Best Alternative Bands of the 21st Century

The Top Ten
1 Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American alternative rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The current members include Mike Shinoda (vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar), Brad Delson (guitar), Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bass), Joe Hahn (DJ), and Rob Bourdon (drums). Linkin Park is associated with a mixture... read more

The best band on this list without a doubt. Bands like Green Day and Coldplay are nothing compared to LP. Sure, I think that Coldplay is a bit more popular than LP, but popular doesn't mean good at all.

I've seen a lot of comments on this list saying that LP sucks. They're saying this because they can't see their favorite bands not being on the top. But the truth is they can never be on the top because only one band deserves the top slot, and that is Linkin Park.

The people who say that earlier they were great but now they suck just have no sense of music. Their first two albums were great, but in my opinion, they made even better music in their newer albums. People hate them just because they have real talent. They dared to take risks and get out of their comfort zones to experiment with different genres of music. They didn't care about anyone else and did what they wanted to, which no band in the world could ever do. They are here for a reason, and that reason is because they are simply great.

2 Coldplay Coldplay are a British pop rock band formed in 1996. The band consists of Chris Martin (lead vocalist and pianist), Jonny Buckland (lead guitarist), Guy Berryman (bassist) and Will Champion (drummer and backing vocalist). Manager Phil Harvey is often considered an unofficial fifth member. The band renamed... read more

They are definitely the most popular alternative band of the 21st century (sorry, Linkin Park). They had the best-selling album throughout the entire world in 2008 with Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. And their newest album, Mylo Xyloto, is incredible.

Besides skydiving, seeing one of their concerts is the one thing I want to do before I die. They had one of their concerts earlier this year broadcasted live on YouTube. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next 10 years they performed at the Super Bowl. They've got to be #1!

3 Green Day Green Day are an American pop punk/punk rock band formed in East Bay, California in 1987. The members include Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals and guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass), Tré Cool (drums) and Jason White (guitar). Green Day are associated with punk rock, pop punk and alternative rock. Some of their... read more

Linkin Park is no longer a rock or alternative band. They are becoming electronic day by day. Green Day's lyrics are mind-blowing, which Coldplay and Linkin Park don't have. They should simply be at #1.

I don't understand what Linkin Park is doing at the top. Green Day is surely better than them (not in this particular list but in general) and their alternative rock songs are better, with messages and full of meaning.

How are they behind Linkin Park is what I cannot understand. This list should be headed by someone better than them (like Coldplay maybe).

4 Muse Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The members are Matt Bellamy (lead vocal, lead guitar, piano, keyboard), Dom Howard (drums, percussion) and Chris Wolstenholme (bass, backing vocals). They've won several awards including 5 MTV Awards, 8 NME Awards, 2... read more

You go to any Muse concert and the atmosphere, band energy, enthusiasm of the crowd, and intensity of the music are way above any other live act I have ever seen.

Hey guys, just write on YouTube "Muse Wembley" and you will see what I meant. They are just awesome!

The best rock band and the best live band of the last 20 years.

5 Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American alternative rock band, formed in Seattle in 1994. The band was founded by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl after the death of Kurt Cobain and the dissolution of his previous band. The band consists of Dave Grohl (lead vocalist, rhythm guitar, main songwriter), Pat Smear (rhythm... read more

The Foo Fighters are a recollection of Nirvana. They bring forward such a different kind of message than any other band. Dave Grohl is an amazing performer and entertainer by doing different stuff at concerts.

He isn't afraid to take charge of his concerts. He is a brilliant leader of the brilliant band Foo Fighters!

The Foo Fighters should be higher than Coldplay. The Foo Fighters have so much more energy in concert. Their songs are so much better. Their albums have won more awards, the fanbase is bigger, and Dave Grohl is a boss.

6 30 Seconds to Mars Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of brothers Jared and Shannon Leto.

30 Seconds to Mars are unique for being so different from all the other bands I listen to. Their lyrics and instrumental background are eloquent, and each of their albums is massively unlike the others, standing out in a superb way.

These guys are making the best neo and progressive rock, and their new albums are much different from the first ones.

7 Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American pop punk band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley.

Their music is amazing, even when they weren't as popular. I like their older music as well as their post-hiatus music too. I'm secretly obsessed with them.

Their new music is amazing. They have really changed over the years, and it's for the best.

8 The Fray The Fray is an American rock band from Denver, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King, they achieved success with the release of their debut album, How to Save a Life in 2005, which was certified double platinum by the RIAA and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and... read more

The Fray's music is excellent. Look After You and Heartbeat will always be my favorites.

"How to Save a Life" is possibly the best modern rock album ever devised.

9 Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Rap/Rock group that was formed in 1981 by its three original members, Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, and Adam "MCA" Yauch.
10 The Killers The Killers is an American pop rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2001, by Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning.

Human, Mr. Brightside, Somebody Told Me, Read My Mind, A Dustland Fairytale, Smile Like You Mean It, For Reasons Unknown, Shot at the Night, Runaways, Sam's Town, Spaceman. These are just some of their best songs (in my opinion) off the top of my head. They are amazing!

Mr. Brightside is one of the greatest songs of all time. Human is also very good.

The Killers are old but very good. They deserve it.

The Contenders
11 The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins is an American alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1988. Formed by frontman Billy Corgan and James Iha, the band included D'arcy Wretzky and Jimmy Chamberlin in its original incarnation. They are also considered to be one of the most influential alternative... read more
12 The Strokes The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998. They consists of Julian Casablancas (lead vocalist), Nick Valensi (guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist), Albert Hammond, Jr. (rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist), Nikolai Fraiture (bassist) and Fabrizio Moretti... read more

Most original, smooth, and creative rock music of the last 15 years. Better than all of the above besides maybe Green Day and Linkin Park. But I'd still give it to The Strokes, who managed to create such beautiful and unforgettable tunes without the need to scream and make noise.

Come on! The Strokes are simply awesome! Just listen to Machu Picchu, and you guys will know what I mean.

I love this band. I've just listened to their latest album, Comedown Machine. Amazing. Julian's voice is awesome. The Strokes must be in the top five. They deserve that position.

13 Alice In Chains Alice in Chains is an American grunge/alternative metal band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley.
14 Weezer Weezer is an American alternative rock/power pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1992, currently consisting of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar), Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell, and Scott Shriner.
15 The Script The Script is an Irish pop rock band formed in 2001. The band comprises keyboardist and lead vocalist Danny O'Donoghue, guitarist and vocalist Mark Sheehan and drummer Glen Power.

Ah? The Script should be in the top 5. They are awesome. They deserve better.

One of the best bands out there.

16 Pixies The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The group disbanded in 1993 in acrimonious circumstances, but reunited in 2004. The group currently consists of founders Black Francis, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering.

The Pixies manage to mingle dissonant sounds, monotone voice, and silences into great songs that feel timeless.

17 OneRepublic OneRepublic is an American pop rock band. Formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2002 by lead singer Ryan Tedder and guitarist Zach Filkins, the band achieved commercial success on Myspace as an unsigned act.

OneRepublic is and always will be so much more than just an alternative band for me. They're a sensation, an inspiration, a motivation, and the very personification of beauty in imperfection. The lyrics are soulful and heart-wrenching, yet lively and vivacious.

The harmonizing and the music, the backing, and the sheer sounds and sensations they cause are insurmountable. And Ryan Tedder's voice mixed with Zach Filkins' guitar playing is incredible. I can feel again.

OneRepublic, in my opinion, should be number one. Don't know who they are? Secrets, All The Right Moves, Stop and Stare, Good Life, and yes, Apologize. No, it is not a Timbaland song, they just did a mediocre remix of it and never properly gave credit to OneRepublic.

They are my favorite band! Please just give them a listen.

18 Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments), Colin Greenwoood (bass guitar), Phil Selway (drums), and Ed O'Brien (guitar).

I feel sorry for the people that haven't even tried to listen to this band. For a band that has such great quality music, they really don't get the attention they deserve.

Yes, they are the most important musical act of the 21st century. OK Computer (albeit a '90s album) is the quintessential alternative rock album and probably the only album to be comparable to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And they didn't even stop there. They continued to make Kid A, Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief, In Rainbows, The King of Limbs, and the exceptional A Moon Shaped Pool, all of which are worth your time. Don't fool yourself.

19 The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of bassist and lead vocalist, Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist and backing vocalist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor.

I love this band. They are always finding new ways to appeal to others, mixing up their music yet giving a great message at the same time!

This band is awesome. It sounds great and it isn't dark like Coldplay and Linkin Park.

20 Paramore Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and drummer Zac Farro.

To me, music is all about inspiration through music and feeling like the lyrics are a part of you, and you can actually feel the music rushing through your body. No band does this better than Paramore. Love them with all my heart.

Seriously? It's the best! But top 10 is good enough from thousands of bands because the band above is also quite good.

As I listen to a Paramore CD, I must say that they will go out in style.

21 Foster the People Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2009. It currently consists of lead vocalist Mark Foster, lead guitarist Sean Cimino, keyboardist Isom Innis, and drummer Mark Pontius.
22 My Chemical Romance My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from Jersey City, New Jersey, active from 2001 to 2013, and again from 2019 to present day. For much of their career, the band consisted of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, bassist Mikey Way, and drummer Bob Bryar.

Many of these bands deserve their place on this list, especially this one. It helped bring forth a new generation of music.

My Chemical Romance is the type of band that will live on forever, even after a break-up.

Best band ever by far. Amazing music. Saves lives!

23 Nickelback Nickelback is a Canadian post-grunge band formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta, Canada. The band is composed of guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair.

Love Nickelback! Best band ever by far. I grew up listening to them, and no offense, but they beat all other alternative bands. I listen to their music 24/7.

24 Garbage
25 Blink-182 Blink-182 is a pop-punk band formed in 1992. The original lineup consisted of Mark Hoppus on bass guitar and vocals, Tom DeLonge on guitar and vocals, and Scott Raynor on drums. Raynor was fired from the band in 1998 and replaced by drummer Travis Barker. They gained mainstream popularity after the... read more
8Load More
PSearch List