Over the past decade, the definitions of "alternative" and "indie" have become increasingly subjective. An independent artist can quickly attract a mainstream following thanks to instant blog/social-networking stardom, and a major-label luminary can venture into decidedly "indie" sounds (which in itself really has no concrete meaning). Alternative and indie can refer to artists who delve into rock, pop, electronic, world, jazz, classical -- sometimes all at once. It's a genre that refuses to be a genre. Its essence is to reject classification and celebrate eccentricity, abstractness and autonomy.
So this is by no means a definitive list; it's simply an acknowledgment of artists that have managed to continually stand out, whether they're Brits, Canadians, Brooklynites or a solo dude holed up in a Midwestern cabin. Though many of the artists represented here belong to some sort of revival -- post-punk, synth-pop, classic rock, garage-rock, shoegazer, folk -- each has imprinted their genre with a distinctly modern touch that will forever be recognized as quintessential '00s, a decade when innovation was steered not by looking to the future but by honoring the past.
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25. Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend, 2008
From the advance hype, you'd think Vampire Weekend were the first to consummate Anglo indie rock's infatuation with Afro-pop. But don't let the vague Africana of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" or self-aware skank of "A-Punk" distract. The studious appropriations are more akin to Paul Simon's: merely terrific pop songs wearing funny hats. Even then, the lion's share of these tunes -- including "Campus" and "Oxford Comma" -- cite less exotic influences, like Spoon and the Strokes. But from whom they borrow hardly matters -- they do it wisely, resulting in an instantly familiar, hugely promising debut. -- Nate Cavalieri
24. The Postal Service
Give Up, 2003
"Such Great Heights" is a pop classic worthy of the Lightning Seeds, and fans of such pretty, ethereal, bleepy pop music will warm to this release. Think They Might Be Giants, Belle and Sebastian and Stephen Duffy all in one. Twee and fey, but also warm and comforting, these songs will take residence in your brain long after summer is over. -- Nicholas Baker
23. Sigur Ros
(), 2002
Untitled upon its release and outfitted with eight untitled songs, Sigur Ros' third LP was highfalutin out of the gate. But then, this mercurial post-rock is pretty hard to put into words. More grandiose than its predecessor (as if that were even possible), the disc is two acts: the first hopeful and melodic, the second cacophonous and sprawling. The centerpiece is track four (aka "The Nothing Song"), whose careening, delayed guitars and determined throb urge along Jon Thor Birgisson's pained wail. Another intergalactic civil war fought by teddy bears. -- Garrett Kamps
22. Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes, 2008
Astute students of tradition, Fleet Foxes take inspiration from folk, pop, Celtic, gospel and sacred harp singing to create harmonic bursts of heartfelt precision. Sounding like Mother Nature's sons, they sing of valleys, mountains and hummingbirds while running through forests of lush guitars, tom-toms, bass, organs, mandolins and dulcimers. "Ragged Wood" and "Your Protector" have them chasing after the perfect trifecta of huge melodies, crescendos and harmonies, while the poignant "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" and "Meadowlarks" slow things down to reveal these Foxes' charming fragility. -- Stephanie Benson
21. Hot Chip
The Warning, 2006
With their second album, Hot Chip graduate from the bedroom to the recording studio and keep grinning the whole way. Even with denser production, the London electro-hop outfit retains a cuddly lo-fi intimacy, thanks especially to Joe Goddard's straight-faced vocal nonchalance. Not quite singing, not quite rapping, Goddard bubbles and funks underneath Alexis Taylor's laddish falsetto, while the rest of the band add layers of squiggly synths, nano-sized breakbeats and assorted Casiotone confetti. But don't be fooled -- Hot Chip's levity belies the depth and stickiness of their music. -- Jonathan Zwickel
20. Yeasayer
All Hour Cymbals, 2007
Yeasayer's debut fuses fist-pumping, harmonized melodies with "Games Without Frontiers"-era Peter Gabriel, giving birth to a smart, intergenerational pop mutant meant for dancing. Fretless bass, electronic drum pads, and noncheesy synthesizers leave plenty of room for vocalist Chris Keating to play the part of an anxiously soulful crooner. Tracks like "Waiting for the Summer" are pure Eastern mysticism, minus the lame hippie baggage, but Yeasayer avoid overdosing on retro nostalgia with the space keyboards and chanted chorus of "2080." -- Scott Indrisek
19. Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest, 2009
Veckatimest will linger in your head; it will beautify the landscape around you before haunting your dreams and urging you to listen again. Grizzly Bear's 2009 breakthrough album has a battle of good and evil at its core: the multipart harmonies have choir-boy grace, while swells of piano, woodwinds, strings and tribal beats burst with devilish glee. Sunny waltzes reveal elusive confessions, as dark dirges mask innocent pleas. "Two Weeks," "Ready, Able" and "While You Wait for the Others" are essential, but you won't be truly spooked and stirred without listening to the rest. -- S.B.
18. The Flaming Lips
At War With the Mystics, 2006
More heartfelt flamboyance from the consistently weird, constantly brilliant Flaming Lips. As usual, they disguise mind-blowing observations with seemingly simple lyrics, then hide those inside odd orchestras of electric strings, thumping drums, heavenly voices, things that go bzzzzt, and anything else that happens to be lying around. Prepare to be moved. -- Tim Quirk
17. Wilco
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2002
The esoteric but alluring collage of sounds on Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot earned them the No. 6 spot on our Best of 2002 poll. The songs traverse styles, from the bleak "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" to the perky "Heavy Metal Drummer," all the while retaining Wilco's signature pawnshop-guitar-run-through-a-dozen-effects-pedals sound. -- Eric Shea
16. Interpol
Turn on the Bright Lights, 2002
Hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the best indie records of 2002, Interpol's debut unapologetically apes the jagged post-punk pioneered by bands such as Joy Division and the Chameleons. But with its tight structures and strong melodies, their excellent dirge-rock is more an extension of the past than an exhumation. -- Mike McGuirk
15. Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, 2009
Mozart? Not quite. More kitschy reference than homage, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has an air of sleek sophistication steeped in summery French electro-pop that's still as edgy as any hipster band out of Brooklyn. Mid-album, the band nods to fellow Frenchmen Air and M83 on "Fences" and the "Love Like a Sunset" couplet, which flickers with the feel of an electrical storm. But it's tracks "Lisztomania," "1901" and "Girlfriend" that sizzle like Pop Rocks on the tongue, with snappy guitar and synths that purr alongside Thomas Mars' cool coos. -- S.B.
14. Beirut
Gulag Orkestar, 2006
Gulag Orkestar drops you in Eastern Europe with a young high school dropout from New Mexico as your tour guide. Zach Condon, just 20 upon this debut release, is the prodigy behind Beirut: he sings with a Rufus Wainwright drawl and plays multiple instruments (saxophone, clarinet, mandolin, accordion, etc.). His song titles suggest a German influence, but the music within is steeped in traditional Balkan folk and the mariachi of the American Southwest. The gypsy spirit and romanticism is all framed by tightly structured indie pop that bursts with wonder, wistfulness and wanderlust. --S.B.
13. White Stripes
White Blood Cells, 2001
The third proper White Stripes LP catches Jack and Meg at their finest -- not yet bored with the simple alchemy that brought them international acclaim, but mature enough to make the most of it. Starting with "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," the record opens with five of Jack White's most fully conceived tunes, the best being the seductive "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman." Aside from the downright ungentlemanly snarl of "I Think I Smell a Rat," there's hardly a miss. -- N.C.
12. TV on the Radio
Return to Cookie Mountain, 2006
Blonde Redhead, Roxy Music, Outkast and god knows what else are on the list of influences you'll find on this second record from these indie-rock subversives. Along with Arcade Fire and Animal Collective, TV on the Radio are recording highly avant-garde pop music that threatens to make indie rock worth listening to again. And they're garnering attention from such big shots as David Bowie, who contributes backing vocals on "Province," and Trent Reznor, who took them on tour with Nine Inch Nails. -- M.M.
11. Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, 2004
The Scottish group's debut is a dirty, stylish racket filled with needling guitars courtesy of the school of art/punk (circa 1982). Throw in their tendency to fall back on a solid 4/4 beat, and you've got a recipe for mega-hipness in 2004. This wouldn't mean a thing if the songs weren't good, but they are. -- Jon Pruett
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Show Your Bones, 2006
Karen O. steps up to a new level of squawkless rock without losing her mad grin and karate-kick spunk. As the X-ray album title suggests, this third and more spit-polished-in-the-studio CD has the guts to reveal the Y.Y.Y.'s softer side, yet it still radiates with energy. "Cheated Hearts" and "Turn Into" are some of the band's most subtle, evolving-into-bliss songs yet. -- Michele Flannery
9. Broken Social Scene
You Forgot It in People, 2003
If you wanted to coin a genre out of the music made by loose collectives of wildly creative Canadian indie rockers working in the early '00s, You Forgot It in People would be the record that started it all. Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Feist -- not one of those bands could say they weren't influenced by this. Tattered, huge and unafraid, the sound is insatiably curious, venturing toward skewed tropicalia in one moment, bent Husker Du rock the next. From horns to synths to kitchen sinks, no instrument is left unturned. When Kevin Drew sings about "lovers' spit," well, you don't forget it. -- G.K.
8. Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago, 2007/2008
On his debut, Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, is lonely and it shows. Recorded one winter in a secluded Wisconsin cabin, For Emma, Forever Ago is overwhelming in its bleakness. Vernon's haunting falsetto delivers confessional lyrics in yelps and whispers over little more than an acoustic guitar. It's slow and deliberate -- songs fade out, only to storm back after seconds of silence -- but Vernon's intensity keeps the album from dragging. Throughout every song there's an unwavering atmosphere of melancholy that creates a cohesiveness rarely seen in today's indie-rock landscape. -- Ben Rosen
7. Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion, 2009
"In the Flowers" begins life as a lazy bank of fog. It then explodes into an atomic radiance that's equal parts noise, electronica and rumbling bass. From this, believe it or not, drips a child's melody, as well as these innocent, virtuous voices. They're chirping words like "love," "smile" and "dancing." This tune -- perfect pop, truly -- embodies beauty and terror. And it's Animal Collective's ability to believe in both extremes that makes Merriweather Post Pavilion such a profound chunk of indie rock. -- Justin Farrar
6. Cat Power
The Greatest, 2006
The mercurial Chan Marshall returned to her Southern roots and recorded this blissful album in Memphis. The Greatest glows with a new ease, and the music itself -- which features many of the greatest soul musicians in history -- is sunny and open. There's a sense of joy coming through here that you'll want to share with friends. -- N.D.
5. Spoon
Kill the Moonlight, 2002
The only unconvincing part of this album is when Britt Daniel coyly claims, "We rarely practice discern." It's a little hard to believe him when it's the self-control, subtlety and simplicity that make Kill the Moonlight prickle and pop. Spoon take elements that are often just sprinkled in for effect and make them key ingredients. Flittering synths, staccato piano chords, tambourine jingles, hand claps, drumstick taps and a human beatbox make standouts like "The Way We Get By," "Stay Don't Go" and "Paper Tiger" both sticky and sweet -- ear candy you don't feel guilty asking for more of. -- Stephanie Benson
4. Modest Mouse
The Moon & Antarctica, 2000
The Moon & Antarctica was Modest Mouse's first major-label record, but it sounds pretty damn indie. Many of these musings are more moody and melancholic than the group's previous works, but songs like "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "A Different City" rely on the pointy and angular arrangements for which the band is known. -- E.S.
3. The Strokes
Is This It, 2001
The much-hyped New York group's debut is undeniably infectious. Combining the tonal inflections of young Lou Reed with the poppiest elements of late-'70s East Coast art-punk, the Strokes made a frenetic, jittery pop record that clicked with fans and otherwise uptight critics.
2. Arcade Fire
Funeral, 2004
Fueled by the loss of family members, Canada's Arcade Fire turned their sorrow into cathartic indie rock for their debut album. Imagine the early energy of the Talking Heads transposed onto a more baroque mixture of Neutral Milk Hotel's inspired folk-psych and New Order's sense of pop dynamics. Good stuff, then! -- J.P.
1. Radiohead
Kid A, 2000
What a way to start out a decade. After the whirlwind of acclaim for OK Computer, Radiohead tried to escape the hype by hitching a ride through the cosmos -- or at least that's what Kid A would have us believe. As Thom Yorke's wails sound belted from the insular surface of the moon ("How to Disappear Completely"), opaque textures of twinkling music boxes ("Kid A"), bustling horns ("National Anthem"), fanciful harp ("Motion Picture Soundtrack"), crystallized hums ("Treefingers"), dissonant reception ("Everything in Its Right Place") and plenty of unidentified flying clatter orbit this otherworldly masterpiece. -- S.B.
Honorable Mentions (in alpha order):
Antony and the Johnsons, I'm a Bird Now
Band of Horses, Everything All the Time
Battles, Mirrored
Beck, Sea Change
Bjork, Medulla
The Black Keys, Attack & Release
Black Mountain, In the Future
Bloc Party, Silent Alarm
Caribou, Andorra
Coldplay, Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head
Deerhunter, Microcastle
Destroyer, Destroyer's Rubies
Feist, The Reminder
The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere
Goldfrapp, Supernature
Gorillaz, Gorillaz
Grandaddy, The Sophtware Slump
Green Day, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown
Grizzly Bear, Yellow House
P.J. Harvey, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days
The Killers, Hot Fuss
The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
M.I.A., Kala
Muse, Black Holes and Revelations
My Morning Jacket, Z
The National, Boxer
Joanna Newsom, Ys.
Portishead, Third
The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Ratatat, Ratatat
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
Shearwater, Rook
The Shins, Oh, Inverted World
Sparklehorse, It's a Wonderful Life
Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Stars, Set Yourself on Fire
Sufjan Stevens, Illinois
Tool, Lateralus
TV on the Radio, Dear Science
Wolf Parade, Apologies to the Queen Mary
the xx, xx
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever to Tell
Vampire Weekend, 2008
From the advance hype, you'd think Vampire Weekend were the first to consummate Anglo indie rock's infatuation with Afro-pop. But don't let the vague Africana of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" or self-aware skank of "A-Punk" distract. The studious appropriations are more akin to Paul Simon's: merely terrific pop songs wearing funny hats. Even then, the lion's share of these tunes -- including "Campus" and "Oxford Comma" -- cite less exotic influences, like Spoon and the Strokes. But from whom they borrow hardly matters -- they do it wisely, resulting in an instantly familiar, hugely promising debut. -- Nate Cavalieri24. The Postal Service
Give Up, 2003
"Such Great Heights" is a pop classic worthy of the Lightning Seeds, and fans of such pretty, ethereal, bleepy pop music will warm to this release. Think They Might Be Giants, Belle and Sebastian and Stephen Duffy all in one. Twee and fey, but also warm and comforting, these songs will take residence in your brain long after summer is over. -- Nicholas Baker23. Sigur Ros
(), 2002
Untitled upon its release and outfitted with eight untitled songs, Sigur Ros' third LP was highfalutin out of the gate. But then, this mercurial post-rock is pretty hard to put into words. More grandiose than its predecessor (as if that were even possible), the disc is two acts: the first hopeful and melodic, the second cacophonous and sprawling. The centerpiece is track four (aka "The Nothing Song"), whose careening, delayed guitars and determined throb urge along Jon Thor Birgisson's pained wail. Another intergalactic civil war fought by teddy bears. -- Garrett Kamps22. Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes, 2008
Astute students of tradition, Fleet Foxes take inspiration from folk, pop, Celtic, gospel and sacred harp singing to create harmonic bursts of heartfelt precision. Sounding like Mother Nature's sons, they sing of valleys, mountains and hummingbirds while running through forests of lush guitars, tom-toms, bass, organs, mandolins and dulcimers. "Ragged Wood" and "Your Protector" have them chasing after the perfect trifecta of huge melodies, crescendos and harmonies, while the poignant "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" and "Meadowlarks" slow things down to reveal these Foxes' charming fragility. -- Stephanie Benson21. Hot Chip
The Warning, 2006
With their second album, Hot Chip graduate from the bedroom to the recording studio and keep grinning the whole way. Even with denser production, the London electro-hop outfit retains a cuddly lo-fi intimacy, thanks especially to Joe Goddard's straight-faced vocal nonchalance. Not quite singing, not quite rapping, Goddard bubbles and funks underneath Alexis Taylor's laddish falsetto, while the rest of the band add layers of squiggly synths, nano-sized breakbeats and assorted Casiotone confetti. But don't be fooled -- Hot Chip's levity belies the depth and stickiness of their music. -- Jonathan Zwickel20. Yeasayer
All Hour Cymbals, 2007
Yeasayer's debut fuses fist-pumping, harmonized melodies with "Games Without Frontiers"-era Peter Gabriel, giving birth to a smart, intergenerational pop mutant meant for dancing. Fretless bass, electronic drum pads, and noncheesy synthesizers leave plenty of room for vocalist Chris Keating to play the part of an anxiously soulful crooner. Tracks like "Waiting for the Summer" are pure Eastern mysticism, minus the lame hippie baggage, but Yeasayer avoid overdosing on retro nostalgia with the space keyboards and chanted chorus of "2080." -- Scott Indrisek19. Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest, 2009
Veckatimest will linger in your head; it will beautify the landscape around you before haunting your dreams and urging you to listen again. Grizzly Bear's 2009 breakthrough album has a battle of good and evil at its core: the multipart harmonies have choir-boy grace, while swells of piano, woodwinds, strings and tribal beats burst with devilish glee. Sunny waltzes reveal elusive confessions, as dark dirges mask innocent pleas. "Two Weeks," "Ready, Able" and "While You Wait for the Others" are essential, but you won't be truly spooked and stirred without listening to the rest. -- S.B.18. The Flaming Lips
At War With the Mystics, 2006
More heartfelt flamboyance from the consistently weird, constantly brilliant Flaming Lips. As usual, they disguise mind-blowing observations with seemingly simple lyrics, then hide those inside odd orchestras of electric strings, thumping drums, heavenly voices, things that go bzzzzt, and anything else that happens to be lying around. Prepare to be moved. -- Tim Quirk17. Wilco
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2002
The esoteric but alluring collage of sounds on Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot earned them the No. 6 spot on our Best of 2002 poll. The songs traverse styles, from the bleak "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" to the perky "Heavy Metal Drummer," all the while retaining Wilco's signature pawnshop-guitar-run-through-a-dozen-effects-pedals sound. -- Eric Shea16. Interpol
Turn on the Bright Lights, 2002
Hailed by critics and fans alike as one of the best indie records of 2002, Interpol's debut unapologetically apes the jagged post-punk pioneered by bands such as Joy Division and the Chameleons. But with its tight structures and strong melodies, their excellent dirge-rock is more an extension of the past than an exhumation. -- Mike McGuirk15. Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, 2009
Mozart? Not quite. More kitschy reference than homage, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has an air of sleek sophistication steeped in summery French electro-pop that's still as edgy as any hipster band out of Brooklyn. Mid-album, the band nods to fellow Frenchmen Air and M83 on "Fences" and the "Love Like a Sunset" couplet, which flickers with the feel of an electrical storm. But it's tracks "Lisztomania," "1901" and "Girlfriend" that sizzle like Pop Rocks on the tongue, with snappy guitar and synths that purr alongside Thomas Mars' cool coos. -- S.B.14. Beirut
Gulag Orkestar, 2006
Gulag Orkestar drops you in Eastern Europe with a young high school dropout from New Mexico as your tour guide. Zach Condon, just 20 upon this debut release, is the prodigy behind Beirut: he sings with a Rufus Wainwright drawl and plays multiple instruments (saxophone, clarinet, mandolin, accordion, etc.). His song titles suggest a German influence, but the music within is steeped in traditional Balkan folk and the mariachi of the American Southwest. The gypsy spirit and romanticism is all framed by tightly structured indie pop that bursts with wonder, wistfulness and wanderlust. --S.B.13. White Stripes
White Blood Cells, 2001
The third proper White Stripes LP catches Jack and Meg at their finest -- not yet bored with the simple alchemy that brought them international acclaim, but mature enough to make the most of it. Starting with "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground," the record opens with five of Jack White's most fully conceived tunes, the best being the seductive "I'm Finding It Harder to Be a Gentleman." Aside from the downright ungentlemanly snarl of "I Think I Smell a Rat," there's hardly a miss. -- N.C.12. TV on the Radio
Return to Cookie Mountain, 2006
Blonde Redhead, Roxy Music, Outkast and god knows what else are on the list of influences you'll find on this second record from these indie-rock subversives. Along with Arcade Fire and Animal Collective, TV on the Radio are recording highly avant-garde pop music that threatens to make indie rock worth listening to again. And they're garnering attention from such big shots as David Bowie, who contributes backing vocals on "Province," and Trent Reznor, who took them on tour with Nine Inch Nails. -- M.M.11. Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand, 2004
The Scottish group's debut is a dirty, stylish racket filled with needling guitars courtesy of the school of art/punk (circa 1982). Throw in their tendency to fall back on a solid 4/4 beat, and you've got a recipe for mega-hipness in 2004. This wouldn't mean a thing if the songs weren't good, but they are. -- Jon Pruett10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Show Your Bones, 2006
Karen O. steps up to a new level of squawkless rock without losing her mad grin and karate-kick spunk. As the X-ray album title suggests, this third and more spit-polished-in-the-studio CD has the guts to reveal the Y.Y.Y.'s softer side, yet it still radiates with energy. "Cheated Hearts" and "Turn Into" are some of the band's most subtle, evolving-into-bliss songs yet. -- Michele Flannery9. Broken Social Scene
You Forgot It in People, 2003
If you wanted to coin a genre out of the music made by loose collectives of wildly creative Canadian indie rockers working in the early '00s, You Forgot It in People would be the record that started it all. Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Feist -- not one of those bands could say they weren't influenced by this. Tattered, huge and unafraid, the sound is insatiably curious, venturing toward skewed tropicalia in one moment, bent Husker Du rock the next. From horns to synths to kitchen sinks, no instrument is left unturned. When Kevin Drew sings about "lovers' spit," well, you don't forget it. -- G.K.8. Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago, 2007/2008
On his debut, Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, is lonely and it shows. Recorded one winter in a secluded Wisconsin cabin, For Emma, Forever Ago is overwhelming in its bleakness. Vernon's haunting falsetto delivers confessional lyrics in yelps and whispers over little more than an acoustic guitar. It's slow and deliberate -- songs fade out, only to storm back after seconds of silence -- but Vernon's intensity keeps the album from dragging. Throughout every song there's an unwavering atmosphere of melancholy that creates a cohesiveness rarely seen in today's indie-rock landscape. -- Ben Rosen7. Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavilion, 2009
"In the Flowers" begins life as a lazy bank of fog. It then explodes into an atomic radiance that's equal parts noise, electronica and rumbling bass. From this, believe it or not, drips a child's melody, as well as these innocent, virtuous voices. They're chirping words like "love," "smile" and "dancing." This tune -- perfect pop, truly -- embodies beauty and terror. And it's Animal Collective's ability to believe in both extremes that makes Merriweather Post Pavilion such a profound chunk of indie rock. -- Justin Farrar6. Cat Power
The Greatest, 2006
The mercurial Chan Marshall returned to her Southern roots and recorded this blissful album in Memphis. The Greatest glows with a new ease, and the music itself -- which features many of the greatest soul musicians in history -- is sunny and open. There's a sense of joy coming through here that you'll want to share with friends. -- N.D.5. Spoon
Kill the Moonlight, 2002
The only unconvincing part of this album is when Britt Daniel coyly claims, "We rarely practice discern." It's a little hard to believe him when it's the self-control, subtlety and simplicity that make Kill the Moonlight prickle and pop. Spoon take elements that are often just sprinkled in for effect and make them key ingredients. Flittering synths, staccato piano chords, tambourine jingles, hand claps, drumstick taps and a human beatbox make standouts like "The Way We Get By," "Stay Don't Go" and "Paper Tiger" both sticky and sweet -- ear candy you don't feel guilty asking for more of. -- Stephanie Benson4. Modest Mouse
The Moon & Antarctica, 2000
The Moon & Antarctica was Modest Mouse's first major-label record, but it sounds pretty damn indie. Many of these musings are more moody and melancholic than the group's previous works, but songs like "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "A Different City" rely on the pointy and angular arrangements for which the band is known. -- E.S.3. The Strokes
Is This It, 2001
The much-hyped New York group's debut is undeniably infectious. Combining the tonal inflections of young Lou Reed with the poppiest elements of late-'70s East Coast art-punk, the Strokes made a frenetic, jittery pop record that clicked with fans and otherwise uptight critics.2. Arcade Fire
Funeral, 2004
Fueled by the loss of family members, Canada's Arcade Fire turned their sorrow into cathartic indie rock for their debut album. Imagine the early energy of the Talking Heads transposed onto a more baroque mixture of Neutral Milk Hotel's inspired folk-psych and New Order's sense of pop dynamics. Good stuff, then! -- J.P.1. Radiohead
Kid A, 2000
What a way to start out a decade. After the whirlwind of acclaim for OK Computer, Radiohead tried to escape the hype by hitching a ride through the cosmos -- or at least that's what Kid A would have us believe. As Thom Yorke's wails sound belted from the insular surface of the moon ("How to Disappear Completely"), opaque textures of twinkling music boxes ("Kid A"), bustling horns ("National Anthem"), fanciful harp ("Motion Picture Soundtrack"), crystallized hums ("Treefingers"), dissonant reception ("Everything in Its Right Place") and plenty of unidentified flying clatter orbit this otherworldly masterpiece. -- S.B.Honorable Mentions (in alpha order):
Antony and the Johnsons, I'm a Bird Now
Band of Horses, Everything All the Time
Battles, Mirrored
Beck, Sea Change
Bjork, Medulla
The Black Keys, Attack & Release
Black Mountain, In the Future
Bloc Party, Silent Alarm
Caribou, Andorra
Coldplay, Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head
Deerhunter, Microcastle
Destroyer, Destroyer's Rubies
Feist, The Reminder
The Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere
Goldfrapp, Supernature
Gorillaz, Gorillaz
Grandaddy, The Sophtware Slump
Green Day, American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown
Grizzly Bear, Yellow House
P.J. Harvey, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Iron & Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days
The Killers, Hot Fuss
The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
M.I.A., Kala
Muse, Black Holes and Revelations
My Morning Jacket, Z
The National, Boxer
Joanna Newsom, Ys.
Portishead, Third
The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Ratatat, Ratatat
Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
Shearwater, Rook
The Shins, Oh, Inverted World
Sparklehorse, It's a Wonderful Life
Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Stars, Set Yourself on Fire
Sufjan Stevens, Illinois
Tool, Lateralus
TV on the Radio, Dear Science
Wolf Parade, Apologies to the Queen Mary
the xx, xx
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever to Tell
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Rating At War With the Mystics over Yoshimi is inexplicable and inexcusable. And with an honorable mention list that long, how do Strawberry Jam, Sung Tongs, and Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer not make it? Hissing Fauna and Strawberry Jam should actually be on the top 25 list, but with SJ, I understand you probably limited the main list to one per artist. Other glaring omissions of at least honorable mention, though I (sort of) understand more why these didn't make it, even though they're all within my own top 15 (the first two are top 5):
The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair...
Dan Deacon - Bromst (the words epic and masterpiece come to mind here)
Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer
Menomena - I Am The Fun Blame Monster
Either one of Architecture in Helsinki's first two albums
Better than your rock list, but I'm sick of seeing Is This It? on every best of the decade list I come across, it wasn't that good. Now In Rainbows, that was an album, it should be here instead.
Most of this tuff isnt Indie Rock. Im not saying its bad stuff, but it most definitly isnt Indie, and some of it never was.
Bloc Party, Sufjan Stevens, and Radiohead's "In Rainbows" all deserved to be on the list. At least five or six of the records that were on the list deserved to be omitted.
This list sucks.
Spot on!
There should be a number smaller than 1 for this masterpiece!!!
R
A plethora of hits & a few misses. For the most part, you guys hit the nail on the head for one of my favored genres. A number of the albums I haven't heard that made it on your list: I have investigated and surely, shall be purchasing soon. Unfortunately, when one endeavors to create such a list, inevitably, fodder that may be considered vital to one, such as this current chef, are found remaining on the platter. "Future Perfect" by Autolux incredulously has not made it on your fair list and that may be akin to culinary heresy, as far as I am concerned. And unfathomably, there is no Bjork or Minus the Bear entree. Lastly, some hors d'oeuvres, notable mentions that likely could be on many a menu: Death Cab for Cutie, Film School, Ivy, Kasabian's "The West Rider Pauper Lunatic", or newcomer Passion Pit's "Manners" and others I am sure. All and All: 4 ½ stars.
Fair enough...
But WHY isn't Arctic Monkeys on this list?
Very good list! I´d like to add some other albuns:
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger
The Stills - Logic Will Break Tour Heart
The Duke Spirit - Cuts Across the Land
The Dears - Gang of Losers
Ra Ra Riot - The Thumb Line
The Like - Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?
World Leader Pretend - Punches
Office - A Night at the Ritz
Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
The Race (UK) - Be Your Alibi
Starsailor - Love is Here
Editors - The Back Room
Wild Beast - Limbo Panto
The Changes - Today is Tonight
The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows
Cheers
Oh yeah...
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
missing:
Arctic Monkeys- Whatever the People Say I am That's What I'm Not
Also, Is This It? isn't an indie album, it was produced by RCA records, thus automatically disqualifying it.
For that matter, any record produced by a major label is automatically disqualified as "indie," no matter how white and indie it sounds.
I think that Rhapsody actually did a great job! There are of course a few misses, but in general they nailed it.
Dulljan - because the Arctic Monkeys are contrived b*ll*cks
The list is gooood but Veckatimest should have been top 5. What the heck is the Strokes doing there? And what happened to British Sea Power??
Those questioning the indie-ness of this list should check out the title: Alt/Indie. Both major label and independent artists are featured here. Also read the introduction which refers to the evergrowing blurriness of what defines "alternative" and "indie."
GIMME BACK MY AVENGED SEVENFOLD.
I was a little disaspointed not to see The Libertines "Up The Braket", The Hives "Veni Vidi Vicious" the Arctic Monkeys "Whatever People Say I Am, That is What Im Not" and "Picaresque: by The Decemberists on this list.
no up the bracket what retard picked this list the libertines changed the sound of british music over the past 10 years. We would still be listining tol fing britpop shite.
I agree with Thomas especially irt The Libertines.
Also, I think it's funny how Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is #17 on Rhapsody's Alt/Indie list, but #10 on their everything list...does Wilco lose points on the Indie list because they're not hipster enough or something?
Not a bad list. Would have liked to have seen Belle and Sebastian's Dear Catastrophe Waitress included.
I think the list is a good reflection of the casual indie listener/listmaker's best of the aughts. However it lacks any noise. I do like 25, 24, 22, 14, 8, 6; but its far too much "easy listening" indie for a balanced top 25. With the addition of Deerhunter or something like Hypermagic Mountain by Lightning Bolt it would have been a pretty good list.
To rate anything over D.R.A. shows the loss for what music is! He writes the best lyrics.period. He is more talented on guitar than david gilmour in his prime. and im speaking on an artistic level. Maybe you just have to see it to fully apreciate Art!! and the way it is presented. The most in your face bands in any genre he dabbles his hand in. Its sad to see such a talent pass people bye..
Ryan adams people. i can only sit here with a big Question mark???? Ryan Adams is the newest greatest musician in the world! he is more of a true artist than what the mainstream can handle. What he does is invent music. His guitar work is masterfull!! His lyrics are one of a kind and peter @!$*# pan all together. he will take himself to the edge. and you will hear him fail. And thats the best part.!!
The Unicorns- who will cut our hair when We're Gone?
is so good...and how about The Islands "Return to the Sea"????
The Stars- set yourself on fire is amazing
glad to see it mentioned.
Sufjan Stevens(Greetings From Michigan: The Great Lake State,is way better),I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass-Yo La Tengo,"Welcome To Mali" by Amadou & Mariam(it world music but awesome)Manu Chao- Clandestino(rad),The Beginning Stages Of... by The Polyphonic Spree, The Greenhornes: Dual Mono,
Lewis Taylor "the lost album"(he did this way out-pretend seals and croft album that sounds like a melencholy sepia 70's sunset jam!)
How about The Bad Plus?
I don't really know how indie this list is...
Cold play? I can see then really wanting to put them on the list.
Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere- although I F**kin' love it- it begs the question, How can something that was so popular(mainstream radio/awards/sold a junk load)still be indie? Does this list really want to be named "slightly experimental music"? Cause this is just me but, alot of these artist transcended the "Indie" label way before any of these albums.
I find it disappointing that for a so-called "indie" list, there are almost no albums here that were released by independent labels.
In fact, many of the bands here released several true "indie" albums, yet you picked the one they made for a major!
Other than the white stripes (yes, that was an indie album before they were signed), spoon, tv on the radio and cat power, I can't recall any others on the list that are truly "indie" albums.
With all due respect to the editors, I'm not exactly sure what is "indie" about the flaming lips or wilco. These bands have been playing the same stadiums that the rolling stones and coldplay play for the last decade and a half. Both bands have never put out an album that wasn't released by an indie label (well, the lips did in 1982 - which doesn't really count). And what about radiohead is "indie," exactly?
Beirut is definetly indie. Ba Da Bing records!
Animal collective is on the same label as the Arctic Monkeys so they should at least be a mention.
Illinois should be in the top five and Forever, For Emma should be too.
This list could be much better!
what i hate about people like kevin is that they value albums for their "indieness" instead of the music, regards of the label
where is beach house? they have three albums that are probably better than half of the ones on this list.