Rock Steady
by No Doubt
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. E! Online
    83
    The disc is bubbling with techno effects, a loose interpretation of Jamaican production and a (welcome) severe case of ADD.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    This beat-heavy quickie turns out to be the best album they've ever hatched.
  3. Billboard
    80
    Sure to convince doubters and win new fans, the set roars with the sort of fire rarely seen from a group with four albums under its belt.
  5. Spin
    80
    Beneath all that veneer, the band sticks to its guns. [Jan 2002, p.105]
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  6. PopMatters
    70
    Refusing to settle into one definition, No Doubt is vibrant and full of life here, even if the heights it reaches for aren't always achieved.
  7. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    About half of 'Rock Steady' is just great, a career salvage job to compare with Madonna 's 'Ray Of Light'.
  8. Vibe
    70
    Not since Aqua has a group of cartoon-fixated, stylistically scatterbrained lunatics sounded so entertaining. [Feb 2002, p.121]
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  9. CDNow
    70
    The scattershot recording technique seems erratic for a quartet of chums who've spent upwards of fifteen years gelling together, and most of the rock tracks like "Hella Good" and "Platinum Blonde Life" suffer from a mix of overproduction and lack of urgency; missing is the California garage band vibe that was the trademark of their earlier, more energetic material.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed Album of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 109 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 95 out of 109
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 109
  3. Negative: 9 out of 109
  1. PrestonJ
    Jul 10, 2006
    9
    I think Tom Dumont said it best when he stated, "Selling out is the notion of a preteen." This album is not about selling out or trying to I think Tom Dumont said it best when he stated, "Selling out is the notion of a preteen." This album is not about selling out or trying to become a pop icon rather to show where they had been getting their influence over the last few years and let everyone know how much fun it was. No Doubt has proven over the last 15 years that they are so much more than a Pop, ska, punk, or any other kind of band there is, and come out as true musicians in the purest sense of the word. With that said Waiting room is by far the worst song i've heard in a while thus moving its overall score down to 9.… Full Review »
  2. Christy
    Jul 7, 2004
    2
    Funny how the same critics who trashed Return of Saturn liked Rock Steady more when really it's a piece of crap to most of their o.g. Funny how the same critics who trashed Return of Saturn liked Rock Steady more when really it's a piece of crap to most of their o.g. fans. I miss the No doubt of the Beacon Street, Tragic Kingdom, and Return of Saturn era. … Full Review »
  3. john
    Dec 30, 2001
    10
    this album is WAY better than i expected it to be... so thats why it gets the 10. 'dont let me down', 'in my head' and this album is WAY better than i expected it to be... so thats why it gets the 10. 'dont let me down', 'in my head' and 'platinum blonde life' are great, if not brilliant, tracks. 'waiting room' seems overly out of place, and it also happens to be the worst track off the album. funny, cosidering the talent behind it, it should have been one of the best.… Full Review »
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