If you are a late member of the Millennial generation or an early member of Generation Z, then you are familiar with the nostalgic pleasures of the early 2000s. Nintendo, Pokémon, malls, and, believe it or not, playing outside are just a few of the pastimes the youth of the early 2000s indulged in. And well, what was playing in the background was most likely either Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, or some garage rock band.
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While pop was still the utterly dominant genre of the 2000s turn of the century, garage rock accomplished something pop arguably didn’t: Capture the essence of the years encompassing the turn. So, to take you back to the nostalgic turn of the century, here are three garage rock classics from the early 2000s.
“Someday” by The Strokes
Summer’s end and the start of class are what I think of when listening to The Strokes‘ “Someday”. Ironically, the song’s meaning somewhat coexists with the purpose of this article. And that is to bring the nostalgia of the past to the forefront of the present.
The intangible elements and the memories that reside in them are what make this Strokes staple a time capsule full of flip phones, cargo pants, and the first-gen Apple iPod. If you are of the right age, then you surely have a memory attached to this early 2000s memento.
“We’re Going To Be Friends” by The White Stripes
The White Stripes‘ 2002 promotional garage rock single “We’re Going To Be Friends” is supple and sweet and sends sound waves of comfort to those who grew up listening to it. Whether it was in the front seat of your own car or in the back seat of your mother’s doesn’t matter, as this staple reached all ages.
Regardless of where you heard this song, if you grew up in the early 2000s, then you have its sentimental weight somewhere inside you. Elementary love and the unknowingness of romance are mere parts of what make this timeless.
“Last Nite” by The Strokes
Alright, maybe personal taste is bleeding into our selection. But we are surely not wrong in thinking that garage rock outfit The Strokes were an integral part of the masses’ early 2000s upbringing. Nonetheless, “Last Nite” is just another single sonically articulating the sentiments, themes, and energy of the turn of the century.
If you were a high schooler when this came out, then it was a celebratory anthem praising the playfulness you might have indulged in. If you weren’t in high school and too young to understand it, then it was a catchy single you heard everywhere. In essence, this is the essence of the turn of the century.
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