After a challenge from a reader (thanks Tacos) and few weeks of deliberation, we have finally arrived at our top 100 indie songs of all time. We ranked in chronological order because ranking best to worst would have involved a group of people hurting one another.
To the best of our knowledge, all the songs below were originally released on an indie label. We tried to limit each artist to one song for variety. Obviously certain bellwether bands had two songs included because we just couldn’t decide.
There are some songs you expect to see and some you don’t. Most people haven’t heard of Golden Bear, but we can’t stop listening to it. Hopefully in a 10 years it won’t seem as out of place on the same list as Pavement.
We had input from many people and would like to offer thanks to Moish, Drinking Buddy, Nick, Pete, Kevin, Doctor A and Jim for their suggestions. I’m sure we still missed several great tracks and will hear about it shortly.
1. Live Wire – Motley Crue – Too Fast For Love – Leathur Records – 1981
2. Lake of Fire – Meat Puppets – Meat Puppets II – SST – 1983
3. Sitting Still – REM – Murmur – I.R.S. Records – 1983
4. Spirit Walker – The Cult – Dreamtime – Beggars Banquet – 1984
5. I Will Dare – The Replacements – Let It Be – Restless Records – 1984
6. Corona – The Minutemen – Double Nickles On The Dime – SST – 1984
7. I Apologize – Husker Du – New Day Rising – SST – 1985
8. Just Like Honey – The Jesus and Mary Chain – Pyschocandy – Blanco y Negro – 1985
9. Monkey Gone To Heaven – Pixies – Doolittle – 4ad – 1988
10. Touch Me I’m Sick – Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles – Sub Pop – 1988
11. All Your Lies – Soundgarden – Ultramega OK – SST – 1988
12. Teenage Riot – Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation – SST – 1988
13. Freak Scene – Dinsosaur Jr. – Bug – SST – 1988
14. Express Yourself – N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton – Rutless Records – 1988
15. I Wanna Be Adored – The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses – Silvertone – 1989
16. About A Girl – Nirvana – Bleach – SubPop – 1989
17. Where Is My Mind – Pixies – SurferRosa – 4ad – 1989
18. Waiting Room – Fugazi – 13 Songs – Dischord – 1989
19. Whiskey Bottle – Uncle Tupelo – No Depression – Rockville Records – 1990
20. Did I Tell You – Yo La Tengo – Fakebook – Bar None – 1990
21. Slack Motherfucker – Superchunk – Superchunk – Merge Records – 1990
22. Everything Flows – Teenage Fanclub – A Catholic Education – Matador – 1990
23. Mouth Breather – The Jesus Lizard – Goat – Touch and Go – 1991
24. Summer Babe (Winter Version) – Pavement – Slanted & Enchanted – Matador Records – 1992
25. Sodajerk – Buffalo Tom – Big Red Letter Day – Beggars Banquet – 1993
26. I Am A Scientist – Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand – Scat Records – 1994
27. Skull – Sebadoah – Bakesale – Sub Pop – 1994
28. Cut Your Hair – Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain – Matador Records -1994
29. I’ll Be Coming Around – The Bottle Rockets – The Brooklyn Side – East Side Digital – 1994
30. Drank Like A River – Whiskeytown – Faithless Street – Mood Food – 1995
31. Have You Forgotten – Red House Painters – Songs for a Blue Guitar – Supreme Recordings – 1996
32. The Distance – Cake – Fashion Nugget – Capricorn Records – 1996
33. Chan Chan – Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club – Nonesuch Records – 1997
34. Victoria – Old 97’s – Wreck Your Life – Bloodshot Records – 1997
35. Me and The Major – Belle And Sebastian – If You’re Feeling Sinister – Matador – 1997
36. Between The Bars – Elliott Smith – Either/Or – Kill Rock Stars – 1997
37. Holland 1945 – Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea – Merge Records – 1998
38. Score From Augusta – Beulah – When Your Heartstrings Break – Sugar Free Records -1999
39. Ohio – Damien Jurado – Rehearsals For Departure – Sub Pop – 1999
40. To Be Young – Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker – Bloodshot Records – 2000
41. Later Days – The Mother Hips – Later Days – Mother Hips Records – 2000
42. You’re No Rock n’ Roll Fun – Sleater-Kinney – All Hands On The Bad One – Kill Rock Stars – 2000
43. Lines in the Suit – Spoon – Girls Can Tell – Merge – 2000
44. Lowdown – My Morning Jacket – At Dawn – Darla Records – 2001
45. New Slang – The Shins – Oh Inverted World – SubPop – 2001
46. Blacking Out The Friction – Death Cab For Cutie – The Photo Album – Barsuk Records – 2001
47. Let There Be Rock – Drive-By Truckers – Southern Rock Opera – New West Records – 2001
48. Castanets – Alejandro Escovedo – A Man Under The Influence – Blooshot Records – 2001
49. Feed Kill Chain – Jay Farrar – Sebastopol – Artemis – 2001
50. Yardwork In November – The Actual Tigers – Gravelled & Green – Nettwerk – 2001
51. Jesus, etc. – Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Nonesuch Records – 2002
52. Fell In Love With A Girl – The White Stripes – White Blood Cells – V2 – 2002
53. Talk To Me Dance With Me – Hot Hot Heat – Make Up The Breakdown – Sub Pop – 2002
54. Start The Party – The Dirtbombs – Dangerous Magical Noise – In The Red Records – 2003
55. Outfit – Drive-By Truckers – Decoration Day – New West Records – 2003
56. Quattro (World Drifts In) – Calexico – Feast of Wire – Quarterstick Records – 2003
57. Stupid – The Long Winters – When I Pretend To Fall – Barsuk Records – 2003
58. Set You Free – The Black Keys – Thickfreakness – Fat Possum – 2003
59. Flashes & Cables – Centro-Matic – Love You Just The Same – Misra – 2003
60. Ha Ha – Mates of State – Team Boo – Polyvinyl Records – 2003
61. Free – Cat Power – You Are Free – Matador – 2003
62. Save It For A Rainy Day – The Jayhawks – Rainy Day Music – Lost Highway – 2003
63. Counting Down The Hours – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Shake the Streets – Lookout – 2004
64. Me & Jiggs – Josh Ritter – The Golden Age of Radio – Signature Sounds – 2004
65. Neighborhood #3 – Arcade Fire – Funeral – Merge – 2004
66. How Junior Got His Head Pin Out – Mofro – Blackwater – Swampland – 2004
67. Evil – Interpol – Antics – Matador Records – 2004
68. Each Coming Night – Iron & Wine – Our Endless Numbered Days – Sub Pop – 2004
69. Nights Like These – Lucero – Tennessee – Madjack Records – 2004
70. Runnin – Heartless Bastards – Stairs and Elevators – Fat Possum – 2004
71. 99 Problems – DJ Danger Mouse – The Grey Album – Shaolin Records – 2004
72. We Are Nowhere And Its Now – Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake Its Morning– Saddle Creek – 2005
73. Druganaut – Black Mountain – Druganaut – Jagjaguwar- 2005
74. He Lays In The Reins – Calexico/Iron & Wine – In The Reins – Overcoat Recordings – 2005
75. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! – 2005
76. The Engine Driver – The Decemberists – Picaresque – Kill Rock Stars – 2005
77. Stevie Nix – The Hold Steady – Separation Sunday – French Kiss Records – 2005
78. The Dark Don’t Hide It – Magnolia Electric Co. – Secretly Canadian – 2005
79. Halloween – matt pond PA – Several Arrows Later – Polyvinyl – 2005
80. Secret Meeting – The National – Alligator – Beggars Banquet – 2005
81. The Bleeding Heart Show – New Pornogrpahers – Twin Cinema – Matador – 2005
82. For Real – Okkervil River – Black Sheep Boy – Jagjaguwar – 2005
83. Lion’s Teeth – The Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree – 2005
84. Come On! Feel The Illinoise! – Sufjan Stevens – Come on Feel the Illinoise – Asthmatic Kitty – 2005
85. Hell is Chrome – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born – Nonesuch Records – 2005
86. The Denial Twist – The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan – V2 – 2005
87. Love In Fear – The Constantines – Tournament of Hearts – Sub Pop – 2005
88. Helicopter – Bloc Party – Silent Alarm – Vice Recordings – 2005
89. Cherry Cola – Eagles of Death Metal – Death By Sexy – Downtown – 2006
90. Hold On, Hold On – Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood – Anti, Inc. -2006
91. Wolf Like Me – TV On The Radio – Return To Cookie Mountain – Touch and Go – 2006
92. Returning To The Fold – The Thermals – The Body, The Blood, The Machine – Sub Pop – 2006
93. In and Out of Love – Trainwreck Riders – Lonely Road Revival – Alive Records – 2006
94. Roscoe – Midlake – The Trials of Van Occupanther – Bella Union – 2006
95. Chinese Translation – M. Ward – Post-War – Merge – 2006
96. Ten Thousand Orchestras – Golden Bear – Golden Bear – C-Side Records – 2006
97. The Funeral – Band Of Horses – Everything All The Time-SubPop – 2006
98. Cursed Sleep – Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Drag City – 2006
99. Anthem For The Already Defeated – Rock Plaza Central – Are We Not Horses – Yep Roc – 2007
100. Mistreating Queen - Radio Moscow – Radio Moscow – Alive Records – 2007
{ 12 trackbacks }
{ 172 comments… read them below or add one }
Love it! Not only the distribution and the artists, but often the pick of tunes from each.
A few I would add (just for fun, not to be critical, exactly and alpha, not chrono order). No harm in letting more people know about other great indie music, right?
“I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” – Arctic Monkeys (Domino)
“Livey Up Yourself” – Bob Marley (ESP)
“Tequila” – The Champs (Challenge)
“10:15 Saturday Night” – The Cure (Fiction)
“The Magic Number” – De la Soul (Tommy Boy)
“Winnebago Warrior” (or pick your favorite) – Dead Kennedies – (Alternate Tentacles)
“Alison” – Elvis Costello (Stiff)
“How I Wrote Elastic [Plastic] Man” – The Fall (Essential)
“I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll” – Gillian Welch (Acony)
The entire “Harder The Come” Soundtrack, but especially “Shanty Town” – Desmond Dekker (Mango/Island)
“I Want You Back” – Hoodoo Gurus (A&M)
“Hurt” – Johnny Cash (American)
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” – Joy Division (Factory)
“You Really Got Me” – the Kinks (Pye)
“Passionate Kisses” – Lucinda Williams (Rough Trade)
“Roadrunner” – The Modern Lovers (Berserkley)
“This Charming Man” – The Smiths (Rough Trade)
“Psycho” – The Sonics (Etiquette)
“A Message to You Rudy” – The Specials (2Tone)
“She’s Not There” – The Zombies (Parrot)
Was it clear I lost steam at the end? Actually, you covered the second half of the alphabet nearly exactly as I would have. Plus, I tried to keep it to 20 additions and more of the ones I couldn’t cut were up front. Still, I’d put most of these in my personal top 100. I noticed you started at 1980. Was that by design or do you just like those songs more?
Good god!! How did we forget Elvis, Marley and The Specials.
I am sure you are just pointing that the first of many oversights.
No reason on why it started in 1980. It just fell that way.
You had me at Motley Crue
Good list, other than the severe lack of Sonic Youth.
Nice to see Neutral Milk Hotel get a mention.
Jimmy, thanks for the input.
Sonic Youth has a mention when they were with SST. At most they would have one more but they moved to Geffen during the 90s.
Off to http://finetune.com/ to set up a new playlist…
I’m compelled to suggest two glaring omissions off the top of my head…
The Archers of Loaf – “Web In Front” and Silkworm’s “Couldn’t You Wait”
Great list, but I’d take “Casimir Pulaski Day” over “Come On, Feel the Illinoise” any day of the week. Great to see The Jayhawks getting a mention too!
That Ted Leo album is called “Shake the Sheets” not “The Streets”.
Overall, very well-done list…. one glaring omission: Bad Brains debut “Bad Brains” in 1982 (ROIR records), originally released only on casette.
Also in ‘82, Milo Goes to College by the almighty Desendents.
I know I am in the minority, but revisionist history tells us the Motley Crue were a great band. They really were not… just hair-sprayed hacks with a gimmick. It pains me to see them leading off this list.
Again, great list. thanks, Jeff
forgive Descendents misspelling above. thx, Jeff
Weeks of deliberation? To come up with this shitty list?
You’ve basically got all of the wrong songs.
“Cut your hair” for Pavement?
“Sitting still” for REM?
“Come On! Feel The Illinoise!” for Sufjan Stevens?
These aren’t even close to the artists’ best efforts.
And any list that includes Cake’s “Going the Distance” and isn’t labelled the 100 suck-assiest songs of all time is clearly f-ed.
Good list (although it is a bit heavy on the last 5 years – 18 tracks from the 80s and 60(!) from 2000-2007), but a couple factual errors:
-Ted Leo’s 2004 album is titled Shake the Sheets
-The Replacements track is called “I Will Dare”
-Also, Nonesuch Records is part of Warner Brothers and thus not an indie.
Was Apple an Indie label? Stax? Chess? London? SwanSong? Not trying to be a smartie. Just curious how one would define “indie” if one attempted to.
Also, as Greg obliquely pointed out, there were a bunch of “indie” labels in the 60’s. In both the U.S. (see the Nuggets comps, for point of reference) and in England. But, it seems like many of the little labels in England had distribution deals with the bigger labels.
Anyway,
my suggestions. Pretty much anything off of the 1st 2 X records. Anything off of Group Sex by the Circle Jerks, except the song Group Sex. Celebrated Summer, Husker Du.
Eddie and Brian – Thanks for pointing out the errors. They’ve been corrected, except for Nonesuch. Big oversight on our part, but hey…Wilco’s on the list, so who cares?
Doc – If it were up to me, I would have left Sufjan off all together. We thought about making a “Top 100 Suck Ass-iest Songs of All Time That is Clearly Fucked” list, but the title was too long, it would have required little imagination, and I wasn’t sure how to spell “Suck Ass-iest”. There’s a hypen after all. Thanks for your help.
I agree that it’s skewed to the recent years also. At some point we had to just come to terms with the fact that going back too far would require more time and effort than our day jobs and families would allow. This was a chore.
Just goes to show that “best of” lists are like assholes. Everyone has one, they are all messy and imperfect, and most smell great to their owners but stink to everyone else.
Only 2 4AD tracks and both Pixies. Only 3 Beggars Banquet. No Rough Trade. No Smiths. No Joy Divison. Motley Crue at Number 1! Motley Crue on the list!
This list is a joke I take it.
nonesuch, lost highway and downtown are all owned my major labels
err owned by, not my. SORRY.
The Replacements’ record was on Twin/Tone, not Restless. Restless acquired Twin/Tone in the 90’s.
Paul,
Joy Division is a major oversight on our part.
I thought Rough Trade was a division of EMI or Warner. Apparently I’m mistaken. Sorry about that.
As for the Crue, I like them. Always did. Are they a joke? Yes but that is the beauty of them. They are #1 b/c it went in chronological order.
Again the list was meant to be fun and start some dialogue. We are by no means declaring this to be everyone’s top 100. We did the best we could and appreciate the glaring mistakes and omissions.
Wow, I thought I was a music snob. I feel like Jed Clampett after reading some of these comments.
HearYa reader Greg suggested the definition of “indie” could be found here http://www.hearya.com/2007/01/16/commercial-success-reminds-me-of-a-sloppy-makeout/. Obviously, that’s a loose interpretation, but it gives the people that put this list together some latitude.
I’ve also come to learn that Nettwerk is not an indie label, but that Actual Tigers song was my suggestion, so I’m the idiot. No surprise there. But, the Tigers built a following and had independent releases under the band name “Willis” before they were signed to Nettwerk.
Yeah, putting 50 songs from the last five years in a list of the 100 best of all time seems a bit much. Especially considering you could have at least started in at least 1977. But hey, it’s your list, and it would make a good straight listen, if you had a day to spare.
Couple good songs on the list, some random, but it’s always difficult to make a top 100 of any musical genre. I applaud the effort for the discoveries I’ve made today!
My iPod is a happier machine thanks to its owner seeing this today. So thanks.
That said, I would humbly suggest at *least* a track from an indie album by…
The Smiths
The Fall
Curve
The Wedding Present
My Bloody Valentine
Beck on K Records
The Field Mice
Grandaddy
LCD Soundsystem
The Blake Babies
Joy Division
Steve Wynn
The Sea and Cake
Ellen Allien
Silver Jews
Ivy
Liz Phair (first two albums)
Throwing Muses
Mogwai
PJ Harvey
Stereolab
Unrest
Finally, there seems to be two kinds of Pavement fans in this world. Ones who love “Cut Your Hair” and ones who hate it. Count me in the latter pool.
Not to be another picky-ass spelling nazi, but Neko Case’s album is “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood.”
Good list – some I’ve never heard of, some that are already favorites, and plenty that I’ll be checking out in the future. Thanks!
A for effort but a number of the songs listed were released by majors.
“Wolf Like Me”–TV on the Radio’s on Interscope, now.
“Jesus, etc.”–Wilco’s on Nonesuch, which is part of the Warner Music Group.
I’m sure there are others–trying to be a factchecker not that one guy…
Plus, who can tell what label’s what these days? The majors have soo many tentacles that I’m sure Warner execs don’t even know what labels they own anymore.
Very cool list … I love all of the Pixies and Pavement shout-outs, as well as Cat Power. I have to say I was super-bummed not to see Liz Phair or Mazzy Star on the list … here are a couple of good choices for them …
“Fuck and Run”- Liz Phair
“Fade into You”- Mazzy Star
Like the list but I must second the glaring omission of “web in front” by archers of loaf (alias recirds 1993).
Oh and you have your Pixies mixed up Surfa Rosa came out in 1988, Doolittle in 89.
Beth – thanks! the typo is corrected.
missing from the list:
pizzicato five (matador)
chainsaw kittens (scratchie)
stereolab (duophonic)
broadcast (warp)
machines of loving grace (???)
front 242 (???)
kmfdm (wax trax)
chromeo (???)
shonen knife (???)
then again, most of these bands aren’t american, whereas the majority of those on the list are. (not that it should matter anyways)
you missed anything from this guy:
http://www.willhoge.com
Where is any of the elephant six collective? I mean, I see beulah (Good call by the way) and neutral milk hotel , but what about the apples, of montreal, elf power, dressy bessy, and the minders?
Andy,
Good call on Apples. I actually thought that we had included them. Have never been a huge fan of Of Montreal, but they have been doing it long enough where they should have gotten a mention.
To those who mentioned Archers Of Loaf. Another mess-up on our part. Funny thing is, I used to share an office with a guy who was infatuated with them. and it just slipped my mind.
Thanks for all the responses.
Woody
Good List, but here’s a few bands that you missed:
built to spill
modest mouse
Nice list. You gonna make this avail as a downloadable .zip?
LC
Woody, you are the man!
Thank you.
How about anything from Shudder To Think or Fugazi from the Dischord days?
Goodness! Where’s The Dismemberment Plan? Nothing off Desoto??
Nice list, glad to see Midlake getting a mention!
Nice list, but I was pretty shocked to see that you left out Ani Difranco. I would think that the success of Righteous Babe Records would warrant at least a mention on a list of indie songs published by an indie music blog.
They Might Be Giants! Ana Ng!
More Ryan Adams!
Other than that, it’s a pretty good list. Thanks for the effort…
oh my god! have you never ever listened to Grandaddy? how could they not possibly make this list? I call bananagans!
glad to see some people have noticed the omission of some seemingly indie rock staples (early modest mouse, for instance) but although there’s a lot of love for matador, no pretty girls make graves? although, i can’t really criticize a list like this because, well, it rules anyway.
Not to age myself, but really, if you just skip back a little past 1980 you get another “golden age of indie” (I’d say 50s/60s were the first). And you missed so much of the 80s (where a lot of today’s great bands find inspiration).
The Cure (introduced to the world with “Killing An Arab” on Fiction records), 1978/1979
Talking Heads, say “Psycho Killer”
Ramones, “Judy Is A Punk Rocker”
XTC (Making Plans For Nigel, Dear God, Mayor of Simpleton)
Or you could try just thinking classic indie labels from the 80s:
Sire (TH, Ramones)
Mute (Depeche Mode, Erasure, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds)
Virgin (Sex Pistols anyone???, Culture Club, and more…licensed to majors in the US, but definitely indie released and signed)
4AD/Beggars Group (Birthday Party, Dead Can Dance, Bauhaus, The Cult, The Fall, Cocteau Twins, etc.)
Love this listing. I will see what I can do to write something up about it.
Great work.
Nice list.
Would have like to seen “Needle in the Hay” – Elliott Smith, but you did get “Between the Bars” so who am i to say. : )
These were some good indie songs as well:
Full Scene
Late Night
C-Town
Happy
Marina
All written and sung by Al Cech.
I’m assuming you’ve never heard of the Charlatans lol. C’mon guys they definitely deserve a spot in the top 100 with tracks like “the only one I know”, “the end of everything”, “you’re so pretty” and “beautiful friend”.
Jammin playlist otherwise ;o)
His Name Is Alive
This Mortal Coil
Liz Phair
Joy Division (as mentioned)
Radiohead (not indie but street spirit still knocks my socks off)
Maybe this would be more approprietly titled Top 100 most popular indie songs of all time.
This is a pretty thorough listing. I would have definitely included more ted leo and new pornographers, but all in all a great list. Check out my site and see what you think. There are a ton of music lists. Thanks
http://www.therockczar.com
these are not indie rock not the proper casuals music the only good song here is number 15 – stone roses – i wanna be adored!
i expected to see Blur’s “Song 2″. I really did. Somewhere around the thirties or so. No matter how often it is used side-by-side with cliché skater pictures.
Oh, and there could be more not-american rock on the list. Like icelandish, british or swedish rock. I know, for americans it seems exotic to listen to music from outside the states. But that’s what makes it indie,isn’t it?
Donch – Any suggestions?
Wow! Can’t believe you’ve got everyone from The Shins to Matt Pond PA listed here. Top site!
Hey Greg (top post) – same wavelength brother, same wave length!
Hmm, no Dispatch, you would think that the band that had the largest ever free concert for an indie label act and just sold out MSG for three consecutive shows would somehow make the list. The list to me looks like a bunch of big name bands that you just took earlier recordings from and said “look at me, I listened to them before the made it big”
Not really. We just don’t like Dispatch.
Nice list. Wish “Too Much Joy” could have made the cut…
awesome list.
hard to find sick indie music.
Very Good list, nice to see Neutral Milk Hotel, The New Pornographers and Mountain Goats getting a mention, although Lion’s Teeth as Darnielle’s Best – I think not. What about This Year or Magpie. Anyway, still very good list and will be checking out some of the artists i appear to have missed. Cheers.
Paul, The Mountain Goats – Lion’s Teeth is another 4AD track.
Love the list..here’s a few more: 1. Stone Roses – She bangs the drums 2. Buzzcocks – Ever fallen in love? 3. The smiths – How soon is now and Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before 4.Stillwater – fever. 5. Happy mondays – Playground Superstar and finally 6. The Replacements – Left of the dial!
I like the list.
(Just thought I should let you know and provide a balance to all the apparent haters out there.)
Great list, and great comments, obviously there are some hardcore music lovers here. My only gripe…Motley Crue at number one? Just my opinion, but I consider Motley Crue to be bad 80’s hair metal, not indie classic. Just my opinion. And for the Replacements, how about Bastards of Young.
Hey Jim. These are listed in chronological order. Thanks for the comment.
Umm like hi ppl i think this list should have like playlist so when like ppl can like click on the song and hear it but otherwise great list i just think it needs touchups!
i think u are forgeting some good songs from groups like strokes, oasis, the kooks or kaiser chiefs…
this is a good compilation i guess, but haven’t heard even one of the songs.
great stuff..
cheers mate!!
Ok, where the heck is My Bloody Valentine?!?!?!? Lovess, anyone? !?!?!?!? This list needs serious rethinking, because honestly, leaving out one of the best indie albums of the 90s is quite quite bad.
I just glanced over the list and I noticed you are missing a lot of bands. You didnt mention Modest Mouse, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Tom Waits.
BOGUS!!!!!
um The National?
Eh locoo, recatate y pone algo indio eu. De Argentina. indi putooo
I Like Pie – This Playlist is very very pie!
X3
Good list to start a good discussion (as evidenced by the number of comments here).
I, too agree with some of the others above that the list should have included the following artists:
Grandaddy
XTC
Built To Spill
Liz Phair
Mazzy Star
Still, it’s a good list – thanks for compiling it!
what do you think the best 100 party tunes are?
MODEST. MOUSE.
SO great that you mentioned the national and especially red house painters.
I agree with Chuck: I like most of these artists and songs, but it would be nice to see more of the earlier stuff off of classic indie labels, like rough trade (The Fall!!!), 99 records (Moody by ESG), ZE records (Contort Yourself by James Chance), mute (Warm Leatherette!), 4ad (anything Cocteau Twins), factory (Joy Division, who have been mentioned before)…all of those labels that were trying to do something interesting and different. Or how about the Buzzcocks’ Boredom, off their influential D.I.Y. record?
Also, looking back over your list, Calvin Johnson. More Twee, please.
I guess it’s an issue of personal taste. I would prefer to see more eccentric labels and artists who ended up having a larger impact on the music world.
I’m surprised Blur – Song 2 didn’t make it in to the list. No matter how overused it is, it’s definitely one of the top 100 Indie songs.
I would like to know where Motion City Soundtrack falls into this category because Im almost 100% sure that “the future freaks me out”, “hold me down” or “my favorite accident” can be considered some of the greatest indie made since the new millenium.
Oh and some mentionable bands (pardon my lack of research on the technicalities of some artist’s label situations)…
At the Drive-in
Apples in Stereo (pretty much anything Elephant 6)
Catfish Haven
Cursive (the song “the casualty” should have been a shoo in for the top 100)
I would have liked to see way more Decemberists and while I am on the subject of ex-Kill Rock Stars artists, “Needle in the Hay” by Elliott Smith anyone?
And while I am on the the subject of Elliott Smith, Heatmiser anyone?
I think everyone should youtube this video “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Hurra Torpedo. They are insane.
Jeremy Messersmith
LCD Soundsystem
I am a huge fan of Leroy Smokes. These guys really do kick ass.
Apparently this list isn’t also contrived of the most creative artists of all time either because The Mars Volta would take the cake on both of these lists.
More Neutral Milk Hotel would have been nice.
If I wanted to see anymore Pavement on the this top 100, I would say almost anything on Slanted and Enchanted.
PINBACK!!!
Say Anything is almost a new-age Queen.
More Shins please!!!
I would like to have seen at least one entry by the Shout Out Louds and the Silversun Pickups.
If anyone enjoys the Shins as much as I do, they should check out Someone Still Love You Boris Yeltsin. “House Fire” is an excellent song.
More Sufjan…
Sunny Day Real Estate
O and if I forgot to mention Of Montreal and !!! (Chk Chk Chk). Incredible indie dance.
Just some quick afterthoughts,
How many people that care to read this far have ever heard of or like Nick Drake?
And any thoughts on the band Oh No! Oh My!?
Oh and “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division should’ve made the cut.
P.S. I think we can give Oz a second chance in creating a new (dare I say “better”?) list and possibly include some of the bloggers suggestions?
I think its a half decent list… it is missing a few things but in general its not bad…. and the choices off of some of the albums… but in general the bands and all arent too bad
not sure if its indie, but possibly one of the best songs ever is pounding by the doves
Am i the only one noticing that Conor Oberst deserves more credit? Bright Eyes creates beautiful music with it’s lyrics. Their amazing.
Glad to see Okkervil River got a mention. I’d think Unless its Kicks or Plus Ones would be their best.
Check out Guillemots. Their song “Trains to Brazil” belongs on this list. It will change your life I promise you.
i for one do not believe that bright eyes belongs on the list… perhaps the lyrics are somewhat interesting but the instrumentals are downright boring, bland, insipid, etc. i would add a few to the list (all of these are excellent and will get your feet tapping… may not be “top 100″ worthy, but they’re all fun
mostly electro/dance music.
anyway, the top 100 list provided above as well as everyone’s suggestions were great, thanks for helping me to expand my music library!
metric- grow up and blow away
avenue d- do i look like a slut?
a.r.e. weapons- don’t be scared
revl9n/ revlon 9- someone like you
juliette & the licks- sticky honey
blur- beetlebum
moving units- i am
solex- shoot shoot!
cornelius- drop
ratatat (all instrumentals)- seventeen years, epliohunk (pretty much any ratatat song is awesome)
the sounds- hit me!, tony the beat
the scanners- bombs, lowlife
bloc party- banquet, helicopter (and:: check out steve aoki’s amazing remix of helicopter, i promise you’ll love it)
tegan & sara- walking with the ghost
green velvet- shake & pop
elliott smith- independence day, waltz #1 & #2, everything means nothing to me
gang of four- damaged goods, i found that essence rare
the flirts- passion
communards- disenchanted
felix da housecat- silverscreen
death from above 1979-
justice- we are your friends, d.a.n.c.e.
deathcab for cutie- soul meets body
uffie- pop the glock, 1984
imperial teen- ivank
spoon- all the pretty girls go to the city
stereolab- hallucinex, cosmic country noir
interpol- stella was a diver…., obstacle 1 & 2
klaxons- magick & golden skans (original versions)
!!!/ chkchkchk- hello? is this thing on
the walkmen- we’ve been had
sleater-kinney (i know, kind of cheesy)- sympathy & oh!
pink martini- aspettami, brazil
the shins- girl inform me
whitey- leave them all behind, a walk in the dark
q and not u- animal calls
ben kweller- wasted and ready (i know i know, getting cheesy)
dandy warhols- bohemian like me (yes, even cheesier!)
cat power- he war, shaking paper
deerhoof- dead beast queen, crow
enon- disposable parts, natural disasters
dub sweden- walk me home
the faint- posed to death
the go! team- bottle rocket
the presets- i go hard, i go home
goldfrapp- here we come, strict machine
new young pony club- get dancey, the get go
guided by voices- i am a scientist
simian mobile disco- hot dog, i believe
tilly and the wall- reckless (everyone should check them out, they’ve got a tapdancer!!)
latyrx- lady tont tek no
mount sims- how we do
quix*o*tic- ice cream
magnetic fields- take ecstacy with me (also !!!’s cover is good)
raveonettes- beat city
to rephrase Bowling for Soup, when did Motley Crue become indie rock?
A few more for consideration:
1) Aztec Camera
2) Gun Club (If Fugazi is here, as it should be, then Gun Club, whose Fire of Love album was one of the great albums on the 80’s should be here)
3) Joy Division – Either Transmission of Love Will Tear Us Apart or She’s Lost Control)
Still, I like that the list attempts to cover almost 30 years of music. I doubt any list I could put together would be any better. It’s hard to pick 100 songs out of 30 years when there are thousands out there. The comments show just how much great music is out there waiting to be discovered by todays generation of music lovers.
Rock on!
“Me” Is totally right with her reply to the list.
Definitely needs some more Sufjan, Shins, Pinback as well as Silversun Pickups. And I mean you can’t forget Interpol! Come on now.
And how about some Of Montreal!? YeeeeAH!
alright bye:)
lol I meant with HIS/HER reply
sorry If I offended you if you happen to be a male.
No Stereolab?
What about these amazing bands that were not mentioned? If you haven’t heard any of these bands, they are worth a piece of your life!
The Stills!?
The Strokes!
The Shins!
Ambulance Ltd
Bjork
Interpol
Modest Mouse
Cursive
Yo la Tengo
Phoenix
Peter Bjorn
Radiohead
The Mars Volta
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Format
gabybaby – some good bands in that list, but most are on major labels. we did our best to stick to the indie labels.
Very good list. I do have to say that ‘Sitting Still’ isn’t even the best song on Murmur from R.E.M. A few other things I would have omitted and included. But, overall, very nice list. You can definitely see the effort put into this.
This list is cool, thanks. But it begs the question; what is ‘indie’?
you should have put always and forever by deestylistics(i think its indie)
Very nice indeed. A lot of tracks up there that I love. I cant believe you have
DJ Danger Mouse on the list Amazing Producer!
Has nobody here heard of “The Rifles”???????
hey. fun list but i dont agree with much in it.. weird song choice for death cab, only one i agree with basically is new slang, but still missing gone for good, spilt needles or those to come from the shins..and where’s johnossi?
anyways, have a good one:)
MODEST MOUSE. WHAT KIND OF DEFINITIVE INDIE ROCK LIST WOULD OMIT SUCH AN INFLUENTIAL AND ESSENTIAL BAND? THIS IS BULLSH*T, MY FRIENDS.
all of these list that include “top 100″ are really stupid. some on the lists are overrated, some don’t make sense, and what constitutes something to be in the top 100? the songs may be great, but there is no way defining how it is one of top 100, if there is a top 100.
aww should have at least thrown 1 song from Modest Mouse’s “The Lonesome Crowded West”, wouldn’t matter which song, even something from long drive or the moon and antarctica
A Punk by Vampire Weekend is possibly the best indie song I have ever heard.
If anyone has any modern indie I’d love a listen, I work for a music magazine and our special is modern indie, so any input would be appreciated.
Many Thanks, Coatesy
Uck, I have two Mancunian words for whoever compiled this list: The Smiths.
Obviously, whoever made this list hasn’t got a Smiths album. Seriously, if you listened to just one of their albums alone, you could literally revamp this list. They aren’t the most important 80’s British band for nothing. “This Charmng Man, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, How Soon is Now”, just to name a few of about a zillion great Indie songs.
What about Jose Gonzales, Plunkett or Bonnie Prince Billy?
if you don’t know them yet, then it’s time to find out!
The entire “Harder The Come” Soundtrack, but especially “Shanty Town” – Desmond Dekker (Mango/Island) actually by Jimmy Cliff. You really should read the covers and labels of your records/cds/cassettes.
wtf no radio head?
what about metric? imogen heap? regina spektor? cat power? arcade fire? the postal service? and more…
the list is incomplete by a long shot.
It’s definitely skewed towards music we like.
not bad but wheres OASIS top 100 shuld be full of em
JOY DIVISION??
This has to be a joke as you can’t have an indie list without several oasis songs on it.
How the hell can Live Wire be the best Indie track of all time, utter rubbish, as a few others point out, where are The Smiths, Oasis, Ash, it is all about opinion but I went to an Indie club in York in 1993 and they were playing Slide Away by Oasis full pelt and it was F***** awesome, spine tingling stuff.
So I would add Slide Away by Oasis.
I love the Crue but Live Wire is hardly Indie is it!
Goldfinger by Ash, another classic Indie track.
Sweetser – The list is chronological and that Crue album was on an indie label.
You are forgeting about the greatest indie band!
That would be The Strokes!
good music, but it isn’t indie.
half of it’s classic rock.
classic rock? please do explain?
NO BRAND NEW?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
ALL THERE SONGS ARE GREAT!
Great list with a lot of effort put in it.
You have to laugh at the morons who make comments like “WTF?! No . This list is *#$%!”
It’s an opinion people! Why the aggression? Its just a subjective list – just because somebody has a different opinion doesn’t make them an idiot. If you don’t agree with the list, make your own.
Wow, amazing list – plenty of old faves there (especially Meat Puppets and Buena Vista Social Club for me), and plenty of new stuff for me to check out. But I do agree with one of the comments above – no Fall!?
You’ve probably seen those programs on TV where they name the best albums or films of all time similar to this list. But with those shows one often tends to think… who makes this up?! The new Poll The People is the first global evolving poll where you can have your say to create the definitive list of greatest albums, books and films.
It doesn’t end there, though. You can create your own Top 5 category – your Top 5 cartoon characters, your Top 5 beaches, your Top 5 mineral waters… or anything else you can think of, from the sublime to the ridiculous! Check out and rate other people’s Top 5s and hook up with people of similar tastes.
There is also a growing number of celebrity Top 5s on the site which offer a great insight into their influences, so if you’d like to know which albums Paul Weller rates, Nick Hornby’s favourite books, or James King’s top films, look no further.
http://www.pollthepeople.com
most of this is not indie.
we have Soul, Southern Rock, Rock, Americana….
I could go on but can’t be arsed.
I wonder if it should be a list of independently released records,
in which cae where is In A Rut by Ruts released on People Unite in 1979, Spiral Scratch by Buzzcocks released on New Hormones in 1977.
much more independent than Motley Crue.
and why do you need my email???????????????
johnny gee – email is required by the blog platform, not us.
and we qualified “indie” as coming from an indie label – not a genre.
A top 100 indie list and no Oasis!?!?!?!?!
Oasis was definitely maybe an oversight on our part. Get it. Definitely Maybe. Get it.
Sorry.
motle crue??? why?! they don’t belong anywhere near there.
“most of this is not indie.
we have Soul, Southern Rock, Rock, Americana….”
INDIE is a staus, not a GENRE !
definitely.
here we go. Hi my names “indie guy” and im so cool cause i know all the underground labels and bands and i like to make fun of people who dont cause im mr. cool guy First off, do any of you have a f*cking life. Do you sit around all day trying to get info on the new “underground band” so you can talk shit on people who have a different taste in music than you do. Does it make you all feel good inside to know your updated on latest hipster news. Give me a f*cking break and everyone else a break for that matter. I came to this website to hopefully find some indie bands i hadnt heard of before, to put on my ipod(oh know, is ipod to commercial for you, should i have sandisk)but all i found was a bunch of f*ucking wanna be hipster nerds who are just trying to make other people feel inferior. Who are you to judge whats on somebody’s top whatever list. If you dont like it get the hell off the website. And thank you Oz for taking the time to put this together, you didnt have to but i think you wanted to help some uninformed people out. Ya know i love indie rock, but this genre of music has the most f*cking stuck up people who surround it. It really sucks. And you guys suck! Oh, one more thing- GO KILLERS. Suck on that, indie punks!
I Love the killers! ; )
Three words: American Music Club
Face it, THE SMITHS SUCKS
Iron & Wine, Sufjan Stevens and Neutral Milk Hotel rules!!!
Where is the Brand New????? Classic rock makes me smile, but the list said ‘indie’ and there should in fact be some Brand New songs included????
No Songs By The National? Fake Empire? Start A War?
Sunset Rubdown, Sunset Rubdown, Sunset Rubdown.
Now, everybody at once…
I agree with a lot on this list and i will say that a lot of people who have commented about bands that should be on it are spot on. I am just getting into more underground music so i have looked up a lot of them and really thank everyone for their input. I love the debating about what indie actually is but why do some people have to get so angry about it. Music should just be about what gives you that feeling of infinity when you listen to it, and what makes you feel better inside. This post must have taken a lot of work to put together and i truly thank the people who did this. I have learned a lot!
Hey, thanks Kathy. It’s been fun watching these comments over the past year. The selection process was very unscientific…a few buddies exchanging emails and debating.
If we could do it all over with everyone’s comments in consideration, the list would look much different I’m sure.
at what point are any of them indie? nirvana had a deal as do soundgarden amongst others. go back to school eh
hell yeah i love musci
Most of the bands you listed aren’t even indie. For instance, you’re first song’s band, Motley Crue? NOT indie. You just picked you’re favorite songs and put them on a list.
Actually, that’s not true. That MC album was put out on an indie label. Indie music by definition is music that’s been released on an independent record label. You’re viewing it as a genre.
This list doesnt even to begin to define indie.
When I hear “All time best INDIE songs” I think freaking Daniel johnston…He paved the way for many and inspired a lot.
p.s. To the last comment made..bye the jack fucker…indie music is a certain sound /genre… and can also be an indie record label. But the reason why its a sound/ its own genre is because before these huge corporate businesses transformed talentless good people into money grubbing bafoons…people were making music in their basments with shitty recording equipment which gave it its independent *done by your self* sound. So, indie has changed over the years but the roots will always be about the sound for me and many others…
I’m sorry but how the hell can you make a list of the greatest indie songs of all time and not include oasis!!!
during the early 90’s indie music was in a pretty sad state with the exception of the stone roses, oasis almost single handedly made indie music something to be excited about again, which inspired alot of bands you see today like the arctic monkeys, the libertines, kasabian etc etc, from 95 to 97 they were probably the biggest indie rock band in the world and one of the best in my opinion!
no way near anough arcade fire stuff! they’re the greatest!
‘rebellion (lies)’ should at least be in the top ten and ‘keep the car running’ should easily make the top 30. you also can’t have an indie top 100 without ‘intervention’ and ‘no cars go’..
should also have more bloc party…..’banquet’, ‘price of gas’, ’song for clay’ all deserve to be there over some they’ve included
I have to say, this list is shit. However, this is my opinion and I will back it up with some facts. How can The Smiths not be on this list? Morrissey is regarded, regularly, as being one off the greatest lyricists of all time. Johnny Marr writes intricate, textured and layered music that you can get lost in, and dance to at the same time. He has been inovative with “How Soon Is Now” and has written amazing acoustics like, “Back to the Old House”. Recently, Morrissey and Marr were voted as the fifth greatest songwriting duo of all time, not just the greatest indie songwriting duo of all time. Their albums are constantly rated as the best of the eighties in lists done by magazines and people. They influenced the obvious, Oasis and Radiohead and the whole britpop scene, but also stretched to the US and influenced System of a Down, Blink 182, and other average bands. They even influenced Outkast for god’s sakes. And after all this you leave them off the list of 100 greatest indie songs? And then put Slack Motherfucker on it? NWA and Motley Crue? WTF? Let’s just shift aside one of the greatest bands of all time for some rappers who sampled a(non-indie) band from the 70’s and a rock band with a song which title is an expletive. Let’s just top the list with Motley Crue, a band in which every member has been arrested and are obvious dickheads and who’s songs aren’t even good. Mudhoney? What the hell? Just my opinion guys, no need to get hostile or threaten me, but you got to admit this list is pretty bad.
Thanks OZ! I appreciate your work. Can’t wait to check out all of the bands that I have yet to learn about. That is the real value in the list and comments. Funny to see how passionate people get about their music. If only people blogged about the visual arts with such vehemence….
this list is offensive. the 16 year-old clerk at best buy could
offer greater insight than this.
if there are people out there trying to use this as a resource–
please please please think again.
Hi everyone
Well there is my favourite band missing from that list…but I guess a lot of people don’t like them… dunno why!
SUEDE were brilliant at the beginning of the 90’s… songs like So Young, We are the pigs, Animal Nitrate, even Beautiful Ones and Trash brings me lovely memories of that adorable decade.
If anyone is interested, the albums Nude, Dog Man Star are the best, and then you have Coming Up which is a bit different to the first two albums. It’s worth a try! as there are many songs quite interesting.
I feel like this is a list of the third or fourth best song of each band.
i think 30% of this list is shit, particularly the fact that motley crue is #1. and there’s no way ‘we are nowhere and it’s now’ is the best bright eyes song (listen to fevers & mirrors). but there’s a lot to agree with here too, like elliott smith, the shins, interpol, cat power, yo la tengo, etc. add more stuff like beirut and gogol bordello later (if this ever gets updated).
Ok loved the list but like mentioned already where is oasis, radio head , modest mouse ,cat stevens (if you consider him indi),city and colour, the kooks, Razor light? And the White stripes, really? All in all not a bad list though. I liked seeing Arctic Monkeys, and Bob Marley, but Bob Marley is reggae not indi.
¿¡How could you forget “The Libertines” people!? i mean, is one of the best groups in history. Motley Crue????????? all the musicians in this band should be murdered XD
No strokes? Fail.
This list is 50/50 hahah motley crue and NWA c’mon !! nothing against those artist but where is bands like the libertines, the strokes, who pioneered indie music from 2001-onwards also no OASIS !
where the hell is brimful of asha?
hey guys ,
ok some good artists but as mentioned before it isnt thier best work for example :
sufjan stevens – come on feel the illinoise??? how about “john wayne gacy jr ” and “chicago”
and
some of these would have been nice ;
JOY DIVISION , Duh i mean come on a indie list without “love will tear us apart”
RATATAT , Amazing electronic beats.
THE SUBMARINES , feel good soft indie.
FOALS , “cassius” or “baloons”
i can’t believe no-one has mentioned THE CURE .
apart from that good work oz
thanks.
FUCK?!
This is bullshizzle.
come on, You’re the top on google searches. At least get it right. Fucks sake. Motley Fucking Crew?! … Are you pulling my chain?!
‘Specially as first. They’re a bastard Glam-Rock band. Jesus. Get a sense of genre.
Ok, I agree with many of the comments made about the bands that aren’t included in this list, which I won’t go into.
“Indie” is short for independent, and so ‘Independent Record labels’ constitutes a viable system.
However, since when has ‘independent’ / indie been a sound, and how can you define this as a genre??? As many different genres are made up of independent artist… i.e anything from Elliott Smith to Dizzee Rascal….
Indie is just a term that has gotten out of hand… but for research purposes i’d appreciate anyone to explain this difference to me…
I just can’t believe there’s no They Might Be Giants on the list and only 1 person commenting on their omission… Great to see Neutral Milk Hotel, Decemberists, Shins, Mountain Goats, Beulah on there though
okay list but what about the yeah yeah yeahs, killers, bloc party, the stones
OMG… That’s shit! Patrick Wolf is probably the biggest indie musician… I mean… motley crue? And What about Foals?.. Pure shit
MODEST MOUSE MODEST MOUSE MODEST MOUSE
Wow an amazing list, I’m not alone! but there’s always one…no firehose?
Great list guys. Death Cab are one of my favourite bands ever, never mind just indie.
i love all the people critisizing this list…i think it’s good..if you don’t like them, make your own damn list and your own damn blog..
Very solid list, but I would have had more from Beggar’s Group. I think it should have been Condor Ave. from Elliott Smith or Needle in the Hay as opposed to Between the Bars, but to each his own! What about Quasi, another Portland group. Animal Collective are another who had great songs from the early 00’s that would have been appropriate as well. Again, solid list and I look forward to downloading quite a bit from it!
Umm, no Silkworm? And to make it even worse, barely anyone mentioned Silkworm in the comments! I would definitely add Slow Burn, that song is just epic, but I guess a more popular Silkworm choice would be Don’t Make Plans This Friday or Couldn’t You Wait. (Both are amazing songs.) If you haven’t listened to Silkworm, you should definitely check them out. My favorite album is L’arje, but I don’t think too many people agree with me on that one.
Overall the list was alright, I have seen better. I like that you included an early Soundgarden track. Way too many people don’t give them a chance because of Black Hole Sun, which is too bad.
This is your opinion though, so I am sure to you it was an excellent list. If I had made this list it would probably just be filled with Silkworm and Superchunk. So you did better than I would have.
Oh, and Silkworm’s cover of Insider by Tom Petty is just AMAZING.
Violent Femmes should be on this list.
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