10 Perfect Rock Singles Of The 2000s

2. The White Stripes: Seven Nation Army (2003)

If there was any song you could erase from your memory - in order to experience it for the first time again - Seven Nation Army would be a strong contender. Not merely because it's brilliant, but because it's been driven into the Western psyche with a relentless force.

Even those who have no idea who Jack or Meg White are, will know the Seven Nation Army riff. It's the song everyone insists on playing when they see a guitar - no matter their ability. The melody is chanted at every UK festival whenever the crowd gets a little rowdy; and football stadiums around the world have hosted thousands of fans stamping out the rhythm whenever the beer starts flowing. But, despite it being rammed down our throats, this track is still a banger.

The White Stripes were well established as one of the leading forces of the garage revival by this point, but it was the release of Elephant (2003) and the accompanying lead single that, pushed them to new found acclaim. You want rock music at its most pure? Listen to the White Stripes.