10 Best Rock Ballads of the 2000s

What were the best rock ballads of the 2000s?

By the time the 21st century rolled around, we were starting to get a little removed from the power ballad dominance of the '80s, but there were still some tender-hearted moments touching listeners even if the structure of the rock ballad was beginning to change.

You still had themes of loneliness, separation, heartbreak, vulnerability and pure anguish expressed by the likes of 3 Doors Down, Staind and Shinedown among others. And the ballads that made this list were also major sellers, connecting with a lot of people through radio airplay and gaining traction that carried over to the era of streaming.

READ MORE: Top 10 Power Ballads That Don't Suck

So have your handkerchiefs at the ready and turn the volume up as we revisit the best rock ballads of the 2000s.