The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of the 21st Century... Thus Far
We were doomscrolling over at Facebook and this post came up:
As always, woke Rolling Stone has failed their readers with yet another tone deaf list. How so? They made their list with their eyes, trying to move the needle with their "Rock as a Big Tent" Philosophy, plucking out obscure fare and pop hits and calling them Rock based on what artists looked like.
We made our list with our ears, with Rock, Alternative, Metal and Pop-Punk in the spirit of Rock from the 20th century. From Jay Z to Taylor Swift, Rolling Stone tried to change the definition of Rock, whereas we focused on the gray areas in the subgenres of Rock.
(100) CNR by Weird Al Yankovic (2011)
A straight-on parody of the style of Jack White... with biting wit and monster riffs.
John Wright's post-Nomeansno project is where rock meets punk.
Surprisingly, Paramore has had a half dozen MORE popular singles in America.
Sadly, it was.
No matter what era, Against Me had a rock sound with a punk DIY work ethic.
Bob Mould is one of the greatest American Songwriters in this nation's history.
The song was complimented by a Peter Gabriel-Style music video.
(93) Get Free by the Vines (2002)
They were rock's next big thing....then they weren't.
They were rock's next big thing.... for East Coast Hipsters.
(91) Hate to Say I Told You So by the Hives (2000)
They were rock's next big thing.....in Sweden.
Not very many Scottish bands on the list.
I begrudgingly gave my sister one vote.
(88) The Hell Song - Sum 41 (2002)
Sum 41 gets points for partying like rock stars.
Purely a guilty pleasure.
(86) Holiday by Green Day (2004)
Gilman Street Green Day was pure punk.
2000-forward Green Day was just another rock/alternative band.
When metalcore tries to be accessible.
My kid's band does a kick-ass cover version of this song.
They were so close to mainstream success, it just didn't happen.
(82) Savior by Rise Against (2008)
Coincidentally, I learned this week that the lead guitarist of Rise Against cut his chops in GWAR.
(81) The Rat by the Walkmen (2004)
The Rat is timeless.
As catchy as catchy gets.
(79) Here to Stay by Korn (2002)
The last time Korn was great.
Rock in the tradition of Queen.
(77) Rockstar by Nickleback (2006)
I mean, c'mon, the song is called Rockstar and everyone knows it.
Did anyone ever figure out who killed the Zutons?
Technically from Canada, Tokyo Police Truck were a victim of the dreaded "cumulative life choices" that have felled many marginally successful rock-centered acts.
(74) Black Mass by Creeper (2016)
Creeper is weirdly captivating.
(73) Headstrong by Trapt (2002)
Headstrong was a number one hit on multiple US Billboard Charts.
Such soft, hypnotical vocals.
(71) Into the Night by Death by Unga Bunga (2017)
One of the best rock videos you're ever going to see.
If this was released in the 70's, it would have been one of the biggest hits of the decade.
Over a BILLION and a half views on YouTube.
The pride of Oswego State in New York.
(67) The Only by Static-X (2003)
Whenever Static X is brought up, Matt Zane is sure to follow. (Google it.)
Anberlin skirted controversy...by possibly being a Christian Band?
Can't Kiera Knightley force a reunion?
One of the few agreements with Rolling Stone.
(63) Devoid of Redemption by Pallbearer (2012)
Existing on the same plane as Black Sabbath.
Many consider this the pop punk theme of the "Aughts."
(61) Bohemian Like You by the Dandy Warhols (2000)
The Dandies just dripped of retro rock.
Neither light rock nor death metal, the EODM were simply gritty rock and roll.
(59) Typical by Mutemath (2006)
An a-typical song AND video.
(58) Die Like a Motherfucker (2004)
The line between punk anthem and rock anthem.
I wondered whatever happened to the Fatal Flying Guilloteens and AI replied: "Like many cult-favorite underground acts of the post-millennial garage rock era, they simply drifted apart as members moved on with their lives after over a decade of volatile touring, raucous live shows."
(56) A Million Ways by OK Go (2005)
Before the treadmills, OK Go struggled mightily. This was their first brush with success.
Are Gareth Liddiard's Drones dead? Not necessarily.
Favorite Lyric? No, no, no, no, no....
The pride of Akron...until they became big Rock Stars and got the hell out of dodge.
Tomahawk is one of Mike Patton's many hats.
(51) Man Behind the Curtain by Valient Thorr (2005)
Valient Thorr are like rock and roll Neanderthals.
Cage the Elephant is currently touting their upcoming album Dying in Reverse (2027).
Sadly, the Thermals reformed without Kathy Foster, but as a Hutch Harris solo project.
Sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
(47) Last Resort by Papa Roach (2000)
Papa Roach parlayed this single into 9 more studio albums.
(46) Woman by Wolfmother (2004)
Ripped from the 70's....or the 90's.
Yes, the song is Modern Drummer, but the guitars are vocals are just as memorable.
(44) Blodtorst by Kvelertak (2013)
Apparently Blodtorst is the Swedish word for the English concept of Bloodthirst. From the Norwegian band Kvelertak. (Many strokes and slashes missing in those 2 sentances.)
A side project more successful than most primary projects.
Punk/noise purveyors from the shadow of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
(41) Girl All the Bad Guys Want by Bowling for Soup (2002)
(40) God Knows by Mando Diao (2004)
The Mando Diao sound reaches back to the very genesis of the rock genre itself.
Hopefully the surviving members figure it out and pull it back together.
A nice midwestern punk band with rock solos.
Will never understand how this song didn't garner a larger following.
No finer noise rock artist that's still touring.
(35) The Pot by Tool (2006)
Maynard is now fronting 3 rock bands: Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer.
(34) Level by the Raconteurs (2006)
Everything Jack White touches turns to gold.
Faith No More is back.....tentatively.
Arguably the saddest rock song you're ever going to hear.
(31) Bat Country by Avenged Sevenfold (2005)
Addiction in rock form.
Either Rammstein or the Scorpions are the greatest rock band in German history.
Not exactly clear WHERE Pop Levi belongs.
An underrated independent artist that passed too soon.
Pop sensibilities with rock content.
Makin' the TSOL guys proud.
(25) Dig by Mudvayne (2000)
Brbr deng, brbr deng....
Isaac Brock has quietly guided an indie-rock juggernaut.
(23) Eclipse by Arenna (2011)
Almost 12 minutes of glorious post-metal
(22) Evil by Interpol (2004)
One of the worst videos attached to a great song.
(21) 50,000 Unstoppable Watts by Clutch (2009)
Rock is the music of rebellion and there is no clearer example than this contemporary song.
(20) Teenagers by My Chemical Romance (2006)
That guitar solo that drops in the middle of the song is straight-up rock badassery.
(19) Fuck This Place by GWAR (2017)
Other than that huge f-bomb up front, the most accessible GWAR single.
(18) Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues by mclusky (2002)
Mclusky is back and touring.
(17) Heathens by twentyonepilots (2016)
Twentyonepilots have been hard to categorize since their inception.
(16) Demon to Lean On by Wavves (2013)
Their new album (Cherry Soda) is coming out next week.
(15) Black Hole by Puppy (2018)
Working class, top rock blokes.
(14) Goliath by Mars Volta (2008)
Prog rock masters.
(13) Robot Stop by King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard (2016)
King Gizzard would have been household names...in a different era.
(12) Sun Doesn't Rise by Mushroomhead (2003)
The underrated Mushroomhead were doomed by constant personnel changes.
(11) Duality by Slipknot (2004)
"Jesus it never ends....."
(10) Neighborhood # 3 (Power Out) by the Arcade Fire (2004)
The Arcade Fire had college radio hit after college radio hit...before they got cancelled.
(9) All Saints Day by ....Trail of Dead (2003)
And They Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead never had a hit single, but had a dozen great albums and EPs.
(8) Marrow by Yob (2014)
Arguably the most beautiful metal song of all time.
(7) Lake Michigan by Rogue Wave (2007)
Lake Michigan sounds as if it was plucked from the 1960's.
(6) In the Fade by Queens of the Stone Age (2000)
Because Mark Lanegan was just the guest singer, In the Fade wasn't even released as a single, but was found as a deep cut on many musical streaming services.
(5) Civilized Worm by the Melvins (2006)
The closest the Melvins came to being accessible.
(4) I Believe in a Thing Called Love by The Darkness (2003)
Pure classic rock fun. In the U.S., the Darkness were one-hit wonders. In England, they had a half dozen Top 10 singles.
(3) Black Summer by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (2022)
The best rock song of the last decade.
(2) The Pretender by the Foo Fighters (2007)
The Foos will go down as the greatest rock band of their generation.
(1) Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes (2003)
America's current arena rock favorite.
*Full disclosure: I officially went deaf in 2025. So technically the list is from 2000-2025.
Sorry to Geese, Turnstile, and Yungblud.
Rolling Stone put Jay Z on their list, I was very, VERY tempted to put Diddy's It's All About the Benjamins (Shot-Caller Rock Remix) on our list.
I mean, if you think about it, Diddy was more sex, drugs, and rock and roll than half of the artists on the list. (And he played this song with Dave Grohl, Tommy Stinson, and Rob Zombie.)
You say it's too soon for levity? What about the "Free Diddy Movement"?
Rolling Stone has attempted to sand off rock's hard edges on list after list, while we prefer to revel in its filth.
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