For my 100th post, following is a straight up list of my 100 favorite bands. Please know that this list is constantly evolving, not only because of the emergence of new, exciting bands, but also because of my reappraisal of old favorites. There are around 140 bands I love, but I listen to these 100 bands more than the other 40 for whatever reason. And I’ve highlighted what I think would be my top 25 if you held a gun to my head and made me pick.*
I like all of those bands to one degree or another. If I could include AC Newman's three solo albums as part of the New Pornographer's discography, they would be top 100 for me for sure.
I have high hopes for the Beths over the next 5-10 years.
Sloan is my favorite Canadian band. Along with the Band. Which reminds me: I also love New Pornographers. Good call re: Fruit Bats. I considered the Police (love their first three albums). Don’t know Lowest of the Low. Will investigate.
Bob Marley falls into the Petty and Springsteen category for me.
Great list! Not at all surprised to see GBV (rightfully) on there, but didn’t expect New Order to be a top 25er. Thats awesome. We share a lot of top picks, but I would’ve included Jawbreaker,Throwing Muses, and Wire here.
Trying to limit it to 100 feels impossible. I will say that I find myself regularly gravitating to bands that aren't as well known. For instance, I love a lot of the Fleetwood Mac catalog, but after 30 years of having it beaten into my skull, I'm okay not hearing it again on a regular basis.
For instance, I love Chicago's Insiders. They released one modestly successful album on Epic in the late 1980s & had a top ten moden rock chart hit with "Ghost On The Beach." Had the all-too-typical problems with the label, which dropped them after they recorded a couple of albums worth of tracks for a follow-up. They released a few albums on their own, and their live album "Live At Fitzgerald's" is one of my all-time favorite albums.
If anyone is interested, although their Epic album isn't available digitally, you can find the entire album on this YouTube playlist.
One of the band's two singer/songwriters (Gary Yerkins) has posted the entire unreleased album as well. And while I don't love every track, there is some great stuff there.
I've seen a LOT of bands in clubs. I went to college in L.A. in the mid/late 1970s and saw every imaginable rock/punk band. In their prime, The Insiders were as good as any of them. And maybe that colors my love for them. But isn't that what music is all about?
16 of 25 shared up top. All others in your 100, save one: ELO. How can you not love ELO, at least a little bit? Even a hardcore punk needs a little melodic sunshine occasionally. Happy to see the under appreciated Dr. Dog on there. No Modest Mouse? Thought they'd make the cut.
Built to Spill and Pixies - the two chattiest live bands of all time. Love it. Glad to see Sloan, too - the 90s Canadian scene that birthed them was phenomenally good and deep. I'm a Canadian, and my 100 would have a silly percentage of Sloan contemporaries on it.
Matt great list and congrats on the 100th post! I had about a 50% overlap with you. Limiting it to true "bands" makes it more challenging. I'd also include the New Pornographers (you admitted that miss), The Beths, Heartless Bastards, Arctic Monkeys, Fountains of Wayne, My Morning Jacket, the Avett Brothers, Best Coast, and Dawes.
I spotted a little more than a 25% overlap, which is pretty good! Here’s 10 more in order of how they came off the top of my head: Killing Joke, Wire, Joy Division, Siouxsie and The Banshees, boygenius, Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen, Young Marble Giants, Hospitality, Hiss Golden Messenger.
At first I read OMD as OMC and I thought how bizarre!
Interesting to see Sloan on there. They were so huge when I was living in Halifax; I loved a few of their albums.
Some of the artists that come to mind for me would have to include Bob Marley and the Wailers, Fruit Bats, Future Islands, Khruangbin, The Lover Speaks, Lowest of the Low, Metric, Nation of Language, Our Lady Peace, The Police, Portishead, Still Corners, Thievery Corporation and Tragically Hip
I like all of those bands to one degree or another. If I could include AC Newman's three solo albums as part of the New Pornographer's discography, they would be top 100 for me for sure.
I have high hopes for the Beths over the next 5-10 years.
Sloan is my favorite Canadian band. Along with the Band. Which reminds me: I also love New Pornographers. Good call re: Fruit Bats. I considered the Police (love their first three albums). Don’t know Lowest of the Low. Will investigate.
Bob Marley falls into the Petty and Springsteen category for me.
Of those, Sly & the Family Stone are way up there for me. I’m also a fan of P-Funk….
From your list I'd include: Blondie, Belle & Sebastian, Depeche Mode, Fleetwood Mac, The Shins, Tame Impala.
I'd add: The B-52s, Bear Hands, Datarock, Foster the People, INXS, Kakkmaddafakka, The Killers, & Pet Shop Boys
Great list! Not at all surprised to see GBV (rightfully) on there, but didn’t expect New Order to be a top 25er. Thats awesome. We share a lot of top picks, but I would’ve included Jawbreaker,Throwing Muses, and Wire here.
Trying to limit it to 100 feels impossible. I will say that I find myself regularly gravitating to bands that aren't as well known. For instance, I love a lot of the Fleetwood Mac catalog, but after 30 years of having it beaten into my skull, I'm okay not hearing it again on a regular basis.
For instance, I love Chicago's Insiders. They released one modestly successful album on Epic in the late 1980s & had a top ten moden rock chart hit with "Ghost On The Beach." Had the all-too-typical problems with the label, which dropped them after they recorded a couple of albums worth of tracks for a follow-up. They released a few albums on their own, and their live album "Live At Fitzgerald's" is one of my all-time favorite albums.
If anyone is interested, although their Epic album isn't available digitally, you can find the entire album on this YouTube playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lXw90C2fZ2mkqOaLBVe_fmagyj723Vas8
One of the band's two singer/songwriters (Gary Yerkins) has posted the entire unreleased album as well. And while I don't love every track, there is some great stuff there.
I've seen a LOT of bands in clubs. I went to college in L.A. in the mid/late 1970s and saw every imaginable rock/punk band. In their prime, The Insiders were as good as any of them. And maybe that colors my love for them. But isn't that what music is all about?
16 of 25 shared up top. All others in your 100, save one: ELO. How can you not love ELO, at least a little bit? Even a hardcore punk needs a little melodic sunshine occasionally. Happy to see the under appreciated Dr. Dog on there. No Modest Mouse? Thought they'd make the cut.
Very pleased to see REM and The Kinks here. My personal list would have to include We Are Scientists, Black Honey, The Libertines and The Vaccines.
No Sly, Parliament, Funkadelic, Coasters, Drifters, Midnighters?
Built to Spill and Pixies - the two chattiest live bands of all time. Love it. Glad to see Sloan, too - the 90s Canadian scene that birthed them was phenomenally good and deep. I'm a Canadian, and my 100 would have a silly percentage of Sloan contemporaries on it.
Matt great list and congrats on the 100th post! I had about a 50% overlap with you. Limiting it to true "bands" makes it more challenging. I'd also include the New Pornographers (you admitted that miss), The Beths, Heartless Bastards, Arctic Monkeys, Fountains of Wayne, My Morning Jacket, the Avett Brothers, Best Coast, and Dawes.
Cranberries
Stone Temple Pilots
Black Crowes
R.E.M.
Band of Horses
Guns N Roses
Van Halen
Deer Tick
The National? Listened to the Boxer?
I spotted a little more than a 25% overlap, which is pretty good! Here’s 10 more in order of how they came off the top of my head: Killing Joke, Wire, Joy Division, Siouxsie and The Banshees, boygenius, Fleet Foxes, The Walkmen, Young Marble Giants, Hospitality, Hiss Golden Messenger.
Earth, Wind & Fire, Isley Brothers, Parliament/Funkadelic, Sly & the Family Stone
At first I read OMD as OMC and I thought how bizarre!
Interesting to see Sloan on there. They were so huge when I was living in Halifax; I loved a few of their albums.
Some of the artists that come to mind for me would have to include Bob Marley and the Wailers, Fruit Bats, Future Islands, Khruangbin, The Lover Speaks, Lowest of the Low, Metric, Nation of Language, Our Lady Peace, The Police, Portishead, Still Corners, Thievery Corporation and Tragically Hip