# What is the best rock album of the 2000s?

> The garage rock revival, post-punk renaissance, and indie boom all happened in one decade — alongside the mainstream's last great arena rock moments. Which 2000s album deserves the crown?

*By YPB Team · Published April 17, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-rock-album-of-the-2000s*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Is This It**
   The Strokes' 2001 debut album that launched the garage rock revival and became one of the most influential albums of the decade.
2. **Kid A**
   Radiohead's 2000 electronic and experimental departure, a bold reinvention that split fans and fascinated critics.
3. **Songs for the Deaf**
   Queens of the Stone Age's 2002 concept album simulating a desert radio road trip, featuring Dave Grohl's explosive drumming.
4. **Funeral**
   Arcade Fire's 2004 debut, a communal, anthemic indie rock album that became one of the most acclaimed debuts of the 2000s.
5. **Whatever People Say I Am**
   Arctic Monkeys' 2006 debut, the fastest-selling debut album in UK history, chronicling Sheffield nightlife with sharp wit.
6. **Elephant**
   The White Stripes' 2003 raw rock album featuring Seven Nation Army, one of the most recognizable riffs of the era.
7. **A Rush of Blood to the Head**
   Coldplay's 2002 breakthrough balancing alternative rock grandeur with melancholy piano pop, cementing the band's global rise.
8. **Turn on the Bright Lights**
   Interpol's 2002 debut channeling post-punk and Joy Division into a cinematic, noir-inflected New York rock sound.
9. **Yankee Hotel Foxtrot**
   Wilco's 2002 album fusing alt-country with noise and electronics after a notorious label dispute, a critics' darling.
10. **Hot Fuss**
   The Killers' 2004 debut blending post-punk synth-rock with new wave influences and anthemic hooks that filled arenas.
11. **The Black Parade**
   My Chemical Romance's 2006 emo concept album following a dying cancer patient, a theatrical rock opera with massive commercial success.
12. **Stadium Arcadium**
   Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2006 double album showcasing John Frusciante's guitar mastery across a sprawling 28-track collection.
13. **Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots**
   The Flaming Lips' 2002 conceptual indie rock album blending psychedelia, electronic sounds, and warm optimistic songwriting.
14. **Franz Ferdinand**
   Franz Ferdinand's 2004 debut mixing post-punk, new wave, and art rock into a dance-floor-ready indie rock sensation.
15. **Transatlanticism**
   Death Cab for Cutie's 2003 sprawling indie rock album that became the essential soundtrack for a generation of introspective listeners.

Tags: 2000s, music, rock