- 10 Best Rock Trios of the 2000s - February 2, 2024
- Elvis Costello Bio - August 19, 2022
- The Byrds Band History: Were They Really America’s Answer to the Beatles? - August 10, 2022
The 2000s were a unique time in not only the music world but the world as a whole. Rap was coming into the mainstream for the first time, and the remnants from the booming grunge era of rock were still trying to find their footing.
While certain bands were panned for copycatting that era, there was also an entire innovative wave that swept over rock culture, which introduced classic rock and electronic tendencies to create megastars like Linkin Park and The White Stripes. There was also the birth of several genres, such as emo bands like My Chemical Romance and Good Charlotte, coming into prominence.
One trend that seemed to pop up quite a bit was the three-man band, usually with a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and little else to make the engine go. These bands always had to do more and managed to seem just as powerful as bands that had an entire army working behind them. Here are the best rock trios of the 2000s.
Selection Criteria
While it may be obvious, we’d like to give you a little breakdown of what we’re looking for when making this list.
- Bands active during the 2000s.
- Three-piece bands at one point.
- Successful bands during the 2000s with multiple hit songs
- Bands made up of a guitarist, bassist and drummer
- It can be any genre of rock, including punk, hard rock, alt-rock, or indie rock
10. Blink 182
- Members- Travis Barker, Tom Delonge, Mark Hoppus
- Standout Song- Dammit
Blink 182 is a band that many people don’t understand today. No, the singing isn’t great; the lyrics aren’t smart, and the musicianship at play isn’t all that impressive. So, what made this band such a sensation in the early 2000s? Travis Barker, Tom Delonge, and Mark Hoppus single-handedly created a new wave of punk that spoke to the energized youth of the new millennium and felt like they were singing about your last weekend, no matter when you listened to it.
In many ways, Blink 182 defined an entire generation and gave birth to a new wave of punk rock that was way more fun than what fans of the genre were used to. Sure, the humor in the music was sophomoric at best, but you found yourself humming it nonetheless, and the way the band sang made you feel like you could sing along at any time and sound just as good as they did.
Massive hits like “What’s My Age Again” and “All the Small Things” have been staples on rock radio for over 20 years now, and their recent reunion brought back fans of all ages, bringing them back to a time when their music was stupid, fun, crazy and catchy as hell.
9. Muse
- Members- Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, Dominic Howard
- Standout Song- Nights of Cydonia
Still a top act in the rock scene today, Muse is one of the most interesting bands you could ever listen to. While they sit in the alternative rock category, you can hear elements of electronica, heavy metal, grunge, and a ton of other genres, depending on the song you listen to.
Made up of Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard, this group of British rockers has pushed boundaries of what rock should and could sound like. For a trip into what they are capable of, put on “Knights of Cydonia” for a musical tour de force. Muse is one of those bands that you hear, and you immediately know who you’re listening to.
The fact that they can do that when their songs all sound so different from each other is most impressive. If you’re wondering if they can pull it all off live, you’ll be pleased to know they’re one of the sharpest live bands in the world. They’ve sold 20 million records throughout their career, and unlike many bands of this era, they have managed to stay on top to this day.
8. Paramore
- Members- Hayley Williams, Taylor York, Jeremy Davis
- Standout Song- Misery Business
Paramore is made up of Hayley Williams, Taylor York, and Jeremy Davis, and they appear to be as ageless as their enigmatic lead singer. Originally starting out as an upbeat punk adjacent rock band, Paramore has evolved since the mid-2000s to take on more pop sensibilities, showing an ability to adapt no matter what era they find themselves in. Paramore is full of catchy guitar riffs, and Williams’ iconic howl is one of rock’s best.
That voice is still one of the can’t-miss live performances around today. They have tons of hits including “Misery Business”, “Ain’t it Fun” and “That’s What You Get”. Whether you’re looking for a raucous, hard-rocking track to get you moving or a more light-hearted pop tune, Paramore is a remarkably versatile band that manages to do it all.
7. Chevelle
- Members- Pete, Joe, Sam Loeffler
- Standout Song- The Red
It took some time for Chevelle to get their flowers, but these days, Chevelle is regarded as one of the true gems from the mid-2000s rock scene. The band is made up of brothers Pete, Joe, and Sam Loeffler and has nailed the sound that many people think of when they think of 2000s-era rock. With thick, crunchy guitars, driving bass lines, and vocal melodies and harmonies that are both dark and beautiful at the same time, Chevelle has managed to maintain a following that has the touring consistently to this day.
They were never the megastars of the era that perhaps they should’ve been, but that’s generally the case with prog-rock bands, and Chevelle was the flag waiver of this genre in the 2000s. Songs like “The Red” are a good view of the experience you’ll get when you hit up Chevelle on your next playlist.
The vocals and droning guitar riffs have so much going on that each song is worth multiple listens to get a grip on the musical wizardry at play. “Send the Pain Below” is a great example of this. That song has so many layers to it that it’s hard to believe that many great riffs went into one song, but they pulled it off.
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Members- Karen O, Nick Zinner, Brian Chase
- Standout Song- Maps
Easily the most unique group we’ve got on this list, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs were as different as they were influential. They were merely a three-piece band made up of Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase, but they sounded like they had an entire factory producing music for them with the weird and wild sounds they came up with.
Their mega-hit “Maps” was a good example of this. Other hits like “Y Control” really give life to the term art-punk, which has encapsulated their impressive run since the mid-2000s, when their album Fever to Tell made a big impact. It’s impossible to fit this band into a box. They can go from over-the-top punk insanity one moment to thoughtful pop the next. They constantly evolve within their own sound. They never conform to what the era demands and keep a fierce following behind them no matter what road they go down.
5. Arctic Monkeys
- Members- Alex Turner, Matt Helders, Jamie Cook
- Standout Song- Do I Wanna Know?
Arctic Monkeys was one of the first bands to make waves in the mid-2000s due to the internet. With Myspace pages and all kinds of file sharing between fans going on, Arctic Monkeys quickly became the talk of the town, and before they knew what was happening, Alex Turner, Matt Helders, and Jamie Cook had themselves a lucrative record deal. They’ve occupied a unique space in the rock zone for decades now.
They sit comfortably in the alt-rock world but have no trouble turning up the heat now and again for hard-driving riff monsters like “Do I Wanna Know?”. At the same time, they’re fully capable of ballads like “No. 1 Party Anthem,” which echo David Bowie and The Beatles. It’s a high compliment, for sure, but it’s deserved.
No matter what your mood is, Arctic Monkeys manage to have a song for you. That’s a hard thing for a band to accomplish, and Arctic Monkeys manage to do it with every album they’ve put out for over 15 years.
4. Queens of the Stoneage
- Members- Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Mark Lanegan
- Standout Song- Go With the Flow
Although they’re now bigger than a trio, at many times in their early days, Queens of the Stoneage was just three members, and with that came an iconic sound that would define the rock scene for much of the 2000s. The core trio to start was Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Mark Lanegan, but over the years, the band has grown and even has had superstars like Dave Grohl make appearances.
One of those appearances was on “Songs for the Deaf,” which was their breakthrough moment as a band, introducing their bizarre mix of hard rocking riffs and the melodic, haunting vocals of Josh Homme.
Since that album’s release, Queens of the Stone Age has become one of the most persistent forces in the rock industry, releasing hit after hit, with a record release in 2023 that once again showed off their timeless ability to bring you into their world and leave you mesmerized.
Hits like “Go with the Flow” or “No One Knows” are a good way to jump into this band for the first time, but once you’re there, make sure you take a detour to the creepy and brilliant “Hanging Tree,” which showed off frequent collaborator Mark Lanegan’s incredible low range, which went under appreciated during his time with The Screaming Trees in the early 90s. Josh Homme still has this engine going full speed ahead, so jump on board and get ready for a hell of a ride.
3. The Killers
- Members- Brandon Flowers, Ronnie Vannuci Jr., Dave Keuning
- Standout Song- Mr Brightside
The Killers is a band that formed in Las Vegas in 2001 and normally consists of Brandon Flowers, Ronnie Vannuci Jr., and Dave Keuning. They burst onto the scene in 2004 with the album Hot Fuss and were instantly all over VH1 and every rock radio station you could find. They defined the sound of pop-rock in the early 2000s with a fascinating vocal style that was almost nonsinging. It was reminiscent of Bowie at times and The Cure at others.
This sound would be mimicked by other bands, but none did it quite like The Killers. They had a unique style to their songs that were hard to forget and hits like “Somebody Told Me” and ” Mr. Brightside” cemented the band’s status as prime-time players in the mid-2000s. Today, they are considered one of the most successful rock bands around, selling 28 million records worldwide.
They still tour to this day with lineups that vary here and there, and their songs are still heard on radio stations and just about every wedding you find yourself attending. It’s hard to be the voice of the genre, but for the pop-rock world in the 2000s, Brandon Flowers certainly is in that conversation.
2. Wolfmother
- Members- Andrew Stockdale, Ian Peres, Alex Carapetis
- Standout Song- Where Eagles Have been
Wolfmother was a blast to the past for many when they came onto the scene in 2006, and the trio, made up of Andrew Stockdale, Ian Peres, and Alex Carapetis, has been a huge force in the music industry for a long time. With a sound that recalls Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they immediately were endearing to rock fans who had tired of a mid-2000s sound that started to get repetitive.
Their first hit, “Woman,” was simple but showed off everything you needed to know about the band. Soaring vocals, sharp guitar riffs, and loud drums were everything needed to take this band into the stratosphere, and off they went. The hits didn’t stop either, as their song “The Joker and the Thief” gained massive popularity due to its inclusion in the movie The Hangover, and they have consistently released albums for the past 15 years while collaborating with tons of artists like The Raconteurs on the side.
One of their best offerings is “Where Eagles Have Been,” which shows off Andrew’s Robert Plant-like tendencies as well as their musical talents, starting from a light acoustic ballad into a majestic, guitar-fueled assault on all fronts.
1. Green Day
- Members- Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool
- Standout Song- When September Ends
Green Day formed in the mid-90s and gained considerable success in their early career as a fierce, three-piece punk outfit made up of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool. As the 2000s came, Green Day managed to evolve their sound into something a bit more radio-friendly, and with their release of American Idiot in 2004, the band took over the world.
Suddenly, you couldn’t escape a radio station without hearing “American Idiot,” “Holiday,” “When Septemeber Ends,” or my personal favorite of this era, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” It’s hard to have that many hits in an artist’s entire career and they managed to do it in just one CD.
They dominated rock charts in the early to mid-2000s, putting out hit after hit, touring the world, and selling out everywhere they went. Rarely has a punk band been able to break into the mainstream like Green Day did, but they managed it and succeeded greatly. That’s not to say their early punk days didn’t produce some great songs, as they certainly did with hard rock staples like “Brain Stew,” “Welcome to Paradise,” and “Basket Case,” remaining just as popular as their 2000s output.
Truly one of the bands that you can mention to just about anyone of any background, and you’ll get an “Oh yeah, I know them.” Green Day has stood strong for three decades as one of the most successful bands in the entire world.
FAQ
Answer: Luckily, many on this list are still touring and present in the music industry. For new faces in the rock trio world, I recommend checking out The Warning.
Answer: It’s without a doubt Green Day. They were one of the most popular acts in the entire world from 2004-2010.
Answer: It’s subjective, of course, but Nirvana is definitely up there, with their three members taking over the world for a brief moment in time until Kurt Cobain’s tragic death.
Good Things Come in Threes, Too
It’s hard to pull off a band with just three people, but these artists not only did that but became huge stars in the process and showed that your passion can bring you to whatever height you want, regardless of how many people you have in your corner to get you there. Some of the most famous bands of all time reside on this list, so if you’re thinking of starting one yourself, never think of three-piece bands as negative. As you can see above, there is plenty of success to be had in that way.
Continue reading:
10 BEST 90S ROCK TRIOS – THE LAST GREAT ROCK TRIOS
BEST BLUES POWER TRIOS OF ALL TIME
