Top Ten Indie Rock Artists of the Decade

The passing decade has proven itself as champion of the most formative years of indie rock, popularizing the genre in a way never previously conceived. But isn't there is an apparent paradox when a species of music self-described as "independent" fraternizes with mainstream culture and flirts with a fan base of hundreds of thousands? As the internet began cementing itself as a pervasive fixture in everyday life, otherwise unheard of garage bands suddenly found an audience outside their local bars and café's , and thus the definition of "indie" rock required amendment. Though it's identity fluctuates even today, the core concept of promoting unapologetic individualism paired with stylistic inventiveness remain, as demonstrated in the success of these distinctive bands throughout the past ten years.

10) Franz Ferdinand

This dapper foursome fantastically illustrates that singular sense of indie rock style, harmonizing a natty Scottish brogue with Victorian era aesthetics to create a uniqueness all their own. The name, the artwork, even Kapranos' Sinatra-esque oscillation between talking and singing hearken back to an age past. What is not so vintage however is their melodies, which fall somewhere between the warring worlds of garage guitar rock and steady dance-pop. Though the sound is hard to identify, their signature guitar riffs are always immediately distinguishable.

Discography*: Franz Ferdinand (2004), You Could Have It So Much Better (2005), Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009)

9) Stars

Serving as a figurehead of the indie-pop genre, Stars captures romance and realism in a way that is palpable and rare. The lyrics and melody, whether haunting or hopeful, elegantly coalesce with delicate synth-pop sensibilities in a manner that is best described in one word: lovely. Having dual vocalists- one male one female- who can truly harmonize the way these two do also serves to draw the listener even deeper into the imaginative romantic fiction built by these beautiful singers.

Discography*: Nightsongs (2001), Heart (2003), Set Yourself On Fire (2004), In Our Bedroom After The War (2008)

8) Bloc Party

With inventiveness at the forefront, Bloc Party seems to strive in every track to create something simultaneously catchy yet totally original from anything else. At times it's reminiscent of listening to an indie rock orchestra with how many layers of intricate instrumentation and vocal arrangement grow together, always in a way that compliments rather than covers the other sounds. Each of their albums feels like a fresh take on that same Bloc Party sound, as the band is not afraid to stretch it's legs by experimenting with more instruments and implementing more electronic-based accents. They may have started the year later than others, but they make up for it in quality.

Discography*: Silent Alarm(2005), A Weekend In The City (2007), Intimacy (2008)

7) The Shins

Cold, sleepy, and haunted. Not quite your iconic garage indie rock band, The Shins eschewed the punk but retained the folk, then added a dash of synthesizer to create a sound that to put into words could only be described as weirdly romantic. The mellifluous voice of James Mercer juxtaposed with his sometimes spooky sometimes poetic lyrics call to mind Grimm's fairy tales in their ability to be all at once eerie, enchanting, and surreal.

Discography*: Oh, Inverted World (2001), Chutes Too Narrow (2003), Wincing The Night Away (2007)

6) Tegan & Sara

This addictively odd identical twin duo has particularly flourished in the past decade, climbing success as steadily as the rhythms that have come to characterize their unique style. Tegan & Sara craft catchy indie pop melodies underscored with folk inventiveness and sound- which is in turn further accented by their highly distinguishable vocal approach. Lyrically, the band makes bold attempts to navigate through the complex ambivalences of love and loneliness.

Discography*: This Business of Art (200), If It Was You (2002), So Jealous (2004), The Con (2007), Sainthood (2009)

5) The White Stripes

Alright, so The White Stripes are breakthrough smash hit rock stars lauded by fans of nearly every musical genre- how did they get on an indie list? Think about their signature garage/punk rock sound and motif of black, white and red aesthetics. This band is a mainstream success of all the virtues indie rock has come to embody, drawing upon the simplicity of having only two members fused with the raw talent to create compositions both commanding and complex. The meshing of ingenious creativity with the integrity to hold true to their idiosyncratic style even in the teeth of exploding as critical darlings of popular media secretly make The White Stripes a powerful paragon of what it means to be indie.

Discography*: De Stijl (2000), White Blood Cells (2002), Elephant (2003), Get Behind Me Satan (2005), Icky Thump (2007)

4) Bright Eyes

Straddling boundaries between indie, folk, and emo, Conor Oberst's powerfully moving lyrics go beyond love and loss, tackling the most insurmountable of philosophical topics such as morality, existentialism, and religion. His vocal style, characterized by its shakiness, is a perfect companion to his distinctive emotionally charged content, adding a layer of verisimilitude to his music. Though the lyrics tend to position themselves at the forefront, the instrumentation refuses to take a back seat, in a sense building the setting around which Oberst recites his sordid stories.

Discography*: Fevers And Mirrors (2000), Lifted, or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground (2002), A Christmas Album (2002), I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005), Digital Ashes in a Digital Urn (2005), Cassadaga (2007)

3) Death Cab for Cutie

Watching Death Cab's musical development over the past decade (and well beyond) from relative obscurity to movie soundtrack staple has proven an awkward experience. The band always seemed out-of-place in direct limelight, and yet their outward exhibition of these growing pains has further endeared rather than alienate its longtime fans. Ben Gibbard taps into something deep within people, matching poetic prosodic lyrics with a sweet, sad vocal delivery that draws the listener deeper into the fiction.

Discography*: We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes (2000), The Photo Album (2001), You Can Play These Songs With Chords (2002), Transatlanticism (2003), Plans (2005), Narrow Stairs (2008)

2) Snow Patrol

Like Death Cab for Cutie, the past ten years has seen Snow Patrol burgeon from toiling unknowns to international success. Most well known are their pop successes "Chasing Cars" and "Crack the Shutters," super saccharine love songs that in some sense are disingenuous illustrations of what the band is about. Their ability to mix memorable melodies with transcendental undertones however is retained in these mainstream hits. Not disoriented by their stardom, the band takes their acclaim with a shrug and a grin, working as hard as ever while quietly seeping captivating indie pop hooks with quirky post-punk experimentation into radio stations worldwide.

Discography: When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), Final Straw (2004), Eyes Open (2006), A Hundred Million Suns (2008) (http://www.snowpatrol.com/discography/)

1) Modest Mouse

One of the few bands whose early work is as universally admired as their latest (and vice versa), Modest Mouse showcases indie rock in it's purest form. Enveloping the admittedly blurred genres of indie/garage/folk, frontman Isaac Brock strains his off-putting hick accent in a truly masterful manner that belies the clever, contradictory, even philosophical lyrical content. Holding fast to their distinctive style, the band only continues to advance in their success despite their uncompromising and unapologetic approach to music- an approach devoid of mainstream influence, crisply distinct, and wholly unmanufacturable.

Discography*: The Moon & Antarctica (2000), Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004), We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)

Did your favorite indie band get shafted? Did I forget anyone? Be sure to let me know whether you want to agree or tell me what a brainless moron I am in the comments section and we'll wax poetic on our favorite indie bands.

* = (Discography found using iTunes Music Store)