Slowdive　

Commonly identified as shoegaze, Slowdive nonetheless exhibited a broader set of inspirations -- one that spanned four decades, including folk-rock, dub, and ambient techno -- than the majority of ..more

The Jam　

The Jam were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of British punk rock in 1977; along with the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Buzzcocks, the Jam had the most impact ..more

The Hellacopters　

What the MC5 and Stooges were to the ’60s, what Sonic’s Rendezvous Band and Radio Birdman were to the ’70s, and what the Celibate Rifles were to the ’80s -- that’s what Sweden’s Hella ..more

Black Country, New Road　

Lauv　

New York-based singer/songwriter Ari Leff (aka Lauv) makes yearning, electronic-based, R＆B-influenced pop. Interested in music from a young age, the San Francisco-born Leff took piano and vio ..more

Caravan (UK)　

Caravan were one of the more formidable progressive rock acts to come out of England in the 1960s, though they were never much more than a very successful cult band at home, and, apart from a brief ..more

Y & T　

The Move　

The Move were the best and most important British group of the late ’60s that never made a significant dent in the American market. Through the band’s several phases (which were sometimes dictated ..more

Erasure　

Following the disbandment of the short-lived synth pop group Yazoo, former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke formed Erasure in 1985 with singer Andy Bell. Like Yaz and Depeche Mode ..more

Cocteau Twins　

A group whose distinctly ethereal and gossamer sound virtually defined the enigmatic image of the record label 4AD, Cocteau Twins were founded in Grangemouth, Scotland, in 1979. Taking their nam ..more

Paradise Lost　

British doom metal band Paradise Lost formed in Halifax, England in 1988; originally comprising vocalist Nick Holmes, lead guitarist Gregor Mackintosh, rhythm guitarist Aaron Aedy, bassist ..more

Transatlantic　

Drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment) had a brainstorm that gave birth to the band Transatlantic. He envisioned a band of himself, Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard ..more

Svalbard　

Joy Division　

Formed in the wake of the punk explosion in England, Joy Division became the first band in the post-punk movement by later emphasizing not anger and energy but mood and expression, pointing a ..more

Belle And Sebastian　

A band that takes its name from a French children’s television series about a boy and his dog would almost have to be precious, and to be sure, Belle and Sebastian are precious. But precious ..more

Hauser　

Nazareth　

The Scottish hard rock quartet Nazareth had a handful of hard rock hits in the late ’70s, including the proto-power ballad Love Hurts. Formed in 1968, the band featured vocalist Dan ..more

Area　

Area’s uncompromising blend of jazz-rock, ethnic folk, experimentation, and political philosophies made them a unique presence in Italy during the 1970s. Fronting the band’s musical fusion was sing ..more

Necrophobic　

Necrophobic was a Swedish death metal band formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner and guitarist David Parland. The pair played with a revolving-door lineup of musicians before the perman ..more

Travis　

Along with Cast, Ocean Colour Scene, Kula Shaker, and Embrace, Travis were one of the most prominent British trad rock bands in the mid- to late ’90s. Following Oasis’ lead of crafti ..more