In the "bands one should be familiar with" category, I'd submit:
Arcade Fire
Fountains of Wayne
Garbage
Green Day
The Killers
Moby
Tegan & Sara (not really, but a favorite)
The White Stripes
Sort of a random list, but I'm at work.
It's like, in the middle of all this, I'm paranoid that you'll think I don't like poetry.
Buffy ,'Empty Places'
Buffista Music 4: Needs More Cowbell!
There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.
megan walker - Nov 03, 2009 8:30:46 am PST #1823 of 6436
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
tommyrot - Nov 03, 2009 8:30:56 am PST #1824 of 6436
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Oh! Crystal Stilts! (From the last this year)
I think I've raved about them before.
And The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (all three volumes) will be considered a classic, if it's not already.
eta timeline fixy-poo....
tommyrot - Nov 03, 2009 8:33:38 am PST #1825 of 6436
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
TV on the Radio.
smonster - Nov 03, 2009 8:37:10 am PST #1826 of 6436
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.
Depending on how your tastes run, I'm going to suggest my "holy trinity:"
Lucero - southern rock influenced by Springsteen and such
Cory Branan - Southen folk - amazing songwriting
Corb Lund - Canadian cowboy music
Volans - Nov 03, 2009 8:37:55 am PST #1827 of 6436
move out and draw fire
is making notes
I have about half of these, and of those that I have, I do like them. So the other half are definite downloads!
Ailleann - Nov 03, 2009 8:38:52 am PST #1828 of 6436
vanguard of the socialist Hollywood liberal homosexualist agenda
Gaslight Anthem!
DavidS - Nov 03, 2009 8:44:59 am PST #1829 of 6436
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Flaming Lips just barely make the cut. Both Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Robots are necessary, I think.
The first Decembrists album is still my favorite of theirs.
The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
tommyrot - Nov 03, 2009 8:47:35 am PST #1830 of 6436
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Some more (less essential, but still awesome):
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- Nouvelle Vague
- Deerhunter
- Castanets
- Parts & Labor
- Jennifer Gentle
- Shapes and Sizes
- The Walkmen
- Electrelane
- Of Montreal
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Atropa - Nov 03, 2009 8:58:06 am PST #1831 of 6436
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
What are the things I should totally have listened to in the past 10 years?
Rasputina. My Chemical Romance. Emilie Autumn. Jill Tracy.
Vonnie K - Nov 03, 2009 8:58:19 am PST #1832 of 6436
Kiss me, my girl, before I'm sick.
Paste just had 50 albums of the last decade list: [link] (link from stereogum 'cause I'm lazy.)
Indie-heavy list, as expected. My fave among those are prolly Arcade Fire, The National, Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Sigur Ros, and Libertines. Not on the list and (I think totally underrated) are my two favourite Manicunian bands -- Elbow and Doves.