When people think about the golden years of rock music, often they think about the latter half of the 20th century. Inevitably, the 1960s or 1970s come up. Or if you’re of a certain age, it’s the 1980s or 1990s. But don’t sleep on the 2000s—that was a great rock decade.
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Here below, we wanted to showcase three albums from the 2000s that we adore—a trio of records that we find ourselves returning to over and over again. Indeed, these are three self-titled alternative rock LPs from the 2000s we memorized.
‘Fleet Foxes’ by Fleet Foxes (2008)
Few bands sound like an actual season, which is why fans flipped their lids when the Fleet Foxes released their 2008 self-titled album and the record’s hit single “White Winter Hymnal” actually sounded like the music of the falling snow. The Pacific Northwest-born group remains a fan favorite with their delicate harmonies and their songs that sound like nostalgic pastoral paintings.
‘Audioslave’ by Audioslave (2002)
When Chris Cornell left the Seattle-born grunge group Soundgarden, fans of the big-voiced singer feared that they might not get to hear new tunes from the artist. But when rumors swirled that Cornell was working with the band from Rage Against The Machine—well, that was a game changer. Together the artists formed the group Audioslave and that band’s debut LP blew the doors and the roof off everything it encountered, beginning with the hefty single, “Like A Stone”. On it, Cornell and the band shine like a galaxy devoted to music.
‘Halestorm’ by Halestorm (2009)
It’s not always easy for a debut rock album to gain attention, but the Red Lion, Pennsylvania-born rock band Halestorm didn’t seem to have too much of a problem with that when they released their self-titled debut in 2009. That album included the hit “I Get Off” and it helped the LP reach No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200. The debut record also earned a gold certification from the RIAA. Since releasing their initial album, Halestorm has dropped five more LPs, including Everest in 2025.
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