Best Rock Albums 2020s (So Far)
The 2020s have already delivered some of the most exciting and dynamic rock albums in recent years, as the decade continues, this list will likely shift, as new releases further defining the sound.
Metallica’s 72 Seasons was not a reinvention; it’s a reaffirmation—raw, unrelenting, and pulsing with the weight of time.
The decade’s first few years have seen established icons like Ghost (Impera) and Green Day (Saviors) push their sounds forward, while newer acts like Turnstile (Glow On) and The Smile (A Light for Attracting Attention) bring fresh energy to the genre. These albums capture the spectrum of rock’s evolving landscape, blending traditional power with bold experimentation.
Number 20
Fleet Foxes
– Shore
Shore is a sweeping and luminous exploration of hope, nature, and renewal, released as a balm for tumultuous times. The album marks a departure from the intricate baroque harmonies of their earlier work, favoring a more immediate, open soundscape that feels both intimate and expansive.
Number 19
Ozzy Osbourne
– Patient Number 9
Patient Number 9 is a triumphant and electrifying showcase of the Prince of Darkness’ enduring appeal and creative vitality. The album merges heavy metal’s ferocity with introspection, capturing Ozzy’s reflections on mortality, resilience, and his storied career.
Number 18
Franz Ferdinand
– The Human Fear
The Human Fear finds Franz Ferdinand dancing with dread, not reinvention. Slick grooves meet simmering tension as new blood revives their swagger. Not flawless, but when it hits, it crackles—fear you can move to, charm with sharp edges.
Number 17
Foo Fighters
– But Here We Are
But Here We Are is Foo Fighters at their rawest—grief-stricken, unfiltered, and loud. It’s a gut-punch of love and loss, with Grohl breaking and rebuilding in real time. No polish, just pain, power, and the sound of surviving one more chorus.
Number 16
Architects
– The Sky, the Earth & All Between
Architects’ The Sky, The Earth & All Between blends crushing riffs with melodic depth, tackling themes of resilience and introspection. It’s a bold, mature leap forward—ferocious yet reflective, proving evolution doesn’t mean losing your edge.
Number 15
Paramore
– This Is Why
A sharp, nervy evolution, This Is Why blends post-punk bite with emotional clarity. Hayley Williams channels frustration and vulnerability into taut, danceable anthems. It’s Paramore’s most mature and stylistically adventurous album yet.
Number 14
Linkin Park
– From Zero
From Zero is Linkin Park’s raw return, shaped by grief and grit. Stripping back electronics and reworking their sound, they craft an urgent, emotionally charged album about loss, survival, and pushing forward—imperfect but powerful.
Number 13
Pearl Jam
– Dark Matter
The band’s 12th studio album contains the title track and “Wreckage.” Both songs went to #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart.
Number 12
The Killers
– Pressure Machine
Pressure Machine is a deeply introspective and stripped-back departure from their signature anthemic rock. The album offers a poignant, narrative-driven exploration of small-town life in Nephi, Utah, Brandon Flowers’ hometown. Its reflective tone and storytelling focus bring to light themes of isolation, loss, faith, and resilience, painting vivid, heartfelt portraits of the people and experiences that shaped Flowers’ upbringing.
Number 11
Dream Theater
– Parasomnia
Dream Theater’s Parasomnia dives into the shadows of the mind, blending prog-metal precision with raw emotion. Portnoy’s return fuels a haunting, exhilarating journey through sleep, fear, and illusion—an album both intricate and intensely human.
Number 10
Jack White
– No Name
Jack White’s No Name is a raw, electrifying return to garage rock and blues punk. Released unexpectedly, it strips away recent experimentation, delivering ferocious riffs and tight rhythms, earning praise as one of his best solo efforts.
Number 9
Greta Van Fleet
– The Battle at Garden’s Gate
The Battle at Garden’s Gate is a bold, theatrical leap into grandeur—classic rock meets prog ambition. Mythic lyrics, cinematic swells, and soaring vocals mix with sincere naiveté. It’s big, loud, and unafraid to overreach for the stars.
Number 8
Wet Leg
– Wet Leg
A messy, bratty, and irresistibly fun debut built on deadpan charm, sharp hooks, and post-punk swagger. It’s lo-fi, loud, and laced with sarcasm—like turning boredom into a dance party you didn’t know you needed. Unbothered, clever, and oddly sincere.
Number 7
The Strokes
– The New Abnormal
The New Abnormal is dreamy detachment meets existential burnout. These songs drift, shimmer, and ache—less rebellion, more reckoning. Aging cool turned inside out, trading swagger for slow-motion honesty and the strange comfort of not faking it.
Number 6
Corey Taylor
– CMF2
Corey Taylor’s CMF2 is a fiery, unfiltered blast of rage, heart, and swagger. Jumping from barroom brawls to tender ballads, it’s chaotic in the best way—raw, real, and relentless. No mask, no filter—just Taylor burning it all down.
Number 5
Green Day
– Saviors
The band’s fourteenth studio effort includes “The American Dream Is Killing Me” which had an eight week stay at #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart… the band’s eighth #1 on the survey. The set also contains “Look Ma, No Brains” and “Dilemma.”
Number 4
Turnstile
– Glow On
Glow On is a groundbreaking album that redefines modern hardcore, blending intense energy with a strikingly diverse sonic palette. The record pushes genre boundaries by incorporating elements of shoegaze, funk, and even dream-pop into their blistering core sound. It’s an exhilarating listen that simultaneously honors Turnstile’s punk roots and ventures boldly into new territory.
Number 3
Ghost
– Impera
Impera is a monumental work that blends theatrical flair with intricate songwriting, firmly establishing Ghost as one of the most unique forces in modern rock and metal. Drawing on themes of imperialism, decay, and the cyclical rise and fall of power, the album weaves a grand narrative with its conceptual depth and ambitious scope.
Number 2
The Smile
– A Light for Attracting Attention
Anxious, twitchy, and strangely playful, this album trades legacy for freedom—paranoia grooves, angular riffs pulse, and dread shimmers with sly charm. It’s a leaner, looser exploration of modern unease that dances while everything quietly unravels.
Number 1
Metallica
– 72 Seasons
The band’s eleventh studio effort debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200. It also ruled the Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts. The band is pictured above.
Metallica Bio
Honorable Mention
Royal Blood
– Typhoons
On Typhoons, Royal Blood evolves, trading minimalist fuzz for a more electronic, groove-driven sound. With glossy hooks and pulsing synths, they maintain their gritty edge while experimenting with new rhythms and a fresh, introspective vibe.
