Irish music has earned recognition in a new ranking, with U2 and Fontaines D.C. both securing places in Rolling Stone's list of the 200 best rock tracks of the 21st century.
U2's classic "Beautiful Day" was ranked 22nd, while Fontaines D.C. claimed 61st place with "Starburster", a standout track from their 2024 album Romance.
Released in 2000, Beautiful Day remains one of U2's most celebrated songs. It was placed ahead of David Bowie's Blackstar and Coldplay's Yellow, which ranked 23rd and 24th respectively.
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Rolling Stone praised the track for its uplifting spirit, brought to life by The Edge's distinctive guitar work and Bono's powerful vocals.
The publication described the song as "one of the most exciting return-to-form moments any major band has pulled off."
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Starburster continues Fontaines D.C.'s rise as one of the most influential contemporary rock acts. The song appears on the list alongside tracks including Mastodon's Blood and Thunder and Bloc Party's Banquet.
The ranking features a mixture of critically acclaimed favourites, arena classics and a number of unexpected selections.
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Franz Ferdinand's Take Me Out placed 15th, ahead of My Chemical Romance's Welcome to the Black Parade in 16th and LCD Soundsystem's All My Friends in 17th.
Elsewhere on the list, System of a Down's Chop Suey! ranked 34th, Queens of the Stone Age's No One Knows came in at 36th and Red Hot Chili Peppers' By the Way secured 50th position. Further down the ranking, Wheatus's Teenage Dirtbag placed 72nd, just behind Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone.
The list also reflects the increasingly blurred lines between rock and other genres.
Taylor Swift's ten-minute version of All Too Well was ranked 33rd, while Beyoncé's collaboration with Jack White, Don't Hurt Yourself, came in at 46th.
Near the top of the ranking, Radiohead's The National Anthem secured fifth place, while Olivia Rodrigo's Good 4 U reached fourth.
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The song finished ahead of tracks by acts such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Foo Fighters.
Rounding out the top three were The Killers' Mr. Brightside in third place and The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army in second.
Taking the number one position was Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Maps, the band's acclaimed 2003 single from their debut album Fever to Tell.
