U! S! A!

Two years ago (whoa) the Guardian published a list called something like the The Top 40 Bands in America. Anyone who read it was understandably disturbed by who made it and who didn't, so blogger Information Leafblower organized a panel of bloggers to vote on their own Top 40. The Strokes won that year, so I didn't mind it. The next year he did it again, and Ted Leo won. Thankfully, this year he invited someone who doesn't only listen to and blog about Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab, Ted Leo, and Antony: me.

I was really honored and excited to participate, but quickly found the process of choosing bands to be difficult. The criteria to choose bands, as far as I got it, was to choose bands from the U.S. who significantly impacted me this year, whether they were new or old, released an album or just toured, or whatever. This was hard because most of the bands I immideately thought of were either Canadian or British (for example, Black Mountain would have definitely been on my list).

To my surprise, the entries were due Monday and the list is already posted. Check it out. I don't have time to go over it right now, but I will later. In the meantime, here is my full, annotated list. I ranked the bands on a number of factors, including albums released this year, live performances, how often I listen to them, and how innovative and creative I figure them to be within the all-too-often boring realm of popular music. The Kills are not included because they can’t necessarily be considered an American group, and I left the White Stripes off because they were my guess for #1 (and they didn't even make the list... woops).

Top 10 Bands in the U.S. in 2005

1. lcd soundsystem
Ground-breaking singles, a classic debut album, live shows that turn venues around the globe into discos, a refreshing sense of humor, exciting videos… Much more than the sum of its parts, James Murphy and company’s stand-out trait is the relentless pursuit of extreme quality all around, making lcd soundsystem by far the best band in America today.

2. Out Hud
Music that appeals equally to body and mind. A live show where the band is having just as much fun as the audience, and everybody’s dancing. Reinvention, innovation, and great songs (with the best titles). Whether its instrumental or the girls are singing, Out Hud is a great fucking band.

3. STNNNG
STNNNG (for newbies, say: “the Stunning”) is less a rock band than a musical doomsday device. A barrage of drums that nails all of its targets, two articulate, noise spewing guitarists that continually shock and awe, and a front-man who comes off as Tim Harrington’s very pissed off little brother, albeit much more literate, conniving, prone to steam-of-consciousness instructions for enduring the apocalypse, and not bald. STNNNG is the searing soundtrack to the end of the world.

4. The Ponys
I love this band. Finally, a group of kids (from Chicago, NOT New York) who can channel the nihilistic spirit of Richard Hell and the Voidoids without seeming contrived. That in of itself is remarkable, never mind that their debut album was great, the second was better, and their incendiary live presence.

5. The Juan Maclean
It’s 2005, and this is what pop music is supposed to sound like.

6. Sleater-Kinney
Too much has been said already. Sleater-Kinney is really, really good. Let’s just leave it at that.

7. Kanye West
Kanye West is probably going to rule the world. Literally. You can’t go from hit producer to a Grammy-grabbing debut rapper, and then release a hit sophomore album the VERY NEXT YEAR, scoring tons of singles, sales, and the cover of TIME. That just doesn’t happen. Bill Gates better watch out.

8. Thunderbirds Are Now!
There need to be more bands like TAN!: bands that are smart, catchy, creative, danceable, funny, influenced by Les Savy Fav, and nice guys to boot. This year’s Justamustache blows their old material out of the water, and they know how to tear it up live without coming off as jackasses or hardcore kids.

9. Animal Collective
Animal Collective manages to sound absolutely retarded and brilliant at the same time, and they keep getting better. I don’t understand why people like them so much – including me, which is a good thing, I think. Also, the band should be recognized for an approach to live shows that differs from almost any other rock band, today or otherwise.

10. Green Day
It’s hard to believe that Green Day is making a comeback this big. They’ve revitalized a played-out genre, made a conceptual, political record that is miraculously unpretentious, regained their original fan-base, scored props with critics, and won over the hearts of TRL watching America. And did you see them live? They had fire. FIRE!!!

Couldn’t fit on the list: The White Stripes, !!!, Deerhoof, The Kills, Autolux, Fischerspooner, Queens of the Stone Age, Gwen Stefani, Devendra Banhart, Blood on the Wall, The Fiery Furnaces

Veto (because I think they’re overrated): Sufjan Stevens, The Hold Steady, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!

Veto (because I can’t stand them): Antony and the Johnsons, The Decemberists

This is definitely not the last you'll hear about this list, as I have a lot to say about my list, who I left on, why I had Green Day on there, and what I think of the compiled top 40 and why. In the meantime check out lists from some of the other contributors:

Brooklyn Vegan
Largehearted Boy
Melody Nelson
One Louder
Seeking Irony

The next post will be more comprehensive, I'm just trying to get this out fast. Cheers.