Easy Listening Indie Rock for Music Lovers
Looking for something different in your music listening? Check out our easy listening indie rock recommendations – perfect for music lovers who want something a little off the beaten path.
The Best Indie Rock Bands
The 1975
The 1975 is an English pop rock band formed in Manchester in 2002. The group consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew Healy, bassist Ross MacDonald, lead guitarist Adam Hann, and drummer George Daniel. The band’s origins trace to them all attending Wilmslow High School in Cheshire. They began playing together as teenagers under the name Drive Like I Do, before changing their name to The 1975 and signing to Dirty Hit (owned by Healy’s manager Jamie Oborne) in 2012.
The 1975’s debut album was released on 2 September 2013 through Dirty Hit and Polydor Records. Their self-titled debut was well received by critics. NME awarded the album 8/10 calling it “exciting, funny and touching”, while AllMusic described it as a “mature and impressive full-length debut”. It was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2013. In 2015, they released their second album I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it to critical acclaim. The album won Best Album at the 2016 NME Awards, as well as Album of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards. At the 2017 Brit Awards they won British Group.
The Paper Kites
The Paper Kites are a five-piece indie folk rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The band consists of Sam Bentley (lead vocals, guitar, banjo), Christina Lacy (vocals, glockenspiel), David Powys (drums), Hannah Crofts (keyboards, backing vocals) and Mike Robinson (bass guitar).
The band’s musical style has been described as “lush” and “orchestral”, with Bentley’s songwriting being compared to that of Ben Howard and Iron & Wine. The Paper Kites have released three studio albums and four extended plays, with their most recent album, On the Train Ride Home, debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart in October 2016.
The National
The National is an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1999. The band consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Bryce and Aaron are brothers, and all five members are friends who had played together while growing up in Ohio.
The National’s music is characterized by its melancholy lyrics, sparse arrangements, and the distinctive baritone vocals of Berninger. Aaron Dessner’s compositions are built on piano hooks and guitar melodies; Bryce Dessner’s contributions include many reworked classical compositions. The band has released eight studio albums, four of which have received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success: Alligator (2005), Boxer (2007), High Violet (2010) and Trouble Will Find Me (2013). Sleep Well Beast won Best Alternative Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
The Best Indie Rock Albums
The 1975 – I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
The 1975’s sophomore album, “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” is a masterclass in indie rock. Blending emotive lyrics with cutting-edge production, the album is a timeless work that is sure to please any music lover.
The Paper Kites – twelvefour
The Paper Kites are an Australian five-piece indie folk-rock band from Melbourne. The group consists of Sam Bentley, Christina Lacy, David Powys, Sam Rasmussen, and Alex Shields. The band’s name is derived from a line in the song “Bloom” by British rock band Radiohead.
The Paper Kites’ musical style has been compared to that of Nick Drake, Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, and Simon & Garfunkel. Their debut albumStates was released in 2011 to positive reviews. It peaked at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album. The album included the singles “Bloom”, “Featherstone”, and “Young”.
The band’s second album twelvefour was released in 2015. It peaked at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was nominated for five ARIA Music Awards, winning Best Adult Contemporary Album. The album included the singles “Electric Indigo”, “Avenue”, and “Halycon”.
The National – Trouble Will Find Me
The National is an American indie rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1999. The band consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, piano, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar, piano), Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums). Bryce and Aaron were raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and Brooklyn, New York respectively, while Matt Berninger was originally from Cincinnati. The National’s earliest performances were inCommunion Label Nights at the Northside Tavern in Cincinnati.
The National signed with Beggars Banquet Records in 2004 and released their self-titled debut album the same year to critical acclaim. Alligator (2005) and Boxer (2007) followed to similar praise. In 2010, High Violet debuted at Noencore’s list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” Later that same year the album was awarded the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize.
Trouble Will Find Me is The National’s sixth studio album and was released on May 17th 2013 by 4AD Records to critical acclaim. In Pitchfork’s 8.8 review they described it as “full of gorgeous melodies played by a band working towards something close to perfection.” It debuted at Noin the Billboard 200 selling 94,000 copies in its first week making it their highest charting album to date.
The Best Indie Rock Songs
The 1975 – “The Sound”
Formed in Manchester, England, in 2002, The 1975 is an English rock band consisting of Matthew Healy, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald, and George Daniel. The band’s name was inspired by a Jack Kerouac Beat Generation novel. The Sound is the lead single from The 1975’s second studio album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It. Upon release, the song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart and number 15 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
The Paper Kites – “Bloom”
The Paper Kites are an Australian indie rock five-piece band from Melbourne, Victoria. The band consists of Sam Bentley, Christina Lacy, David Powys, Josh Bentley and Kirby involved in writing, recording and performing. Bloom is a single released by The Paper Kites on 6 May 2012, and is the fifth track from their debut album States.
The National – “I Need My Girl”
“I Need My Girl” is a song by American indie rock band The National. It was released as the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Trouble Will Find Me (2013). The song peaked at number 43 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
The National is an American indie rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1999. The band consists of Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums).
