A roundup of debut songs by Western bands that lit up the 2000s
The 2000s were a time when various music scenes—garage rock, post-punk, hip-hop, electro, and more—intermingled, giving rise to new musical trends.
The songs by bands that debuted with fresh sounds from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s still shine with an undiminished allure today.
This time, we’re introducing the debut tracks that can truly be called the starting points for the many bands that colored the music scene of the 2000s.
Let’s look back together on these timeless gems that blend nostalgia with freshness.
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Debut Songs by Western Bands That Defined the 2000s (11–20)
MachineYeah Yeah Yeahs
In the rock scene of the 2000s, New York served as a hub for musical trends, radiating an excitement that evoked the atmosphere of the 1970s.
Emerging from that scene, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—fronted by the sole female member, Karen O—were a pivotal band that dominated indie rock in the 2000s.
Preceding their acclaimed 2003 album Fever to Tell, this track, released as an EP in November 2002, distills their raw, early impulses.
The piece’s racing, drone-like guitar noise and tight rhythm generate a mechanical yet sensual tension.
Coupled with Karen O’s provocative vocals, the band’s dangerous allure explodes to full effect.
Peaking at No.
37 on the UK charts, this is a killer tune that perfectly delivers the unfiltered cool of garage punk when you want to feel it without overthinking.
One Step CloserLinkin Park
Among genres that fused rap and metal—like rap metal and nu metal—Linkin Park were the ones who defined an era with a hybrid sound that emphasized melody, anchored by the late Chester Bennington’s overwhelming vocals.
With over 100 million records sold worldwide, they were the most successful rock band of the 2000s, and their debut single was “One Step Closer,” which also appears as the second track on the masterpiece Hybrid Theory.
In the music video, they’re unmistakably young and dressed in the quintessential nu-metal fashion of the time—an endearing touch—but the excitement that “this is where a new era begins” still hasn’t faded even now!
I Bet You Look Good On The DancefloorArctic Monkeys
When it comes to the most explosive debuts of the mid-2000s, Arctic Monkeys undoubtedly come to mind.
In their early twenties, they built a fanbase in a distinctly new-generation way through grassroots efforts and smart use of the internet, which drew attention—but it was their sound, a stylish modern distillation of post-punk and garage rock, that truly shocked the scene.
Their official debut single, 2005’s “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” delivers a solid riff, danceable breakneck momentum, and irresistibly catchy melodies, earning them a UK No.
1.
It’s a quintessential early classic brimming with youthful energy, and as their starting point, it’s a must-listen even for later generations discovering the band.
Hard To ExplainThe Strokes
Hailing from New York, The Strokes were one of the most important bands to drive the 2000s garage revival boom and stand as a defining rock band of the new century.
They stylishly revived classic, no-frills rock ’n’ roll, and with their cool, good-looking presence, they truly led the era.
Their debut track, the irresistibly catchy Hard to Explain—released in 2001—perfectly fuses their signature pop sensibility with a propulsive drive.
The B-side New York City Cops is also a very famous song!
What a WasterThe Libertines
If The Strokes led the garage rock boom in America, then in the UK The Libertines would surely be mentioned first.
With two frontmen, they’ve continued as an active, ongoing band into the 2020s, repeatedly clashing and reconciling in what could be called a drama of love and hate.
Their debut single, What a Waster, was released in 2002.
The call-and-response lyrics sung by Pete Doherty and Carl Barât were highly controversial, yet they exude a distinctly British poetic sensibility, and that somewhat wistful melody is just fantastic, isn’t it?
Darts Of PleasureFranz Ferdinand
We are Franz Ferdinand from Glasgow, Scotland.
We’re a band known for a retro rock sound with a danceable edge.
This song is the single that was released before the big hit “Take Me Out.”
A roundup of debut songs by Western bands that colored the 2000s (21–30)
A-PunkVampire Weekend
This is Vampire Weekend, an indie rock band from New York.
Released in 2008, this is the most popular song from their debut album.
It’s a track that clearly showcases their distinctive pop-punk sound, which is said to be influenced by Afro-pop.