10 Most Underrated Rock Music Albums Of The 2000s

From the minute that Pearl Jam became the biggest band in the world, they had always grappled with a little bit of an identity crisis. After being your average alternative rock band, the years since Kurt Cobain's passing ended up getting a lot stranger than normal, whether it meant going for new recording techniques on Binaural or the art rock route of Riot Act. Even though we should expect a band to take chances, it makes it that much sweeter when they bring themselves back to what they know best.

Since the last few years involved them trying out new styles, Backspacer is the most straightforward record that Pearl Jam had put out since the '90s. Being much more informed by the sounds of new wave and punk, these songs cut straight to the point and have a lot of nervy energy behind them. It doesn't forget the softer side though, with Eddie Vedder putting his heart on his sleeve for the song Just Breathe and the closer The End.

Unlike the other grunge rock acts from back in the day, there's a lot more optimism on this record than before. Pearl Jam may have been well versed in the stadium rock sound, but the Fixer is probably the closest they've come to writing a pure stadium chant. If the beginning of grunge started out downtrodden, Backspacer was Pearl Jam telling us that you don't have to hold onto that pain forever.