QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE 'RATED R' LP

Queens of the Stone Age’s sophomore album was a suave, sexy-sounding breakthrough release for the desert-rock innovators. While retaining the quirked-up stoniness of their self-titled debut, 2000’s Rated R also contrasted that bedrock with molten biker-metal, dumb-as-dirt sludge-punk and purple-teared psych-rock melancholy. Though guitarist-vocalist Josh Homme mainly manned the mic, Queens also became a more communal project, with new bassist Nick Olivieri, grunge crooner Mark Lanegan and even Judas Priest’s Rob Halford making memorable vocal appearances. A feelgood hit that brought Queens of the Stone Age into the mainstream conversation as rock and roll saviors.