The noughties (or so they would grow to be called) have hit and whilst pop music is thriving, rock music was moving it’s way away from Britpop and the harsh northern accents and sometimes melodramatic tales into one full of aggression and oppression! Nu Metal was gonna be huge, but sadly the anger wouldn’t last and we’d be back to melodramatic tales with the invention of emo (some of which was alright).
Nickelback: Chad Kroeger said in 2001, “I started studying every piece, everything sonically, everything lyrically, everything musically, chord structure. I would dissect every single song that I would hear on teh radio or every song that had ever done well on a chart and I would say, ‘Why did this do well?'”. So did the studying pay off? Did it ever! Nickelback’s single “How You Remind Me”, sold incredibly well. Kroeger believes this is “because it was about romantic relationships, a universal subject, and contained memorable hooks”. All what he believe from studying were the keys to being a successful musician.
Album you should check out: All The Right Reasons. Not my favourite Nickelback album or where the band first found fame. But this is the album to feature ‘Rockstar’ and be honest you couldn’t stop singing it either.
Jimmy Eat World: In 2000 Jimmy Eat World left their record label and decided to do their next record (which turned out to be Bleed American) alone. To gather enough money for the recording sessions the band all took on day jobs and eventually the album was released with the second single “The Middle” finding the band a huge amount of success. So don’t be afraid to go back to the basics of truly hard graft to get you the time and money to make your art, it could be the one that really breaks you into the mainstream for good!
Album you should check out: Bleed American. This is the album that led Jimmy Eat World to commerical success and is often said to be the start of ’emo’. It also features ‘The Middle’ which is the only Jimmy Eat World song i’ve ever been able to listen to and enjoy.
Deftones: They’ve been a major influence on a range of bands in a range of styles. They’ve always had a strong melodic sense in their songs and lead singer Chino Moreno’s lyrics were described as “suggesting emotions rather than announcing them”, by Time Magazine.
Album you should check out: White Pony. It received rave reviews and even won a grammy award. David Buchanan from Consequence of Sound said that it “helped usher the popularity of complex structure meets MTV audience”. I can back this up. It was the common ground between my english language tutor at college and myself, he clearly had a passionate love of music and at the time I was the MTV audience. It also features my favourite track ‘Change (In the House of Flies)’.
Glassjaw: So not only one of the biggest post hardcore bands but with a lead singer who was so sick sometimes he couldn’t even find the strength to get out of bed let alone tour. But did this stop Daryl Palumbo? Did it hell! Not only did he turn his pain into beautiful art with songs inspired by his suffering, but he’s never given up on what he loves to do, whether it be with Glassjaw or anything else he’s ever been involved in. No matter how band it can sometimes get, if people like Daryl can do it, so can you!
Album you should check out: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Silence. It’s often said to be a milestone album in the Post hardcore genre. Producer Ross Robinson said “our goal at the time was to destroy Adidas rock” AKA Korn and Limp Bizkit. Now whilst I dislike this idea, change is often a good thing for music as it keeps it changing and fresh.
Muse: This band have managed to achieve the kind of success that many bands only dream of. They found major success with their third album ‘Absolution’ but it was second album ‘Origin of Symmetry’ that was received were by critics. Roger Morton of NME gave the album 9/10 and wrote, “it’s amazing for such a young band to load up with the heritage that includes the darker versions of Cobain and Kafka, Mahler and The Tiger Lillies, Cronenberg and Schoenberg, and make a sexy, populist album. But Muse have carried it off”. Success can happen when you channel you heroes well.
Album you should check out: Absolution. It debuted at number 1 in the UK and spawned 1 top ten hit and 3 more top twenty hits. The band played Glastonbury for this album and became a household name.
Linkin Park: A band that were a huge influence on me and a host of newer musicians as every generation has the bands they grew up on and this is one of them for my generation. To me they were the ultimate nu metal band. They were the band that mixed rock and hip hop seamlessly and then remixed those tracks again to an astounding level of clarity. It was there metaphoric lyrics with their any possible meaning that drew crowds in and that is one of the fabulous things they’ve contributed to the rock world.
Album you should check out: Hybrid Theory. They’re first and still their best release. It’s the sound that made Linkin Park a household name and the album is so popular it’s gone Diamond (if you’re unfamiliar with what this is, as was I, it means it’s sold over 10 million copies).
Limp Bizkit: More nu metal titans. They were angry at times and at others they were just damn right obnoxious, but it’s all in the honour of good music. Who can forget the first time they heard ‘Break Stuff’? (Well you, if you’re one of the people who hasn’t heard it yet). It’s angry and obnoxious and yet superbly written all at once, yet so simple. What Limp Bizkit brought to the rock industry is the ‘Who cares?’ attitude when they recorded whatever the fuck they wanted, literally.
Album you should check out: Significant Other. It was the album that shot them to fame and contains ‘Break Stuff’. However ‘Chocolate Starfish’ is a great follow up if you like what you hear.
Papa Roach: Started young and worked the local circuit until they hit success with ‘Infest’ in 2000. Whilst critics didn’t receive their second album well, fans stuck by them and it flew off the shelves. They proved that the relationship with fans was important and could say your career from critics.
Album you should check out: Infest. It’s where it started for Papa Roach. If you don’t like nu metal tho, then one of their album is bound to suit your needs as they’re all completely different.
AFI: Or A Fire Inside started at the beginning of the 90’s with a proper punk sound. But that was not the sound to bring them success. 12 years later it arrived with a much more mellows out sound, but one that still rocked nonetheless.
Album you should check out: Sing the Sorrow. The Art of Drowning is fantastic, but it’s only an EP. Sing the Sorrow is an amazing album and finally got me hooked on AFI. They’ve brought a sense of carefree fun to the industry, each album offering something a bit different to spice it up.
