Massive Nu-Metal Era Countdown to Air on SiriusXM Turbo

Weekend nostalgia is here.

Satellite radio station SiriusXM Turbo specializes in playing hard rock from the mid 90s and 00s.  Currently, the station is inviting listeners – as well as any fans of that era – to collectively rank essentially their entire playlist.  Up until May 18, 2022, listeners can choose their favorites out of 500 songs from the era.  Voting doesn’t require a subscription – just a few minutes of your time.  All 500 songs will be counted down over Memorial Day Weekend – the order determined by the votes.

This list includes bands seminal to the nu-metal, industrial, and post-grunge genres that became popular at the time.  It’s mostly limited to well-known artists that hit the mainstream or at least had a major single chart.  Korn has the most songs represented (24 in all).  Close behind are Metallica, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit, which should give you a good idea of the station’s core artists.

Other prominent artists include popular 2000s alternative bands like Evanescence, Incubus, Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin and Flyleaf, industrial artists like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, White Zombie, and Powerman 5000, and post-grunge acts like Shinedown and Fuel.  We get a small sample of rap rock crossovers like Cypress Hill’s “(Rock) Superstar”, the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” and the X-ecutioners/Linkin Park collaboration “It’s Going Down” as well.

Heavy music in the early 2000s was more than simply rap and rock.  Several artists preferred to distance themselves from the “nu-metal” tag.  This label was everywhere at this time and bands hoped to outlast trends.  Also, several alternative metal groups fully incorporated stylistic elements of other genres. Among others, Deftones, P.O.D., and Sevendust mixed styles like soul, reggae and shoegaze into aggressive music.  They exemplified this era’s fusion. 

Of course, the early 2000s also had several important songs from lesser known bands not represented here.  Artists like At the Drive-In, Refused, Blindside, Ill Nino, Candiria, Lacuna Coil and more deserve recognition too.  Regardless, you should definitely head over to the link and make your selections. What’s your favorite album from this era?