10 Music Artists You Didn’t Know (of)

(1) The Weepies. Best Songs: “Gotta Have You”, “The World Spins Madly On”, “Take It From Me”, “Nobody Knows Me At All”, and “Suicide Blonde”. They are an indie pop-folk band, composed of singer-songwriters Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. The two are married and made their label debut with Say I Am You in 2006. The songs are enchanting, melodic, and beautifully written. The Weepies have been featured on Scrubs, The Riches, Kyle XY, and Sex In The City: The Movie. Sounds like: Ingrid Michaelson, Meiko, and Alexi Murdoch.

(2) The Dandy Warhols. Best Songs: “You Were The Last High”, “We Used To Be Friends”, “Sleep”, “The Last Junkie On Earth”, and “Get Off”. They are a US rock band formed by Courtney Taylor-Taylor (vocals, guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboard), Peter Holström (guitar), and Brent De Boer (drums). The Dandy Warhols have a grungy, psychedelic punk sound, which is great for head banging. Their tunes have been played on The O.C., Buffy The Vampire Slayer, My Restaurant Rules, Veronica Mars, and a Vonage phone commercial. Sounds like: The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, and The Flaming Lips.

(3) Acceptance. Best Songs: “So Contagious”, “Hold On”, and “Cry For Help”. They were an alternative rock band formed in 1998. They released two EPs entitled Lost For Words (2002) and Black Lines To Battlefields (2003), as well as their only LP, Phantoms (2005), the band splitting nearly a year later. Acceptance is empathetic, sullen, angst-y music, which is most appealing to adolescents. Their song “This Conversation Is Over” was adapted for the Sims 2: University. Sounds like: Cartel, Anberlin, The Starting Line, and The Spill Canvas.

(4) Northern State. Best songs: “Iluvitwhenya”, “Girl For All Seasons”, “Style I Bring”, and “Speaking For Me”. The band is a female hip-hop group from New York consisting of Spero, Sprout, and Hesta Prynn. The girls have an upbeat, poppy sound that is almost too lewd to resit. First formed as a joke, the group soon found success with their 2002 four-song collection Hip Hop You Haven’t Heard, which was given a four-star review by Rolling stone magazine. Northern State has worked with Pete Rock, Har Mar Superstar, The Roots, and Cypress Hill. They were featured in season four of Grey’s Anatomy. Sounds like: Tegan and Sara, Bella, An Horse, and Le Tigre.

(5) Rilo Kiley. Best songs: “Silver Lining”, “Dreamworld”, and “Portions of Foxes”. The indie pop band consists of former child stars Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder, and Jason Boesel. Rilo Kiley has a melodic, soothing sound and made their major label with Warner Bros in 2004 with More Adventurous. Their songs have been featured on Nip/tuck, The O.C., Heroes, Weeds, and Dawson’s Creek. Sounds like: Tilly and The Wall, Eisley, Bright Eyes, Death Cab For Cutie, and Metric.

(6) Azure Ray. Best songs: “Across The Ocean”, “Sleep”, “Favorite Cities”, and “New Resolution”. They are an American indie duo, formed in 2001, composed of Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink. The music is relaxing, magical, sentimental and beautifully sung. They have worked with Bright Eyes and Moby. Azure Ray’s “Sleep” was featured in the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Sounds like: Bright Eyes, Gregory and the Hawk, Tilly and the Wall, and Rilo Kiley.

(7) The Perishers. Best songs: “Trouble Sleeping”, “Sway”, and “Pills”. The Swedish indie rock band began in 1997 and is made up by Ola Klüft (vocals, guitar), Martin Gustafson (keyboards, backing vocals), Pehr Åström (bass), and Thomas Hedlund (drums). The Perishers have a unique, bittersweet sound, and irrevocable lyrics that anyone can relate to. They have appeared on several TV shows, such as The O.C., One Tree Hill, Greek, Grey’s Anatomy, and Veronica Mars. Sounds like: Shout Out Louds, Aqualung, Caesar, and dios Malos.

(8) Lights. Best songs: “Ice”, “February Air”, “Drive My Soul”, and “The Last Thing On Your Mind”. The Juno Award-winning artist is a Canadian singer-songwriter, born legally as Valerie Poxleitner—recently she changed her first name to Lights. The artist produces synthpop, New Wave music, which can be described as pure, delicate songs about love, breakups, and relationships. Lights has been featured on an Old Navy commercial, the movie One Week, and the TV show Instant Star. Sounds like: Owl City, Meg & Dia, A Rocket To The Moon, Breathe Carolina, and nevershoutnever!

(9) The Postal Service. Best songs: “Brand New Colony”, “Such Great Heights”, “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight”, “Against All Odds”, “Sleeping In”, “Be Still My Heart”, and “We Will Become Silhouettes”. The electronic indie pop band was formed in 2001 by vocalist Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab For Cutie, and producer Jimmy Tamborello. The band is entitled as such becauseTamborello wrote and performed instrumental tracks and sent them to Gibbard (who added lyrics) via UPS. The Postal Service has heartfelt, indelible lyrics that are euphoric and euphonic. Their songs have been featured on an M&M’s commercial, and in films such as Garden State, Wicker Park, and Love Happens. Sounds like: Death Cab For Cutie, Iron & Wine, The Shins, and PlayRadioPlay!

(10) Rogue Wave. Best songs: “Eyes”, “California”, “Debaser”, and “Publish My Love”. The band is a low-fidelity indie rock group. Almost formed by accident—when the lead Zach Rogue lost his dot-com job and decided to make a few tracks with friends—Rogue Wave released their debut album Out Of The Shadow in 2003. They have an intentional garage band sound, with tranquilizing lyrics that are also optimistic. Rogue Wave has appeared in the films Just Friends, Love Happens, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack; TV shows Nip/tuck, The O.C., Heroes, Chuck, Friday Night Lights; and commercials for ESPN and Zune. Sounds like: Matt Pond PA, The Shins, Nada Surf, Spoon, and Guster.