Nirvana
Nirvana is one of the most legendary bands that ever existed. They are the most well-known and most appraised grunge band ever. Kurt Cobain's tragic suicide made the band a legend that will be remembered forever. Cobain's raspy voice and guitar skills make this band my absolute favourites. Nevermind is one of the most legendary albums of all times and for a good reason.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is often overshadowed by Nirvana, but at least the first few albums deserve not to be compared to Nirvana, because they're just amazing in their own right. Especially Ten and Vs. are full of excellent songs. I only discovered Pearl Jam a bit later, but in the recent years my appreciation for them has only grown.
Soundgarden
Soundgarden has never been one of my favourites, since their songs aren't generally that melodic. I do, however, like Chris Cornell's amazing vocals and the album Superunknown is a classic that still sounds quite amazing. Black Hole Sun became the band's biggest hit back in the day, but for a good reason. It's one of the best songs of the 90's.
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is maybe a bit too heavy sounding for my taste, but they do have some songs that I really like. When they tone the sounds down a bit and let more melody in, I'm really enjoying the result. The influences from 80's hard rock are apparent, but it's still solid grunge.
Screaming Trees
The lead figure of this band, Mark Lanegan, is a Washington phenomenon who has performed in numerous different bands in addition to his solo career. Screaming Trees fits perfectly together with the prime of Washington grunge bands. It was never as well-known as the bands above, but it still belongs in this company.
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sun Day Real Estate can be described as grunge as well, but it's a bit different from the bands above. They use some sounds that are similar to college rock bands that appeared post-grunge. Still, it's far from being commercial like them. The melodies are very melancholic and the sounds use some out-of-tune techniques to resemble bands such as Sonic Youth.
Temple of the Dog
Temple of the Dog is a true super band of grunge. It included members from various Seattle bands, such as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. The sound is a bit lighter than that on some of the other bands in this genre and there are more clear elements taken from 80's alternative rock.
Mother Love Bone
Mother Love Bone is another grunge band that has included members from many other Seattle bands. Their sound is closer to 80's hard rock with sharper guitars and not quite as deep bass sounds. It even resembles Guns n' Roses quite a lot from time to time.
Candlebox
Candlebox fits in well with all of the other grunge bands on this list. Their sound is very similar to bands such as Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. They know how to combine mellow acoustic elements with heavy sounding choruses.
Love Battery
Love Battery plays traditional grunge sounds, but they have also included some influences from 60's psychedelia and I could swear that they have listened their fair share of bands like the 13th Floor Elevators.
10 Minute Warning
Ten Minute Warning plays faster and sharper sounding grunge as the other bands on this list. Therefore it sounds a bit more like the more commercial hard rock bands of the 80's. The attitude is still exactly right and the songs are nicely melodic.
Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun is very much part of the same genre as the bands I've mentioned above. Their songs aren't particularly melodic, so they are not one of my favourites. The sounds are great and growling though.
Skin Yard
Skin Yard is a hard rock band that kind of fits in with the grunge bands even if their sound is closer to that of Guns n' Roses. These kinds of bands must have paved the way for the other grunge bands in the 80's.
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell has one of the best voices in the world. That's why it's good that he has tried out different styles and he's not tied to one band only. His solo career has been a lot more commercial than Soundgarden's sound, but his Bond hit You Know My Name, at least to me, is just as good.
The Presidents of the United States of America
This band has one of the longest names out there. Their music is some kind of strange mixture of grunge sounds, college rock, country and 90's alternative rock. They are most famously known for their song Peaches, which should be mentioned whenever you're talking about 90's music.
Hounds of the Wild Hunt
This band acts as the gateway band from grunge to indie on my list. The sounds have many similarities to the 90's grunge bands, but the overall atmosphere is much lighter, resembling 00's indie rock scene.
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie was one of my absolute favourite bands in the 00's. Their albums Trasatlanticism and Plans are among my all time favourite albums. After that the band became sort of boring AOR band, which is a shame. Ben Gibbard's beautiful voice along with ambitious indie sounds manages to make me emotional every time.
Band of Horses
Band of Horses is also among some of the best indie bands of the 00's. They use some influences from 60's pop music such as the Beatles, but the sounds are really modern and carefully constructed. The melodies are beautiful and innovative.
Neko Case
Neko Case has also influenced in the New Pornographers, but her solo career sounds somewhat different. Her music has strong country and folk influences, but her biggest asset is her amazing voice. Some of the songs take some time to get into, but I recommend to go through that work, because it's really rewarding.
Minus the Bear
Minus the Bear makes dreamy indie rock with soft sounds that actually sound quite British for some reason. They combine acoustic instruments to well-produced electric instruments. The songwriting could sometimes be a bit more inventive, but this band definitely has their moments.
Lemolo
Lemolo is an indie pop band that uses some electronic sounds along with their airy piano and echoey vocals. There are some strong similarities in the sounds of the vocals to those of Zooey Deschanel's. The vocals have mainly been double to get that more massive sound.
Pickwick
This indie rock band has definitely listened their fair share of classics of pop rock. There are influences from The Beatles, but also from soul singers. The production is very well made and there's nothing wrong with the compositions either.
The Torn ACLs
This indie pop band uses catchy melodies over simple, yet appealing sounds. The sounds are quite intentionally made to sound a rough and the result sounds like they have actually made a lot of work to make their sound like that.
Ivan & Alyosha
Ivan & Alyosha play quite carefully produced indie rock. There are echoes from 80's post-punk, but even more from post punk revival as well as commercial indie rock, such as The Killers. The melodies are very catchy and playing is skilful.
Say Hi
Say Hi plays indie rock that is quite simple when it comes to compositions, but quite carefully made when it comes to the sounds. The guitars are simple, but the echoes in the doubled vocals and the different guitar sounds make the sound interesting.
The Lonely Forest
The Lonely Forest sounds quite commercial, but their influences come from 00's indie rock, so it's not too polished. The band sounds a bit like the later albums of Death Cab for Cutie. Compositions are maybe a bit boring, but the sounds are carefully constructed.
The Maldives
The Maldives plays lo-fi indie rock topped up with some folk instruments such as the banjo. Weeping electric guitars take the main stage together with well-sung vocals. the melodies are quite melancholic, but there are some warmer colours here and there.
Friday Mile
Friday Mile plays quiet and beautiful folky indie rock. There are beautiful vocal harmonies sung by a man and a woman. The guitars weep beautifully and quietly leaving enough room for the vocals to impress.
The Spider Ferns
The Spider Ferns makes quiet and artsy indie rock with some electronic space sounds. The female vocals are quite dreamy. The overall feel is more hypnotic than catchy. It's great how such a great mood has been set up by such minimalistic use of instruments.
Perfume Genius
Perfume Genius is one of the best delicate voiced artists making beautiful and melancholic songs with almost ambient-like calmness. More recently he has moved towards a more electronic approaches, but his album Put Your Back N 2 It sounds perfect with a trembling voice and a quiet piano topped up with delicate strings.
Lotte Kestner
Lotte Kestner makes beautiful and quiet indie folk that turns into dream pop from time to time. It's all very hypnotic and echoey, but the main stage has been set for the vocals. If you like listening to amazing vocals, Lotte Kerstner definitely has those.
Tiny Vipers
Tiny Vipers plays very quiet and calm dream pop with trembling female vocals. Her voice is often only accompanied by a quiet picked acoustic guitar. This is the kind of music to fall asleep on the sofa to.
Grand Hallway
Grand Hallway plays quiet and simple indie folk, where the acoustic guitars are picked and pianos are used as a minimalistic mood setter on top of it all. The melodies are dream-like and the use of banjo gives this music some nice tones.
Star Anna
For all of you out there, who appreciate good and strong vocals, but beautiful and quiet songs. The melodies and lyrics are quite melancholic. The vocals are absolutely astonishing, giving me shivers down my spine.
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes was one of the pioneering bands in bringing folk music back to being cool. Their debut album sounds absolutely timeless, but at the same time the echoes in the vocals reveal that we are talking about a modern album. Fleet Foxes sounds very dreamy and they manage to bring the fantasy folk of the 60's and early 70's into today.
The Head and the Heart
This indie folk band makes simple songs with simple melodies, but they sound absolutely brilliant all the same. The vocals have just the appropriate amount of raspiness, while the guitars and pianos work harmoniously together. They also know how to lift the atmosphere to the skies in the choruses.
Duke Evers
Duke Evers plays modern indie folk with electric guitars. It's all very simple, but if you like catchy melodies and beautiful sounds, this is very enjoyable stuff to listen to. The sound compares to many more well-known indie folk bands of the modern day out there.
Hey Marseilles
Hey Marseilles plays indie rock with amazing instrumentation. There is some brilliant use of accordion and strings even if the main thing is the acoustic guitar and excellent vocals. This is music for great emotions.
The Moondoggies
The Moondoggies plays quiet and careful folk music that resembles the singer-songwriters of the early 70's. The sounds are more modern, but the music relies only on vocals and acoustic guitars and of course the songwriting.
Damien Jurado
Damien Jurado is a singer-songwriter whose music draws influences from the whole history of pop-music, but still manages to sound fresh and modern. The vocals sound effortless and beautiful, while the production has been made carefully right down to every little instrument.
The Cave Singers
The Cave Singers play beautiful and sunny indie folk with raspy vocals. There's some great guitar picking, easygoing drumming and even some dry sounding strings. it does sound a bit more like singer-songwriter music than a band effort.
Country Lips
Country Lips plays indie folk that has some strong alt-country influences. The fiddles and strummed guitars actually are more country than folk, but the general easygoing singing and songwriting sound more like modern folk.
Mateo Messina
Mateo Messina is known to many people through his music for films. He has, for example, written the theme music for Juno. He does not have albums as such, but I wanted to include him in this list nevertheless.
Cloud Person
Cloud Person makes old-school folk music that sounds like pirate stories of the old, but at the same time it sounds more modern than that. There is some use of trumpets as well. Very simple, but beautiful music.
St. Paul de Vence
This singer-songwriter sounds absolutely brilliant. He uses strummed and naked acoustic guitars that have been topped up with melodicas and banjos. It sometimes reminds me of the music of Amelie and sometimes it just manages to sound completely original and charming.
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is a well-known indie rock band. Their vocals are often a bit off-key and very traditional in the 00's indie rock sound. Their songs range from indie disco to folk songs and to post-punk revival. Some of the songs are very experimental, whereas some of the songs are right up the indie rock mainstream.
Boat
This band's album Dress Like Your Idols has a cover that tells everything you need to know about this band. It's a bow to all the great alternative bands that have ever existed. It sounds astonishingly lot like Shout Out Louds.
Dude York
Dude York makes quite conventional indie rock. Their guitars have some surf rock stylings and the vocals sound rough and raw. The overall sound is quite relaxed and laid-back even if the songs are catchy and up tempo.
Pig Snout!
This is one of the most peculiar bands that I've ever come across. Not because the music would be so different from anything, but because this is a family making music together and the kids are still young kids. It's like The Polyphonic Spree or Arcade Fire with kids singing.
The Posies
The Posies are one of the most appreciated indie rock bands of all times. They have played together for almost 30 years and they have numerous excellent albums and songs. I still think their golden age was in the early 90's when their alternative rock defined the sound of indie in the 90's. Frosting on the Beater is still one of the best indie albums ever made.
Gossip
Gossip is a curious band. Some of their albums are very electronic and disco-like, whereas some are more punk. In my opinion, their album Standing in the Way of Control is their best one. Aggressive and catchy punk-disco songs with attitude.
My Goodness
My Goodness makes rough sounding garage blues. The guitars buzz hard and the vocals are screamed. It's quite melodic still. If you like the White Stripes and Wolfmother, be sure to check this band out.
Unnatural Helpers
Unnatural Helpers plays aggressive, yet quite melodic garage rock. The vocals are screamed out while the guitars play tight and raunchy riffs. Some of the solos tone it all down a bit resembling surf rock guitars.
Detective Agency
Detective Agency plays catchy melodies and up-beat beats. The male and female vocals take turns in singing. This sounds quite a bit like The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, so if you like their sound, you're bound to like this as well.
La Luz
La Luz plays fast tempo indie rock with surf guitars and hectic drumming. The vocals are more relaxed and very melodic. This sounds a bit like a modern version of Blondie. It uses lots of influences from past decades but it still sounds quite modern.
Tacocat
Toccata makes feminist-themed surf-pop-punk. If you, like me to some extent, think that Le Tigre is too unmelodic, Tacocat is a better option. Their songs are sunny and uptempo and also good for dancing.
Seapony
Sea pony makes surf rock/shoegaze with melodic songs. The sounds and instrumentations are simple, but they sound just right for this kind of danceable but endearing sound. At times, it reminds me of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
Land of Pines
Land of Pines is relaxed indie pop with some surf rock influences. Their songs are calmer than those I have usually gotten used to in this genre. The female vocals are not particularly trained, but this kind of singing fits in with the music really well.
The Young Evils
This band kind of sounds like a hybrid of 90's skate punk and 00's indie rock with excellent vocals that are harmonised with female and male vocals. The instruments are well produced, but not too commercial.
Cabana
Cabana plays up-tempo surf rock with sharp electric guitars and the sound of the beach. There are some definite influences from the 60's psychedelia as well. Especially the baselines and drumming sound like that.
Western Haunts
Western Haunts sound like a hybrid of all the 00's indie genres. There are some post-punk revival influences, such as the melodic and treble-filled bass, there's echoey singing and there are some electronic samples.
Killer Ghost
Killer Ghost plays easygoing surf rock with the sound of the waves. There's some melancholia in the melodies though. The electric guitars sound sharp and without too many effects in them. The vocals are not meant to impress.
Chastity Belt
This indie pop band uses some surf-rock influences and lots of echo on the background. The songs are built around hypnotic riffs rather than on melodic structures. The vocals are laconic and minimalistic.
Black Whales
Black Whales play sunny and classy indie rock with echoey surf guitars and bouncing bass lines. The melodies are quite simple. It's more about the riffs and the attitude, than about the singing melodies. It's groovy though.
The Soft Hills
The Soft Hills play indie rock with heavy influences from 80's post-punk bands such as the Joy Division. The rhythm section along with the vocals sound quite a lot like Interpol, but the clear and high electric guitars change all of that.
David Bazan
David Bazan plays cool and dark indie rock with raspy and big vocals. The main instrument is definitely the electric guitar, that weeps menacingly. The rhythms aren't that conventional either, so if that's your bag, you'll be pleased.
Mark Lanegan
I already mentioned Mark Lanegan when I talked about the Screaming Trees. His solo career is very different from his times with grunge. His solo stuff is dark and melodic and at the same time hypnotic. his baritone voice fits in perfectly.
Benjamin Gibbard
The frontman of Death Cab for Cutie has more recently started making solo records. Some of them were just as boring as the last albums by Death Cab, but his album Former Lives is actually quite good. It's not as experimental as the golden age Death Cab albums, but it's still good indie pop.
Campfire OK
Campfire OK plays progressive indie pop. The rhythms are interesting and changing. The vocals are not trained, but still they sound pretty good. The rhythmic work of drums and piano make quite cool sounds.
Cataldo
Cataldo makes really cool indie rock with well-produced sounds. There is a great horn section in addition to the piano, so it's not just the average guitar-band. There are also some electronic sounds in the mix.
Curtains for You
Curtains for you makes indie rock with sharp and light electric guitars . There are some Americana influences in this music. The vocals are soft and calm. The melodies are absolutely fantastic. They also have a good sense of drama.
The Blow
The Blow makes seductive indie pop with raspy female vocals and raunchy blues comp. The sounds are very modern and well thought of. The rhythms are just as interesting as the melodies. It kind of reminds me of Regina Spektor even though this is quite different.
Benjamin Verdoes
This singer-songwriter plays indie pop with some electronic samples and high-pitched vocals. Even if the sounds are more futuristic, the backbone of this music is the electric guitar along with piano sounds and drums and bass.
Grand Archives
Grand Archives play airy and beautiful indie pop where the vocals have the most important role to play. Pianos and guitars are all very well played, but the clear and beautiful vocals are the thing that draws me to this band.
Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie is not easy music to get into. But it's very rewarding when you do get into it. They make ominous post-rock songs with dark melodies. They sometimes rise up to full-on noise, but the best parts are the quiet and ominous songs.
Wind Burial
Wind Burial plays quite lo-fi indie rock with strong influences to 60's psychedelia. The drums and bass sound soft and careful and the electric guitars are filled with echo and sharpness. The vibrating female vocals above it all seal the deal.
Wishbeard
Wishbeard is a modern post-rock band that plays similar kind of dark music as Warpaint. The guitars have a lot of echo and the female vocals sound kind of distant. It's all very hypnotic and beautiful, but also very menacing.
Kinski
Kinks uses heavy guitar-walls and tough riffs in their guitars. They sometimes resemble post-rock bands and modern progressive rock bands, but sometimes their rhythms are more steady and they actually resemble garage rock more.
Sleater-Kinney
This guitar indie band is one of the most legendary 90's all female indie groups. The sounds are quite lo-fi and sometimes outright noisy, but underneath all those sounds there are some excellent pop songs.
Dreamsalon
Dream salon makes modern psychedelic music with strange electronic sounds above hypnotic guitar loops. The vocals are really only posted above the rhythms and the effect would be kind of the same as instrumental.
Telekinesis
Telekinesis is probably as close to glam-rock sound as you can possibly get with a relatively new band. Their rock sounds really a lot like T. Rex, but the sounds are more modern containing even some synth sounds.
Fauna Shade
Fauna Shade plays uptempo indie rock with untrained vocals and surf rock guitars. The vocals are a bit annoying because of their poor quality, but otherwise the songs are very appealing and the guitars work really well.
The Jesus Rehab
The Jesus Rehab plays indie rock with sharp and piercing garage guitars. The songs are more strange than impressive, but for someone who likes yelling attitude, the sounds are certainly rewarding and there is some good solo guitar in there.
Green River
Green River could probably also be considered a grunge band, even if their sound is a bit more aggressive and I would really call them more of a punk band. The screamed out vocals are not very pleasant, but the guitar riffs are excellent.
Mudhoney
Mud honey mostly plays quite noisy punk/hard rock, but some of their more melodic songs are actually really good. This is hard rock that must have been important for the birth of grunge. Some of the songs are a bit too noisy for my taste.
Night Beats
Night Beats has sounds that resemble those of the late 60's or early 70's garage bands such as Stooges. There's something a bit more modern in the sounds though. The melodies are not necessarily that interesting, but the attitude and guitar-work are top notch.
Ever So Android
The name of the band might suggest something along these lines, but the band really is quite unique. Electronic sounds intertwine with heavy garage guitars and the fierce female vocals scream away on top of it all.
Earth
Earth plays proper stoner rock. Hypnotic melodies and buzzing guitar walls sound amazing. The melodies are not very varied, but in this music it's not really the point. Growling electric guitars are the point.
Blood Drugs
This garage rock band knows how to make excellent guitar riffs. The sound is lighter than for example Earth's sound, but the vocals growl a lot more. Their music gets quite noisy from time to time.
Rose Windows
Rose Windows plays psychedelic indie rock where the rhythms are quite complex. They do know, however, how to make catchy choruses as well. They also switch effortlessly between lighter sounds and heavy garage guitars.
Ayron Jones and The Way
This is one of the most mainstream artists on this list. The music itself is quite bluesy with even some excellent guitar solos. What bothers me slightly, is the fact that the trained vocals sound a bit too much like American Idol's kind of singing, that doesn't sound too natural.
Foo Fighters
After Nirvana, Dave Grohl started his own band Foo Fighters and it has since then become one of the most popular bands in the world. In my opinion Grohl should have stayed playing drums, because he really is one of the best drummers in the world. Foo Fighters' commercial hard rock sound is a bit unimaginative, but I guess the sounds are quite alright and they are quite good musicians.
The True Spokes
The True Spokes play Beatles-style baroque pop with bouncing bass lines and cool vocal harmonies. The sound is maybe a tad too commercial for my taste, but the good melodies make up for all of that. It's good Sunday music for cleaning the house.
Tomten
I don't know what the connection of Tomtes is to Scandinavia, but I'm guessing there has to be one. The sounds are light and sunny and the baroque pop songs are just as endearing as you might expect from a band in this genre.
¡All-Time Quarterback!
This is one of the solo projects of the fantastic Benjamin Gibbard. The sounds is even more lo-fi than that of the early Death Cab for Cutie records, but the songs are really good. Excellent baroque pop songwriting.
Kithkin
Kith kin plays indie pop where the church-like organ is the main instrument on stage. The vocals are not very melodic, but rather a series of yells and choral chants. There's grand and rising sounds in the songs, but it never really rises as high as I would want it to rise.
The Bran Flakes
The Bran Flakes sound very naive in a way. It's all very controlled, but still the result is quite childish and lo-fi. I kind of like the fact that they really mean to make that kind of a sound. Some of the songs sound like listening to some strange school musical.
Pearly Gate Music
This indie band has excellent strummed folk guitars, airy vocals and excellent melodies. The sounds are quite lo-fi and I think that they could really add quite a lot of feel to their music with a bit better production, because lo-fi doesn't sound that intended here.
Beat Happening
Beat Happening plays lo-fi hippy music that has some psychedelic electric guitars. The deep baritone vocals are a bit too confident for the rest of the sound, but it does make a nice contrast between the vocals and the instruments.
Prom Queen
This indie folk band sounds quite amazing if you like the simple sounds of just vocals and acoustic guitars. The melodies are simple and catchy, but there's something in those melodies that make me very sentimental.
Carissa's Wierd
The spelling in the band name is not a typo. it's just the way it is. They play post-rock influenced dream-pop with a trembling female voice. There are some similarities to bands such as Warpaint or Mazzy Star, but it's a bit more lo-fi than those.
Cathedral Pearls
Cathedral Pearls uses interesting electronic sounds in their otherwise quite melodic and simple indie pop. The clear female vocals are absolutely amazing. They also know how to make excellent vocal harmonies.
Deep Sea Diver
Deep Sea Diver plays rhythmic and strange indie pop with beautiful and weird sounds. The odd verses evolve into catchy choruses and the whole production is very well thought of. The echoey guitars are also skilfully played.
Julia Massey & the Five Finger Discount
This musical combo play dreamlike and hypnotic indie pop where the soft organ sounds fill the air while the drums beat with the sharp electric guitars. The vocals are filled with echo, but quite simple and minimalist.
Smokey Brights
This electro band also uses some analog instruments and the result is a beautiful space-like dream that mixes soft and buzzing synths with clear and sharp electric guitars. Not to mention the slightly raspy and emotional vocals.
Jherek Bischoff, Soko & Zac Pennington
I don't know what's behind this combo of musicians, but they do make quite exceptional music. They use a lot of strings and some electronic sounds to make this psychedelic concoction of indie pop. It sounds a lot like Grizzly Bear.
Goodbye Heart
This electro band uses beautiful and echoey soundscapes. The sound is like it would've been recorded in a huge warehouse that fills up with these excellent electric guitars and electronic synths and beats. Like the album cover suggests, this would be great music for driving in the city in the night time.
Kairos
Kairos make slightly psychedelic and relaxed indie pop that relies on beautiful vocals and airy and clean guitar sounds. The melodies are not that innovative, but it's really all about the sounds anyway. There are similarities to bands such as Beach House.
Motopony
Motopony plays quite lo-fi indie pop that aims to impress with strange sounds on top of simple acoustic guitar picking. The male vocals are trembling and endearing, but the airy female vocals that come in later on are absolutely beautiful.
The Screens
The Screens make cute indie pop with some electronic effects. Their melodies are quite strange and they have definitely some influences from the 60's hippy music. The overall sound is very relaxed and cute.
The Hoot Hoots
This band plays guitar-driven indie rock where the the instruments sound separate from each other. It reminds me of some British 00's indie bands such as Maxïmo Park or The Pigeon Detective, even if this is a bit more disco than those.
Polyrhythmics
This is a proper funk band that really knows how to party. The sounds are quite modern, but still there is the same atmosphere as on some of those 70's albums where the organs, bass and horns just work seamlessly together. This reminds me of the best funk bands in Nigeria.
Ravenna Woods
Ravenna Woods plays astonishingly skilfully played acoustic guitars along with excellent melodies and quite good vocals as well. I guess their influences are as much in indie rock as they are in blues. Anyway, everything just sounds perfect.
Lonesome Shack
Lonesome Shack plays proper blues music with excellent electric guitars that get enough room to play. The vocals are cool and the whole Americana sound bows to numerous heroes in the musical history.
Good Co
Good Co plays quite conventional prohibition jazz where the songs are catchy and quite commercial, but the pianos and trumpets sound hazy. The vocals remind me of Tom Waits. So, if you're into that jazz sound without challenging yourself too much, this is for you.
The Sonics
The Sonics are one of the legendary 60's bands that made wild rock n' roll that must have sounded really rebellious at the time. The sounds are very typical of the time before proper studio equipment, but the attitude is fierce.
The Wailers
This band is not to be confused with the Jamaican band that supported Bob Marley. This band is an original 60's rock n' roll band that plays bluesy RnB songs with sharp electric guitars. It may not be the most exciting band out there, but it's a great piece of music history.
Naomi Wachira
Naomi Wachira plays bluesy folk music with soulful vocals. I really like her strong vocals that make otherwise quite simple folk songs sound amazing and skilful. If you're into blues and soul, this is definitely for you.
Fly Moon Royalty
This band makes soulful music where the rhythms, piano and excellent vocals are the most important parts. The vocals are kind of RnB and go excellently together with the skilfully played pianos. It sounds quite timeless, but at the same time some of the sounds are neatly modern.
THEESatisfaction
This band is a bit out of my comfort zone. It makes not very melodic RnB. The reason I'm adding it on this list is that I think the vocals are terrific and the songs are completely unique in their sounds. It's also quite jazzy from time to time.
Macklemore
Everyone who reads this or some other blogs of mine, knows that I'm not particularly a fan of hip hop. Still, I must say that Macklemore makes some excellent hip hop music. The background production is dark and melodic and the rapping sounds really good.
Knowmads
Well, what do you know, here's another hip hop band in a row. Actually, I'm not sure if this is strictly hip hop, since the vocalist actually sings quite a lot as well. Anyway, the production is very classy and reminds me of the excellent band 'Why?'.
Iska Dhaaf
iska Dhaaf plays dark melodies with an industrial sound similar to the sounds of the 80's post-punk. It, nevertheless sounds more modern than that. This music is all about dark jams. I'm sure this would be perfect music live.
XVIII Eyes
This indie rock band sounds really cool. The dark and industrial sounds fit in perfectly with the melancholic melodies. It reminds me a lot of the band Warpaint. The weeping electric guitars are quit phenomenal.
Stereo Creeps
Stereo Creeps play psychedelic and experimental indie rock that uses some noisy guitars that remind me of Sonic Youth. The music is still not out of tune, so it's a bit easier to get into than some of those alternative rock bands of the 80's and 90's.
Dark Hip Falls
Dark Hip Falls makes quiet me music where quiet is the new loud. The simple and minimalist electric guitars along with creeping and haunting drumming make a magical sound for the clear and weeping vocals.
Kristen Ward
Kristen Ward makes beautiful indie folk with melancholic melodies and sad lyrics. The acoustic guitars sound great, but still the main thing is the amazing vocals. There are also some excellent vocal harmonies with a male background singer.
Vaudeville Etiquette
This Americana band uses weeping electric guitars and country-western style sounds in their indie rock. It's tough to pin this sound down, because it has influences from so many genres. All you need to know is that it sounds very American but nice.
Kishi Bashi
Kishi Bashi makes strange and happy folk music that has quite simple and minimalist sounds. The acoustic guitars are sometimes accompanied by subtle synth sounds, bass and drums. This is quite endearing.
Shelby Earl
This singer-songwriter has phenomenal vocals and her songs are quite innovative. The piano has a more substantial role than the guitars in this band. I don't really have any other words to describe the genre than singer-songwriter.
McTuff
McTuff makes very experimental progressive rock that also extends to proper jazz here and there. The drummer is absolutely phenomenal and so is the saxophone player. you have to challenge yourselves bit with their sounds, but it's very rewarding.
Industrial Revelation
This jazz band makes wild jams with excellent night time sounds. The bass player and the trumpetist stand out from the rest in my opinion. The songs are quite easy to follow, but it doesn't make this music any lesser as a great jazz band.
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