the comments below.
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