Top 50 Nu-Metal Songs

Nu-Metal: Top 50 Songs

Nu-Metal emerged in the mid-1990s and maintained a measure of popularity through the 2000s. The genre merged heavy metal with alternative rock and hip-hop. In many ways, it was a follow-up to grunge with some songs also traversing the area of post-grunge rock. This list was created by aggregating 15 lists focused on nu-metal songs. Those songs featured on 2 or more lists were then ranked based on overall DMDB points. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. Evanescence with Paul McCoy “Bring Me to Life” (2003) 2. Linkin Park “In the End” (2000) 3. Staind “It’s Been Awhile” (2001) 4. Rage Against the Machine “Killing in the Name” (1992) 5. Linkin Park “Numb” (2003) 6. Incubus “Drive” (1999) 7. Papa Roach “Last Resort” (2000) 8. System of a Down “Chop Suey” (2001) 9. Korn “Freak on a Leash” (1998) 10. Trapt “Headstrong” (2002) 11. Crazy Town “Butterfly” (2000) 12. Incubus “Wish You Were Here” (2001) 13. Breaking Benjamin “The Diary of Jane” (2006) 14. Linkin Park “Somewhere I Belong” (2003) 15. Rage Against the Machine “Bulls on Parade” (1996) 16. Linkin Park “Faint” (2003) 17. Alien Ant Farm “Smooth Criminal” (2001) 18. Disturbed “Down with the Sickness” (2000) 19. Linkin Park “One Step Closer” (2000) 20. Payable on Death (P.O.D.) “Youth of the Nation” (2001) 21. Marilyn Manson “The Beautiful People” (1996) 22. Linkin Park “Breaking the Habit” (2003) 23. Limp Bizkit “Break Stuff” (2000) 24. Drowning Pool “Bodies” (2001) 25. Kid Rock “Bawitdaba” (1998) 26. Limp Bizkit “Rollin’ (Urban Assault Vehicle)” (2000) 27. Slipknot “Wait and Bleed” (1998) 28. Payable on Death (P.O.D.) “Alive” (2001) 29. Stone Sour “Bother” (2002) 30. System of a Down “Toxicity” (2001) 31. Limp Bizkit “Nookie” (1999) 32. Incubus “Pardon Me” (1999) 33. Linkin Park “Crawling” (2000) 34. System of a Down “B.Y.O.B.” (2005) 35. Puddle of Mudd “Control” (2001) 36. Chevelle “The Red” (2002) 37. Mudvayne “Dig” (2001) 38. Korn “Got the Life” (1998) 39. Deftones “My Own Summer (Shove It)” (1997) 40. Godsmack “I Stand Alone” (2002) 41. Limp Bizkit “My Way” (2001) 42. Slipknot “Duality” (2004) 43. Evanescence “Going Under” (2003) 44. Orgy “Blue Monday” (1998) 45. Korn “Blind” (1994) 46. Saliva “Click Click Boom” (2001) 47. Limp Bizkit “Take a Look Around” (2000) 48. Linkin Park “Points of Authority” (2000) 49. (hed) P.E. “Bartender (I Just Want Your Company)” (2000) 50. Linkin Park “Papercut” (2000) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” First posted 8/29/2022.

Rock Tracks: Top 200 Songs, 1981-2021

First posted 1/16/2021.

Rock Tracks: Top 200 Songs, 1981-2021

Billboard launched its Album Rock Tracks chart (now called “Mainstream Rock”) on March 21, 1981. On September 10, 1988, the magazine followed with its Modern Rock Tracks chart (now known as “Alternative Rock”). Numerous songs have overlapped between the charts over the years. Because of that, this list consolidates the two charts, ranking the top 200 songs between the two charts. This list includes all songs which hit #1 on one or both charts for a combined six weeks. Ties are broken by songs’ overall Dave’s Music Database status. Weeks at #1 on each chart are noted with an M for mainstream rock and A for alternative rock. Note: click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 36 weeks: 1. Staind “It’s Been Awhile” (2001) M: 20, A: 16 30 weeks: 2. Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004) M: 14, A: 16 26 weeks: 3. Nickelback “How You Remind Me” (2001) M: 13, A: 13 4. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California” (2006) M: 12, A: 14 5. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Scar Tissue” (1999) M: 10, A: 16 24 weeks: 6. Foo Fighters “The Pretender” (2007) M: 6, A: 18 23 weeks: 7. Linkin Park “What I’ve Done” (2007) M: 8, A: 15 22 weeks: 8. Seether “Fake It” (2007) M: 14, A: 8 21 weeks: 9. U2 “Mysterious Ways” (1991) M: 12, A: 9 10. Red Hot Chili Peppers “By the Way” (2002) M: 7, A: 14 11. Staind “So Far Away” (2003) M: 14, A: 7 12. Foo Fighters “Something from Nothing” (2014) M: 13, A: 8 13. 3 Doors Down “Loser” (2000) M: 21 20 weeks: 14. 3 Doors Down “Kryptonite” (2000) M: 9, A: 11 15. Portugal, the Man “Feel It Still” (2017) A: 20 16. Creed “Higher” (1999) M: 17, A: 3 17. Linkin Park “New Divide” (2009) M: 8, A: 12 19 weeks: 18. Live “Lightning Crashes” (1994) M: 10, A: 9 19. Puddle of Mudd “Blurry” (2001) M: 10, A: 9 20. Muse “Madness” (2012) A; 19 18 weeks: 21. Foo Fighters “Rope” (2011) M: 5, A: 13 17 weeks: 22. 3 Doors Down “When I’m Gone” (2002) M: 17 23. Muse “Uprising” (2009) A: 17 24. Three Days Grace “Pain” (2006) M: 13, A: 4 25. All Time Low with Blackbear (2020) M: 17 16 weeks: 26. Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (2018) A: 16 27. Days of the New “Touch, Peel, and Stand” (1997) M: 16 15 weeks: 28. Stone Temple Pilots “Interstate Love Song” (1994) M: 15 29. Linkin Park “Numb” (2003) M: 3, A: 12 30. Collective Soul “Heavy” (1999) M: 15 14 weeks: 31. Marcy Playground “Sex and Candy” (1997) A: 14 32. Audioslave “Like a Stone” (2002) M: 12, A: 2 33. Twenty One Pilots “Level of Concern” (2020) A: 14 34. Disturbed “Inside the Fire” (2008) M: 14 13 weeks: 35. Imagine Dragons “Radioactive” (2012) M: 13 36. The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” (1981) A: 13 37. Imagine Dragons “Believer” (2017) A: 13 38. Shinedown “Second Chance” (2008) M: 10, A: 3 39. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Other Side” (1999) A: 13 40. Velvet Revolver “Slither” (2004) M: 9, A: 4 41. Breaking Benjamin “Breath” (2006) M: 7, A: 6 42. Three Days Grace “Chalk Outline” A: 13 12 weeks: 43. Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2011) A: 12 44. Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” (2015) A: 12 45. Fuel “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” (2000) A: 12 46. Trapt “Headstrong” (2002) M: 7, A: 5 47. Foo Fighters “Walk” (2011) M: 4, A: 8 48. Shinedown “Save Me” (2005) M: 12 49. Shinedown “Bully” (2012) M: 12 50. Chevelle “Face to the Floor” (2011) M: 12 11 weeks: 51. R.E.M. “Losing My Religion” (1991) M: 3, A: 8 52. Twenty One Pilots “Heathens” (2016) A: 11 53. The Black Keys “Lonely Boy” (2011) A: 11 54. X Ambassadors “Renegades” (2015) A: 11 55. Foo Fighters “Best of You” (2005) M: 4, A: 7 56. Weezer “Pork and Beans” (2008) A: 11 57. The Black Keys “Fever” (2014) A: 11 58. Audioslave “Be Yourself” (2005) M: 7, A: 4 59. Velvet Revolver “Fall to Pieces” (2004) M: 11 60. The Black Crowes “Remedy” (1992) M: 11 61. The Offspring “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” (2008) A: 11 62. Lit “My Own Worst Enemy” (1999) A: 11 63. The Dirty Heads with Rome “Lay Me Down” (2010) A: 11 64. Metallica “Turn the Page” (1998) M: 11 65. Jet “Cold Hard Bitch” (2004) M: 8, A: 3 66. Nickelback “Figured You Out” (2003) M: 11 67. Puddle of Mudd “Psycho” (2007) M: 9, A: 2 68. Three Days Grace “Break” (2009) M: 11 69. Three Days Grace “Misery Loves My Company” (2012) M: 11 10 weeks: 70. Oasis “Wonderwall” (1995) A: 10 71. The Wallflowers “One Headlight” (1996) M: 5, A: 5 72. U2 “Desire” (1988) M: 5, A: 5 73. Milky Chance “Stolen Dance” (2013) A: 10 74. Arctic Monkeys “Do I Wanna Know?” (2013) A: 10 75. The Black Keys “Tighten Up” (2010) A: 10 76. Everlast “What It’s Like” (1998) M: 1, A: 9 77. Foo Fighters “All My Life” (2002) M: 10 78. R.E.M. “Orange Crush” (1988) M: 2, A: 8 79. Avenged Sevenfold “Hail to the King” (2013) M: 10 80. Cage the Elephant “Come a Little Closer” (2013) M: 10 81. Seether “Country Song” (2011) M: 10 82. Days of the New “The Down Town” (1997) M: 10 9 weeks: 83. The Police “Every Breath You Take” (1983) M: 9 84. Pearl Jam “Daughter” (1993) M: 8, A: 1 85. Collective Soul “December” (1995) M: 9 86. Goo Goo Dolls “Name” (1995) M: 5, A: 4 87. Sting “All This Time” (1990) M: 7, A: 2 88. Imagine Dragons “Natural” (2018) A: 9 89. Creed “My Sacrifice” (2001) M: 9 90. Green Day “Know My Enemy” (2009) M: 3, A: 6 91. Aerosmith “Livin’ on the Edge” (1993) M: 9 92. The Neighbourhood “Sweater Weather” (2012) A: 9 93. Lovelytheband “Broken” (2017) A: 9 94. Three Days Grace “Animal I Have Become” (2006) M: 7, A: 2 95. Metallica “The Day That Never Comes” (2008) M: 9 96. Alice in Chains “Check My Brain” (2009) M: 8, A: 1 97. The Lemonheads “Into Your Arms” (1993) A: 9 98. Breaking Benjamin “Failure” (2015) M: 9 99. Volbeat “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown” (2016) M: 9 8 weeks: 100. Van Halen “Jump” (1983) M: 8 101. Kings of Leon “Sex on Fire” (2008) A: 8 102. Sugar Ray “Fly” (1997) A: 8 103. Third Eye Blind “Semi-Charmed Life” (1997) A: 8 104. Collective Soul “Shine” (1993) M: 8 105. Blink-182 “All the Small Things” (1999) A: 8 106. Incubus “Drive” (1999) A: 8 107. Pearl Jam “Better Man” (1994) M: 8 108. Nirvana “You Know You’re Right” (1994) M: 4, A: 4 109. Red Hot Chili Peppers “My Friends” (1995) M: 4, A: 4 110. Metallica “Until It Sleeps” (1996) M: 8 111. Green Day “Bang Bang” (2016) M: 7, A: 1 112. Disturbed “Another Way to Die” (2010) M: 8 113. Stone Sour “Say You’ll Haunt Me” (2010) M: 8 114. Alice in Chains “Your Decision” (2009) M: 8 115. Highly Suspect “My Name Is Human” (2016) M: 8 116. Disturbed “Are You Ready” (2018) M: 8 7 weeks: 117. Lorde “Royals” (2013) A: 7 118. Chumbawamba “Tubthumping” (1997) A: 7 119. Gorillaz with De La Soul “Feel Good Inc.” (2005) A: 7 120. Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun” (1994) M: 7 121. Twenty One Pilots “Ride” (2015) A: 7 122. Nickelback “Photograph” (2005) M: 7 123. Green Day “When I Come Around” (1994) A: 7 124. Fastball “The Way” (1998) A: 7 125. Disturbed “The Sounds of Silence” (2015) M: 7 126. Three Days Grace “Never Too Late” (2006) M: 7 127. Stone Sour “Through Glass” (2006) M: 7 128. Linkin Park “Breaking the Habit” (2003) M: 3, A: 4 129. Bush “Swallowed” (1996) A: 7 130. Beck “Up All Night” (2017) A: 7 131. Papa Roach “Last Resort” (2000) A: 7 132. Nine Inch Nails “Only” (2005) A: 7 133. Morrissey “The More You Ignore Me, the Closer You Get” (1994) A: 7 134. Foo Fighters “Long Road to Ruin” (2007) A: 7 135. Peter Murphy “Cuts You Up” (1990) A: 7 136. The Cure “Fascination Street” (1989) A: 7 137. Metallica “I Disappear” (2000) M: 7 138. Metallica “No Leaf Clover” (1999) M: 7 139. Twenty One Pilots “The Hype” (2018) A: 7 140. Shinedown “Cut the Cord” (2015) M: 7 141. Soundgarden “Been Away Too Long” (2012) M: 7 142. Cold War Kids “First” (2014) A: 7 143. Avenged Sevenfold “Shepherd of Fire” (2013) M: 7 144. Alter Bridge “Isolation” (2010) M: 7 145. Staind “Not Again” (2011) M: 7 146. Ghost “Rats” (2018) M: 7 6 weeks: 147. Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” (1984) M: 6 148. Green Day “American Idiot” (2004) A: 6 149. Silverchair “Tomorrow” (1994) M: 3, A: 3 150. Sugar Ray “Every Morning” (1998) A: 6 151. The Cranberries “Zombie” (1994) A: 6 152. Def Leppard “Photograph” (1983) M: 6 153. Primitive Radio Gods “Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand” (1996) A: 6 154. U2 “Angel of Harlem” (1988) M: 6 155. Green Day “Holiday” (2004) M: 3, A: 3 156. Aerosmith “Cryin’” (1993) M: 6 157. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “The Waiting” (1981) M: 6 158. Asia “Heat of the Moment” (1982) M: 6 159. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers “Learning to Fly” (1991) M: 6 160. Linkin Park “Somewhere I Belong” (2003) M: 1, A: 5 161. Toad the Wet Sprocket “Fall Down” (1994) A: 6 162. New Order “Regret” (1993) A: 6 163. Robert Plant “Hurting Kind” (1990) M: 6 164. Eric Clapton “Pretending” (1989) M: 6 165. Pearl Jam “Given to Fly” (1997) M: 6 166. Cage the Elephant “Ready to Let Go” (2019) A: 6 167. Linkin Park “Faint” (2003) A: 6 168. Incubus “Megalomaniac” (2003) A: 6 169. Robert Plant “Heaven Knows’ (1988) M: 6 170. Billy Squier “Everybody Wants You” (1982) M: 6 171. Pink Floyd “Keep Talking” (1994) M: 6 172. Bad Company “How About That” (1992) M: 6 173. Kenny Wayne Shepherd “Blue on Black” (1998) M: 6 174. Papa Roach “Lifeline” (2009) M: 6 175. ZZ Top “My Head’s in Mississippi” (1990) M: 6 176. Green Day “Still Breathing” (2016) M: 1, A: 5 177. Foo Fighters “DOA” (2005) A: 6 178. Yes “Lift Me Up” (1991) M: 6 179. Steve Miller Band “I Want to Make the World Turn Around” (1986) M: 6 180. Puddle of Mudd “Drift and Die” (2002) M: 6 181. Cage the Elephant “Shake Me Down” (2010) A: 6 182. Bush “The Sound of Winter” (2011) A: 6 183. Theory of a Deadman “RX (Medicate)” (2017) M: 6 184. Brother Cane “And Fools Shine On” (1995) M: 6 185. Nickelback “Animals” (2005) M: 6 186. Creed “What’s This Life For” (1997) M: 6 187. Soundgarden “Live to Rise” (2012) M: 6 188. Three Days Grace “Just Like You” M: 3, A: 3 189. Godsmack “Speak” (2006) M: 6 190. The Black Crowes “Hotel Illness” (1992) M: 6 191. Jesus Jones “The Devil You Know” (1993) A: 6 192. Van Halen “Me Wise Magic” (1996) M: 6 193. David Coverdale & Jimmy Page “Pride and Joy” (1993) M: 6 194. Morrissey “Tomorrow” (1992) A: 6 195. Royal Blood “I Only Lie When I Love You” (2017) M: 6 196. Shinedown “State of My Head” (2015) M: 6 197. Three Days Grace “I Am Machine” (2014) M: 6 198. Papa Roach “Help” (2017) M: 6 199. Van Halen “Without You” (1998) M: 6 200. Ozzy Osbourne “Under the Graveyard” (2019) M: 6 Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre-Specific Song Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre-Specific Song Lists” Billboard: “Mainstream Rock Chart” Billboard: “Alternative Rock Chart” Wikipedia: “List of Billboard Alternative Rock Number-One Songs”

Staind “It’s Been Awhile” released

It’s Been Awhile Staind

Writer(s): Aaron Lewis, Mike Mushok, Johnny April, Jon Wysocki (see lyrics here) Released: March 27, 2001 First Charted: April 7, 2001 Peak: 5 BB, 4 RR, 6 A40, 9 AA, 120 AR, 116 MR, 15 UK, 4 CN, 24 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.4 UK, 0.97 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.83 radio, 347.11 video, 501.71 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Staind formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The original lineup consisted of Aaron Lewis (vocals, rhythm guiar), Mike Mushok (guitar), Johnny April (bass), and Jon Wysocki (drums). They released their debut album, Tormented, in 1996. That album failed to chart, but the follow-up, Dysfunction, reached #74 and went double platinum. The band’s pinnacle of commercial success came with their third album, 2001’s Break the Cycle. The album reached #1, was certified for sales of five million, and generated five hits on the mainstream and alternative rock charts. The album’s lead single, “It’s Been Awhile,” gave the band its first taste of pop success, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a monster on the mainstream and alternative rock charts, spending 20 and 16 weeks at #1 respectively. The group’s sound “fit the post-grunge motif of bands like Linkin Park and Papa Roach, but was more mellow, giving the lyrics a more visceral feel.” SF As their most successful hit, “It’s Been Awhile” became a celebrated song in the post-grunge and nu-metal movements. The song ranks in the top 5 of the Dave’s Music Database lists of both genres. Billboard’s Eric Aiese praised the band for handling the ballad well, saing they pack ‘a lot of punch into the cut.” WK Aaron Lewis wrote the song prior to the release of Dysfunction and performed it with a short-lived, acoustic side project called J-Cat. WK in the song, the narrator is “beating himself up because he lost the one woman who could cure his addictions, temper his nerves, and get him on his feet. He sees himself repeating the same self-destructive cycle over and over, and now realizes it’s been awhile since he was whole.” SF Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/27/2026.