From humble beginnings in the mid-90s, to becoming one of the most acclaimed rock bands of the 21st century, Foo Fighters are a powerhouse of a band, and a staple in our Rock 2000 countdown.
They kicked things off in the mid-90s when Dave Grohl, the former drummer for Nirvana, decided to start his own project after Kurt Cobain's tragic death. He called it Foo Fighters – a term used for unidentified flying objects during World War II.
From a raw, unfiltered rock sound, to heavy, hard-hitting tunes, Foo Fighters have been around for decades now, and are still putting out fresh music and pulling huge crowds at their live shows.
The following list delves into data from across every single Rock 2000 countdown (including Rock 500, and Rock 1000, 1500 countdowns), to explore Foo Fighters 20 most successful songs, as voted by Rock listeners.
The 20 best-performing Foo Fighters songs across all Rock 2000 countdowns:
20. Generator (2002)
"Generator," from the band’s third album, 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose,' has consistently featured in The Rock 2000 countdown every single year. While it’s always appeared in the countdown, it’s never quite cracked the top 100, peaking at #111 in 2014.
The album was recorded in Dave Grohl’s home in Virginia, following a period of transition for the band. They had just left Capitol Records, and drummer William Goldsmith had recently departed, leaving Grohl and Nate Mendel to complete the album.
19. Breakout (1999)
"Breakout," also from 'There Is Nothing Left to Lose,’ was featured prominently in the 2000 film "Me, Myself & Irene" starring Jim Carrey and Renée Zellweger, with the music video themed around the movie.
“Breakout” has featured in The Rock countdown every year except 2002, when it didn’t quite make the cut for The Rock 500 countdown. It peaked at #44 in 2015.
18. Wheels (2009)
"Wheels" was released as part of the band’s 2009 ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation album, and was one of two new tracks to appear on the album, alongside “Word Forward.” The song marked a light departure from the band’s post-grunge sound, featuring more of a radio-friendly approach.
It’s made 12 appearances in The Rock 2000, debuting at #364 in 2010, and peaking in 2016 at #325.
17. Big Me (1995)
"Big Me" from the Foo Fighters' self-titled debut album is an iconic part of their discography, known for its memorable Mentos-parodying video and its catchy melody.
Though it never cracked the top 10, it's featured in 19 Rock 2000 countdowns, and peaked at #105 in 2014.
16. D.O.A. (2005)
"D.O.A," is from the double-album 'In Your Honor,' which had one disc featuring heavier rock tracks and the other featuring softer, more acoustic-oriented tracks. "D.O.A." is on the heavier, rock-oriented disc.
The song peaked at #93 in 2006, which was the first year it ever featured, and it’s consistently made the Rock 2000 countdown every year since, with a median ranking of #381.
15. Arlandria (2011)
"Arlandria," named after the neighbourhood in Virginia where Grohl grew up, is from the band’s 2011 album 'Wasting Light.'
The tune debuted at #725 in The Rock 2000 Countdown the year it was released (2011), then shot to #13 the following year. Despite it featuring in the countdown every year since its release, the song never climbed higher than #13. Not a bad effort at all.
14. Let It Die (2007)
Grohl has suggested that "Let It Die," which is from 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,' is about the end of his friendship with Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. In 2007, he told The Sun it’s about “feeling hopeless to someone else’s demise,” and “watching someone you care about just destroy themselves.”
Debuting at #39 in The Rock 2000 in 2008, the track has featured every year since, with an average ranking of #318 from 2008 to 2022.
13. These Days (2011)
"These Days," from ‘Wasting Light,’ is one of Grohl’s personal favourites. It's a reflective track about life's imperfections, with themes of mortality and the passage of time.
The song entered The Rock 200 in 2012 at #56, and has stayed in the countdown ever since, generally ranking around the #350 mark.
12. The Sky Is A Neighborhood (2017)
The idea for "The Sky Is A Neighborhood" from 'Concrete and Gold,' came to Grohl one night while he was looking up at the stars. He began thinking of the universe as a neighborhood, wondering what life could be out there. This is reflected in the song's lyrics, which encourage listeners to be aware of the larger universe and our place within it.
The song debuted in 2018 at #44, and has featured every year since with an average ranking of around #270.
11. Hey Johnny Park! (1997)
"Hey Johnny Park!" from 'The Colour and the Shape,' was a call out to Grohl's childhood friend who went by the nickname ‘Johnny Park,’ who he’d lost touch with.
“I thought if I named a song after him, he might call” said Grohl. Apparently Grohl told a fan the two had reconnected after the song, but this is unconfirmed.
The tune didn’t appear in The Rock 2000 Countdown until 2014 where it debuted out of nowhere at #636. It’s appeared every year since then, peaking at #106 in 2015, and staying above the #400 ranking consistently.
10. Walk (2011)
"Walk" is the final track on the Foo Fighters' seventh studio album, 'Wasting Light', and has been described by Grohl as a reflection of his life, and the life-changing moments he was experiencing at the time.
It wasted no time with getting into The Rock 2000 countdown, debuting in 2011 at #43, and appearing every year since, with an average ranking of around #280.
9. Times Like These (2002)
"Times Like These," from the album 'One By One,' has become one of the band's most enduring anthems, and was re-recorded after the band took a break from each other due to various issues. Grohl says the song was written “at a time when we didn't know if the band was going to stay together... It's about the hope that things will get better."
The song entered The Rock 2000 in 2003 at #720, and has never dropped lower than the #368 mark ever since.
8. Run (2017)
"Run" from the 'Concrete and Gold' album was critically acclaimed and won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018. This marked the second time Foo Fighters won in this category, the first being for their song "Walk" in 2012.
Debuting in The Rock 2000 countdown the same year of its release at a solid ranking of #33, “Run” has stayed in the countdown ever since, with an average ranking of around #175.
7. Best Of You (2005)
"Best Of You," from the album 'In Your Honor,' is another notable track in the band's discography, and the first Foo’s song in this list to crack the top 10 in The Rock 2000 countdown. Grohl has described the song as a reaction against the feeling of being taken advantage of, creating a sense of defiant self-assertion.
“Best Of You” had a hell of a Rock 2000 debut in 2006 at #8, and stayed in the top 20 for the following two years. The anthem has stayed in The Rock 2000 countdown ever since, and sat at #59 last year (2022).
6. Learn To Fly (1999)
"Learn To Fly," from the album 'There is Nothing Left to Lose,' is about Grohl’s feeling of searching for some kind of inspiration or enlightenment. He once explained in an interview that the song is about the search for a feeling of 'home' and the struggles that come with the search for self-identity and meaning.
The iconic track is a fan favourite in The Rock 2000 - it’s appeared every year since the first countdown, and has a median ranking of #98.
5. Monkey Wrench (1997)
"Monkey Wrench" is a track from 'The Colour and the Shape,' and was written by Grohl as a farewell letter to his ex-wife, making it one of the band’s most personally significant songs.
“Monkey Wrench” is a staple in The Rock 2000 and has appeared every single year, with a median ranking of #95. Not bad.
4. My Hero (1997)
"My Hero,” also from 'The Colour and the Shape’ isn't about a specific person, but a tribute to the ordinary people in our lives who we look up to, who inspire us, and who we consider our heroes.
Since the tragic passing of Foo’s drummer Taylor Hawkins, Hawkins’ son Shane has played drums on the song alongside the band for a few emotive performances.
“My Hero” is another staple in The Rock 2000, featuring every single year since the beginning of the countdown. The lowest it's ever been is #291 in 2003, and it peaked last year (2022) at #32.
3. The Pretender (2007)
"The Pretender" from the album 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,' is about the feeling of fighting back, not just against an individual, but against anything in life that tries to push you down.
Though it’s never cracked the top 10, ‘The Pretender’ has appeared every year since 2008 where it debuted at #32, with an impressive overall median ranking of #84.
2. All My Life (2002)
"All My Life" marked the band's shift towards a harder rock sound in their fourth album, 'One By One,’ and the description of this song is a bit NSFW. Grohl once said in an interview that the song is “a little dirty.”
“I'm very fond of giving oral sex to women. It's a pleasure-giving experience - giving someone something that they'll remember for the rest of their lives, and if you do it right, they will,” the frontman said.
First appearing in the Rock 2000 at #7 in 2003, “All My Life” has also got to the top 10 in 2008 (#5), and 2015 (#10) respectively. It’s consistently stayed in the top 100 every year since, with the exception of 2019 when it dropped to #103.
1. Everlong (1997)
"Everlong" has secured an iconic position in The Rock 2000 countdown over the years. The enigmatic tune, which is from ‘The Colour and The Shape,’ was composed by Grohl during his divorce, with it being a testament to the feeling of being smitten.
“Everlong” is undoubtedly Foo Fighters’ most successful song in The Rock 2000 across the board. It debuted in 2002 at #96, and has never slipped lower than that number every single year since.
It’s had 12 appearances in the top 10 - coming in at #9 twice (2007 and 2008), #8 twice (2017 and 2019), #6 four times (2009, 2013, 2015 and 2018), and #3 twice (2010 and 2022).
The song just missed out on the #1 spot in 2011 - and in 2020, it took out the Rock 2000 #1 spot. Winner winner chicken dinner.
And there you have it - Foo Fighters’ 20 most successful Rock 2000 songs, based off a massive, f*ck off spreadsheet of data from the last 20 years.
Make sure you don’t miss out on voting in The Rock 2000 Countdown - vote for your most wanted 20 songs now.
