The Best Indie Artists Of 2024, Ranked
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Vote on the artists based on their 2024 music and performances.
- Mitski Miyawaki (born Mitsuki Laycock; September 27, 1990) is a Japanese-born American singer-songwriter. Mitski self-released her first two albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013), while studying studio composition at Purchase College's Conservatory of Music. These albums were created originally as her senior project at Purchase. She released her third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, in 2014 through Double Double Whammy after graduating. She then signed with Dead Oceans in 2015 and released her critically acclaimed albums Puberty 2 (2016), Be the Cowboy (2018) and Laurel Hell (2022), the last of which entered the top ten in several territories. The Guardian dubbed her the "best young songwriter" in the United States.More Mitski
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- Arctic Monkeys, an English rock band, was formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group initially consisted of four members: Alex Turner (lead vocals and guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar), Andy Nicholson (bass), and Matt Helders (drums). Nicholson left the band in 2006, and Nick O'Malley stepped in as the new bassist. Over the years, the band's music style evolved from garage rock and post-punk revival to incorporate new wave, hip-hop, and indie pop. The Arctic Monkeys gained significant recognition with their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, which was released in 2006. This album still stands as the fastest-selling debut album by a band in UK chart history. In the same year, they were awarded the Mercury Prize for this record-breaking album. Their subsequent albums Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) and AM (2013) also received critical acclaim, each earning them Brit Awards for Best British Album. Throughout their career, the Arctic Monkeys have been praised for their lyricism, often characterized by a keen sense of observation and wit that set them apart in the music industry. Turner's lyrics, coupled with the band's evolving sound, have continuously kept listeners intrigued. From performing at local venues in Sheffield to headlining music festivals worldwide, the Arctic Monkeys have imprinted their mark in the music scene, resonating with fans across different generations. Their contribution to music has led to numerous awards and nominations, further establishing their reputation as one of the most influential bands of the 21st century.More Arctic Monkeys
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- Tame Impala is the psychedelic recording project of Kevin Parker, from Perth, Australia, and signed to Modular Recordings. The band rose to prominence in 2010 with the release of its debut album Innerspeaker and received critical acclaim for its 2012 album Lonerism. On April 5, 2015 the band announced that their third album, Currents, would be released later in 2015. The band name "Tame Impala" is a reference to the impala, a medium-sized antelope.More Tame Impala
- Dig Deeper...The Best Tame Impala Albums, Ranked
- #734 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
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- Steven Thomas Lacy-Moya (born May 23, 1998), better known as Steve Lacy, is an American guitarist, bassist, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He was born in Compton, California and gained recognition as a member of the Grammy-nominated R&B band, The Internet, in 2015. In February 2017, Lacy released his debut project, a song-series, titled Steve Lacy's Demo.
- Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known as Hozier (born March 17, 1990), is an Irish musician and singer-songwriter from Bray, County Wicklow. In 2013, he released his debut EP, featuring the hit single "Take Me to Church", and his second EP From Eden in 2014. His debut studio album, Hozier, was released in Ireland in September 2014 and globally in October 2014.More Hozier
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- Conan Lee Gray (born Gurei Konan) is an American recording artist and social media personality. He is best known for his debut EP, "Sunset Season," which was released under Republic Records in 2018 and has gained over 160 million streams online. Since 2018, Gray has sold out two North American tours and one European tour, supported Panic! at the Disco for on their Pray for the Wicked Tour, and has gained over 250 million streams collectively.
- Glass Animals are a British indie rock band formed in Oxford in 2010. Led by singer, songwriter, and producer Dave Bayley, the group also features his childhood friends Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew MacFarlane. Bayley wrote and produced all three Glass Animals albums. The first, Zaba (2014), spawned the single "Gooey," which was eventually certified platinum in the United States. Their second full album, How to Be a Human Being, received generally positive reviews and won in two categories at the 2018 MPG Awards for UK Album of the Year and Self Producing Artist of the Year, as well as a spot on the Mercury Prize shortlist. The third, Dreamland, their first fully autobiographical album, included the single "Tokyo Drifting" which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Their song "Heat Waves" reached number one in Australia in February 2021 and was voted number one on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2020.More Glass Animals
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- 8Haim is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band consists of sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, and drummer Dash Hutton. The group's pop sound on their studio work stands in contrast to the more rock-based music of their live shows. The sisters grew up in a musical family, and began playing instruments from an early age in cover bands with their parents. They began performing as Haim in 2007, but did not seriously consider a professional career for some years. Este graduated with a degree in Ethnomusicology, while Danielle became a successful touring guitarist with Jenny Lewis and The Strokes' frontman, Julian Casablancas, on his solo tours. This led to Haim resuming as a full-time operation in 2012. The group's first release, Forever, combined with positive reception at the South by Southwest festival, led to a deal with Polydor Records and a management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation group in mid-2012. The band began recording material for their first album, Days Are Gone, in between touring, including appearances at the Glastonbury Festival.More HAIM
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- Chvrches are a Scottish electronic band, formed in 2011. The group consists of Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, and Martin Doherty. Chvrches came fifth on the BBC's Sound of 2013 list of the most promising new music talent. In March 2013, they released Recover EP. Their debut studio album The Bones of What You Believe was released on 20 September 2013. Their song "The Mother We Share" was featured in the opening video for the 2014 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 23rd July 2014.More Chvrches
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- Alec Benjamin (born May 28, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. He is known for his songs "Paper Crown", "I Built A Friend", "End of the Summer", "Let Me Down Slowly" and "Water Fountain". He has also gained much attention from his demos. In addition to his solo project, Benjamin has found success in songwriting with artists such as Jon Bellion, including a feature on the track "New York Soul Pt. ii" from Jon's album The Human Condition. Alec is heavily influenced by artists such as Eminem and Paul Simon.More Alec Benjamin
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- The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado. The founding members are Wesley Schultz (lead vocals, guitar) and Jeremiah Fraites (drums, percussion, piano). Schultz and Fraites began writing and performing together in Ramsey, New Jersey in 2005. Cellist and vocalist Neyla Pekarek (cello) joined the band in 2010, and was a member until 2018. The Lumineers emerged as one of the most popular folk-rock/Americana artists during the revival of those genres, their popularity growing in the 2010s. The band's stripped back raw sound draws heavily from artists that influenced Schultz and Fraites such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. They are known for their energetic live shows and several international hit singles including "Ho Hey", "Stubborn Love", "Ophelia" "Angela" and "Cleopatra." The band has become one of the top touring bands in the United States and is also popular in other countries.More The Lumineers
- Dig Deeper...The Best Albums By The Lumineers, Ranked
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- The Black Keys, an American rock band, formed in the heart of Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The dynamic duo consists of Dan Auerbach on vocals and guitar and Patrick Carney on drums. Their journey began in a basement, recording a demo that would pave their path to success. The band's name is a tribute to a schizophrenic artist named Alfred McMoore, who often used the term "black keys" to describe people he disliked. The band's music, heavily influenced by blues, has a raw garage rock sound that sets them apart. Their debut album, The Big Come Up," was released in 2002, which marked the beginning of their musical journey. This album, recorded in Carney's basement, generated a buzz in the indie music scene. The band gained significant recognition with their breakthrough album, Brothers," released in 2010. It won three Grammy Awards and featured the hit single Tighten Up, which topped the Alternative Songs chart in the US. The Black Keys are known for their relentless work ethic, releasing nine studio albums in less than two decades. They have toured extensively across the globe, showcasing their unique blend of blues-infused rock. Despite their international stardom, they have remained true to their roots, often returning to Akron to record their music. Their passion for music and dedication to their craft has cemented their place in the annals of rock history.More The Black Keys
- Dig Deeper...The Best Black Keys Songs
- #233 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
- #588 of 1,150 onThe Greatest Musical Artists Of All Time, Ranked
- Mikaela Mullaney Straus (born December 19, 1998), known by their stage name King Princess, is an American pop singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, New York. She is signed to Mark Ronson's label Zelig Records, an imprint of Columbia Records. In February 2018, King Princess released her debut single "1950", from the Make My Bed EP. The song was a commercial success, charting in multiple territories, and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Her second single, "Talia", was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association. King Princess released their debut studio album Cheap Queen on October 25, 2019, to widespread critical acclaim.More King Princess
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- 14Finneas Baird O'Connell, also known as FINNEAS, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and actor. He has released several singles and has written music for other artists, including his younger sister, singer Billie Eilish. He has been nominated for four 2020 Grammy Awards alongside Eilish, including Song of the Year and Album of the Year. Additionally, he is nominated by himself as Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
- Boygenius (stylized in all lowercase) is an indie rock supergroup formed by American musicians Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. Their self-titled debut EP boygenius was written and recorded in four days at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles.More boygenius
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- #21 of 34 onThe Best Rock Bands Of 2024
- James Keogh, better known as Vance Joy, is an Australian singer-songwriter. Joy signed a five-album deal with Atlantic Records in 2013. He released his debut EP God Loves You When You're Dancing in March 2013. His song "Riptide" was voted number 1 on the 2013 Triple J Hottest 100. Joy released his debut studio album Dream Your Life Away on 5 September 2014 in Australia and on 9 September 2014 elsewhere.More Vance Joy
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- #7 of 81 onThe Best Indie Folk Bands & Artists
- Arcade Fire, a Canadian indie rock band, was formed in 2001, comprising of several multi-talented musicians including the husband-and-wife duo Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, along with Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara. The band is known for their captivating performances, signature anthems, and instrumental versatility. Notably, members are proficient in a plethora of instruments - an attribute that has significantly contributed to the unique symphony of sounds that defines Arcade Fire's music. The band's debut album, Funeral, released in 2004, often receives reference as a landmark indie rock album of the 2000s. This universally acclaimed work solidified Arcade Fire's place in the music industry with its emotive lyricism and grandiose, layered soundscapes. Following this triumph, they released several more successful albums. Their third studio album, The Suburbs (2010), achieved remarkable acclaim by bagging the prestigious Grammy Award for Album of the Year, a Juno Award for Album of the Year, and a BRIT Award for Best International Album. Arcade Fire's music, characterized by its eclectic fusion of different musical styles and introspective narratives, has always challenged conventional genre boundaries. Their innovative approach to music-making can be seen in projects like their interactive music video for "Neon Bible" and their film score for Spike Jonze's movie Her. These ventures display their creative dexterity and willingness to experiment beyond the realm of traditional music-making. Over the years, Arcade Fire's dramatic artistry and profound lyrics have not only carved a distinctive niche in the global music scene but also inspired a generation of indie rock enthusiasts.More Arcade Fire
- Dig Deeper...All Arcade Fire Songs: Ranked Best to Worst
- And Deeper...The Best Arcade Fire Albums, Ranked
- #721 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
- PinkPantheress (born 2001) is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. In 2021, while attending university in London, she posted several songs to TikTok that went viral, including "Break It Off", and she subsequently signed to Parlophone and Elektra Records. Her singles "Pain" and "Just for Me" peaked in the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Her debut mixtape, To Hell with It, was released in 2021.More PinkPantheress
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- 19alt-J are an English pop indie rock band formed in 2007 in Leeds, by Joe Newman (guitar/lead vocals), Thom Sonny Green (drums), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards/vocals) and Gwilym Sainsbury (guitar/bass). Their debut album An Awesome Wave was released in May 2012 in Europe, and in September 2012 in the United States, and won the 2012 British Mercury Prize. Sainsbury left the band in early 2014. Their second album, This Is All Yours, was released on September 22, 2014 and went straight to number one in the United Kingdom. In February 2022 the band released their fourth studio album The Dream and are currently playing as a trio.More alt-J
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- Margaret Debay Rogers (born April 25, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Easton, Maryland. Her big break came when her song "Alaska" was played to Pharrell Williams during a master class at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. She was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2019. Rogers graduated from New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in May 2016 with a degree in music engineering and production and English. In September 2021, it became publicly known that Rogers had started graduate school at Harvard Divinity School, where she is, according to her own tweet, "studying the spirituality of public gatherings and the ethics of power in pop culture." In May 2022, she turned in her Master's thesis and passed with distinction. Rogers has released two studio albums: Heard It in a Past Life (2019) and Surrender (2022).More Maggie Rogers
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- Animal Collective are an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 2003. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, vocal harmonies, and sound collage. AllMusic credited the group with "defining the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s." Records released under the name "Animal Collective" may include contributions from any or all of its members. Evolving from early collaborations between Lennox and Portner, the collective was not officially established until all four members came together for the album Here Comes the Indian (2003). Most prior collaborations between the band members were then retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography.More Animal Collective
- Dig Deeper...The Best Animal Collective Albums Of All Time
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- 22The xx are an English indie pop band formed in 2005 in Wandsworth, London. The group released their debut album, xx, in August 2009. The album ranked highly on many best of 2009 lists, placed at number one on the list compiled by The Guardian and second for NME. In 2010, the band won the Mercury Music Prize for their debut album. Their second album, Coexist, was released on 10 September 2012.More The xx
- Dig Deeper...The Best The XX Albums, Ranked
- #6 of 248 onThe Most Hipster Bands
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- Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2009. The group is composed of Mark Foster, Jacob "Cubbie" Fink, and Mark Pontius. The group's music, described as melodic dance-infused pop and rock, spans many genres. Foster founded the band in 2009 after spending several years in Los Angeles as a struggling musician and working as a commercial jingle writer. After Foster's song "Pumped Up Kicks" became a viral success in 2010, the group received a record deal from Startime International and gained a fanbase through small club shows and appearances at music festivals. After releasing their debut album Torches in May 2011, "Pumped Up Kicks" became a crossover hit on commercial radio in mid-2011 and eventually reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The record also produced the popular singles "Helena Beat" and "Don't Stop". The group received two Grammy Award nominations for Torches and "Pumped Up Kicks". After touring for two years in support of Torches, Foster the People released their second album, Supermodel, in March 2014. It was preceded by the lead single "Coming of Age".More Foster the People
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- #21 of 23 onThe Best Band Name Origin Stories
- Anne Erin "Annie" Clark (born September 28, 1982), known professionally as St. Vincent, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. St. Vincent began her music career as a member of The Polyphonic Spree. She was also a member of Sufjan Stevens's touring band, before forming her own band in 2006. Her debut album was Marry Me (2007), followed by Actor (2009), Strange Mercy (2011), St. Vincent (2014) and Masseduction (2017). She released a collaborative album with David Byrne in 2012 titled Love This Giant. St. Vincent contributed backing vocals for Swans on their 2014 album To Be Kind. Her fourth solo album, St. Vincent, was released that same year and was named album of the year by The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly, NME and Slant, as well as second best album of the year by Time. The album won her a Grammy for Best Alternative Album, her first Grammy Award. She was the first solo female performer in 20 years to win a Grammy in that category. In 2018, St. Vincent was included twice in NPR's "200 Greatest songs by 21st Century Women" at number 181 with "Digital Witness" and number 38 with "Cruel".More St. Vincent
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- #64 of 83 onThe Greatest Female Vocalists of the Past 10 Years
- Fitz (pronounced "fits") is an Old French noun meaning "son of", ultimately from Latin filius (son), plus genitive case of the father's forename. Whilst Fitz is now the standard form used in Anglo-Norman followed by modern historians the word appears in ancient documents with various spellings such as fiz, filz, etc. The word has developed in modern French to fils de, with which it is thus cognate.
- 26MUNA are an American indie pop band consisting of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson. They released two studio albums with RCA Records, About U (2017) and Saves the World (2019), before signing with independent label Saddest Factory Records, which released their third studio album, Muna, in June 2022.
- X Ambassadors (also stylized XA) are an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York. Its members currently include lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member that plays guitar and bass. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their second album, Orion, was released on June 14, 2019. Their third album, The Beautiful Liar, was released on September 24, 2021.More X Ambassadors
- Dig Deeper...The Best X Ambassadors Albums, Ranked
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- Band of Horses are an American rock band formed in 2004 in Seattle, Washington by Ben Bridwell. The band has released five studio albums, including 2010's Grammy-nominated Infinite Arms. The band's lineup, which included Mat Brooke for the debut album, has undergone several changes. The most-recent lineup of Bridwell, Ryan Monroe, Tyler Ramsey, Bill Reynolds, and Creighton Barrett, was together several years and recorded three albums. That lineup ceased when Ramsey and Reynolds departed in 2017. On October 12, 2021, Band of Horses issued the single "Crutch" and announced the release of Things Are Great, their first album with Matt Gentling and Ian MacDougall, and sixth overall. Calling it "a return to their earlier work and the kind of raw ethos that lies at the heart of Band of Horses", Things Are Great was released on March 4, 2022. Prior to the album's release, MacDougall exited the band and in late January 2022 was replaced by Brett Nash as lead guitarist.More Band of Horses
- Dig Deeper...The Best Band Of Horses Songs
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- #820 of 863 onThe 250+ Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time, Ranked
- 29Wet Leg are a British indie rock duo from the Isle of Wight, founded in 2019 by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. Their debut single "Chaise Longue" quickly racked up three million streams in 2021. Their self-titled debut album debuted in 2022 at number one on the UK Albums Chart, ARIA Albums Chart, and the Irish Albums Chart.
- Japanese Breakfast is an American indie pop band headed by musician Michelle Zauner. Zauner started the band as a side project in 2013 when she was leading the Philadelphia-based emo group Little Big League. She has said that she named the band after seeing a GIF of Japanese breakfast and deciding that the term would be considered "exotic" to Americans; she also thought it would make others wonder what a Japanese breakfast consists of.
