The Best Indie Rock, Psychedelic Pop, and Indietronica of

The Best Indie Rock, Psychedelic Pop, and Indietronica of
The past year has been an incredible one for music. So many amazing artists have released such great music that it’s been hard to keep up. But we’ve managed to do it, and we’re proud to present our picks for the best indie rock, psychedelic pop, and indietronica of the year.

The Best Indie Rock

The past year has been an amazing one for music, with a wide variety of new and exciting genres and subgenres emerging. One of the most exciting and innovative genres to emerge in recent years is indie rock. Indie rock is a genre that is marked by its DIY ethic, its focus on independent artists, and its alternative sound.

The 1975

The 1975 are an English rock band formed in Manchester in 2002. The group consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Matthew Healy, lead guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald, and drummer George Daniel. The band’s debut album was released on 2 September 2013 through Dirty Hit and Polydor. In 2016, they won the Brit Award for Best British Group. Their second album I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it was released on 26 February 2016 and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. It was preceded by the release of four singles: “Love Me”, “UGLY”, “A Change of Heart”, and “Somebody Else”.

The National

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, keyboards), Scott Devendorf (bass) and Bryan Devendorf (drums).

I am of the belief that The National is one of – if not the – best indie rock bands out there. I first discovered their music back in 2010 with the release of their album “High Violet” and was immediately hooked. Every album they’ve released since has only served to solidify my opinion.

What I love about The National is that they manage to straddle the line between highbrow and accessible perfectly. Their songwriting is smart and literate without ever feeling pretentious, and their musical arrangements are beautiful and complex without ever sounding indulgent or inaccessible. In short: they make incredible music that I can both enjoy thinking about and dancing to, which is a rare and precious thing indeed.

If you’re looking for a place to start with The National, I would recommend their albums “Alligator” (2005), “Boxer” (2007), “High Violet” (2010) and “Trouble Will Find Me” (2013). But really, any of their albums are worth your time and attention.

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire is one of the best indie rock bands around. They have a unique sound that blends elements of rock, pop, and electronics. They are known for their powerful live performances and are one of the most popular bands in the indie rock scene.

The Best Psychedelic Pop

If you’re looking for the best psychedelic pop, look no further. This list includes some of the best indie rock, psychedelic pop, and indietronica out there. From Tame Impala to The Beach Boys, these are the best of the best.

Tame Impala

It’s no secret that Australia’s Tame Impala makes some of the best psychedelic pop and indietronica around. The band’s 2010 debut album Innerspeaker was nothing short of a masterpiece, and their subsequent releases have only solidified their place as one of the best in the genre.

Tame Impala’s sound is heavily indebted to ’60s and ’70s psychedelia, with a healthy dose of ’80s pop thrown in for good measure. The result is a sound that is both familiar and fresh, with a heavy dose of reverb-drenched guitar melodies and dreamy synth ambience.

The band’s lyrical themes are also heavily influenced by psychedelic experiences, often focusing on topics like love, loss, and self-discovery. Tame Impala’s music is the perfect soundtrack for those looking to explore their own mind, and it’s sure to leave you feeling completely euphoric.

The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips are an American rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983. Fronted by Wayne Coyne on vocals and guitar, the band also features Michael Ivins on bass, Steven Drozd on drums and keyboards, and Kliph Scurlock on percussion. They are one of the most acclaimed and popular acts within the umbrella of psychedelic pop, and their unique sonic palette has often included elements of space rock, neo-psychedelia, experimental rock, and electronica throughout their career.

The Flaming Lips began as a traditional punk rock outfit before evolving into a more experimental act influenced by the early 1980s new wave scene. They achieved mainstream success with their ninth studio album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002), which included the singles “Do You Realize??”, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1”, and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2”. The album earned them multiple Grammy Award nominations including Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album, winning for Best Engineered Album. Following this success, the band released their thirteenth studio album At War with the Mystics (2006), which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart and also received Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Instrumental Performance (“The Wizard Turns On…”) and Best Engineered Album; they won again in the latter category. In 2009, they were nominated for two more Grammy Awards: Best Alternative Music Album for Embryonic and Best Long Form Music Video for The Sound of Silver: Live at Central Park SummerStage.

The Flaming Lips have released fifteen studio albums to date; their latest release is Oczy Mlody (2017). They have sold more than 24 million albums worldwide and continue to be an influential force within both the psychedelic pop and indie rock scenes.

MGMT

MGMT is an American musical duo composed of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden. They are best known for their hit singles “Kids” and “Electric Feel”, both of which received widespread critical and commercial success. The duo rose to prominence with their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Their follow-up album, Congratulations, was even more successful, reaching number one in several countries.

Since then, MGMT has released two more studio albums, MGMT (2013) and Little Dark Age (2018), to critical and commercial acclaim. They have also toured extensively throughout the world, earning a reputation for their energetic live performances.

The Best Indietronica

Indietronica is a genre of music that combines elements of indie rock, psychedelic pop, and electronica. The term was first coined in the early 2000s by music critic Simon Reynolds. The best indietronica is characterized by its experimental, often dreamlike soundscapes, and its ability to evoke an emotional response in the listener.

LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002 by musician James Murphy, co-founder of DFA Records. The band comprises Murphy, Pat Mahoney (drums), Phil Mossman (guitar), Al Doyle (guitar/keyboards), Tyler Pope (bass/keyboards), and Gavin Rayna Russom (synthesizer). They are currently on an indefinite hiatus.

The origins of the band’s name are unclear. One theory is that it was inspired by LCD displays that were common in early electronic music devices such as drum machines. Another is that Murphy found the name in an article in The Village Voice about a nightclub in New York called LCD Soundsystem. In a 2005 interview with Pitchfork Media, Murphy said: “It just came out of thin air one day… I was just looking for a name that wouldn’t mean anything.”

Hot Chip

Hot Chip’s self-titled debut album was released in the United Kingdom on 19 July 2004 by Moshi Moshi Records. In September 2005, the album was released in the United States by Astralwerks to critical acclaim. The band released their second album, The Warning, on 3 May 2006. It was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize. In March 2008, they performed at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas and released their third studio album, Made in the Dark, on 4 February 2008. Their fourth studio album, One Life Stand, was released on 1 February 2010. On 6 May 2010, they performed at Lowlands festival in Biddinghuizen. In January 2011, Cameron Talbot and Felix Martin joined Hot Chip as part of their backing band for both live performances and on their fifth studio album In Our Heads (2012).

The sixth studio album Why Make Sense? was released on 18 May 2015 by Domino; it received positive reviews from critics and charted within the top ten albums of several countries.

Justice

Justice is a French electronic music duo consisting of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. The duo is the most popular act on Ed Banger Records and is managed by the label’s head, Busy P. Justice is known for incorporating a strong rock and indie influence into its music and often uses guitar riffs and rock rhythms in its songs.