Rock and Y2K Time Machine

The angsty rock bands that dominated the early 2000s created classics which continue to live in our hearts today. But until nostalgia kicked in two decades later, these musicians had to figure out how to change with the times to keep their names in the limelight.

Written by Miranda Robertson

Photo courtesy of Alternative Press

In 2000, the world entered the new millennium, and with it came an abundance of rock bands with new takes on the genre. Although throwbacks and yearnings for nostalgia keep old rock hits in our hearts, the musicians who carried 2000s rock had to find a way to keep playing after the popularity of punk rock and emo slowly faded. In this rock time machine piece, see how some of the biggest names in rock changed and approached the future of rock as we know it.

One of the first names to come to mind when looking back at the 2000s charts is Green Day. Originally called Sweet Children, Green Day came together in 1989. The band rose from the Bay Area punk scene, releasing music under an independent record label. It wasn’t until 1994 that the band got its real start with the release of their first major-label album, Dookie. Throughout the remainder of the ‘90s, Green Day stuck to the punk genre until the beginning of the 2000s, when they began aiming their sound more towards pop punk and alternative, the rising flavors of rock at the time. This period brought some of the band’s most influential works such as American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. These albums had multiple hits that rose to the top of the Billboard charts throughout the aughts. But, after these successes came a lull for the band. The trilogy albums Uno!, Dos!, and Tre! left listeners underwhelmed and critics unimpressed. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong mentioned in an interview with Q Magazine that the 2012 trilogy albums had “absolutely no direction to them" and attempted to be "prolific for the sake of it.” That same year, Armstrong also sought help for his substance misuse and entered rehab, halting his music career for the time being. Seeking to avoid producing anything half-assed for their fans again, the members of Green Day took a step back to rethink after the promotion of the trilogy albums. The band recuperated and tried to get back to their passionate punk rock roots, and continue rocking to this day. In 2016, the band released Revolution Radio, in which, as a review by the Guardian mentioned, “[after their last few albums] the band have decided to get back to basics: Revolution Radio is their most focused work in years.” This album helped Green Day return to their rightful status of dominating rock by reincorporating pop choruses and lyrics mixed with punk instrumentals.

Having had similar beginnings, Blink-182 also began in the California punk scene, hailing from the San Diego area and initially making a name for themselves with their high-energy sets. The band first began touring with two albums, Cheshire Cat and Dude Ranch, from 1995 to 1998. After this, the first original member left the group, leaving Travis Barker to take over as drummer. This is when Blink-182 would go on to produce its most popular albums to date: Enema of the State, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, and blink-182. These albums all used catchy punk rock guitar riffs and heavy drums matched with memorable pop-ish hooks — the ultimate format for mainstream rock in the early 2000s. After these albums' successes, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge left the band and sent the remaining trio into an indefinite hiatus. The band returned, with DeLonge, in 2009 and struggled to make any rock hits as popular as its pre-hiatus albums. After putting up with DeLonge leaving and rejoining a few times, primary members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker decided to move on and began writing a new album without DeLonge. This was Blink-182’s 2017 album, California which brought the band its first Billboard No. 1 single in 12 years. The album received better reviews than any other post-hiatus Blink project. Hoppus described what he wanted to achieve on the album to Rolling Stone, stating he was aiming for "super-fast late-nineties-punk-rock-sounding songs," as well as more progressive and relevant lyrics "like nothing we have ever done before.” In this case, Blink-182 had to reach back into their roots to bring the punk rock genre back to popularity.

The Chicago-based rock band Fall Out Boy got its start in 2001, and made a mark in the pop punk genre fairly quickly. Their 2003 debut album Take This to Your Grave was well-received by rock fans and created some buzz for the band. This album also helped Fall Out Boy establish a strong fanbase, which was a component that helped 2005 follow-up album From Under the Cork Tree get exposure right off the bat, though it was the well-written album that made the band rise to household-name status. The combination of talented and unique singer Patrick Stump’s soul-esque vocals with clever and stand-out lyrics by bassist Pete Wentz gave Fall Out Boy a sound that was hard to copy. Add on the captivating guitar riffs, and the Wilmette-based group had themselves multiple hit songs. This release was followed up by the album Infinity on High, a continuation of the distinctly Fall Out Boy style of idiosyncratic-yet-sometimes-badly-enunciated lyrics thrown over punk rock melodies. Trying to mix it up, the band tried some new creative approaches to rock on their next 2008 album, Folie à Deux. The record received mixed reviews, with fans split, half of them angry about the change, and half in support of the band reaching for a new sound. The members decided on a hiatus after this album from 2009 to 2012. Fall Out Boy came back stronger than ever with the release of Save Rock and Roll in 2013. Bringing in a new producer, the group wanted to start again and create the original band’s sound in a modern form. This was also the first time the group seemed to lean into the genre of pop rock. The album also presented an array of feature artists such as Elton John, Courtney Love, and Big Sean. Fall Out Boy continued to add pop into their music through their next albums American Beauty/American Psycho and Mania. This rock-induced pop concoction placed them for nominations at pop award shows in the “alternative rock” genre. The band has had multiple singles and Billboard-charting songs from these pop-infused rock albums. By the group switching up their sound and mixing genres, they were able to re-emerge in the modern rock music scene as strongly as they did pre-hiatus.

In another popular 2000s rock variation, the band Paramore had a later start than the previously mentioned musicians but made their name just as big. The Tennessee-based rock group began its journey in 2004 — starting off well-received as their debut album All We Know Is Falling garnered positive reviews, especially in the U.K. It wasn’t until the release of 2007 album Riot! when the band received the “emo” genre label. The record remains popular to this day, fitting right in with nostalgic Y2K trends. Riot! marked the beginnings of the band's mainstream following, with “Misery Business” slated as their break-out hit. Paramore continued with the 2009 record Brand New Eyes, which was praised for showcasing the band’s melodic growth while continuing to offer emotional and heartfelt lyrics. Lead singer Hayley Williams ventured on her own with the band's next album as the past members decided to part ways for the time being. Working with trusted producers, Williams wrote and helped compose the self-titled 2013 album. This new record strayed towards a more modern alternative rock and performed extremely well with fans and critics. 2017 was the year Paramore announced the departed members would be rejoining for their fifth studio album, After Laughter. This is where the band took a leap away from their pop punk, rock, and emo sound and replaced it with what Billboard described as an "early '80s new wave" record. The album discusses depression, anxiety, and even death, contradicting the upbeat-sounding synths that distinguish it. After Laughter helps showcase Paramore’s talent in other genres and their creative abilities, helping to keep the name fresh in today’s times. Hayley Williams has also gone solo since this release, and unveiled Petals For Armor in 2020, which demonstrates just how much more promise she has to present as an individual musician. 

To check out these long-standing musicians’ progress through time, visit the playlist below. Jump through the years via rock music to simulate stepping through the ultimate music time machine.