The Top Rock Albums of the 2000s
Nat and Nicole Hardwick’s band Dramatic Sneezer in The Rock Star’s Wife series made its debut in 2000. This begs the question: What were the actual top rock albums of the 2000s?
The ranking below is based on album sales. To keep the bands consistent with The Rock Star’s Wife series, it includes only metal and hard rock bands. Greatest hits albums were excluded.
10. System Of A Down Toxicity
Toxicity was released in 2001 and has reached 7.9 million sales. It was System of a Down’s second album.
The album produced three singles: “Chop Suey!,” “Toxicity” and “Aerials.”
“Aerials” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Alternative Airplay charts.
9. Nickelback The Long Road
The Long Road was released in 2003 and has reached 8 million sales. It was Nickelback’s fourth album.
The album produced four singles: “Someday,” “Figured You Out,” “Feelin’ Way Too Damn Good” and “Because of You.”
“Figured You Out,” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
8. AC/DC Black Ice
Black Ice was released in 2008 and has reached 8 million sales. It was AC/DC’s 15th album.
The album produced four singles: “Rock ‘n’ Roll Train,” “Big Jack,” “Anything Goes” and “Money Made.”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Train” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
7. Nickelback Silver Side Up
Silver Side Up was released in 2001 and has reached 9.3 million sales. It was Nickelback’s third album.
The album produced three singles: “How You Remind Me,” “Too Bad” and “Never Again.”
“How You Remind Me” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock, Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts.
6. Limp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water was released in 2000 and has reached 10.5 million sales. It was Limp Bizkit’s third album.
The album produced five singles: “Take a Look Around,” “My Generation,” “Rollin’ (Air Raid Vehicle),” “My Way” and “Boiler.”
“Rolling’” reached the top spot on the UK Rock and Metal chart.
5. Linkin Park Meteora
Meteora was released in 2003 and has reached 11.3 million sales. It was Linkin Park’s second album.
The album produced five singles: “Somewhere I Belong,” “Faint,” “Numb,” “From the Inside” and “Breaking the Habit.”
“Numb” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
4. Green Day American Idiot
American Idiot was released in 2004 and has reached 12.5 million sales. It was Green Day’s seventh album.
The album produced five singles: “American Idiot,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Holiday,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Jesus of Suburbia.”
“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Top 40 charts.
3. Evanescence Fallen
Fallen was released in 2001 and has reached 17 million sales. It was Evanescence’s first album.
The album produced four singles: “Bring Me to Life,” “Going Under,” “My Immortal” and “Everybody’s Fool.”
“Bring Me to Life” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts.
2. Nickelback All The Right Reasons
All The Right Reasons was released in 2005 and has reached 19 million sales. It was Nickelback’s fifth album.
The album produced seven singles: “Photograph,” “Animals,” “Far Away,” “Savin’ Me,” “Rockstar,” “If Everyone Cared” and “Side of a Bullet.”
“Photograph” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
1. Linkin Park Hybrid Theory
Hybrid Theory was released in 2000 and has reached 27 million sales. It was Linkin Park’s first album.
The album produced four singles: “One Step Closer,” “Crawling,” “Papercut” and “In the End.”
“In the End” reached the top spot on Billboard’s Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts.
While it might seem as if Nickelback won top artist of the decade, considering it had three albums on this list, but Linkin Park isn’t far behind. It also had the 11th top album, Minutes To Midnight, with 7.8 million sales.
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What are your top rock albums of the 2000s? Leave a comment below. Comments close after 90 days.
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Here’s the 4-1-1
This blog is a companion piece to The Rock Star’s Wife, a series about sex, family, and rock & roll. The series has elements of chick lit, romance and erotica and is best compared to The Vagina Monologues for its frank talk of sex and its consequences. The series follows Cassandra from her teenage years into her 40s as she navigates relationships (both romantic and platonic) — all with music playing a prominent roll.
Book four, Rock Star Mom, debuts August 2024: She fell in love with a rock star. Now comes the hard part.
Cassandra needs your help getting her story out. Join the street team to help.
Melina Druga
Melina Druga is a multi-genre author with a lifelong love of music, books and writing. She is the author of the Rock Star's Wife series, six historical fiction novels and nine nonfiction books. Based in the Midwest, Druga lives with her husband, daughter, black cat and CD collection.
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