![\"Baroness](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-274013471.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>- \n
- No. 187:<\/strong> Slipknot, “People = Shit” (2001, Iowa<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"slipknot,](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2025\/01\/attachment-slipknot-iowa-1.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Iowa”\/>Roadrunner<\/figcaption>slipknot, iowa<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 161:<\/strong> Metallica, “Spit Out the Bone” (2016, Hardwired … To Self-Destruct<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"metallica](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2022\/06\/attachment-metallica_hardwired_to_self_destruct_2016.png?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Hardwired to Self-Destruct”\/>Blackened Recordings<\/figcaption>metallica hardwired to self destruct<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 149:<\/strong> Meshuggah, “Bleed” (2008, obZen<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"meshuggah](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2025\/02\/attachment-meshuggah_obzen.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Nuclear Blast<\/figcaption>meshuggah obzen album cover<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 140:<\/strong> Arch Enemy, “We Will Rise” (2003, Anthems of Rebellion<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Arch](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-1045081832.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2003 Century Media Records Ltd.<\/figcaption>Arch Enemy – Anthems of Rebellion<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 125:<\/strong> Gojira, “Flying Whales” (2005, From Mars to Sirius<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"GOJIRA](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-213374112.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2005 Listenable Records<\/figcaption>GOJIRA – From Mars to Sirius<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 109:<\/strong> Black Sabbath, “God Is Dead?” (2013, 13<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Black](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-1422699813.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2013 BS Productions Limited, under exclusive license to Universal International Music BV<\/figcaption>Black Sabbath – 13 (Deluxe Edition)<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 94:<\/strong> Opeth, “Deliverance” (2002, Deliverance<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Opeth](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-1046805594.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2002 Music For Nations<\/figcaption>Opeth – Deliverance<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 91:<\/strong> Tool, “The Grudge” (2001, Lateralus<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"tool](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2024\/01\/attachment-tool_lateralus-1.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Lateralus (2001)”\/>Volcano Entertainment<\/figcaption>tool lateralus cover<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 78:<\/strong> Jesu, “Star” (2006, Silver<\/em> EP)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Jesu](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-1534596637.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2020 Avalanche Recordings<\/figcaption>Jesu – Silver – EP<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 67:<\/strong> Converge, “Concubine” (2001, Jane Doe<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"converge](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2025\/04\/attachment-converge-jane-doe.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Equal Vision<\/figcaption>converge jane doe album cover<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 60:<\/strong> Mastodon, “Blood and Thunder” (2004, Leviathan<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Mastodon](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-65923490.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2004 Relapse Records<\/figcaption>Mastodon – Leviathan<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 47:<\/strong> Deftones, “Change (In the House of Flies)” (2000, White Pony<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"deftones](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2025\/01\/attachment-deftones-white-pony-1.jpeg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Maverick<\/figcaption>deftones white pony album cover<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 40:<\/strong> Slayer, “Disciple” (2001, God Hates Us All<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"Slayer](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2026\/10\/attachment-applemusic-1440919395.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>\u2117 2001 American Recordings Company<\/figcaption>Slayer – God Hates Us All<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n - \n
- No. 37:<\/strong> System of a Down, “Chop Suey!” (2001, Toxicity<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
\n ![\"system](\"https:\/\/townsquare.media\/site\/366\/files\/2025\/01\/attachment-system-of-a-down-toxicity-1.jpg?w=980&q=75\")
<\/div>Toxicity”\/>American\/Columbia<\/figcaption>system of a down toxicity album art<\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n What Else Is on Rolling Stone<\/em>‘s List of the Greatest 21st Century Rock Songs?<\/h3>\n
That’s quite the broad range, going from some of the more extreme sounds of Meshuggah<\/a> to metal that found at home at radio such as Deftones<\/a> or System of a Down<\/a>.<\/p>\n
As stated before, the Rolling Stone<\/em> list offers quite a bit of diversity under what is considered rock. The\u00a0Foo Fighters<\/a>\u00a0fell just outside the Top 10\u00a0with their 2002 song “Times Like These” at No. 11.\u00a0Paramore<\/a>‘s 2007 smash hit “That’s What You Get” made the cut right behind the Foos.<\/p>\n
READ MORE:<\/strong> See Loudwire’s Picks for the Best Metal Songs From 2000-2025<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
The list leans heavily into the alt-rock and indie worlds, where bands such Arctic Monkeys<\/a>, The Strokes<\/a>, Yeah Yeah Yeahs<\/a>, Radiohead<\/a> and The White Stripes<\/a> help populate the Top 10. There are even a few detours into rap (Jay-Z), country and Americana (Taylor Swift and Wilco<\/a>) and pop-rock (Olivia Rodrigo).<\/p>\n
The Top 3 songs on the list are: The Killers<\/a>, “Mr. Brightside” (No. 3), The White Stripes, “Seven Nation Army” (No. 2) and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Maps” (No. 1).<\/p>\n
- No. 37:<\/strong> System of a Down, “Chop Suey!” (2001, Toxicity<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 40:<\/strong> Slayer, “Disciple” (2001, God Hates Us All<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 47:<\/strong> Deftones, “Change (In the House of Flies)” (2000, White Pony<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 60:<\/strong> Mastodon, “Blood and Thunder” (2004, Leviathan<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 67:<\/strong> Converge, “Concubine” (2001, Jane Doe<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 78:<\/strong> Jesu, “Star” (2006, Silver<\/em> EP)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 91:<\/strong> Tool, “The Grudge” (2001, Lateralus<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 94:<\/strong> Opeth, “Deliverance” (2002, Deliverance<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 109:<\/strong> Black Sabbath, “God Is Dead?” (2013, 13<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 125:<\/strong> Gojira, “Flying Whales” (2005, From Mars to Sirius<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 140:<\/strong> Arch Enemy, “We Will Rise” (2003, Anthems of Rebellion<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 149:<\/strong> Meshuggah, “Bleed” (2008, obZen<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- No. 161:<\/strong> Metallica, “Spit Out the Bone” (2016, Hardwired … To Self-Destruct<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n