The Beatles
The Beatles is the best band the world has ever seen. Lennon & McCartney defined the new sound of popular music with their array of excellent melodies and sounds. Almost all the bands and artists consider them as their influence. I cannot over emphasise the importance of this band. If you have only listened to their hits, do yourself a favour and listen to whole individual albums. Their best songs are not really their most well-known ones.
George Harrison
The guitar player of the Beatles is not on Spotify, unlike all the other members. This Beatle showed his songwriting talents at the end half of the Beatles history and his solo career is pretty good as well. I'm not that much of a fan of all of his sitar stuff, but Harrison is an amazing songwriter all the same.
The Smiths
The Smiths is the forefather of the indie music genre. Their gloomy melodies, excellent lyrics of Morrissey and amazing instrument work of Johnny Marr, Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke make this one of the best bands that ever existed. It took me a bit of time to start fully appreciating this band, since the sounds are quite 80's styled and being a kid of the 90's it wasn't easy to get into those kinds of aesthetics. Now, however, this is one of my all time favourite bands.
Morrissey
Morrissey's solo career is almost as significant (at least to me) as that of The Smiths. Especially his comeback album you Are the Quarry is one of my absolute favourites. Morrissey is kind of full of himself, but that's one of the reasons that sets him apart from many other artists. He can say exactly what he wants and a lot of his lyrics are very political.
Oasis
Oasis was the most successful of the 90's britpop bands. they were the only ones that really made it in the US. The Gallagher brothers are absolute tools, but they sure know how to make great music. People often say that they sound a lot like the Beatles and I can see that comparison, but I would still say that their more rock n' roll attitude constitutes a lot more than just a cheap Beatles rip-off. I grew up with their songs and I love the band's first two albums.
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are usually considered the first britpop band. The 80's was the golden age of American music if you look at what was successful and playing on the radio. The Stone Roses managed to draw huge crowds with their danceable, yet melodic music. They have definitely influenced many rising bands at the time.
The Verve
I'm not really sure what to think about The Verve's musical career. They have a few songs that I absolutely love, but then again, they never managed to make excellent full albums. Even Urban Hymns, their best album, is only good for the first half and then the songs become quite boring. Nevertheless, that first half is excellent.
Richard Ashcroft
The lead singer of The Verve had a successful solo career after The Verve's golden years. his solo stuff is a bit more melodic. I like the darker melodies in some of his songs and I think that his solo career had potential for much better. If you just select the right songs you can really enjoy his britpop-sounding singer-songwriter stuff.
James
James has often been forgotten from the list of great britpop bands and I myself, as a huge britpop fan, only discovered them later on. Their sound has definitely influenced other bands within the genre. They sound a bit more 80's than 90's, but at least their album Laid, should earn the recognition they deserve as a fantastic album.
Mansun
Another less-known britpop band sounds a bit like James and bit like The Verve, but their sound is more experimental and more rock n' roll. Their album Attack of the Grey Lantern is a masterpiece that I myself discovered way too late.
Starsailor
This melodramatic sounding britpop band hit the jackpot with their first album but failed to reach that level after that. High and sad vocals are the main deal here, but the piano deserves a special mention as well. This band was maybe a bit late, because by the 2000's the golden age of britpop was already gone.
The Coral
The Coral is one of the most original sounding britpop/indie rock bands. They mix surf-rock guitars with a variety of different indie genres making beautifully melodic songs where the sharp electric guitars are used really masterfully. I also like the laconic singing.
The La's
This band is a prime example of a one hit wonder. Their song There She Goes has been played in all sorts of films and of course the radio. This song sounds a lot like R.E.M. So I wouldn't be surprised if people have actually thought that it's their song. It's still all good laid back britpop.
Johnny Marr
The lead guitarist of The Smiths has had a long career after The Smiths playing in different combos. His solo career in the recent years has taken the sound of post punk revival and took it to the 10's by giving it disco-like lighter sounds. Still, it sounds a bit outdated now, but if you're a fan of the genre, you'll get what you want.
Electronic
Like the name suggests, this band is using a variety of electronic instruments. They are, however, at their best when they're playing rock songs without too much complexity in sounds. This is the sound of britpop in the 00's.
Northern Uproar
This band sounds like the mix of best parts of the 90's. They sound a bit like grunge, bit like britpop and bit like alternative rock such as Dinosaur Jr. They use quite heavy sounds, but the songs are very melodic and the singing does not go over raspy.
Beady Eye
Liam Gallagher's post-Oasis band Beady Eye has been a disappointment to most Oasis fans. This is not really a surprise to those who know that it was Noel who always made the good songs. Still, there's something really appealing in Liam's nasal singing.
Jim McCarty
Jim McCarty plays bluesy pop-rock songs with melancholic melodies and masterful electric guitar playing. His sounds not that original, but if you're into this kind of guitar driven singer-songwriter rock, I think his music is quite good.
The Crescent
The Crescent sounds a bit like a heavier version of The Coral. They have quite apparent blues influences even if the general sound is fairly average britpop. Their songs are melodic and pleasant while there's nothing that original there.
Cast
Cast was a britpop band that was sometimes accused of just ripping off 60's pop music. Their songs definitely have that similar melody world as the Beatles had way back, but I think the sounds are way too modern to be calling them just a rip-off.
The Maybes?
The Maybes? is a fantastic indie band using beautiful electric guitar riffs and melodies that sound melancholic and hopeful at the same time. The vocals sound original with a slightly raspy tone. The album covers resemble those of Belle and Sebastian.
The Waltones
The Waltones have sure listened to their Smiths albums. Their guitars and bass lines sound a lot like them. Then again, the vocals are very different and the lyrics don't really compare to Morrissey's. Still, it's quite good music for the friends of 80's English alternative rock.
The Boo Radleys
The Boo Radleys make upbeat alternative rock in the style very common to 90's. Their guitars are a bit lo-fi with their effect-naked sound. The melodies are fairly good, but I think even more could be gotten out of them with slightly improved sounds.
The Railway Children
The Railway Children play 80's style alternative rock that very apparently seems to look up to The Smiths. Treble-filled bass lines and jumping rhythms are good for dancing while holding street-cred. The vocals are not that good compared to instrumentation.
So Shush
So Shush plays late 80's early 90's styled new wave music with laconic female vocals and scruffy electric guitars. It resembles Sleeper so much that if this came on the radio I would actually think that they're Sleeper. If you happen to like them, I guess that's good news.
Easterhouse
Easter house plays 80's style post-punk/new wave where industrial and cold sounds are used for danceable disco beats and cool melodies. The choruses fail to reach the levels that would stick to your head.
The Room
The Room plays quite modern sounding version of 80's alternative rock. The guitars are similar and the beats just invite indie kids of the 00's to dance. Great use of clean electric guitars come together with melodic bass lines and simple drumming.
Benny Profane
Benny Profane plays alternative rock that is a bit off-key from time to time but in that it only manages to be really cool and original. Then again, it does sound a lot like the more melodic version of Orange Juice.
Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest makes singer-songwriter type of music that uses melancholic melodies and 80's style sounds to make huge songs that aim to be larger than life. There are strong power ballad and musical theatre influences but it still somehow manages to avoid the worst corny cliches.
Ringo Starr
Ringo was undoubtedly the least talented songwriter of the Beatles but his drumming sound, as non-professional as it was, was very recognisable. In his solo career, Ringo has managed to make some excellent pop songs, but his career has also brought out some of the craziest album covers and album names such as Ringorama and Vertical Man.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney was known as the man who knew how to create original sounds during The Beatles career. In his solo career he may not have been that innovative, but he has still managed to make some memorable and great pop-songs. He's not quite as good a songwriter as Lennon, but he's a talented musician and knows how to make complex melody structures.
John Lennon
Lennon's solo career was definitely the best one of all the Beatles, which isn't a big surprise considering he was always the best songwriter of the bunch. Right before his death in 1980 he started to slip to some poor choices, so I guess his death managed to make him immortal as a great musician and one of the greatest songwriters of all times.
Rory Wynne
Even the album cover shows that; Rory Wynne is copying Lennon's sound quite literally. Still, his vocals sound completely different and the piano sounds are harder, so I guess the music is still a bit different. If you happen to like Lennon style piano songs, Listen to this.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Noel Gallagher's solo career has been much more successful than that of his brother's. And there's a good reason for it. Noel actually still makes quite good songs. He was always the more talented one in Oasis and now he has the chance to show the whole world what he can accomplish alone. His band, although not quite as good as early Oasis, is actually surprisingly good.
Bill Ryder-Jones
Bill Ryder-Jones makes calm and beautiful singer-songwriter music where piano takes the place of the main instrument. His raspy vocals are brilliant. There are some similarities in his music to that of Father John Misty's.
David Gray
David Gray plays atmospheric piano ballads. His vocals are quite typical for an Englishman. There's some nasal in his voice, but it's not off-putting. The melodies are fairly unsurprising, but the sounds are simple and quite beautiful.
Tom Hingley
Tom Hingley plays acoustic guitar and sings with his echoey and deep vocals. There's something about his voice that makes you listen carefully his every word. his playing is accompanied by beautiful string arrangements.
Simon Herron
Simon Herron plays quite minimalistic folk music where electric guitar is picked gently with a bit of echo, while his vocals are high and etheric. If you happen to know Keaton Henson, this is quite similar sound.
Stephen Fretwell
Stephen Fretwell's singer-songwriter music is classy and ambitious. Pianos and guitars are accompanied by high-pitched vocals that sound larger than life. If you like bands like Starsailor, be sure to check this guy out.
Tim Booth
Tim Booth plays endearing indie pop where the melodies are in the forefront. The vocals are not particularly trained, but it kind of fits in with simple guitars and flute-like organ sounds. There are also some whistling solos in the songs.
Turrentine Jones
Turrentine Jones plays modern blues rock that has quite apparent influences from Booker T & the M G's hit song Green Onions. The raunchy rock organs go together with garage-like electric guitars, while cool vocals sing long sounds.
Shack
Shack's music is probably best described as indie pop-rock, but there are also some apparent influences from country and folk music. The modern and produced sounds set it apart from those two genres though.
It's Immaterial
It's difficult to categorise this music. It definitely sounds a bit like folk/country music, but then again, the echoey industrial sounds link it to 80's new wave. There is some excellent use of harmonica and rock organs in this music.
Doves
Doves is one of the most successful Mancunian bands of the 00's, but they're still not that well known around the world. I guess it's because they sound so utterly British. They make melancholic indie rock with some folk influences. Their album Last Broadcast is an excellent piece of work.
I Am Kloot
I Am Kloot sounds very British. The vocals have a strong accent, while the band plays melancholic indie pop-rock with innovative melodic structures. The band balances between acoustic and electric sound.
Elbow
Before moving to UK I never realised just how big Elbow is in this country. Elsewhere in the world it's just one indie rock band among others, but in UK their melancholic and grand, yet a bit strange music has lifted them to a position of one of the biggest bands.
Alfie
Alfie plays melodic and sad indie rock that uses folk aesthetics in its melody and sound structures. It sounds a lot like Midlake. The sad and dark approach has always appealed to me and the song on the playlist is one of my favourite new finds.
Cherry Ghost
Cherry Ghost uses the typical 10's sound world where the electric guitars are infused by echo, while the high vocals sound etheric and beautiful and rhythms make your foot tap along. The sounds are very ambitious.
Wave Machines
This band's general sound is a bit lo-fi at first, while it still sounds like everything they have done has been done on purpose. In chorus they can, however, lift their music to answer to todays sound standards.
Nev Cottee
There's something about deep baritone vocals that appeals to me. This band uses Ennio Morricone type of film sounds in the music and everything is finished with absolutely beautiful deep baritone that sings dramatically. It actually sounds quite a lot like Leonard Cohen.
Money
Money makes almost ambient music, where echoey piano plays sad melodies while a high pitched delicate voice sings trembling vocals. This is good music to listen to after a day of hard work when you just want to lay on the sofa and close your eyes for a bit.
Aquilo
This band plays quiet and beautiful ballads using mainly piano in the background. The vocals are absolutely fantastic with their clean and unnatural tones. I'm not too happy with quite cheap sounding electronic beats that they add to the songs. It would work better as just quiet and peaceful ambient.
By the Sea
By the Sea sounds big. Everything is filled with echo and the drums sound huge. The clean electric guitars are a bit off tune, to give this music that modern tone. The rhythms change from minimalist quietness to full on beats.
Rae Morris
Rae Morris sings with her etheric voice and it all sounds quite Scandinavian. The Sami in Finland or some Icelandic singer could probably make similar music, where the vocals are used as an instrument. The accent is quite strange, but very pleasant.
Working for a Nuclear Free City
This strangely named band plays music that could be described as a mixture of electronica and post-rock. It's mostly instrumental and the sounds are cold and industrial, yet larger than life. They have a great sense of drama, where small sounds explode into huge sound walls.
The Longcut
This band plays atmospheric indie pop, where the sounds are quite electronic, even though the instruments are actually normal band instruments. The vocals are quite monotonous where the background instruments play quite melodic structures.
Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy is one of the greatest names in 00's britpop. This pseudonym plays big-sounding indie rock with catchy melodies and an excellent clean singing voice. He became known widely after making songs for the film version for Nick Hornby's Boy, but it definitely isn't his best piece of work.
Tim Burgess
Tim Burgess is part of the modern 10's indie pop movement, where you use retro sounds from the 60's rock but mix it with more modern studio techniques to make the sound timeless. Like with many artists like this, singing is not the main part of this music.
BC Camplight
BC Camplight plays typical 00's indie rock where the melodies are catchy yet simple and the sounds are camp and retro. Some of the album covers of this band are quite hilarious. I just found this band a few months ago, but I intend to get to know them a bit better in the future.
Horsebeach
Horseback plays cool and relaxed indie rock, where melodic bass lines are quite loud compared to strumming acoustic guitars. Electric guitars on top pf that give a perfect balance for the melodic bass with their clean and echoey sound.
Everything Everything
This band has sounded a bit more electronic in the past, but the newer albums have found a bit more traditional indie sound with plucking electric guitars and 80's disco-kind-of melodies and rhythms. This band reminds me of TV on the Radio, but it's more melodic.
Puppet Rebellion
Puppet Rebellion plays melodic indie rock with clean electric guitars and pumping drumming. The vocals are clear and it's easy to keep track of the lyrics. The electric guitars are played in a modern style of keeping the sounds short.
PINS
PINS represents the cool new wave of indie rock in the 10's where you use retro sounds and unfinished production to create the sound of authenticity. The laconic female vocals make this music sound insanely indie.
Echo & the Bunnymen
This is one of the most legendary post-punk bands in the world. Treble-filled bass lines, untrained bit off-key vocals and cold, industrial sounds. I'm sure Echo & The Bunnymen have influenced an array of modern indie rock bands that look into cool and cold 80's sounds.
Magazine
Magazine is one of the greatest post-punk bands in my mind. Their aggressive, yet controlled and melodic approach to punk is easy to grasp and hard to let go. The sounds are absolutely perfect with sharp and edgy electric guitars and echoey vocals.
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes is a prime example of 80's post-punk/new wave band, where the vocals are untrained and a bit out-of-tune, the organs are a bit tacky and the drum sounds are absolutely horrendous. Despite of all of that, the melodies and everything else is good enough for this music to actually sound pretty great.
Joy Division
Joy Division is probably the darkest band that has ever existed. Their cold nd dark industrial New Wave created a whole new genre both in music and in sub-culture of teenagers. The true goth culture was based on these guys along with The Cure.
Inca Babies
Inca Babies plays dark and simplistic post-rock, where the vocals are raspy and aggressive, while the instruments keep their cool. There are some strange western film influences in the middle of a ll of this in the sharp electric guitars.
Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets plays cool and industrial 80's style new wave, where the treble-filled bass lines are accompanied by strange rock organs. The vocals are quite strong compared to many other bands in this particular genre.
Monaco
Monaco makes quite well-produced new wave/post-punk where the bass lines are melodic and treble-filled and the dark melodies are mixed together with more commercial disco-style choruses. And you know it, it's echoey!
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are one of the most well-known bands in the so-called Madchester culture. They make danceable and hypnotic songs that use the sound aesthetics of new wave, but are much more upbeat and rhythmic.
Supercharge
Supercharge is proper 80's new wave with strong electronic sounds. The beats are close to disco, but the sounds are darker and more industrial topped with trembling nasal vocals. It's all great for dancing and parties.
The Chameleons
The Chameleons play fast and industrial sounding new wave, where the sounds are spiced with huge guitar walls. The vocals are sung in echoey voice. The rhythms are good for dancing and the catchy choruses just invite you to the dance floor.
The Icicle Works
This band uses 80's new wave aesthetics in their sounds, but the songs themselves take influences from 80's alternative rock and the drumming has even some influences from a variety of world music genres.
Alpinestars
Alpinestars plays Dark and urban indie rock with space-like synth sounds and hypnotic electronic samples. Despite of all that space age stuff, their backgrounds use authentic sounding acoustic guitars, bass and real drums.
All We Are
All We Are plays electronic disco music, that is quite retro in its style. It draws influences from 80's pop music, but the sounds less tacky and much more modern. This is the kind of cool retro music that the hipsters dig.
New Order
New Order was a continuation of Joy Division after Ian Curtis topped himself. Their approach was much lighter and it includes a whole lot more electronic sounds. I've never been that much of a fan of this band, but some of their earlier albums have excellent songs from industrial Manchester.
Red Flag
Red Flag sounds like it's probably the forefather of house and techno music that was born late 80's. The sounds of this band are still very 80's and they also sing along. This is great stuff for friends of robotic futuristic 80's music.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (OMD)
This band is one of the greats in electronic new wave. Their early albums have defined the sound of early 80's industrial UK. They have some good songs, but nothing comes even close to brilliance of their mega hit Enola Gay.
Alternative Radio
Alternative Radio mixes electronic new wave with stereotypical French accordion playing. It's all very dark and beautiful. Their sound is highly original. I like the kinds of bands who mix different styles to come up with something brand new.
808 State
This electronic band plays ambient-like sounds and clubbing tunes with groundbreaking techniques. To me, their music is a bit too non-melodic, but I can certainly appreciate their innovative sounds. This is great music to listen to while walking on the busy streets of metropolis.
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column is an 80's electronic band that mixes normal band instruments with electronic sounds and beats. They are more subtle and modern than bands like Kraftwerk, but then again they are probably not as interesting.
Kling Klang
Kling Klang is 80's style robot music, where everything sounds very futuristic. Synthesisers, electronic samples and vocoder vocals all create an atmosphere of science fiction world where everyone is flying their cars and eating food in pill form.
Dutch Uncles
This band uses 80's style electronic sounds together with modern 00's indie pop, where the beats and vocals are fresh and modern. The melodies are innovative and there are various different parts and rhythms in each song.
Marconi Union
Marconi Union plays modern versions of 80's futuristic music. I've heard many people say that 80's synth music still sounds like the future, even though the techniques are quite old. This has the same effect but with actually new sounds. Excellent hypnotic music.
Black
Black is a great 80's alternative rock band that uses sharp, cold and dark sounds of the post-punk genre, but their songs are more pop-oriented and the choruses are catchy. The guitars are weeping as they should in 80's alternative rock.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood plays 80's style club music, where the new wave sounds are used to construct hypnotic and repetitive songs full of strange space age sounds and effects. There's something highly industrial in this music.
A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock of Seagulls is the kind of 80's pop new wave, that you feel like dancing to. Echoey guitars and space age sounds with danceable beats. If you look at the guys in the album covers, there's hardly any difference to todays hipsters.
The Lightning Seeds
The Lightning Seeds is a britpop band that makes it quite apparent that their influences are not only in the Beatles, but also in 80's Madchester scene. They make upbeat danceable and light alternative pop-rock.
Northside
Northside is a prime example of an 80's Madchester band. Their music relies on beats and danceable tunes topped with electric guitars and lo-fi singing. Even though there are some melodic structures in this music, it's quite apparent that the rhythms are the main deal.
The Real People
This band sounds at the same time as Madchester scene as it can get, but at the same time their sounds are more 90's and they are a bit more melodic, which takes them closer to britpop time. Catchy choruses and upbeat singing.
Apollo 440
This band uses rock sounds together with clubbing rhythms and strange electronic effects and vocoders. Some of their hit songs were playing on the radio in the 90's all the time. This is great music for dancing, but it can get a bit boring in other settings.
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers is one of the forefathers of the modern club scene. Their music was played with real instruments, but the whole thing is about hypnotic loops and rhythms topped with strange effects and sounds.
Ian Astbury
Ian Astbury's music is a mix of alternative rock and light electronic music (such as you hear in the film Matrix). It's difficult to decide whether this is alternative rock or clubbing scene music. I don't think that decision has to be made though.
Outfit
Outfit plays modern disco music, but their influences are clearly in the 80's pop music. I like their use of analog synthesisers, but besides that, their sounds are a bit too plastic for my liking. I guess it's great music for making hipsters dance.
Stealing Sheep
Stealing Sheep is a true retro band. Their music takes direct influences from 60's psychedelia and pop. The electric guitars resemble surf-rock and drumming is mainly done by toms and tambourines. The vocals are not that interesting to be honest.
The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings had a massive hit That's Not My Name a few years ago, but since then they haven't really been seen on the media. This band plays kind of un-melodic, rhythmic and danceable indie pop-rock. They have a great sense of drama raising the intensity of their songs from minimalist to huge by adding new layers.
The Wombats
The Wombats jumped to the consciousness of large crowds with their hit song Let's Dance to Joy Division. The music is UK style indie rock, where the vocals have strong British accent and electric guitars are taking the main stage. Their lyrics on the first album are fantastic!
The Answering Machine
The Answering Machine plays big and noisy indie rock. Electric guitars are in the main role in the band, but treble-filled bass lines and disco drumming are done quite well as well. The vocals are not very melodic and they have a heavy mersey accent.
The Sherlocks
This band represents the lighter side of post punk revival. What I mean by this is that they use similar sounds to that genre, but the melodies are not quite as dark as the mainstream in this genre. In this sense this band resembles The Wombats kind of indie rock more.
The 757s
The 757s play guitar-based indie rock, where there are strong influences from 90's grunge. Still, it's all much more melodic than those grunge bands, which makes me think of bands like The Posies. I like how the instruments sound themselves without too much effects.
The Courteeners
The Courteeners play huge sounds in their guitar-based indie rock. The choruses are even bigger than the verses. Their disco kind-of approach to drumming reminds me of bands like Killers. Nevertheless, the sound is more British.
Big In Japan
Big In Japan is a 90's style alternative rock band. Their songs are very melodic, while the guitars are grungy with garage style overdrive. It sounds a lot like The Posies or early Teenage Fanclub. This is for the lovers of catchy melodies.
Space Monkeys
Space Monkeys play psychedelic garage rock with Britpop-style vocals and singing melodies. The drums and some electric guitar riffs, however remind me of Prodigy's beats. The result is original mix of guitars with effects and clubbing style drumming.
The Seahorses
The Seahorses play quite conventional guitar-driven pop-rock. The melodies resemble classic rock rather than indie, but there are some twists in the melodies that make me think of Kula Shaker. instruments are played skilfully.
Hot Club de Paris
This indie rock band sounds very juvenile with their modern indie punk shouts and fast electric guitars/ Then again, it also has some sea shanty type of pirate stylings, such as the pirate accent and the nautical themes in the songs.
Smaller
Smaller plays quite typical 90's britpop. The sounds are very similar to those of Oasis. You can definitely hear the sound of the mid-90's. They know how to make catchy melodies and especially the choruses are made to sing along to.
Mazes
Mazes play quite conventional psychedelic indie rock, where the electric guitar loops hypnotise you while the vocals fly their own routes above it all. There are direct influences from 60's garage rock, but the basic melodies are a bit simpler.
Miles Kane
It has been said that Miles Kane looks a lot like young Paul McCartney and I think it's true to some extent. His music is quite different though. It's danceable garage indie with crummy guitar sounds and great bluesy vocals.
Fear of Music
Fear of Music plays 90's style alternative rock that usually comes from USA. This resembles some of the college rock bands, but it's more grunge than punk. The choruses in particular are very catchy and make you want to party along.
We Do Not Negotiate With Terrorists
This band is a kind of modern version of grunge. The sounds are clearly more modern, but the guitars and raspy vocals point to the direction of Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden. They do use a bit quieter middle bits where they actually show quite beautiful clear guitars as well.
Mutineers
Mutineers plays indie rock with moody electric guitars and some electronic synth sounds. The band reminds me at the same time of bands as diverse as Pet Shop Boys, Coldplay and Jimmy Eat World. Interesting sounds don't quite make it up for a bit bland songwriting though.
Oceansize
Oceansize appeared around the same time as many of the greatest post-rock bands, such as Mogwai and Explosions in the sky, but unlike the two other bands, Oceansize has notable vocals in their music and it's less dependant on huge guitar walls. It ranges from poppy alternative rock pieces to full-on heavy guitars.
Electrafixion
This band uses the studio echo of 2000's, but the style of songwriting is similar to 90's britpop. They also use some electronic effects and clean psychedelic guitars to set it apart from other similar bands. The choruses are phenomenal and sound actually a bit like Smashing Pumpkins.
Amplifier
Amplifier plays fuzzy electric guitars with psychedelic solos on top. The drums and bass are quite heavy. This is the kind of post rock that will be of interest to friends of stoner rock and to headbangers.
Clinic
This psychedelia band plays authentic 60's art rock/garage with more modern sounds. The tune is not that important in this type of music and it's broken quite often. The raunchy rock organs give a nice side to buzzing guitars.
Milk Maid
Milk Maid is a great retro band, whose sounds bring flavours from 60's psychedelia. The choruses are quite melodic and catchy, while the verses rely more on hypnotising with loops. There are also some shoegaze elements to this music.
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks were always the most commercial of the punk bands, which resulted in them not being taken seriously in all the circles. Now that the punk ideology is way behind, looking back, Buzzcocks actually made great music combining the melodic qualities of traditional 60's rock with the sounds of lat 70's punk.
The Freshies
The Freshies is an authentic first wave punk band that plays melodic yet simple guitar driven lo-fi songs. Their sound is closer to that of Ramones than that of their UK colleagues. The lyrics are typical teenager stuff about being love with the Manchester Virgin Mega Store checkout desk.
The Spitfire Boys
This lo-fi punk band sounds very much like late 70's first wave in the style of Sex Pistols, but the guitars are actually closer to 60's garage. The vocals are out of tune and actually really close to Johnny Rotten's speaking style.
Half Man Half Biscuit
This fantastically named band plays music that has pop-oriented melodies and punk sounds. As you might expect from a band named like this, their lyrics contain quite a lot of humour and parody. These guys would probably be great live.
Gerry & The Pacemakers
This Merseybeat band was a contemporary of The Beatles and they were also managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin. They just never became that popular. To be honest, their image is much cleaner than that of The Beatles. Still, they make nice melodic songs.
The Big Tree
Another Liverpudlian Merseybeat band. Their sound is quite close to The Beatles' early albums, but as singers they don't quite compare to Lennon & McCartney. The compositions are not quite as catchy either. But at least they're quite rock n' roll.
The Swinging Blue Jeans
This Merseybeat band plays quite conventional blues structure rock n' roll songs. What's noteworthy is the attitude. The vocals are raspy and enthusiastic and the electric guitars are played quite skilfully. Great solos.
The Dennisons
The Dennisons sound amazingly similar to The Beatles. They have the same kind of aggressive power in their vocals and guitars. Their drummer may even be a bit better than Ringo. Maybe they just didn't have same kind of songwriting power.
The Fourmost
This Liverpool Merseyband was mainly known for their song I'm In Love, which was written but Lennon & McCartney. No wonder this sounds probably the best out of all these non-Beatle Merseybeat bands.
The Searchers
Where the other Merseybeat bands before on this list try to copy The Beatles, I think this band actually sounds quite a lot like The Byrds or early Rolling Stones. They have a great melodic approach to songs with excellent harmonies and sharp guitars.
The Hollies
The Hollies is more modern in their sounds than the bands I've mentioned before it. The melodies are interesting and catchy and I think this is actually closer to bands like The Zombies than the Beatles. Great pop music from the 60's.
Herman's Hermits
Now, if the previously mentioned bands mainly got their influences from English bands, Herman's Hermits have definitely listened their fair share of The Beach Boys. Their song I'm Into Something Good is known to me from the film Naked Gun.
Cilla Black
Cilla Black's music is melodic and theatrical. It's like from some forgotten 60's musical. Her voice extends to different heights without too much effort. The melodies are quite catchy, but it's a bit repetitive.
The Crying Shames
I don't think this band actually is that old, but they've recored their sound to sound like old film music. The backgrounds sound like they've been played through an old record player, whilst the vocals have more power. Their melodies are quite magical.
Amsterdam
This band plays folk-pop songs that have quite catchy melodies. The problem is mainly in the sounds. It's a bit too commercial for my taste. The big and rising choruses would work quite well, if the production would be different.
The Seal Cub Clubbing Club
This horribly named band plays etheric and magical indie folk, where the instrumentation is intentionally quite lo-fi, while the vocals have a shitload of echo. They use some effects in addition to acoustic instruments, such as vibrating bass sound.
Joe Banfi
Joe Banfi makes dark and otherworldly folk music where his high-pitched and raspy vocals sore high above picked acoustic guitars and calm, yet ominous piano and various oriental sounding strings and flutes.
Jane Weaver
Jane Weaver started her career by making hypnotic folk music played on a clear sounding electric guitar. I guess she sounded quite a lot like Mazzy Star. More recently her music has moved to more experimental direction and it's using all sorts of effects and electronic sounds to make excellent psychedelic folk.
Kathryn Williams
Kathryn Williams makes quite traditional sounding dreamy folk music. She does it extremely well though. Her voice is soft and just right to get you into that hypnotic stage. Her albums have absolutely beautiful use of strings on top of her soft voice and picked acoustic guitar.
Nine Black Alps
Nine Black Alps plays generally quite modern indie rock with sounds similar to bands like Maxïmo Park, but the song Pocket Full of Stars is full-on folk music and it actually sounds better than their usual music.
Gomez
If you like well picked guitar playing, Gomez might just be to your liking. The vocals are soft and kind of oldish, which kind of fits in with the other sounds. The simple guitar playing rises sometimes to bluegrass kind of sounds, while still maintaining folky melody structures.
Ooberman
This band's sound is one of the most original ones on this list. They play quite peaceful and melancholic folk music, but the vocals are sung through a space vocoder. That makes it sound completely otherworldly and highly unique.
Ian Brown
The lead singer of The Stone Roses continued making music with a solo career that doesn't really sound that much like The Stone Roses. It's much more acoustic when it comes to the sounds and there's hardly any of that experimental, nor danceable quality left. Still, it's quite good singer-songwriter stuff with hypnotic melodies.
The Zutons
The Futons play strange kind of rock music where they mix peculiar yells and psychedelic garage rock sounds. In choruses it can all explode into full on funky rock n' roll extravaganza. Very enjoyable stuff indeed.
Jim Noir
Jim Noir makes upbeat indie-pop that resembles 60's pop bands such as the Kinks. The vocals are very soft, even if they're not that unique. The instrumentation is mostly acoustic, but they use some strange organ sounds on the background.
The Dakotas
This 60's band sounds a lot like some of the Californian surf bands of the time, but the melodic electric guitar solos switch every once in a while to pounding garage rock beats. This is still all quite masterful use of electric guitars.
Deaf School
70's synthesiser music meets punk and hero rock. The sounds are quite lo-fi, while still they use a variety of instruments. The vocals are pure punk spirit, while the pounding rhythms resemble Uriah Heep.
Van Der Graaf Generator
This really is for all you music nerds out there who never got over progressive rock bands like Emerson, Lake and Palmer or Yes. Excellent use of 70's analog synthesisers, excellent drumming and strange melodies. And a psychedelic album cover? Check!
10cc
This band plays 70's style ambitious rock music with very ambitious and large sounds. They have quite a funky approach to rock and they mix a variety of different styles to create complete musical fireworks.
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott
These two musicians put their strengths together and made an album of funky pop-rock. The songs are quite melodic and read-friendly. They sound a bit like Ben Folds Five, but not just as good unfortunately. It's all still quite enjoyable.
Alexis Blue
This artist proofs that you don't have to have a good set of musical production to make great music. The sounds are very cheap, but that only works in favour of this indie rock artist. The album covers may be to the liking of fantasy nerds.
Dominic Dunn
Dominic Dunn has a powerful singing voice, which he uses to make ambitious and huge sounding blues with some rock and funk influences. It all sounds excellent! If educated vocals are your bag, this may just be your bag.
Rebecca Ferguson
I'm always a bit hesitant when I hear that an artist has gone through a reality tv competition, so naturally when I heard that Rebecca Ferguson has attended the X-Factor, I was sceptical. Her bluesy songs are, however, pretty good and she has absolutely magnificent old time strong voice.
J-Walk
J-Walk makes beautiful instrumental music that could probably be called trip-hop. It's not quite as hypnotic and mellow as the bands from 90's Bristol, but there are definitely similarities there. I like the use of brass instruments.
Mr. Scruff
Mr. Scruff samples old music hall sounds with modern club rhythms. this interesting combo appeals eve to me even if I usually try to avoid combos like this. I think it's the skill of the production rather than the quality of the songs that appeals to me.
Space
This band is quite strange. They use instruments like xylophones and symphony orchestra big production to make 90's style britpop with some latin twist. Their song Female of the Species is quite well known and it was heard in the film Austin Powers.
The Tapestry
This band plays amazing funk music with some more etheric space guitars. Their vocals on the other hand resemble 80's post-punk vocals. So I think it's not an exaggeration to say that this ambitious music finds its influences from a number of places.
Sonic Boom Six
This band plays quite perky ska music with hip-hop vocals mixed with spoken word and bubblegum pop singing. It sounds quite horrible to be honest when I describe it like this, but I think this is still worth a listen.
Sixty Minute Men
Sixty Minute men play old time rock n' roll with impressive attitude. I think it's actually a bit more like the old time rhythm n' blues than rock n' roll, but since the word is perceived differently today, I think it's safer to call it rock n' roll. Swingy stuff with saxophones and all.
Stack Waddy
Stack Waddy plays raunchy garage blues rock. The attitude is absolutely brilliant. The sounds are quite old, but I think they are like that intentionally rather than this actually being as old as it sounds. Excellent music for the fans of 70's blues rock.
Foreign Press
Foreign Press mixes 80's post-punk sounds with more straightforward 60's rock music. It's set apart from punk by skilful guitar solos. The drumming on the other hand is quite poor, so I don't know what to think of their talents.
Hooton Tennis club
Hooton Tennis Club plays upbeat and modern indie rock with some summery feel of 60's surf rock greats. Some of their songs are a bit noisy for my taste, but when they get melodic, they're quite good. This must be better live.
Modern Eon
Modern Eon sounds like 80's new wave band, except their sounds are very lo-fi and some of their melodies resemble 90's emo rock. This gothic band looks directly after Joy Division, but still it manages to sound very different. Maybe it's because of the high vocals.
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