It seems like the decade was just beginning. I can remember witnessing the transformation from alternative rock to indie music as the preferred genre for so many fans, and boy, was it exciting. Since the decade is winding down now, I’d like to take a few minutes to honor the bands that I believe to be the best of the decade.
In doing this, I’d like to narrow it down to five before choosing one in my mind whose influence and body of work was stronger than any other. There’s no right answer to this, as it’s all a matter of personal tastes.
I can remember the impact that the White Stripes had at the beginning of the decade. Their music sounded much more like Zeppelin than Nirvana, and it was refreshing to hear some new bands with the classic rock influences that I love.
Most notably, they spearheaded the whole garage rock movement and many bands followed suit. More importantly, they produced a handful of quality records throughout the decade and the two of them have a sound that’s richer than bands with give and more members. The White Stripes get a nod for innovating music that’s simplistic in its roots.
Another obvious contender is Radiohead. While the band became very popular during the previous decade, they became even more well respected during the past ten years.
Each Radiohead album has been a unique experience, with innovation being the key factor here. Radiohead sounds absolutely nothing like the band did in the’90s, and critics and fans have enjoyed every bit of the band’s music.
While the White Stripes and Radiohead have been hugely successful, Wilco has enjoyed its own success on just as large a scale. This band has produced a wealth of great music during the decade, and its story is just as interesting.
Just when Wilco’s record label was ready to give up on the band, Wilco decided to turn on its label and release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, their 2002 album, independently. Everything is history from there, as some of the decade’s best releases were crafted by Wilco.
Having said all that, it’s a tough decision but I think I’ll go with Wilco here.
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Formerly an Artist manager in the music industry he has now turned to promoting in a different fashion by creating an online community for all artists and musicians to promote themselves and cooperate for the betterment of Art and Music everywhere!
