10 Forgotten 2000s Bands Worth Rediscovering

Fancy a Stella down by the river?

By Joshua Cooley /

The '90s saw alternative rock break the mainstream; grunge, Britpop, pop punk and nu metal all made an appearance. The latter two survived the turn of the century, going from strength to stench, and saturating radio stations and music channels alike.

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Groups like Limp Bizkit might have captivated us with their aggressive and exciting bravado, but there was a sense their music was somewhat vacuous. Similarly pop punk was fun, but it was a commercialised and watered-down version of the punk groups who came before.

But there was plenty to like in the 2000s. Garage rock made a come back, and indie sleaze was the new sound of youthful rebellion. If you weren't sporting tight jeans and straightening your fringe, were you even living?

In the UK, groups seemed to be looking at the past for inspiration, rekindling a love for vintaged guitar sounds, and '60s rockstar glamour. In the US it was all about skate pants and red baseball caps. It was an odd juxtaposition, but it made your 2000s party playlist hella interesting.

10. Wolfmother

Wolfmother's self-titled debut dropped in 2005, hinting at big things for the world of rock. Hailing from Australia, frontman Andrew Stockdale hit the scene with Led Zeppelin style vocals, and '60s inspired riff work.

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There was a time when you couldn't stick on a rock station without hearing Joker And The Thief or Women. Both tracks exhibited a wall of sound, not unlike the Stooges, while wowing you with Robert Plant-esque vocals. Although the album drew accusations of plagiarising several notable groups from the past, there was enough o get folks thinking these guys were the next big thing in rock.

With their follow up album, Cosmic Egg (2009) we got more of the same, New Moon Rising preceded the album, causing almost as much excitement as the groups earlier singles. Sadly for Wolfmother, that wasn't enough to keep people interested for long. They caught our attention only to bore us with derivative tracks, and recycled ideas. It was simply the case that they were treading well-worn, musical territory.

For all that, the first album was great. You want to indulge in some 2000s nostalgia? Wolfmother's first album is for you.

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