10 Amazing Classic Rock Inspired Albums From The 21st Century

Rock and Roll has been known to push the boundaries of what music can do. No matter what generation you come from, some of the best albums of the era tend to sound like nothing that has come before it. Then again, it's sometimes better to look to the past to remember where you come from.

Ever since the new millennium started, albums have come out that have had a distinct retro flavor to them. Whether it be in song construction or general presentation, a lot of these albums owe their sound to the classic rock artists from decades past. The release date may start with a 20XX, but the sounds seem to be a bit too familiar for the OG hard rock fans.

So that means these albums sound dated right? Actually, no not at all. In fact, most of these albums are able to pull off an impressive feat by staying both current and dated at the same time. The sounds that these artists pull from to make their masterpieces not only pay homage to the artists that came before them, but also recontextualize the classic rock sound for a new generation.

By culling from the past, these bands have been able to put out records that become timeless staples of rock overnight.

After the nu metal scene dominated the back half of the 90's, the dour notes were getting way too tedious for a lot of rock fans. What the rock world really needed was something with a bit more swagger in its step, which five kids from the streets of New York were happy to give.

The Strokes' debut album Is This It is a defining moment in the 2000's rock scene, but the sound feels oddly familiar for some reason. The whole record feels like a callback to the 70's era of hard rock, where everything was more raucous and to the point. It has a brilliant mix of pop smarts while also featuring just the slightest tinges of art rock and punk in their presentation. Songs like "Last Nite" and "The Modern Age" are what happens if the Velvet Underground, Ramones, and Cheap Trick all had an obnoxiously loud child together.

With rock getting more and more stale with grand concepts and depressing lyrics, this record was a straight shot of adrenaline that detailed what life was like on the New York club scene. It may not have been trying to impress anyone, but Is This It not only made for a great throwback, but also inspired future rockstars like the Arctic Monkeys in the process.