best/favorite mainstream rock singles of '03

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Linkin Park - Faint
Blink 182 - Feeling This
Evanescence - Bring Me To Life
Coldplay - Clocks
Limp Bizkit - Eat You Alive
Good Charlotte - The Anthem/Young And The Hopeless/Girls and Boys
John Mayer - Why Georgia
Metallica - St. Anger

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

coldplay - clocks

and...

um. uh. um...

shit.

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Chevelle - Send the Pain Below
Cold - Stupid Girl
Blink - Feeling This
Evanescence - Bring Me to Life

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-one years ago)

does that donnas single count? or avril?

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:31 (twenty-one years ago)

oh and the linkin park single!!

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

all in all not a great showing for the rock & roll

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:32 (twenty-one years ago)

does 99 problems count?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't know why I can tolerate that Republic of Loose thing so much, but I can, so there you go. (Ärzte of course, but that's about it.)

― nestmanso (nestmanso), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:35 (twenty-one years ago)

here is the thread where i confess i just do not get post-weezer/green day/ratm rock.

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Limp Bizkit - Eat You Alive
Just about everything 50 Cent was involved in, including "Stunt 101"
Darkness - "I Believe In A Thing Called Love"
The Strokes - "12:51"
No Doubt - "All My Life"
Freeway - "What We Do"
Jay-Z - "Cannot Stop/Will Not Stop" or "Y'all don't hear me tho" or whatever that song was called
Kanye's single

I can't believe I'm saying this...but those Audioslave singles are growing on me.

There were a lot of singles I outright hated, none more than the Foo Fighters' cover of "Little Nicky."

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I generally try to take a "one man's poison/meat" stance on music--but good lord Linkin Park is awful

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll vote for "Maps" if that counts as mainstream

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

re: Fiddo's "not a good year" - I dunno, I think I've been so blase about alt-rock and hard rock radio for so long that now when I enjoy something it's a pleasant surprise, and I'm realizing lately that I've been surprised a lot this year.

also:
Maroon 5 - Harder To Breathe
and the Darkness song, kinda

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

LP are one of those bands i know I SHOULD hate but somehow I'm into them...didn't change the station when their singles/videos came on.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

oh shit, and
Foo Fighters - Times Like These

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

i will also admit that i NEVER EVER listen to rock radio anymore so if i hear something i like its usually randomly on tv or via someone's recommendation

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

by the way Raymond I meant "rock" in the more conservative sense, so no rap aside from maybe rap metal or crossover stuff. i figure the singles threads are too easily dominated by all the great rap/r&b so i thought i'd try a little seperatism just to be able to highlight what little of note happened this year in 'modern rock'.

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah the only rock radio i really listen to is classic rock, except sometimes when at work when someone else has got the dial.

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

the fuel song has grown on me

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The intro to the new Chevelle song is awesome (I don't know the name but it's getting plays on my local active rock station), then it kinda bogs down.

Also --Seven Nation Army!!!!, and the Korn song from the Tomb Raider 2 soundtrack.

I'll second that Cochise by Audioslave was a pretty good slab.

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

i think Audioslave is pretty assy but the 3rd single (Creator?) has grown on me.

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 16:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I just saw the new Hoobastank video this AM, and it was okay. I'm fascinated how metal became grunge which became alternative which became Rage Against The Machince which became Nu-metal which became grunge again (Godsmack, Nickleback) which is now turning back into alternative again....

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

That cover version of "Mad World", which sounds like REM but isn't, is great.

― MikeB, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

close-to-if-not-actually-mainstream rock faves:

The Basement 'Medicine Day'
British Sea Power 'Carrion'
Colder 'Crazy Love'

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

ima robot - dynomite
kenna - freetime
evanescence - going under (sadly, the generic nu-metal dude ruined 'bring me to life')
coldplay - clocks
the darkness - i believe in a thing called love (they're not metal, they're a queen pastiche! don't tell me you didn't notice the lip and bodysuit coordination)
r.e.m - bad day
thrice - all that's left (the key-shift in the chorus kills me)
white stripes - the hardest button to button
jet - are you gonna be my girl (like the london quireboys covering 'lust for life'! nice work if you can get it)

also, sorry, but that limp bizkit track is total ass

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago)

big ditto to 'the hardest button to button'

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Not mainstream, not indie, just fucking ROCK: Aereogramme 'Indiscretion #243'

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:11 (twenty-one years ago)

also 'alternative' was not a genre, sorry. a lumping-together of styles, more like. i would agree with stephen thomas erlewine's assessments of nu-grunge as a less adventurous, more introvertedly complainy, much more willing to be marketed up the wazoo fifth-generation copy of its predecessors.

side note: according to metal sludge, the darkness is just outselling andrew wk.

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

qualifiers ahoy

the darkness - i believe in a thing called love
coldplay - clocks (i'm partial to the frenchbloke and royksopp remixes)
radiohead - there there (actually, there's something about this that grates slightly)
linkin park - the faint (minus the chorus)
the strokes - 12:51 (tho it might be my least favourite song on the album)
i suspect i might like the blink single when i hear it.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

haha mitch why dont you just admit you really dont like rock music anymore?

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The Linkin Park song I know (& like) from this year is "Numb" - was that actually this year or have I been gypped by time once more?

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

that's actually U2 tom

― cinniblount (James Blount), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Is "The Scientist" from last year? Cause if not I'd give it the nod over "Clocks." I also like "Unwell" by Matchbox Twenty (20). I think I like the quietish mainstream rock songs over the loudish mainstream rock songs anymore. This is either because a) I am an old man or b) marketplace demands make quietish pop songwriters exert themselves but allow loudish pop songwriters to get away with more.

― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

muse have had some good singles this year

― pete b. (pete b.), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:29 (twenty-one years ago)

i had an actual LIFE-AFFIRMING experience with "the scientist" playing on university cafe speakers (it was a couple hours after being mugged at fake-gunpoint and it felt like the right time to have a meaningful moment).

i don't really like rock music much anymore.

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

(i didn't know it was a fake gun at the time obv)(it's a long story)

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

"There There" and "Seven Nation Army" and "Hey Ya!" for me.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Once when I was working at a Pizza Hut in Seattle our safe was robbed by a guy pointing his finger at us like a gun. The manager already had the safe open. We laughed at the guy at first, but he was like "I'm fucking serious" and none of us were going to deal with a crazy guy to protect Pizza Hut's money, so we just kinda stared at him and then he ran away.

― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Next time make your fingers like a flamethrower... works every time.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

As for the question... The Darkness and that's it pretty much. If St Anger was just a riff without a song that would probly make it in too. I will cheerfully admit to quite liking the new Lostprophets single, and have slight problems, despite everything, with considering the Stripes as "mainstream".

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

It's been pretty shit for singles all round this year, to be honest

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

the stripes are more mainstream than the strokes, dude

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

''The Linkin Park song I know (& like) from this year is "Numb" - was that actually this year or have I been gypped by time once more?''

yes, it was this year. and very good it is too. the video features a girl that reminds me of jbr.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah, and:
Matchbox Twenty - Bright Lights

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

also, I admit that the appeal of "St. Anger" and "Eat You Alive" and "Feeling This" for me is at least somewhat of the "what the fuck?" variety.

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow "Faint" is really good too! I just downloaded it! Is that it for good Linkin Park records then?

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)

this is every new song that got played on k-rock that I actually liked.

01 Seven Nation Army - White Stripes
02 Hey Ya! - Outkast
03 Bandages - Hot Hot Heat
04 Honestly - Zwan
05 No, Not Now - Hot Hot Heat
06 United States Of Whatever - Liam Lynch
07 12:51 - The Strokes
08 There There - Radiohead
09 I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness
10 Stacy’s Mom - Fountains Of Wayne
11 Bad Day - R.E.M. (Actually this didn't get played, but it's REM so it counts.)
12 Send The Pain Below - Chevelle
13 Minerva - Deftones
14 Just Because - Janes Addiction
15 Go To Sleep - Radiohead
16 Tear It Up - Andrew W.K.
17 Fall Back Down - Rancid
18 The Hardest Button To Button - The White Stripes
19 All That’s Left - Thrice
20 Red Hot Moon - Rancid
21 Closure - Chevelle
22 Moses - Coldplay
"Clocks" was 2002, as was "The Red" from Chevelle.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

the new mis-teeq (sp?) single.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I still like "Faint" a whole lot. "Seven Nation Army" i GUESS, and right on to whoever said Maps, i was surprised by how much I was into it. uhm. "There there"? oh wait, I didn't really like that one. does House of jealous blahblahs count?

I liked the single before clocks better, but I think that might've been from last year? timbaland likes clocks

TIMBALAND ''Clocks'' from Coldplay -- I just like it. Puts me in a mood. Puts me in a happy mood. I love Coldplay. When I go to the gym, it's my workout music.

MAGOO Yeah, it's just off the hook. I went to the MTV Awards and saw everyone perform. By far, the best was Coldplay. I was captivated by [singer Chris Martin's] words. He was just sitting at the piano, but his words and music were mesmerizing. I couldn't believe how I felt when I heard [''The Scientist'']. Even though it's not R&B, it was my personality. It's vibe stuff, it makes you feel good.

― Adrian (Adrian Langston), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Also recently I heard them play "Growing On Me" from The Darkness (I think they were doing some kind of "2 in a row" weekend for Thanksgiving, and this forced them to play album tracks from a few bands with only one song - this also oddly forced them into playing "The Whole World" and "Ms Jackson" at some point).

I hate "Faint."

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I forget what "mainstream" even means these days, but I'll go with "Blueside" by Rooney (though the rest of the album is dire).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

and Just Because, yeah! wow, I'm really straining to make a list. were the Transplants this year? "Diamonds & guns" was really neat.

― Adrian (Adrian Langston), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

FUCK! I forgot Minerva!

Send the Pain Below's in my top three singles of the year overall.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Adding to my list..
23 Swing Swing - The All American Rejects
24 The Seed 2.0 - The Roots

Rooney won't be on my list, but they were an MTV buzz clip, so they should count for this.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

is that the song with the nice piano riff (that was later used in an ad for garnier fructis shampoo)? when i first heard that song i thought it was by the coral!

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Liam Lynch was 1997 or something

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Simian 'LA Breeze' (last year/this year)

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry by 'that' i mean the transplants track

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm pretty sure Transplants was 2002. They had a single called "D.J.D.J." in 2003.

Sure, Liam Lynch was late 90's, if you taped every episode of all three seasons of Sifl and Olly. It wasn't on the radio until 2003.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Seed 2.0" was last year.

― nate detritus (natedetritus), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Him - The Funeral of Hearts
The Ataris - In This Diary
No Doubt - It's My Life

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah,

Zwan - Lyric

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

billstevejim, if Liam Lynch counts then so does 'Clocks' - but wuddeva (excuse crap pun)

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

ok, clocks counts.

― billstevejim, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

oh yeah, i liked the first Zwan single, and the "Boys Of Summer" cover.

― Al (sitcom), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:23 (twenty-one years ago)

i lend my support to Linkin Park- Faint, Jane's Addiction- Just because, Gary Jules- Mad World.
Also:
Puddle of MUDD- She HATES me (my best rock single of the year),
South- Loosen your hold,
Travis- The Beautiful Occupation (oh the verse!)

― lid, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

plus plus Kings of Leon- Molly's Chamber

― lid, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:48 (twenty-one years ago)

she hates me came out last year.

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

also it sucks

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Is 'Faint' the one with the swoopy string sample at the start? That was really good.

All those Radiohead singles with waily backing vocals were surprisingly good.

― F. Anthony O'Reilly (Ferg), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

thx maura, duly noted.

further additions: mark owen- 3 minute warning. John Mayer- dont know the title, but it was great and played on uk radio for a short while earlier this yr. electric 6- gay bar. scissor sisters- laura.

― lid, Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Deftones - Minerva
Radiohead - There There
Outkast - Hey Ya

erm...that's it. The Blink 182 single is fucking AWFUL. I don't get its appeal at all.

― Simon H., Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i cant tell you how happy i am to see so many people listing "hey ya" here.

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 3 December 2003 19:59 (twenty-one years ago)

1. Coldplay, "Clocks"
2. White Stripes, "Seven Nation Army"
3. All-American Rejects, "Swing Swing"
4. Deftones, "Minerva"
5. Fountains Of Wayne, "Stacy's Mom"
6. Outkast, "Hey Ya"
7. Strokes, "12:51"
8. Jane's Addiction, "Just Because"
9. Good Charlotte, "Girls And Boys"
10. Audioslave, "Cochise"

― John Fredland (jfredland), Thursday, 4 December 2003 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh Christ - Electric Six, obviously! And if Hey Ya counts then bung that in as well

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 4 December 2003 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

HIM - The Sacrament

― kinski (kinski), Thursday, 4 December 2003 18:19 (twenty-one years ago)

fefe dobson - take me away

i have a bit of a crush.

― brian badword (badwords), Thursday, 4 December 2003 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Fefe Dobson's hirsute bass player irritates me.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 4 December 2003 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

'minerva' and 'come dig me out'

― the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 5 December 2003 03:57 (twenty-one years ago)

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