The best bands of the 2000s
From emo icons to indie heroes and pop powerhouses, we’re counting down the best bands of the 2000s. These 2000s bands defined a generation, and they’re still packing out arenas and club nights today.
Date published: 3rd Mar 2026
The 2000s were chaotic in the best way. Baggy jeans, flip phones, The Sims and technology that looked like it had come from the future. We still bought CDs, but we were more likely to load them onto our tiny MP3 players and blast them wherever we went.
And the music? Unreal. Nu metal gave disaffected teenagers a voice, while the indie rock explosion provided an energetic alternative. If either of those didn’t take your fancy, pop groups still made hairbrush anthems and bands still flew the flag for traditional, riff-based rock music.
Like the ‘90s before it, the 2000s had something for everyone. From Linkin Park to the Sugababes, here are the best bands of the 2000s.
nu metal
Linkin Park
Image: Linkin Park / Facebook.com
We had to kick off the list with Linkin Park. If you were lucky enough to spend your childhood hopping through the music channels on Sky, you’d likely come across tracks like ‘Numb’, ‘Breaking The Habit’, ‘Crawling’ and ‘Faint’ pretty regularly. A collage of rap, rock and electronica, the beats were textured and the lyrics, which dealt with feelings of depression and alienation, won them fans in the UK and around the world. Stick on ‘Numb’, listen to those opening notes, and tell us they aren’t one of the best 2000s bands ever to exist.
Limp Bizkit
Image: Limp Bizkit / Facebook.com
Vulgar and foul-mouthed, Limp Bizkit spooked parents and authority figures. But young people? They loved them. Tracks like ‘Rollin’ and ‘My Way’ had huge riffs, rap lyrics and importantly, tapped into the angsty feelings that pretty much every teenager goes through at some point. They crossed over into cultural zeitgeists like professional wrestling and sold out arenas across the globe, causing chaos everywhere they went.
System of a Down
Image: System of a Down / Facebook.com
System of a Down were the political metal band of the 2000s. Like Rage Against The Machine before them, Serj Tankian and co spoke openly about the issues closest to their hearts, educating a whole generation at the same time. Tracks like ‘Prison Song’ and ‘B.Y.O.B’ had the pro-human and anti-war messages, but featured intricate time signatures, expansive instrumentation and adventurous melody. They brought a breadth of musicality to the 2000s, but never lost sight of making their fans go absolutely wild.
Korn
Image: Korn / Facebook.com
By the 2000s, Korn were no longer the leaders of nu-metal and had lost key members like Brian ‘Head’ Welch. That didn’t stop them, though. 2002’s Untouchables sold over 490,000 copies in its first week, while 2005’s See You On The Other Side debuted and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200. They had heavy grooves, ballads and an industrial tinge, with fans continuing to flock to the record shops and venues to see them strut their stuff.
Slipknot
Image: Slipknot / Facebook.com
Slipknot had the lot: masks, boiler suits, codenames and, of course, massive tunes. It meant that fans could buy into something more than the music, and it wasn’t uncommon to see the cohort of Slipknot fans in your town or city in the 2000s. Tracks like ‘Duality’ balanced a heavy sound with anthemic choruses, meaning you could be headbanging one minute and screaming along to the hook the next. The bangers kept on coming throughout the decade, too, as All Hope Is Gone was the band’s first record to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2008.
pop punk / emo
Green Day
Image: Green Day / Facebook.com
Green Day defined an era with American Idiot in 2004. A punk rock opera in every sense of the word, it had 9-minute multi-part epics in ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ and ‘Homecoming’. For most bands, that would be enough. But not Green Day. They packed in political anthems like ‘American Idiot’ and ‘Holiday’, even finding the time to include ballads like ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’. As a whole, American Idiot proved Green Day could make the jump from pop-punk upstarts to genuine arena tour mainstays, with the songs living on throughout the era and beyond.
My Chemical Romance
Image: My Chemical Romance / Facebook.com
Emo was huge in the 2000s, and My Chemical Romance were at the forefront. A large part of their impact was down to The Black Parade, which cemented the band as one of the premier rock bands of the day. It came with a sense of theatricality, felt not only in the lyrics, but also in the live shows and high-concept videos. Plus, they even managed to wind up the national newspapers, who went as far as to say that the band and their fans were a ‘cult of self-harm’. Suddenly, emo wasn’t underground, and fans had a band to get behind.
Paramore
Image: Paramore / Facebook.com
We reckon 'Misery Business' has been played at countless emo and pop-punk club nights throughout the country over the years. Bursting into the mainstream with Riot! in 2007, Paramore had hooks, choruses, riffs and in Hayley Williams, a singer with a vocal range to rival the best. As the decade continued, the band grew, fine-tuning their sound and delivering more mature themes. Eventually, they’d go on to become bona fide festival headliners, but their 2000s output captures the care-free, fun factor that great pop-punk does so well.
Fall Out Boy
Image: Fall Out Boy / Facebook.com
Remember seeing ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’, ‘Dance, Dance’ and ‘Thanks fr th Mmrs’ in constant rotation on the music channels? We do. Fall Out Boy were mainstays of the pop-punk scene in the 2000s, and thanks to bassist and lead songwriter Pete Wentz, had a penchant for big, singalong choruses and lyrics that tapped into a sense of dissatisfaction. It wouldn’t be pop punk without a load of melody, either. Fall Out Boy tunes had that in abundance, and audiences resonated with them so much thanks to the relatable anecdotes found in the lyrics.
Sum 41
Image: Sum 41 / Facebook.com
Noel Gallagher may have called Sum 41 ‘the sh*ttest band ever’, but legions of teenagers in the 2000s would likely disagree. Hailing from Canada, the band had a few gears. ‘Fat Lip’ and ‘In Too Deep’ had the catchy pop-punk style, while ‘Pieces’ and ‘Still Waiting’ showed they could adopt a darker, more mature sound. This translated to commercial success. Sum 41 went on to sell over 15 million records worldwide in the early 2000s and was likely many a music fan’s first love.
alternative rock / metal
Deftones
Image: Deftones / Facebook.com
We’d use the words artistry and experimentation to describe Deftones. While they emerged on the scene in the mid-to-late 90s with Adrenaline and Around The Fur, they really picked up steam in the 2000s. White Pony, Deftones and Saturday Night Wrist were released across six years, pooling in trip-hop, math rock and shoegaze influences to create a metal sound that felt truly their own. They took risks, stretched the limits of their own creativity and asked the fans to come along. The fans responded with glee, creating a dedicated fanbase that has only grown as the years have gone by.
Muse
Image: Muse / Facebook.com
Muse brought loads of cracking riffs to the masses in the 2000s. Just listen to ‘Plug In Baby’, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ and ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ and tell us that you don’t agree. But loads of bands had riffs, so what set them apart? Two words: pomp and grandeur. Their lyrics were high-concept, often using themes of space and religion as metaphors and direct subject matter. Live, they upped the ante, with pyrotechnics and expansive stage production turning shows from gigs to spectacles. Not bad for three lads from Devon.
Biffy Clyro
Image: Biffy Clyro / Facebook.com
Biffy Clyro came into the 2000s as a dirgey rock band and left as a festival and arena mainstay. A large part of this is down to 2007’s Puzzles and 2009’s Only Revolutions, where they fine-tuned their loud-quiet, heavy sound into something a little more direct. They dialled up the melody, focused on a simpler approach to songwriting and ended up with catchy riffs and even catchier choruses. With tracks like ‘Who’s Got a Match?’, ‘That Golden Rule’ and ‘Many of Horror’, they were primed for the big leagues.
Evanescence
Image: Evanescence / Facebook.com
Alternative rock and metal have had their fair share of soaring singers and songwriters. Amy Lee, however, was on a different level. No matter whether it was a mosh-pit anthem like ‘Going Under’ or a heartfelt ballad like ‘My Immortal’, she was Evanescence’s ace in the hole, bringing an air of the operatic to the band’s chugging riffs. That flair saw legions of fans flock to the arenas, festival stages and record shops, captivated by the themes of grief, love, self-discovery and pain found in the lyrics.
indie rock
The Strokes
Image: The Strokes / Facebook.com
For those fed up with nu-metal’s angst, there was finally an alternative: The Strokes. Where those bands drawled, The Strokes swaggered through with tunes like ‘Last Nite’ and ‘New York City Cops’. They were fast, stripped back and primed for late nights spent jumping around with your mates after one too many pints. Throw in the leather jackets, skin-tight jeans and 70s punk energy, and it’s no wonder that fans and critics stuck to them. Is This It dropped in 2001, and suddenly, a new era was born. Bands in their orbit were signed to record deals, with indie music on the cusp of a boom. No best bands of the 2000s list would be complete without Julian Casablancas and co.
Interpol
Image: Interpol / Facebook.com
Sure, Interpol’s lead singer does sound a little like Ian Curtis, but the band are more than just Joy Division soundalikes. Their debut album, Turn on the Bright Lights, is atmospheric and macabre, almost like you’re staring down the deep opening of a cave. They also felt like the connoisseur’s choice. The Strokes had major label backing, but Interpol were signed to Matador, an independent label known for signing some of guitar music’s best. Ultimately, they gave the 2000s scene depth, providing many bands with a blueprint for success.
The Rapture
Image: The Rapture / Facebook.com
The New York scene wasn’t just jagged punk or dark guitars. Bands like The Rapture, inspired by disco and dance music, decided to go electronic. So, if you preferred funky basslines and mind-bending rhythms, ‘House of Jealous Lovers’ and ‘Echoes’ were the tracks to spin. It put the band in their own lane, and they built their own musical pocket with like-minded bands such as LCD Soundsystem. This is all without mentioning the bands that they went on to influence, too. Without them, it’s hard to see a lane for the likes of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand, and very unlikely that a generation of music fans would have their own dance-punk heroes to cut shapes to.
LCD Soundsystem
Image: LCD Soundsystem / Facebook.com
Speak to any 2000s indie obsessive, and they’ll tell you about LCD Soundsystem. They had the throbbing basslines and rave-inspired sounds – check ‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’ – for that. But frontman James Murphy had a knack for writing lyrics that were irreverent and absolutely dripping with wit. Combine the two, and you get a band that made you analyse the words just as much as they made crowds shake.
The Libertines
Image: The Libertines / Facebook.com
The UK didn’t have to look far for its own indie revival. The Libertines burst into public consciousness in the 2000s, delivering an iconic album in 2004’s The Libertines. The relationship between the band’s two leaders – Carl Barat and Peter Doherty – resulted in magical creativity, but tension and chaos were never far away. Addiction, no-shows, arguments and intense press scrutiny surrounded the band in a furore that the country arguably hadn’t seen since Oasis.
Franz Ferdinand
Image: Franz Ferdinand / Skiddle
The Guardian once dubbed Franz Ferdinand ‘rock’s coolest control freaks’. Not because they were making poor stage runners carry their equipment, but because they fine-tuned a watertight live show that got the whole venue bouncing. Formed in Glasgow in 2002, they burst into the charts with ‘Take Me Out’. A driving, guitar-led track with anthemic riffs and lyrics, it reached number 3 on the UK singles charts, with their debut album, Franz Ferdinand, released later in 2004. We reckon ‘Do You Want To’ has been blasted from the speakers of indie disco events hundreds, maybe even thousands of times.
Arctic Monkeys
Image: Arctic Monkeys / Facebook.com
Everyone remembers Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. It’s instantly recognisable, partly thanks to Alex Turner’s razor-sharp chronicling of the highs and lows of coming of age in the UK’s sticky-floored nightclubs. You had relatable stories, massive choruses, huge riffs and banging drum fills, which made pretty much every song impossible not to like. Arctic Monkeys went from strength to strength as the decade continued, releasing Favourite Worst Nightmare in 2007 and Humbug in 2009, the latter nodding to an evolution in sound that would put them on the path to being the band we know and love today.
Bloc Party
Image: Bloc Party / Facebook.com
Bloc Party were once described as ‘a band off University Challenge’ by Liam Gallagher. It’s a nasty dig, for sure. But in all honesty? It’s why Bloc Party were so good. Like all switched-on university students, they were never afraid of being earnest in their words, and it’s why tracks like ‘I Still Remember’ resonated so deeply with their fans. Plus, they had upbeat floorfillers like ‘Helicopter’ and ‘Flux’. 20 years on, artists still namecheck Bloc Party as an influence, so we think they won out in the end.
The Killers
Image: The Killers / Facebook.com
Ahh, ‘Mr Brightside’. You’ve sung it, we’ve sung it…everyone’s sung it. The track is, of course, by The Killers. They might have come from the 2000s indie rock wave, but thanks to their catchy choruses, ended up bringing the sound to arenas across the world. Fans from all over the globe flock to their shows, screaming the lyrics to ‘Somebody Told Me’, ‘When You Were Young’ and ‘Human’ with reckless abandon.
Arcade Fire
Image: Arcade Fire / Facebook.com
It’s no wonder fans were captivated by Arcade Fire. Alongside the usual guitars, bass and drums, they incorporated mandolins, accordions and organs, taking influence from the melody and weight of classical music. It gave tracks like ‘Wake Up’ depth and set the band apart from the other artists in the scene at the time. Where bands like The Strokes and The Killers brought anthems, Arcade Fire brought grandiosity.
MGMT
Image: MGMT / Skiddle.com
MGMT brought a psychedelic touch to the 2000s indie rock world. Tracks like ‘Electric Feel’ are bold and bright, laced with funky riffs and memorable lyrics. ‘Time To Pretend’, on the other hand, is a little more dramatic. It’s the type of track that feels tailor-made to be played as the end credits of a film roll out. Oh, and how could we forget ‘Kids’? One of MGMT’s biggest tracks, its opening riff is instantly recognisable. They managed to do in 3 tracks what some bands take to do in 3 albums, and their impact on popular culture is undeniable.
pop / r&b
Sugababes
Image: Sugababes / Facebook.com
With tracks like ‘Round Round’ and ‘Stronger’, Sugababes made some of the 2000s best pop music. But it was their ethos that set them apart from the rest. Take their cover of ‘Freak Like Me’, for example. It started life as a mash-up of the original and Gary Numan’s ‘Are Friends Electric’, becoming a hit on the underground. But the producer, Richard X, couldn’t release the track due to licensing issues. Mutya, Keisha and Heidi put their vocals to the track, and a hit was born. They weren’t afraid to try something different and were highly involved in the songwriting process of their biggest hits.
Girls Aloud
Image: Girls Aloud / Facebook.com
Yes, yes, we hear you: Girls Aloud are the product of a reality TV show. They’re manufactured pop and shouldn’t be anywhere near a list like this. But have you heard ‘Sound of the Underground?’ Taking cues from drum and bass music, it set the tone for the group, which pretty much dominated the charts in the 2000s. At one point, you couldn’t move for hearing a Girls Aloud song. They sold over 4 million records in the UK during the decade, racked up 4 number one singles and had a record-breaking 20 consecutive top 10 singles.
Destiny’s Child
Image: Destiny's Child / Facebook.com
Before Beyoncé was a global megastar, she was one-third of Destiny’s Child alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. The trio’s second album, Survivor, was released in 2001, and it was here that Beyoncé took on greater prominence, co-writing and producing nearly the entire album. Survivor produced 3 of Destiny’s Child’s best tracks, ‘Survivor’, 'Independent Woman, Part I’ and ‘Bootylicious’. After touring the album, the trio went their separate ways, returning for their final album, Destiny Fulfilled, in 2004. A powerhouse of a group, they made pioneering contributions to r&b, and still blow the roof off when they reunite at Beyoncé’s world tours.
rock
Nickelback
Image: Nickelback / Facebook.com
We reckon Nickelback might just be the most memed band ever. But aside from the jokes, they do have some bops, and the commercial pedigree to back it up. ‘How You Remind Me’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Someday’, ‘Rockstar’, we could go on. Throw in over 50 million album sales worldwide, and you’ve got one of the most successful 2000s bands. But what keeps people buying, streaming and turning up to the shows? We reckon it’s the easy listening aspect. Like them or not, Nickelback choruses are written to stick in your head. The themes are relatable, the stories are about love, nostalgia and loss. Who wouldn’t gravitate to such universal themes?
Queens of the Stone Age
Image: Queens of the Stone Age / Facebook.com
The indie boom was at its peak in the 2000s. But Queens of the Stone Age? They flew the flag for heavy riffs and uncompromising rock music. Tracks like ‘No One Knows’, ‘Go With The Flow’ and ‘3’s & 7’s’ are full of distortion and dirt, but the band had another string to their bow, too. ‘Make It Wit Chu’ and ‘Skin on Skin’ showed they could do love and lust. Queens of the Stone Age are a band designed to be played loud.
Kings of Leon
Image: Kings of Leon / Facebook.com
Pre ‘Sex on Fire’, Kings of Leon were a rough and tumble rock band with a low-fi feel, ‘Molly’s Chambers’ and ‘Four Kicks’ sounded like they’d be at home in a bluesy dive bar. However, Only by the Night arrived in 2008, and everything changed. Kings of Leon were catapulted right to the top of the pile, scooping up awards left, right and centre and playing songs like ‘Use Somebody’ to packed out arenas.
Foo Fighters
Image: Foo Fighters / Facebook.com
For Foo Fighters, the 2000s were all about staying power. They’d broken through in the 90s, but could they go the extra mile? Could they crack the arenas and stadiums? The answer was an obvious yes. They scooped up loads of Grammy Awards and ticked off two nights at Wembley Stadium in 2008. Along the way, they released ‘One By One’, ‘Times Like These’, ‘Best of You’ and ‘The Pretender’ – all of which became certified anthems. By the time the 2000s ended, they were a band that could do rock anthems, heartfelt ballads and leave a stadium’s worth of people in absolute awe.
The White Stripes
Image: The White Stripes / Facebook.com
The White Stripes’ first two albums – The White Stripes and De Stijl – saw success, but 2003’s Elephant was a different story. It’s the album that featured ‘Seven Nation Army’, receiving glowing reviews across the board and cementing Jack and Meg White as key players in the 2000s rock scene. For a band consisting of two people, The White Stripes had a talent for making a blistering amount of noise. And we can’t forget the riffs. Seven Nation Army’s opening gambit is instantly recognisable, a highlight of the band’s gigs.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Image: Red Hot Chili Peppers / Skiddle.com
After storming the ‘90s, the Red Hot Chili Peppers saw even more success in the 2000s. Singles like ‘By The Way’, ‘The Zephyr Song’, ‘Can’t Stop’ and ‘Dani California’ helped them continue to dominate the airwaves and embark on massive stadium tours. The band ticked off 3 nights at Hyde Park and their 2006 album Stadium Arcadium picked up a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.
Coldplay
Image: Coldplay / Facebook.com
Coldplay have had their fair share of pelters from the music press, but their hit-making ability is clear. Tracks like ‘Yellow’ showed Chris Martin and co’s penchant for a belting chorus, and by the mid-2000s, they were ready for the stadiums. Their longevity, visibility and talent make them one of the best bands of the decade. Because, after all, you’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard ‘Viva La Vida’ and ‘Fix You’.
The 2000s gave us riffs, eyeliner, hairbrush anthems and choruses that still fill dancefloors to this day. Whether you were blasting nu metal through tinny headphones, living for indie discos or screaming every word of ‘Mr Brightside’ in a packed venue, these 2000s bands shaped a generation.
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