Slightly Stoopids Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald were signed to Sublime mastermind Brad Nowells Skunk imprint while still in high school and did two albums for the label Slightly Stoopid in 1996 and Longest Barrel Ride two years later While the soun…

Youthful West Coast singersongwriter Brett Dennen first drew attention in 2004 with the single Desert Sunrise The tune with its easy groove and soulful phrasing garnered enough spins on KCRW to warrant the release of his self-titled debut the followi…

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…

Singersongwriter Bill Ricchini was born in Philadelphia PA on January 22 1974 Though indie rock was his main interest when he began writing songs while attending college at La Salle University in Philadelphia it was his parents record collection -- t…

Influenced by literature as much as the best in Scottish pop Glasgows the Poems feature former members of classic Scottish bands Robert Hodgens the Bluebells Adrian Barry the High Fidelity and Bobby Paterson Love and Money were joined by vocalists Ke…

British singer-songwriter Jim Noir appeared in 2004 with an eclectic sound mixing modern rock and elements of electronica. His early EPs created quite a buzz, with Adidas subsequently picking one track ("Eanie Meany") for their 2006 World Cup ad camp…

Jamaican legend Bob Marley began recording in the mid-1960s when R&B-influenced vocal harmony was the order of the day in Jamaican pop. With the Wailers, he presaged every major development from rock steady to roots reggae. By combining the tension o…

Joe Purdy a singersongwriter from Arkansas put in his time working at a loading dock and as a counselor at a private high school before his song Wash Away became synonymous with the 2004 season of ABCs Lost Purdy left Arkansas for California in 2001 …

Authenticity is the key to the music of Rockabilly Hall of Fame members Big Sandy His Fly-Rite Boys Although theyve moved from their rockabilly roots to a sound that encompasses folk bluegrass Western swing Cajun and mariachi influences the six-piec…

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 …

Montreal, Canada-based outfit led by songwriter Murray Lightburn (guitar/keyboards/vocals). Formed in 1995, the Dears evolved from the wreckage of Lightburn's previous band the Wrens, from whom he took drummer John Todd and bass player Andrew White. …

Born on December 10 1972 in Downey CA Donavon Frankenreiter took to surfing at a young age By the age of 13 he had a sponsor -- Billabong -- and the pursuit of a professional career in surfing led to a move to Hawaii a year later He had rented a home…

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…

Beck Hansen, the quintessential California slacker, came up among the lo-fi ranks, pushing a blend of country blues, Dylan-inspired wordplay, punk, and hip-hop. His straight-out-of-the-gate 1994 smash, "Loser," made him a star seemingly overnight. Su…

London-based Norwegian-born Kate Havnevik spent her formative years with the desire to become a guitarist in the jazz and classical worlds but these plans were derailed after joining a punk band at the tender age of 14 Since then Havnevik has explore…

b. Moscow, Russia. Piano balladeer Spektor lived in Russia, Austria and Italy prior to moving with her family to the Bronx, New York City, at the age of nine. Her parents' musical training - her mother was employed as a music historian and her father…

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 …