Eminem is one of the top artists of the 2000s. The 2000s marked a transformative period for music, but not through the emergence of entirely new genres; rather through the evolution of those established in the ’80s and ’90s. Unlike previous decades, where a couple music movements dominated the industry, the 2000s saw a more diverse sonic landscape than ever before. Pop, hip-hop, rap, R&B and rock reached new heights thanks to not only groundbreaking artists but new and innovative production techniques. New advancements in music technology also played a crucial role in shaping the sound of various sub-genres that emerged, from electronic-dance music to nu metal. Ultimately, the 2000s became a decade of experimentation and reinvention, setting the stage for the musical trends for the following decades. Top Bands And Artists Of The 2000s Everything from rap, R&B, pop, alt-rock and metal were prominent throughout the 2000s. While there were a litany of festivals and traditional media outlets like MTV that helped expose up and coming artists at the time, festivals such as Lollapalooza and Vans Warped Tour played a huge role in exposing many of the decade defining artists, including Eminem, Paramore, Linkin Park and so many more. Given the wide range of exceptional and influential artists from this era, the criteria for this list was straightforward: critical reception, mainstream popularity at the time and the lasting impact the artist made during the decade. 35. LCD Soundsystem James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem performs at the El Rey Theatre, May 15, 2005 in Los Angeles. Getty Images By blending dance-punk, electronic and indie rock in an unprecedented fashion, LCD Soundsystem were at the forefront of electronic music in the early 2000s. The group was founded by the co-founder of DFA Records, James Murphy, and produced some of the most cherished and innovative albums of the decade with their 2005 self-titled debut and 2007’s Sound of Silver. LCD Soundsystem’s influence has since stretched beyond the 2000s, with hits like “All My Friends,” “Someone Great” and “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House.” 34. Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold perform at Leeds Festival, 2008. Corbis via Getty Images MORE FOR YOU Microsoft’s Free Upgrade Offer For 500 Million Windows Users ‘Worse Than 1971’—U.S. Dollar Price ‘Collapse’ Predicted To Ignite $22 Trillion Bitcoin Challenge To Gold Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Saturday, April 12th Combining groovy and intricate songwriting with the attitude of metal and hard-rock greats like Guns N’ Roses and Pantera, Avenged Sevenfold quickly became one of the most influential and acclaimed bands of the 2000s. With albums City of Evil and Avenged Sevenfold, they produced hits like “Bat Country,” “Almost Easy” and “A Little Piece of Heaven” among many others. Today the band remains one of the most popular modern metal acts around, and their musical output continues to shine and push boundaries within the genre. Ben Goldwasser (left) and Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT pose during Bonnaroo on June 12, 2008 in ... More Manchester, Tennessee. Getty Images Despite their career kicking off toward the end of the 2000s and into early 2010s, MGMT’s debut LP Oracular Spectacular (2007) is still their most acclaimed work. The multi-instrumentalist duo, consisting of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, made an everlasting imprint on pop culture with their quirky, yet often thought-provoking songwriting. Hits like “Electric Feel,” “Kids” and “Time to Pretend” have become timeless anthems, but are particularly significant in how they helped shape the sound of late-2000s alternative and indie music. 32. Paramore Hayley Williams and Taylor York of Paramore performing on stage. Blending frenetic pop-punk and emo rock, Paramore quickly became one of the most beloved acts of the early 2000s Vans Warped Tour era. The Franklin, Tennessee, band has gone on to explore a variety of different styles, blending catchy pop hooks with emo and alternative rock, but their multi-platinum albums Riot! (2007) and Brand New Eyes (2009) are what propelled them to the mainstream. Hit songs “Misery Business,” “The Only Exception” and “All I Wanted” still resonate within the rock and alternative genres, solidifying Hayley Williams as one of the most important songwriters and vocalists in modern rock. 31. MF DOOM MF DOOM performs during the Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park on July 18, 2009 in Chicago. Getty Images The masked rapper and producer, Daniel Dumile, better known as MF DOOM, released some of the most critically acclaimed rap albums of the 2000s. Between 2004’s Madvillainy and MM..FOOD, MF DOOM’s signature flow and samples continue resonate with listeners today. While Dumile passed away in 2020, the British-American rapper’s legacy continues to carry on as millions discover his iconic hits like “Rapp Snitch Knishes” and “One Beer.” Dominic Howard, Matt Bellamy and Chris Wolstenholme of Muse. Amalgamating progressive rock, electronic and alternative influences made Muse one of the most innovative bands of the 2000s. With 2003’s Absolution and 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations, the UK outfit rose to become one of the most celebrated rock bands of the century. Today, tracks “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Knights of Cydonia,” and “Hysteria” remains some of the most well respected rock epics of the 2000s. Nelly in concert at Madison Square Garden, April 15, 2005 in New York City. Nelly’s unmistakable fusion of hip-hop, R&B and pop helped him reach far and beyond most artists from the 2000s. Hits “Dilemma,” “Hot In Herre” and “Ride Wit Me” greatly influenced the sonic landscape at the time, and they turned the crossover rapper into a household name. Furthermore, Albums Country Grammar (2000) and Nellyville (2002) remain some of the most celebrated albums of the 2000s. 28. Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers pose backstage at the "ReAct Now: Music & Relief" benefit concert at ... More Paramount Studios on September 10, 2005 in Hollywood. Getty Images The infectious grooves and quirky melodies of the Los Angeles funk-rock powerhouse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, are still unmatched to this day. Bassist Flea, vocalist Anthony Kiedis, drummer Chad Smit and guitarist John Frusciante are considered one of greatest supergroups in rock, having produced hits “Can’t Stop,” “By the Way” and “Snow (Hey Oh)” among many others throughout the '90s and 2000s. Today they continue selling out stadiums worldwide, and their music remains a constant inspiration for thousands of up and coming bands and musicians. 27. Kanye West Kanye West performs at the 50th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 10, 2008. AFP via Getty Images While arguably much of his legacy has been tarnished due to several controversies in the following decades, Kanye West undeniably had one of the most successful and critically acclaimed musical outputs during the 2000s. The producer and rapper won over millions of fans with seminal albums The College Dropout (2004), Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007). Despite his persona and musical direction drastically changing over later decades, the sonic impact Kanye West had on the 2000s was without a doubt revolutionary. 26. The Killers David Keuning, Brandon Flowers, Ronnie Vannucci, Mark Stoermer of The Killers. The melancholic angst of The Killers’ hits “Mr. Brightside,” “When You Were Young” and “Somebody Told Me” will forever be some of the most revered anthems of the 2000s. The Nevada quartet brought a unique spin to the already oversaturated post-punk and alt-rock genres with their now multi-platinum albums Hot Fuss (2004) and Sam’s Town (2006). You’d be hard pressed to find many acts from the 2000s that blended droning synths, rock guitars and catchy pop melodies as successfully as The Killers did. 25. Foo Fighters Nate Mendel, Taylor Hawkins, Dave Grohl and Chris Shiflett of The Foo Fighters arrive to the 2005 ... More MTV Movie Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on June 4, 2005 in Los Angeles. Getty Images Dave Grohl might be second to none when it comes to musicians that have had the biggest impact on modern rock. Between drumming for Nirvana and then fronting Foo Fighters, Grohl’s musical output is unmatched. While the band already saw great success in the late 90s, after producing hits “Time’s Like These,” “Best of You” and “The Pretender,” Foo Fighters proved they were a preeminent rock band of the 2000s. 24. 50 Cent Rapper 50 Cent at the Beverly Hills Hotel in November of 2005. Getty Images 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) is easily one of the defining albums of the 2000s. The grit, groove and catchy flow showcased on tracks “In Da Club,” “P.I.M.P.” and “21 Questions” established 50 Cent as one of the decade’s most revered and innovative rappers. Furthermore, with 2005’s The Massacre, the New York rapper would go on to become an icon of the rap and hip-hop genres. 23. Queens of the Stone Age Top Row: Mark Lanegan and Josh Homme; bottom row from left Nick Oliveri, Dave Grohl and Troy Van ... More Leeuwen. The early 2000s rock scene was dominated by nu-metal and post-grudge acts, but songwriter Josh Homme managed to bring something wholly original to the oversaturated scene with Queens of the Stone Age. The California based rock outfit blended old school hard-rock and punk songwriting from the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Flag with a unique desert-rock sound. To this day the band’s 2002 LP Songs For The Deaf is hailed as a masterpiece in the genre producing hits “No One Knows,” "You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire” and “Go With The Flow,” among others. 22. Daft Punk Daft Punk performs at the Coachella Music Festival on April 29, 2006 in Indio, California. Getty Images Daft Punk has had an immeasurable influence on electronic music and music production altogether. The French duo consisting of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo kicked off their electronic music revolution in the late '90s, but with their 2001 LP Discovery, they completely redefined what was possible within the genre and with music sampling. While the duo would go on to even greater success in the following decade, hits “One More Time,” “Robot Rock” and “Harder, Better, Faster” showed the groups knack for amalgamating electronic music, rock, and disco styles. 21. blink-182 Tom Delonge, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus of blink-182 at MTV's First Annual Super Bowl Tailgate ... More Spectacular. Pop-punk was one of the most fashionable rock sub-genres throughout the late '90s and early 2000s, and that’s a direct result of the massive success seen by the California trio, blink-182. With their multi-platinum albums Take Off Your Pants And Jacket (2001) and blink-182 (2003), Travis Barker, Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge reinvented punk music for an entire generation. Today the band is hailed as one of the all time greats of the pop-punk genre, with hits “I Miss You” and “First Date” continuing to connect with new fans. 20. System Of A Down Portrait of the band System of a Down at the Metro in Chicago, May 3, 2005. Getty Images Nu metal was at the forefront of the early 2000s metal scene, and the Los Angeles outfit System Of A Down certainly contributed to its rise in popularity. However, the band’s mix of thought-provoking, socially and politically charged songwriting, coupled with a distinct Armenian influence separated them from every other act at the time. SOAD would go on to become one of the most widely known bands of the entire metal genre, and they’ve since accumulated billions of streams on hits “Chop Suey!” and “Toxicity” off their 2001 masterpiece, Toxicity. 19. The Strokes The Strokes during Rolling Stone Magazine's 1,000th Issue celebration. Is This It (2001) remains one of the most genre-defining albums of the 2000s, and it launched The Strokes into international stardom. While the debut LP kickstarted their rise, the decade also brought standout releases like Room on Fire (2003), featuring hits such as “Reptilia.” Based on their 2000s output alone, The Strokes are essential to indie rock and stand as one of the most critically acclaimed acts of the decade. 18. Justin Timberlake Justin Timberlake performs at HP Pavilion on June 14, 2003 in San Jose, California. Getty Images After his breakout success with the vocal group NSYNC, Justin Timberlake’s solo career would take him to new and unprecedented heights. 2002’s Justified showed Timberlake’s knack for writing infectious hooks like “Rock Your Body” and “Cry Me a River,” which he only further developed on 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds. Timberlake’s ability to brilliantly cross genres and remain at the top of pop culture made him not only one of the most successful artists from the 2000s, but one of the most significant. 17. The White Stripes Meg White and Jack White of the White Stripes performing at Madison Square Garden on July 24th, 2007 ... More in New York City. The raw garage rock energy forged by duo Jack White and Meg White still reverberates across sports stadiums to this day. Albums White Blood Cells (2001) and Elephant (2003) helped set the standard for the 2000s’ robust rock scene, and they’re still hailed as some of the best rock LPs from the decade. Despite the group breaking up in 2011, their fist-pumping hits “Seven Nation Army” and “Icky Thump” have since gone on to become some of the most recognizable songs of the 2000s. 16. Green Day Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool of Green Day. Green Day was at the forefront of pop-punk’s foundational years in the '90s, but the California trio rose to global stardom with their albums American Idiot (2004) and 21st Century Breakdown (2009). Songs “American Idiot,” “Wake Me up When September Ends” and “21 Guns” were pivotal to shaping the sound of rock and pop-rock throughout early 2000s. The band’s rebellious energy is carried through the millions of fans and the bands that they continue to inspire, and as far as punk-rock music goes, Green Day is second to none in what they’ve accomplished on a global scale. Usher in concert in Germany. ullstein bild via Getty Images Simply put, Usher dominated the 2000s with his signature blend of R&B and brilliant melodies, not to mention his impeccable dance moves. With 2004’s Confessions Usher rose to fame with anthemic hits like “Yeah!” and “Burn.” Whether it’s him electrifying audiences at the Super Bowl halftime show, or his music pouncing in clubs across the globe, Usher has continued to prove he’s one of the most significant artists to come out of the 2000s. 14. Timbaland Timbaland during "The Heart of the City" tour at American Airlines Arena on March 22, 2008 in Miami. “The Way I Are,” “Carry Out” and “Apologize” are classics that instantly transport you to the 2000s, and with that feat alone Timbaland, a.k.a., Timothy Zachery Mosley, is automatically one of the most important artists from the 2000s. As a songwriter and producer, Timbaland collaborated with a variety of prominent artists from the decade including Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. His albums Shock Value (2007) and Shock Value II (2009) would go on to become multi-platinum records, and his genre-defying beats, rich with layered rhythms and futuristic soundscapes at the time, would help shape the sound of the 2000s. 13. Slipknot Slipknot circa 2000. While their debut album came out in 1999, Slipknot would take the world by storm starting in the early 2000s. Their mix of bouncy nu-metal riffs with frantic extreme metal instrumentals turned the masked, nine-piece Iowa band into a sensation. With their sophomore LP Iowa and 2004’s Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) which produced hits “Duality” and “Before I Forget,” Slipknot’s redefined what extreme music was in the eyes of pop-culture. Since the early the 2000s, Slipknot has gone through a few lineup changes, but that’s not stopped the band from continuing to produce No.1 charting albums and sold-out world tours. 12. Britney Spears Britney Spears performs with a snake draped over her shoulders at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards on ... More September 6, 2001, in New York City. AFP via Getty Images After her sensational 1999 debut …Baby One More Time, Britney Spears proved she was destined to take over the 2000s. Between 2000’s Oops!…I Did It Again and 2008’s Circus, Britney Spears took over the charts with hits “Oops!…I Did It Again,” and “Womanizer,” not mention In The Zone’s (2003) “Toxic.” Without a doubt, there are few pop-stars, let alone artists, from the 2000s that saw the same success and acclaim as Britney Spears, and today her legacy continues to be cherished by a number of generations. 11. Missy Eliott Missy Elliott at her home in April, 2005, in Miami. Getty Images Missy Elliot revolutionized the rap, hip-hop and R&B genres in the early 2000s with her innovative production and the uniques styles she blended together. Miss E…So Addictive (2001) and Under Construction (2002) broke boundaries and challenged cultural norms with tracks like “Work It,” and “Get Ur Freak On” among others. Since then Missy Elliot has not only become one of the most influential and revered artists of the decade, but she holds the most platinum records by a female rapper to date with six. 10. Alicia Keys Alicia Keys performs during MTV's Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios October 11, ... More 2005 in New York City. Getty Images As a piano prodigy, Alicia Keys was destined to shakeup pop culture when she entered the scene in the early 2000s. With albums Songs in A Minor (2001), The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003) and 2007’s As I Am, Keys blended soul and pop in an unprecedented manner. Songs “Fallin,’” “If I Ain’t Got You” and “No One” have since become anthems of the decade, and they continue to appreciate alongside other iconic songs from this century. Alicia Keys managed to capture both mainstream audiences and critics throughout the 2000s, and as a result her powerful songwriting will forever remain as some of the best of the decade. Andre 3000 and Big Boi at the The Tabernacle in Atlanta. The hip-hop duo from Atlanta reinvented the genre with their unique blend of funk, soul and rock in the 2000s. OutKast members André 3000 (André Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton) produced some of the most recognizable and celebrated songs with 2000’s “Ms. Jackson” and 2003’s “Hey Ya!” among many others. While OutKast is no longer active as a group, both members have gone on to have successful solo careers in the following decades. Jay-Z at his 40/40 Club on W. 25th St. in Manhattan. NY Daily News via Getty Images As one of the most significant and influential rappers of all time, Jay-Z’s commercial and artistic success during the 2000s was in a league of its own. With Albums The Black Album (2003) and The Blueprint 3, the Brooklyn rapper produced meteoric hits like “Run This Town,” “99 Problems” and “Empire State Of Mind,” which helped lay the sonic blueprint for rap and hip-hop in the years to come. On top of his success as an artist, Jay-Z’s other ventures in the entertainment industry would help him become the first hip-hop billionaire in the late 2010s. 7. Linkin Park Left to right are Joe Hahn, Chester Bennington, David "Phoenix" Farrell, Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon ... More and Brad Delson of Linkin Park in 2001. Linkin Park’s 2000 debut Hybrid Theory, changed what many thought was possible within hard-rock and alterntative music. The band’s vocal duo Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda combined the aggression and angst of hard-rock and hip-hop genres in a way that propelled Linkin Park to becoming the face of rock music at the turn of the century. With global hits “Numb,” “In The End” and “What I’ve Done,” Linkin Park has since amassed billions of streams worldwide. While the band was questionably over after Chester Bennington death in 2017, Linkin Park’s 2024 revival has since shown they’re still one of the biggest and most beloved rock acts of this century. Rihanna arrives at the 2009 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 22, 2009 in ... More Los Angeles. Getty Images Rihanna broke out in the early 2000s as a pop newcomer, but she quickly rose to becoming a global megastar. Her albums Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006) proved she was a hitmaker, but with 2007’s Good Girl Gone Bad she had reached icon status. “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop The Music” and several of her hits from the decade continue to echo throughout pop-culture today, proving she’s one of the most exceptional artists to come out of the 2000s. 5. Coldplay Guy Berryman, Will Champion, Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland of Coldplay. Breaking out as a part of the alternative-rock scene in the late '90s, the UK’s Coldplay has since gone on to become one of the most recognizable and successful acts of this century, let alone the 2000s. Their 2000 debut Parachutes was one of the most successful debut LPs of the decade, and it’s gone nine-times platinum thanks to its melancholic anthems “Yellow” and “Sparks.” Later in the decade, Coldplay would reach even further heights with more pop sensible albums A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), X&Y (2005) and Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). There were a number of exceptional bands that debuted in the 2000s, but’s it’s hard to pinpoint any other band that has had the same gargantuan size impact on mainstream music that Coldplay did throughout the decade. 4. Amy Winehouse Amy Winehouse performing at Lollapalooza. The haunting masterpiece that is Back to Black (2006) turned the UK singer Amy Winehouse into a global superstar. Combining elements of jazz, R&B and soul, Winehouse’s vulnerable songwriting connected with audiences in way that was unlike any other songwriter from the decade. Her hits “Rehab,” “Back To Black” and “Valerie” continue to resonate with audiences today, and following her death in 2011, Back To Black briefly became the UK’s highest selling album of the 21st century. 3. Radiohead Radiohead in Concert at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. Only a few bands share the same the robust discography as the UK’s Radiohead, specifically their streak of masterpiece albums throughout the '90s and 2000s. Between Kid A (2000) and In Rainbows (2007), Radiohead have some of the most experimental and critically revered musical works of the 2000s. Tracks “Everything In It’s Right Place,” “How to Disappear Completely” and “All I Need” offer a taste of the band’s captivating soundscapes and songwriting, but upon listening to these albums front to back the band’s brilliance is fully realized. Beyonce performs at Staples Center on July 13, 2009 in Los Angeles. Coming off the heels of her success with Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé’s transition into her solo career marked a meteoric rise to fame that was unlike any other pop-star before her. Blending elements or R&B, pop and hip-hop, Beyoncé was able to captivate a myriad of music fans throughout the decade with monumental albums Dangerously in Love, B’Day (2006), and I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008). Hits “Halo,” “Crazy In Love” and “Irreplaceable” have carved their place into pop-culture and they’re still some of the most revered and cherished songs of the decade. Simply put, what Beyoncé was able to accomplish in the 2000s cements her as not only one of the greatest artists of the decade, but as one of the greatest solo artists of all time. With rap taking off in the late ‘80s and ’90s, much of the genre wasn’t fully realized until the early 2000s when artists like Jay-Z, Missy Elliot and Eminem broke through. And among rappers and musical artists from the 2000s, there’s a strong case for calling Detroit rapper Eminem the most influential and significant artist of the 2000s. With albums The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), The Eminem Show (2002), and Encore (2004), Eminem captured audiences on a global scale and became one of the highest selling and critically praised artists of the decade. It’s tough to argue whether Eminem is the greatest rapper of all time, but given the influence and critical success he’s had while being uncompromising in his music, Eminem is certainly one of, if not, the greatest artist from the 2000s. Bottom Line All things considered, the 2000s were a monumental period for a myriad of music genres. Between rock, rap, pop, indie and R&B, the 2000s saw some of the most sensational acts the world has ever seen from the likes of Slipknot, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Eminem and so many more. However, when it comes down to having the most significant musical impact, relevance and critical success, these are the 35 artists who defined the decade. Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website. Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades