More Bands Everyone Should Know

Wooooot! Some '90s music! The first gift we ever gave a bf was a heart-shaped box that we wrote the lyrics to Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" all over and filled with guitar pics. Love this post, aleyna22! —SparkNotes editors

After reading a post on bands you should know, I realized that there are a million talented groups out there that not too many people are familiar with. It’s a shame that bands that actually create decent albums are overshadowed by trite and overproduced artists.

In honor of these great performers, I’ve created my list of bands you need to hear. Maybe you’ve heard them a zillion times. Maybe you’ve only listened to their hit single. Maybe you’ve only heard them because your parents listen to them. Or maybe you’ve never heard of them at all. Trust me, these bands are worth a listen!

Foo Fighters: Before I get any deeper into this, I should probably tell you my parents have had a tremendous influence on my taste in music. (And no, they don’t listen to your typical “adult” music. Who else can say their mom likes Hollywood Undead?) And that’s where this band comes in. Sure, we’ve all heard of the legendary band Nirvana, but whatever happened after Kurt Cobain died? Well, that shaggy drummer, David Grohl, didn’t give up on the music industry. Instead, he formed the band Foo Fighters, and if you haven’t heard them, please Google them now. Or ask your parents. They probably listen to these guys (mine do!). To make it short, they’re pure rock goodness.

Song you should know: "Long Road to Ruin"

McFly: Here’s proof that Britain is the coolest place ever. And unless you are from there, chances are you’ve never heard of this band before. If you have, you may think from the name that they’re just another Jonas Brothers tween band, which is very, very wrong. Unlike the JoBros, they are cute, talented, vocally mature, and, well, not brothers. Plus they’re British.

Formed by friends Dougie, Danny, Tom, and Harry in 2004, this rock-pop band is still going strong. From the loud, rebellious “One for the Radio” to the sweet, swoon-worthy “Bubble Wrap,” there is a song for everyone. And their music videos are really a spectacle—just watch this one and see what I mean! Besides the music, Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter are pretty fun to look at. And they’re British.

Songs you should know: "Transylvania" and "All About You"

Owl City: There’s more to Owl City than “Fireflies.” For instance, did you know that Owl City is hardly even a band? It’s basically a one-man show, all run by a young man with a knack for producing irresistible tunes with an electronic keyboard. That man is Adam Young, a Minnesota native who I’m kinda crazy about, even though I’ve never particularly enjoyed electronic music.

What really lures me in are his lyrics. Not only were they mostly written in the middle of the night due to insomnia, but they are also quirky, poetic, and chock full of meaning. And it never ceases to amaze me that not one of his songs uses any profanity of any kind. With all the crap rap that’s on the radio these days, it takes some real talent and spirit to produce music that’s meaningful and catchy.

Songs you should know: "Dental Care" (it’s just too cute!) and "The Bird and the Worm"

Muse: Aside from their work on the Twilight soundtrack (otherwise known as the only good thing about the franchise besides this), have you ever really listened to these guys? If not, then you’re missing out. With Mathew Bellamy’s soaring vocals and about a billion albums that are anything but clichéd, Muse really deserves a little more notoriety. Some songs are somewhat of a throwback to classic rock, and feature epic electric guitar solos and even opera! Oh, and because I am a Glambert, I have to throw this in: Adam Lambert sang “Starlight” on the American Idol’s Live Tour this summer!

Songs you should know: "Unites States of Eurasia" (I am super crazy about this song!) and "Hysteria"

Sublime: Have you ever heard a song on the radio that mentions someone’s mom smoking pot? Okay, maybe not, and unless your parents listen to a lot of '90s music, you might have never heard of Sublime. The talented lead singer, Brad Nowell, died young of a drug overdose. Many of Sublime's songs are blunt and some have offensive language. Nevertheless, I think they're worth a listen.

Song you should know: "Santeria," my second most favorite song ever!!!

Vampire Weekend: This is the band you hear about in magazines and on random people’s Facebook walls but never got around to listening to. Were you put off by their eccentric album cover, their band name that, naturally, reminds you of Twilight? Maybe. That was it for me, but when I listened to Vampire Weekend, I discovered quite a few things: Their band name is weird. Their album cover is weird. Their song titles are weird. Their lyrics are weird. Their vocals are weird. But weird, my friend, is AWESOME. You may, as I was, be a little put off at first, but give their new album a chance. It's called Contra, which means “against” in Spanish. I went partially insane when that was one of our vocabulary words in Spanish class.

Song you should know: "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" (from their first album)

Queen: OKAY, I realize I’m listing one of the most famous bands ever on a list of relatively unknown bands, but hear me out! When I was just a teeny tiny 3-year-old, my parents played A Night at the Opera in the car constantly, and I was scared of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I felt very sorry for the poor little boy that nobody loved. When I was in seventh grade and a project required me to construct an M&M person out of construction paper, I listened to “Bohemian Rhapsody” 10 times in a row while working. Sorry, I just wanted to throw that out there.

Now, if you haven’t heard of Queen, you’ve been living under a rock. If your parents are indeed Queen fans, I will high five them. No, I will fist bump them. Queen is the greatest band ever and I don’t care what you have to say about the Beatles. (Who I love too—don’t get me wrong here!) All I’m trying to say is this: Queen is underappreciated by many of my peers. Go listen to them. Not their greatest hits, but all those crazy unknown songs! They. Are. AMAZING.

Songs you MUST know: "March of the Black Queen," "The Millionaire Waltz," "The Prophet’s Song," "Now I’m Here," "Save Me," and a million others! (:

Do you love any of these bands?

Related Post: 5 Bands Everyone Should Know

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