Rolling Stone reveals their top rock songs of the 21st century.

1. “Maps” - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2. “Seven Nation Army” - The White Stripes

3. “Mr. Brightside” - The Killers

4. “good 4 u” - Olivia Rodrigo

5. “The National Anthem” - Radiohead

6. “I Know The End” - Phoebe Bridgers

7. “Last Nite” - The Strokes

8. “99 Problems” - Jay-Z

9. “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” - Arctic Monkeys

10. “Impossible Germany” - Wilco

Wonder how many of these would qualify for rock by OCC...

'Maps'

Interesting to see '99 Problems' in this classification, although it is a classic.

7 minutes ago, Sour Candy said:

Rolling Stone reveals their top rock songs of the 21st century.

1. “Maps” - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2. “Seven Nation Army” - The White Stripes

3. “Mr. Brightside” - The Killers

4. “good 4 u” - Olivia Rodrigo

5. “The National Anthem” - Radiohead

6. “I Know The End” - Phoebe Bridgers

7. “Last Nite” - The Strokes

8. “99 Problems” - Jay-Z

9. “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” - Arctic Monkeys

10. “Impossible Germany” - Wilco

Wonder how many of these would qualify for rock by OCC...

based on whether the tracks (or their parent albums for songs which didn't chart) charted on the OCC's rock charts, only Phoebe Bridgers is considered rock by the OCC...

2 hours ago, jimwatts said:

'Maps'

Interesting to see '99 Problems' in this classification, although it is a classic.

On a lot of these type of lists I've noticed that they will usually include some "WTF" entries to cause controversy, get people talking, get media coverage, etc.

I like Maps because I have it to thank for Meet Me Halfway by the Black Eyes Peas. It samples the guitar from Maps. Also according to Fergie the lyrics were inspired by Borderline by Madonna, and the instrumental and melody are almost the same as Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, but it all comes together to make an amazing pop song!

2 minutes ago, Eric_Blob said:

I like Maps because I have it to thank for Meet Me Halfway by the Black Eyes Peas. It samples the guitar from Maps. Also according to Fergie the lyrics were inspired by Borderline by Madonna, and the instrumental and melody are almost the same as Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, but it all comes together to make an amazing pop song!

‘Maps’ is also heavily influential on Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’! Always happy to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs getting some recognition.

'Maps' is definitely up there with the best songs of the century.

(Although it was also responsible for Beyoncé's 'Hold Up' so that's a mark against it x)

Just now, Brélican said:

'Maps' is definitely up there with the best songs of the century.

(Although it was also responsible for Beyoncé's 'Hold Up' so that's a mark against it x)

...will have to agree to disagree on that one, I'd say that's a mark for it for me personally x

Edited October 28Oct 28 by maggotsforbrains

8 hours ago, maggotsforbrains said:

based on whether the tracks (or their parent albums for songs which didn't chart) charted on the OCC's rock charts, only Phoebe Bridgers is considered rock by the OCC...

That is hilarious as I would have said her song, Olivia and Jay Z were not rock! Maps though, a classic Im surprised hasn’t had a resurgence in the TikTok era

Edited October 28Oct 28 by Paramore

2 minutes ago, Paramore said:

That is hilarious as I would have said her song, Olivia and Jay Z were not rock! Maps though, a classic Im surprised hasn’t had a resurgence in the TikTok era

tbf I'd class all ten as rock under its broader definition that incorporates "alternative" as well - that Phoebe song falls under that "alternative" umbrella and I'd definitely class good 4 u as rock given Misery Business is a rock song too. 99 Problems is rap-rock so I'd say it counts as well imo

Edited October 28Oct 28 by maggotsforbrains

2 hours ago, maggotsforbrains said:

tbf I'd class all ten as rock under its broader definition that incorporates "alternative" as well - that Phoebe song falls under that "alternative" umbrella and I'd definitely class good 4 u as rock given Misery Business is a rock song too. 99 Problems is rap-rock so I'd say it counts as well imo

Good 4 U is rock inspired pop

99 problems I can let slide but as Rolling Stone themselves acknowledged, it’s controversial

All too well by Taylor Swift at 33 is probably the most egregious

Just now, Paramore said:

All too well by Taylor Swift at 33 is probably the most egregious

Rob Sheffield was one of the contributors so you know he had to shoehorn Taylor and Harry Styles (with Kiwi) onto the list 🤣 (for context, he's effectively their resident Taylor swift stan known for such antics as awarding basically everything she releases an "Instant Classic - 5/5" rating)

Now split into its own topic!

I wish there was just a full text list of the top 200 as their website is dreadful on mobile 😂

The discussion on Youtube about the list is very interesting and I took away a few things about it

• Olivia was put at number 4 because they wanted a recent hit to say 'rock isn't dead'

• They included a lot of singer songwriter Indie because of the decline of traditional rock

• They saw the big hitters of 00s rock as being childish and didn't really want to talk about them eg MCR, Paramore, Fallout Boy

• They referred to early 00s Nu Metal as 'noise' which explains In The End all the way down at 103 and no showing for Numb

• They wanted it to be one song per artist except for some notable people. eg they REALLY like Jack White.

• In some cases you can see they are not fans of the band but feel they need to be there, they decided not to put the most popular song but the heaviest (probably to offset their singer songwriter indie darlings) We can see this with Incubus being Circles and not Wish You Were Here

The Top 10 makes perfect sense who you consider the dates.

8 of the 10 are from the 00s.

2 are from the 20s and 2 of the more controversial entries at that.

They seem to know that the peak of 20th century rock is the 00s but couldn't have a list of 'the past' and so made a concerted effort to include recency bias for narrative.

Taylor Swift's inclusion goes unexplained

Edited October 29Oct 29 by Paramore

51 minutes ago, WhoOdyssey said:

I wish there was just a full text list of the top 200 as their website is dreadful on mobile 😂

managed to find the full top 200, formatted as plaintext - I split it into #200-#101 and #100-#11 for ease of reading:

(their website's almost as dreadful as the list x)

#200 to #101 - "The 200 Greatest Rock Songs of the 21st Century So Far" (According to Rolling Stone)

#200: Yellowcard, ‘Ocean Avenue' (2003)

#199: Noah Kahan, ‘American Cars’ (2026)

#198: Speedy Ortiz, ‘The Graduates’ (2015)

#197: Mogwai, ‘2 Rights Make 1 Wrong’ (2001)

#196: Incubus, ‘Circles’ (2001)

#195: The Mountain Goats, ‘This Year’ (2005)

#194: Old 97’s, ‘Rollerskate Skinny’ (2001)

#193: Momma, ‘Speeding 72’ (2022)

#192: Juanes, ‘Es Por Ti’ (2002)

#191: Wolf Parade, ‘I’ll Believe in Anything’ (2005)

#190: Alex G, ‘After Ur Gone’ (2014)

#189: Baroness, ‘Isak’ (2007)

#188: The Raconteurs, ‘Steady, As She Goes’ (2006)

#187: Slipknot, ‘People = Sh*t’ (2001)

#186: Tame Impala, ‘Elephant’ (2012)

#185: Velvet Revolver, ‘Slither’ (2004)

#184: Mudcrutch, ‘Crystal River’ (2008)

#183: Bombino, ‘Amidinine’ (2013)

#182: Avril Lavigne, ‘My Happy Ending’ (2004)

#181: YUNGBLUD, ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’ (2025)

#180: Downtown Boys, ‘Monstro’ (2015)

#179: Moses Sumney, ‘Virile’ (2019)

#178: Sleigh Bells, ‘Rill Rill’ (2010)

#177: Alejandro Escovedo, ‘Castanets’ (2001)

#176: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, ‘Rattlesnake’ (2017)

#175: The Red Clay Strays, Wondering Why (2022)

#174: Future Islands, ‘Seasons (Waiting on You)’ (2014)

#173: Blondshell, ‘Salad’ (2023)

#172: The Monkees, ‘Me and Magdalena’ (2016)

#171: Mdou Moctar, ‘Afrique Victime’ (2021)

#170: Sum 41, ‘Fat Lip’ (2001)

#169: The Rolling Stones, ‘Whole Wide World’ (2023)

#168: Electric Six, ‘Danger! High Voltage’ (2002)

#167: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, ‘Cumberland Gap’ (2017)

#166: At the Drive-In, ‘Arcarsenal’ (2000)

#165: Louis XIV, ‘Finding Out True Love Is Blind’ (2005)

#164: Deerhunter, ‘Desire Lines’ (2010)

#163: Sturgill Simpson, ‘Call to Arms’ (2016)

#162: Ought, ‘Beautiful Blue Sky’ (2015)

#161: Metallica, ‘Spit Out the Bone’ (2016)

#160: Water From Your Eyes, ‘Barley’ (2023)

#159: The Shins, ‘Caring Is Creepy’ (2001)

#158: Gossip, ‘Standing in the Way of Control’ (2006)

#157: Hop Along, ‘The Knock’ (2015)

#156: Prince, ‘Guitar’ (2007)

#155: Sky Ferreira, ‘You’re Not the One’ (2013) ❤️

#154: Boris with Michio Kurihara, ‘Rainbow’ (2007)

#153: Foo Fighters, ‘Best of You’ (2005)

#152: Jet, ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ (2003)

#151: Kurt Vile, ‘Pretty Pimpin’ (2015)

#150: Bleachers, 'Jesus Is Dead' (2024)

#149: Meshuggah, ‘Bleed’ (2008)

#148: Yo La Tengo, ‘Cherry Chapstick’ (2000)

#147: The Libertines, ‘Don’t Look Back Into the Sun’ (2003)

#146: Lou Reed, ‘Big Sky’ (2000)

#145: Songs: Ohia, ‘Farewell Transmission’ (2003) ❤️

#144: Wolfmother, ‘Joker & the Thief’ (2005)

#143: Snail Mail, ‘Heat Wave’ (2018)

#142: Low Cut Connie, ‘Revolution Rock n Roll’ (2017)

#141: Soccer Mommy, ‘Circle the Drain’ (2020)

#140: Arch Enemy, ‘We Will Rise’ (2003)

#139: Neil Young and Crazy Horse, ‘Ramada Inn’ (2012)

#138: The Strokes, ‘Reptilia’ (2003)

#137: Big Thief, ‘Not’ (2019)

#136: The Stratford 4, ‘Telephone’ (2003)

#135: The Killers, ‘Read My Mind’ (2006)

#134: Rush, ‘Headlong Flight’ (2012)

#133: Kings of Leon, ‘The Bucket’ (2004)

#132: Japandroids, ‘The Nights of Wine and Roses’ (2012)

#131: Muse, ‘Uprising’ (2009)

#130: Harry Styles, ‘Kiwi’ (2017) 😭

#129: Sonic Youth, ‘Incinerate’ (2006)

#128: Gary Clark Jr., ‘Bright Lights’ (2011)

#127: Audioslave, ‘Like a Stone’ (2002)

#126: Spoon, ‘The Way We Get By’ (2002)

#125: Gojira, ‘Flying Whales’ (2005)

#124: John Mayer, ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room’ (2006)

#123: Taking Back Sunday, ‘You’re So Last Summer’ (2002)

#122: Paul McCartney, ‘Fine Line’ (2005)

#121: My Chemical Romance, ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’ (2004)

#120: Benjamin Booker, ‘Violent Shiver’ (2014)

#119: Cameron Winter, ‘Love Takes Miles’ (2024)

#118: Silversun Pickups, ‘Lazy Eye’ (2006)

#117: Nine Inch Nails, ‘The Hand That Feeds’ (2005)

#116: WILLOW feat. Travis Barker, ‘t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l’ (2021)

#115: Gaslight Anthem, ‘The ’59 Sound’ (2008)

#114: Pearl Jam, ‘Got Some’ (2009)

#113: Elliott Smith, “L.A.” (2000)

#112: Brandi Carlile, ‘The Story’ (2007)

#111: The Darkness, ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’ (2003)

#110: Bob Dylan, ‘Key West (Philosopher Pirate)’ (2020)

#109: Black Sabbath, ‘God Is Dead?’ (2013)

#108: The Vines, ‘Get Free’ (2002)

#107: boygenius, ‘Stay Down’ (2018)

#106: Bartees Strange, ‘Boomer’ (2020)

#105: Death Cab For Cutie, ‘Transatlanticism’ (2003)

#104: The White Stripes, ‘Ball and Biscuit’ (2003)

#103: LINKIN PARK, ‘In the End’ (2000)

#102: The National, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ (2010)

#101: The Roots feat. Cody Chesnutt, ‘The Seed (2.0)’ (2003)

#100 to #11 - "The 200 Greatest Rock Songs of the 21st Century So Far" (According to Rolling Stone)

#100: The 1975, ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’ (2018)

#99: Drive-By Truckers, ‘Marry Me’ (2003)

#98: Natalia Lafourcade, ‘En el 2000’ (2002)

#97: Japanese Breakfast, ‘Be Sweet’ (2021)

#96: Doves, ‘Black and White Town’ (2005)

#95: R.E.M., ‘Imitation of Life’ (2000)

#94: Opeth, ‘Deliverance’ (2002)

#93: Fiona Apple, ‘Horns of a Bull’ (2026)

#92: Green Day, ‘Holiday’ (2004)

#91: Tool, ‘The Grudge’ (2001)

#90: Against Me!, ‘Transgender Dysphoria Blues’ (2014)

#89: Stephen Malkmus, ‘Real Emotional Trash’ (2008)

#88: Arctic Monkeys, ‘R U Mine’ (2011)

#87: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, ‘Jubilee Street’ (2013)

#86: Black Keys, ‘Lonely Boy’ (2011)

#85: Evanescence, ‘Bring Me to Life’ (2003)

#84: Wet Leg, ‘Chaise Longue’ (2022)

#83: Radiohead, ‘There, There’ (2005)

#82: Lady Gaga, ‘Yoü and I’ (2011)

#81: Interpol, ‘PDA’ (2002)

#80: Maná, ‘Mariposa Traicionera’ (2002)

#79: The War on Drugs, ‘Red Eyes’ (2014)

#78: Jesu, ‘Star’ (2006)

#77: Mannequin Pussy, ‘Drunk II’ (2019)

#76: Kaiser Chiefs, ‘I Predict a Riot’ (2004)

#75: HAIM, ‘The Wire’ (2013)

#74: Turnstile, ‘Blackout’ (2021)

#73: Tyler Childers, ‘Eatin’ Big Time’ (2025)

#72: Wheatus, ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ (2000)

#71: Kelly Clarkson, ‘Since U Been Gone’ (2004)

#70: St. Vincent, ‘Marrow’ (2009)

#69: The Hold Steady, ‘Killer Parties’ (2004)

#68: Wednesday, ‘Chosen to Deserve’ (2023)

#67: Converge, ‘Concubine’ (2001)

#66: The Walkmen, ‘The Rat’ (2004)

#65: Fountains of Wayne, ‘Mexican Wine’ (2003)

#64: Car Seat Headrest, ‘Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales’ (2016) ❤️

#63: Café Tacvba, ‘Eres’ (2005)

#62: Bloc Party, ‘Banquet’ (2004)

#61: Fontaines D.C., ‘Starburster’ (2024)

#60: Mastodon, ‘Blood and Thunder’ (2004)

#59: D’Angelo and the Vanguard, ‘The Charade’ (2015)

#58: blink-182, ‘The Rock Show’ (2001)

#57: Parquet Courts, ‘Stoned and Starving’ (2012)

#56: Panic! At The Disco, ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’ (2005)

#55: Waxahatchee, ‘Never Been Wrong’ (2017)

#54: PJ Harvey, ‘This Is Love’ (2000)

#53: Alvvays, ‘Party Police’ (2014)

#52: My Morning Jacket, ‘Wordless Chorus’ (2005)

#51: Muse, ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ (2006)

#50: Red Hot Chili Peppers, ‘By the Way’ (2002)

#49: Weezer, ‘Hash Pipe’ (2001)

#48: The New Pornographers, ‘Letter From an Occupant’ (2000)

#47: Deftones, ‘Change (In the House of Flies)’ (2000)

#46: Beyoncé and Jack White, ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’ (2016)

#45: Alabama Shakes, ‘Hold On’ (2012)

#44: The Rapture, ‘House of Jealous Lovers’ (2003)

#43: Courtney Barnett, ‘Pedestrian at Best’ (2015)

#42: Vampire Weekend, ‘A-Punk’ (2008)

#41: OutKast, ‘B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad’ (2000)

#40: Slayer, ‘Disciple’ (2001)

#39: Phoenix, ‘1901’ (2009)

#38: Bob Dylan, ‘Honest With Me’ (2001)

#37: Arcade Fire, ‘Rebellion (Lies)’ (2004)

#36: Queens Of The Stone Age, ‘No One Knows’ (2002)

#35: MGMT, ‘Time to Pretend’ (2007)

#34: System Of A Down, ‘Chop Suey!’ (2001)

#33: Taylor Swift, ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version)’ (2021)

#32: Sleater-Kinney, ‘Entertain’ (2005)

#31: MJ Lenderman, ‘Hangover Game’ (2022)

#30: Broken Social Scene, ‘7/4 (Shoreline)’ (2005)

#29: Modest Mouse, ‘Float On’ (2004)

#28: Lana Del Rey, ‘Venice Bitch’ (2019)

#27: Bruce Springsteen, ‘The Rising’ (2002)

#26: The Hives, ‘Hate to Say I Told You So’ (2000)

#25: Jimmy Eat World, ‘The Middle’ (2001)

#24: Coldplay, ‘Yellow’ (2000)

#23: David Bowie, ‘[Blackstar]’ (2016)

#22: U2, ‘Beautiful Day’ (2000)

#21: Geese, ‘Getting Killed’ (2025)

#20: Fall Out Boy, ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ (2005)

#19: Mitski, ‘Your Best American Girl’ (2016) ❤️

#18: TV On The Radio, ‘Wolf Like Me’ (2006)

#17: LCD Soundsystem, ‘All My Friends’ (2007)

#16: My Chemical Romance, ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ (2006)

#15: Franz Ferdinand, ‘Take Me Out’ (2003)

#14: Rilo Kiley, ‘Portions for Foxes’ (2004)

#13: Lucy Dacus, ‘Night Shift’ (2018)

#12: Paramore, ‘That’s What You Get’ (2007)

#11: Foo Fighters, ‘Times Like These’ (2002)

(the top ten is already listed at the top of the topic)

Edited October 29Oct 29 by maggotsforbrains

I prefer other tracks by every one of those artists.

How did they decide OutKast is a rock band? that has been overshadowed by other things but it’s also strange.

It’s occurred to me that the women in this list, the songs, they are soft right? I’m not imagining it? What is the hardest song by a woman in this list? There is no Brody Dallle, no Melissa Auf Der Maur, maybe less surprisingly no Courtney Love.