Top 100 Greatest Indie Rock Songs Post 2000
Updated: Mar 29
(Pictured - Arcade Fire 2007)
An Explosion of independent record labels across The US, Canada and The UK in the early 80’s dramatically changed the boundaries for entry in the music industry. Following the explosion of indie and alternative rock in the 90s, by the 2000’s, the world had been exposed to a plethora or newfound creativity of artists. Here we celebrate the flourishing of the indie rock scene post 2000. Similarly, to our other recently posted list Top 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of all time, for the purposes of this list we’ll stick a bit closer to the original definition of indie meaning songs released from independent labels. Artists who may have signed over to a major label but either spent a large portion of their career on an indie label or are primarily considered indie rock over any other genre have been included. Alongside that, artists who were signed to indie labels in one country, but major labels in another country may also be included if they are primarily aligned in the indie scene over anything else. Alternative rock bands who are generally not considered indie rock (Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age, Coldplay, The Killers) have been excluded as well along with all pop-punk bands to keep the spirit focused around indie. Alongside indie rock, indie pop, and indie folk have been included on a case-by-case basis, primarily focusing on tracks released from albums considered indie rock, or if the song has substantial rock undertones. Most of the songs that have been included are the singles from these groups, although some ground-breaking non-single tracks have been included along with 25 honorable mentions. For a deeper dive into the deep cuts of indie rock, be sure to check out 100 Fantastic Indie Rock Deep Cuts! Check us out on Instagram @melophobemusic for new articles, releases, reviews, pictures and more!
Released from perhaps the most influential and most groundbreaking indie rock album of the modern era Is This It, Last Nite is the staple guitar-forward rock track of the era. Of the albums included on our list Top 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time Is This It, was among the top three post 2000 albums. The reinventing of guitar-forward rock by The Strokes in the early 2000’s was paramount for a new era of indie rock, leaving Last Nite nearly untouchable and as a staple for a generation of indie kids.
2. New Slang - The Shins
Released as the sixth track from The Shins debut album Oh, Inverted World, at a time when most indie bands were trying to replicate or reinvent the profundity of Pavement, The Shins went in a completely different direction building more on perhaps the delicate nature of 90’s Belle & Sebastian, well at least for some of the album. Aside from the track's iconic use in the film Garden State (It’ll change your life), the track remains a serious indie staple shining light on one of the era's most prominent indie bands. As simple as the song is, its grace, beauty, and subtly lo-fi characteristics exponentially add to its profundity.
3. Float On - Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse had already made head-way in the indie scene prior to the release of Float On in 2004. Already praised in the indie scene for what we would call their masterpiece, The Moon & Antarctica, Float On exemplified a notably different and welcoming sound for the band yet just as much praiseworthy as their prior work. A lyrically intricate anthem of resilience and optimism, Float On resonated with audiences on a powerful level, paired with its catchy Smiths-esque guitar work and Isaac Brock’s shout-style lyrics. Similarly to a bunch of these tracks in the top 10, Float On is a true rally-cry for an entire generation.
First and foremost, is there another indie track that nails a tempo change as much as Take Me Out did? Starting out notably faster, the band breaks it DOWN for you, in epic proportions before the song really kicks off around the minute mark. With its iconic guitar hook and stomp-forward beat, this song was an instant classic in 2004. Take Me Out embodies the indie spirit of creativity and the urge to transcend genres, all doing so in an often danceable and head-banging way.
A-Punk, alongside its host record, the self-titled debut by Vampire Weekend, received a massive amount of praise from us here at Melophobe. This record received an immense amount of well-deserved acclaim for its use of non-traditional instruments, alongside heavy Caribbean and African influences. A-Punk, was no exception to that with it’s atypical, yet catchy up-tempo guitar line, percussive lyrics and musically intricate pre chorus and chorus. A masterful and equally infectious song in every way possible.
6. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Like him or not, the influence and impact of Jack White is about as high as it gets in the indie realm. Perhaps the most well-known indie rock track ever released, Seven Nation Army transcended the indie and alternative realms becoming one of the most iconic songs of the millennium. No matter how many times this song gets played, or where it gets played, few songs go quite as hard as this one. Seven Nation Army finds itself with a sound and format all of its own, with a quiet distorted guitar repeatedly building into a sonically unmatched war-cry. This is one of those tracks that seemingly will never get old.
7. 1901 - Phoenix
Released in 2009, 1901 remains one of the most well-known and most played indie rock tracks of the new era. Groundbreaking in nearly every sense of the world, 1901 alongside its host album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix played a major role in the popularization and reinvention of 80’s influenced synth-pop. The song's energetic and euphoric atmosphere, coupled with its catchy melodies and interesting lyrics, encapsulate the spirit of indie rock's adventurous and often bright nature. 1901 is an anthem for an entire generation of indie kids.
8. Wake Up - Arcade Fire
The profundity of Arcade Fire was noticed by the world quite soon after the release of their debut album Funeral with its seventh track Wake Up finding itself as the crown jewel of the masterful record. The iconic shout-chorus layered over the propelling guitar line place Wake Up as one of the pivotal indie rock anthems in the early portion of the era. The song showcases the band's knack for blending powerful instrumentation with inward-looking storytelling, setting Wake Up as the climactic point of the powerful record, before the band brings the tempo up and seamlessly transitions into Haiti, the following song.
9. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, pt, 1 - The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi marked the comeback of 90’s indie deity’s The Flaming Lips. Telling an interesting and emotional tale, no song sounds anything like this, establishing pt, 1 as a gem for indie nerds. Pairing the unique storytelling, with intricate guitar work alongside unusual keyboard effects, The Flaming Lips released this quirky yet remarkable track to dropping jaws all over the world. The talent, and creativity of this band will always hold a special place for those die-hard indie fans.
From the mythical debut album by Icelandic group Of Monsters & Men, Little Talks established itself as the star-child from My Head Is An Animal. The catchy horn riff alongside the huge unison chorus established this song as an instant classic. The emotional, dark and mythical tale told in the lyrics pairs perfectly with contrasting bright and energetic musicianship behind the words. Little Talks found itself as a seminal work of indie rock and indie folk reaching a massive amount of crossover success outside the indie realm. Little Talks remains one of the catchiest and most beautiful indie tracks of the new era, as the staple of an album we hold in very high regard.
12. Jerk It Out - Caesars
13. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
14. Electric Feel - MGMT
15. It’s a Hit - Rilo Kiley
16. Up The Bracket - The Libertines
17. Maps - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
19. Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene
20. Jesus, Etc. - Wilco
25. Such Great Heights - The Postal Service
26. Sing Me Spanish Techno - The New Pornographers
27. Kids - MGMT
28. Home - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
30. Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie
31. Naive - The Kooks
32. You Only Live Once - The Strokes
33. Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives
34. Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
35. Fell In Love With a Girl - The White Stripes
36. The Underdog - Spoon
37. First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
38. The Modern World - Wolf Parade
39. Dashboard - Modest Mouse
41. Son of Sam - Elliott Smith
42. Banquet - Bloc Party
43. Red Eyes - The War on Drugs
44. Mind Over Matter - Young the Giant
45. Obstacle 1 - Interpol
46. Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
47. Let’s Dance to Joy Division - The Wombats
48. Tenderness - Parquet Courts
49. Unbelievers - Vampire Weekend
51. Portions For Foxes - Rilo Kiley
52. Simple Song - The Shins
53. The Mariner's Revenge Song - The Decemberists
54. Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips
55. Gabrielle - Ween
56. Someday - The Strokes
57. Walking With a Ghost - Tegan and Sara
58. Mass Romantic - The New Pornographers
59. Norgaard - The Vaccines
60. Girlfriend - Phoenix
62. Cough Syrup - Young the Giant
64. Riptide - Vance Joy
65. Take a Walk - Passion Pit
66. What You Know - Two Door Cinema Club
67. Energy - The Apples In Stereo
68. Don’t Look Back Into the Sun - The Libertines
69. I'll Believe in Anything - Wolf Parade
70. Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
71. Valerie - The Zutons
72. Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols
73. Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids
75. 505 - Arctic Monkeys
76. Club Foot - Kasabian
77. The Heinrich Maneuver - Interpol
78. E-Pro - Beck
79. DLZ - TV on the Radio
80. The Funeral - Band of Horses
81. Australia - The Shins
83. Cause = Time - Broken Social Scene
84. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
85. Left Hand Free - Alt-J
87. Start of Something - Voxtrot
88. Date With the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
89. Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
90. Always Like This - Bombay Bicycle Club
91. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John
92. Gravity Rides Everything - Modest Mouse
93. Too Young - Phoenix
94. Boys That Sing - Viola Beach
95. Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear
97. The High Road - Broken Bells
98. Get Over It - OK Go
99. Brazil - Declan McKenna
100. Boy - Ra Ra Riot
Just Outside the Top 100
102. The Crane Wife 3 - The Decemberists
104. Girl - Beck
105. Do You - Spoon
106. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
107. Modern Jesus - Portugal. The Man
108. Lazy Eye - Silversun Pickups
109. My Number - Foals
110. Silver Lining - Mt. Joy
112. Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
113. I Need Some Sleep - Eels
114. Take Her Back - The Pigeon Detectives
115. Sedona - Houndmouth
116. I Wish I Was the Moon - Neko Case
117. Darling - Real Estate
119. Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
120. Bang Bang You’re Dead - Dirty Pretty Things
121. Sleepyhead - Passion Pit
122. Echoes - The Rapture
123. Shuffle - Bombay Bicycle Club
125. French Navy - Camera Obscura
For a broader look at many iconic alternative albums be sure to check out Top 100 Greatest Alternative Albums of All Time. For a more expansive collection of songs from this list be sure to check out the accompanying playlist. Be sure to check us out on Instagram @melophobemusic for new articles, releases, reviews, pictures and more!
