A collaboration between musicianvocalist Imogen Heap and producerarrangersongwritermusician Guy Sigsworth Frou Frou manufactured an impressive brand of vocal-driven electronic pop formerly the exclusive territory of Bjrk The British duo had been coll…

British trio Keane, who trade in the sort of grandiose, melancholy Britpop that was the chief domain of Coldplay for much of the early 2000s, broke big with their 2004 debut album, HOPES AND FEARS. While many hear the band's sound as yet another wate…

Separately, synth player Jimmy Tamborello and singer Ben Gibbard were known for their work in electronica and emo, respectively, with Dntel and Death Cab For Cutie. Together, they became a powerful pop duo, combinining Tamborello's melodic knowhow an…

In 2000, Coldplay emerged seemingly out of nowhere to become a worldwide smash with their debut album PARACHUTES and hit single "Yellow." They're generally lumped in with the Britpop crowd, but, like Travis, they favor a more thoughtful, melodic pop …

b. Arlington, Virginia, USA. Yamagata spent a number of years on the musical sidelines before emerging in 2004 as a singer-songwriter of some note. The daughter of a German-Italian mother and Japanese father, she learned to play piano as a child befo…

The musical careers of former studio engineers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker were given a boost by old college chum and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich when he let them remix OK COMPUTER's "Climbing Up the Walls." The resulting product led to greater…

Glasgow-via-Belfast indie-rock ensemble Snow Patrol have played everything from shambolic noise-pop a la Pavement, to a slightly droney post-rock in the vein of Mogwai, to epic lovelorn anthems modeled after Coldplay. While the band's influences are …

The late 1990s saw the emergence of several notable female singer/songwriters, including Beth Orton, Jewel, and Dido. Combining elements of folk, pop, and alt-electronica, Dido scored a surprise hit with her debut effort NO ANGEL, which raced up the …

Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice started out in 1997 in a band called Juniper, which was signed to a major deal but fell apart before it could make a full album. Shortly after that, Rice hit the road as a solo artist. His first album, 2003's O, in…

The roots of Los Angeles band Maroon 5 lay in the late-1990s Weezer-influenced alt-rock outfit Kara's Flowers. After that group disbanded, the members eventually started a new band (along with a second guitarist). Rechristening themselves Maroon 5, t…

Formed in the Pacific Northwest during the late 1990s, Death Cab for Cutie deals in guitar rock that is informed by a striking sensitivity. Led by singer/guitarist Benjamin Gibbard, the group straddles the line between indie and emo rock, earning the…

Combining the influences of new wave, post-punk, and lo-fi, Washington's Modest Mouse spent the second half of the 1990s becoming one of the most renowned indie-rock bands in America. Though often tagged an emo group, Modest Mouse transcends sub-genr…

Tegan & Sara are twin sisters from Canada who have won over legions of fans with their self-deprecating humor and energetic acoustic music that marries emo honesty with pop sparkle and songcraft. After winning a local battle of the bands in their nat…

Born in the middle of a seven-daughter family with creative and free-spirited parents Butterfly Bouchers first name was suggested by some divine intervention her mother was experiencing A picture on an elementary school wall a print on a dance teache…

b. Essex, England. Singer-songwriter Imogen Heap could hardly have enjoyed a more prestigious live debut - performing four songs, backed by friends Acacia, between sets by the Who and Eric Clapton at the 1996 Prince's Trust Concert in London's Hyde P…

In a crossover worthy of soap star-turned-rocker Rick Springfield, professional surfer Jack Johnson emerged as one of the hottest pop stars of the early '00s. The interesting thing is that, amid hordes of teen-poppers and nu-metallists, he came to fa…

In the late 1990s, the Albuquerque indie-rock band Flake Music morphed into the Shins, led by vocalist-guitarist James Mercer. Upon the release of 2001's OH, INVERTED WORLD, the Shins garnered a landslide of critical acclaim with their amiable, 1960…

Her love of the Cranberries John Mayer and Fiona Apple is easy to hear when one listens to the poignant music of singersongwriter Anna Nalick but its her beloved Blind Melon that had the most impact on her career The California native had been record…