10 Best Rock Music Album Closers Of The 2000s
These bands from the first decade of the 21st Century sure knew how to end an album.
What with the rise of streaming and the internet as a whole on its way in the 2010s, the 2000s were the last full decade in which physical albums ruled the roost.
Nearly one billion CDs were sold in the US alone in the year 2000, with 2004 being the final year to see an increase in CD sales until 2021. Though vinyl records would make something of a comeback in the following decade, this really was it in terms of actual, tangible music media.
Before playlists started to take over, the sequencing of an album was super important, especially when it came to deciding what was going on last.
What was the point in having ten back-to-back bangers if the 11th and final song was ten minutes of a person reading their tax bill aloud? Ending on the right note was utterly vital and, thankfully, these ten artists all nailed that particular task.
These ten songs all finished off rock albums between 2000 and 2009. No hidden tracks are included here, nor are any tunes off of deluxe, bonus, or any other form of special edition.
10. Till I Get My Way - The Black Keys (Rubber Factory)
The Black Keys didn't name their third studio album Rubber Factory just because they thought it sounded cool. It was recorded in an actual abandoned tire processing plant.
The fact that it sounded cool was bonus.
After making waves on the underground scene, this neo-blues duo finally cracked the Billboard 200 with this 2004 release. Though major mainstream success was still a little while off - it only reached number 143 - Rubber Factory marked a massive step on their path to global superstardom.
Whilst retaining their trademark crunchy, lo-fi sound, this record was the smoothest produced by the band up to that point. Evidence of this compromise can be found on the closing track, Till I Get My Way.
A typically-structured blues number, Till I Get My Way showcased the band's songwriting chops whilst maintaining an honest, raw feel. Dan Auerbach's guitar and Patrick Carney's drums are joined by some pounding piano for an extra melodic edge, making for a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
It didn't push boundaries or re-shape the musical landscape, but Till I Get My Way offers a time capsule of a band about to explode in popularity.