Released on April 12, 2011, Wasting Light was not just another collection of songs; it was a statement. After the slick, stadium-ready rock of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace , frontman Dave Grohl made a radical decision. He stripped away the digital veneer, took the band back to the garage, and cut the album entirely to analog tape. There were no computers, no Pro Tools, no metronome. Just five men in a garage, playing live.

This was the first album to feature Pat Smear as an official permanent member since the 1990s, solidifying the three-guitar attack. 2. Key Tracks & Standouts