At the turn of the millennium, indie music was widely considered insular and introverted – an environment full of people singing softly to themselves with arms crossed. Enter Elliott Smith, Belle & Sebastian, Air, Cat Power and later-day Flaming Lips who challenged this stereotype with their music.
As ever, there were the cheeky chappies like Sheffield band Milburn with their catchy tune ‘Lipstick Lickin’ that got everyone up dancing and moving!
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA), one of the hardest and psychedelic bands to emerge from 2000s music scene, stands as one of the greatest influences on alternative rock during that decade. Boasting heavy blues-influenced, Krautrock-infused rock music as well as Josh Homme’s distinct falsetto vocals made them one of the most captivating acts in genre during that period; their sound also had an influence on modern alt-rock and even metal genres, such as Arctic Monkeys “All My Own Stunts”, while Truckfighters “Desert Cruiser”, while Arctic Monkeys “All My Own Stunts”.
After emerging from Kyuss, QOTSA made an immediate statement with their self-titled debut. From barren desert imagery to stories of mind-boggling excess, their debut made quite an impact in alternative music circles – from showing their raw borderline-rockabilly tone and musicality, as well as being considered a timeless classic in the genre. 25 years later it still stands up.
Modest Mouse was an integral force in the rise of indie alternative music during the 2000s. Their distinctive blend of indie, folk and punk gave them an edge among other acts in their genre; their influence came mainly from Pavement and XTC but they managed to carve out their own space within it with albums such as Good News for People Who Love Bad News and Float On that saw critical acclaim.
Kings of Leon have also made an impressionful mark in southern rock. Their debut album Youth & Young Manhood established them as legitimate contenders in indie circles; however, Only by the Night was more focused towards arena rock genre and lost some musicality due to this transition.
The Shins’ debut record, Chutes Too Narrow, established them as one of the world’s premier indie rock groups during the 2000s. For their second album Wincing the Night Away, however, they departed from their previous pop-punk influences and explored more rock ‘n’ roll sounds that helped set them apart from contemporary American indie rock bands and ultimately led to massive commercial success.
Jack White
Jack White has become one of the most acclaimed indie artists of the 2000s with his seductive yet rebellious style, unique music, and huge audiences worldwide. Born John Gillis, White began his career playing drums for various underground Detroit bands before later adopting Meg White’s maiden name to form The White Stripes (with their massive hits such as “Seven Nation Army” and “Fell in Love with a Girl”) before branching off with other musical projects such as The Raconteurs and Dead Weather as well as working alongside famous artists Loretta Lynn and Bob Dylan among many others.
The White Stripes’ raw borderline rockabilly sound and edgy music have made them a major indie alternative influencer since they broke up in 2011. Their legacy lives on as their albums remain widely played today. Boasting only a two-piece lineup, their music was both catchy and boisterous; with iconic music videos further increasing their fame as one of the best bands of 2000s indie rock scene.
Arcade Fire was a pioneer in merging symphonic rock, baroque rock, art rock and electronic experimental approaches together into one soundscape. Utilizing instruments such as xylophones, string arrangements, accordions and recorders – in combination with electric guitar and bass guitars – to produce their signature experimental sounds; their debut album Funeral was widely lauded with many music magazines giving it near-perfect reviews.
Vampire Weekend was another influential indie band in the 2000s. Their unique blend of Eastern European and American sounds quickly established them as instantly recognizable, highly popular college favorites with lyrics about love, politics and religion resonating throughout college campuses across America. Even after changing musical direction on one album to another – Modern Vampires of the City being no exception – their sound remains highly distinctive.
Death Cab For Cutie are an indie alternative music favorite with emotive yet sensitive song-writing style, earning major festival headlining spots and massive record sales. Their dance-floor-friendly sound has also gained them major festival headlining spots and sales success.
The Pipettes
If you want a band that embodies the 2000s, look no further than The Pipettes. Their eclectic sound combined post-punk with garage rock, making an indelible mark on music scenes worldwide. Their songs were catchy yet gritty while their videos captured audience imaginations; this band even kicked off the DIY music movement!
The Pipettes have long been revered indie bands with hits like “Pull Shapes.” From 2003 to 2011 (and continuing today), this band created music in various styles including post-punk, punk and disco that became highly stylized music videos.
The 2000s were an exciting decade of alternative music. Ranging from danceable post-punk to earnest folky acoustic, there was something for everyone during this decade – and with blogs and mp3 downloads making finding your perfect tune incredibly simple!
The National is perhaps one of the greatest indie rock bands of this era, yet often underrated. From playing empty rooms to headlining major festivals and creating legendary albums like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot which blend their signature sound with country and folk influences – The National has made quite an impactful statement about themselves and deserve more recognition than they get.
Modest Mouse took time to gain popularity. While their music draws influence from classic indie rock acts such as Pavement and XTC, they also incorporate contemporary American sounds. Their second album Songs For The Deaf was one of the greatest indie rock records ever released; “No One Knows” became an instant classic that left an indelible mark on musical culture worldwide.
The Shins are a modern indie rock band who have managed to stay true to themselves even as their popularity increased. While their first album, Chutes Too Narrow, is excellent indie rock fare, their follow up Wincing the Night Away marked a change to more rock n’ roll. Their distinct sound combined with Robin Pecknold’s powerful vocals have quickly made them a fan favorite among indie fans alike.
Boy Kill Boy
Indie bands in the 2000s combined genres and styles to craft their unique sound. Folk and country acts like The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and The Avett Brothers became widely-renowned, while electronic musicians Four Tet, Caribou, Jamie xx and Drake gained widespread acclaim; hip-hop acts such as Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean also enjoyed enormous popularity and recognition during this era of indie alternative music 2000. Yet despite these diverse influences indie alternative music 2000 retained its own distinct sounds and musical styles which continue today in many of today’s top bands and artists.
Arcade Fire emerged as one of the major indie rock acts during the 2000s. Their debut album Funeral received immense critical acclaim and quickly became a fan favorite among fans of indie rock music. Their unique blend of traditional instrumentation with experimental musical layering techniques such as adding instruments such as the xylophone and string arrangements created an overall magical feel in their music; creating one of their signature tracks Wake Up as an indie anthem and testament to their skill.
Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand and Shed Seven all emerged during the 2000s indie scene; however, other bands such as Ludes of South London made waves with dancefloor anthems before splitting shortly afterward. Boy Kill Boy are another group which recalls early 2000s indie scene; they try their hand at being like The Killers or Kaiser Chiefs but fall far short with both attempts – conjuring stirring keyboard-led intensity or trying to replicate agitated vocals by their attempt falls far short compared to their competitors despite trying hard.
Though no longer active as a band, they were an essential component of the indie alternative scene in the 2000s. Stepping in when Nine Black Alps fell ill during NME New Music Tour 2005, they soon went on to become major indie rockers thanks to their raw borderline-rockabilly sound and style; their 2004 record Only By the Night became one of the best-selling records of that decade; unfortunately their subsequent albums focused more on stadium filling arena rock than rockabilly sound which reduced some of their appeal.