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Lunch » People » Count_Orlok_22 » Lists » Best Bands and Musical Artists of the Past 10 Years (1999-2009)

Best Bands and Musical Artists of the Past 10 Years (1999-2009)

Sep 2, 2009

by Count_Orlok_22
posted in Rebellious Rabble Radio

Looking over the past ten years of music there are a lot of great bands that have emerged. Some have been lucky enough to maintain their integrity while enjoying commercial success. Others have been less successful commercially but have built an underground following. All are great!

System of a Down

With their combination of Middle Eastern melodies, stop-start rhythm sections, and fiercely individual musical style, System of a Down proved themselves to be the new kings of the nu-metal genre and the most likely successors to Rage Against the Machine when it comes to politically fuelled rock music.

Death Cab for Cutie

Somewhere between the sounds of Simon & Garfunkel and The Pixies, Death Cab for Cutie's melancholic lyrics about life and their catchy pop tunes brought them worldwide success with their album Plans. Though their most recent album (Narrow Stairs) goes for a heavier, muddier sound, they are still grounded in the alternative-pop scene and their bittersweet songs maintain their style and charm.

The Dresden Dolls

With an eclectic mixture of cabaret, goth-pop, and punk, this truly unique duo comprising of pianist / vocalist Amanda Palmer and drummer / back-up vocalist Brian Viglione have carved out an unlikely niche for themselves. Their song content typically focuses on a loss of childhood innocence, sexual confusion, angst, and playfully flirtatious lyrics.

A Perfect Circle

Maynard James Keenan, frontman of Tool, also heads up this moody and intelligent progressive metal band that's been met with both praise and skepticism from critics. Ultimately, the band has lived in the shadows of Tool and other bands like nine inch nails, but the quality of their musicianship sets them apart from other popular metal bands.

Skindred

With a louder sound and more attitude than any other "reggae" group, Skindred has created a powerful sound that combines hardcore punk, metal, rap, reggae, and ska. With Earth-crushing vocals and terrifically crunchy guitars, Skindred may very well revolutionize rock as much as Bad Brains and System of a Down.

Matisyahu

Unexpected and completely welcome to this list is this Hasidic Jew's brand of rap and reggae. With lyrics ranging from the vaguely political to the profoundly spiritual, Matisyahu has done something remarkable in two genres that have become too commercial, too exploitive, and too predictable: he's given rap and reggae their hearts back.

Audioslave

Out of the ashes of the two best bands of the '90s, Soundgarden and Rage Against the Machine, comes Audioslave. Though they've been endlessly compared to their old bands, these guys have created a haunting, soulful sound that's unlike either Soundgarden or RAtM. Despite the fact that they only put out two albums before splitting up, Audioslave left their loyal fans with some amazing songs.

Yusuf

Yusuf, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, has returned to popular music's arena with a beautiful sound that evolved out of 1960's folk, pop, and traditional Middle Eastern music, but has an aura of modernity to it as well. Vocally and lyrically more timeless than ever... even if the name is less memorable.

The White Stripes

A Detroit oddity that blends country, folk, rock, alternative, and, even on occasion, punk to create a wholly unique sound of their own. The duo , dubbed as Jack and Meg White, have a minimalistic approach that is as difficult to define as it is to place in a single genre, but if you're a brave music listener and you're willing enough to seek them out, their music is also very rewarding.

Linkin Park

Blending together elements of modern metal, hip-hop, and electronica, Linkin Park looked to be the biggest rock group of the New Millennium after the release of their major label debut, Hybrid Theory. Though their most recent efforts have lacked both the heart and the edge of their first three albums (Hybrid Theory, Reanimation, and Meteora), they still manage to build their international fan base and are frequently on the top of the charts in the rock category.

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Adrianna January 19, 2011

Great list, Sean. I'm a big fan of Death Cab for Cutie, A Perfect Circle, Linkin Park, and System of a Down. I also enjoy White Stripes. I've heard of over half of your list here. :)

Count_Orlok_22 January 19, 2011

I wouldn't have guessed you liked APC or SoaD.

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Adrianna January 20, 2011

Really? Why is that?

Count_Orlok_22 January 21, 2011

Just seems a bit contrary to some of your characteristics is all.

Adrianna January 21, 2011

Which are...? I like all types of music genres. I listen to them for different reasons. I enjoy APC and SoaD when I'm running or exercising. :)

Count_Orlok_22 January 21, 2011

You seem more perky, optimistic, and then there's the fact that you're Catholic. System of a Down has more pantheistic spiritual view and they are quite pessimistic. A Perfect Circle is out and out against any religion (or at least Maynard James Keenan, the founder of the band is) and again, very cynical and dark.

Adrianna January 21, 2011

I've been trying to be more perky and optimistic as of late based on some advice I received from a priest.

And just because I am Catholic does not mean I can't like things non-Catholic. For instance I believe in birth control, and I'm pro-choice. Contradictions all around me I guess. :-P

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A1CJonathanLane February 05, 2010

Come now, everyone knows music blows these days, can't wait till you get back to the 80's and 70's, and the 60's too now THERE is some good music

Count_Orlok_22 February 05, 2010

Yeah, that will be fun, but it will be hard trying to keep the list to a maximum of ten.

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cenobite7 September 04, 2009

Agreed. A Perfect Circle is worthy of great praise but somehow gets overlooked or pushed to the side when one thinks of major industrial acts like NIN or of course Maynard's Tool.

Count_Orlok_22 September 08, 2009

Maynard's great pretty much regardless of who he's with. I wish that he'd stick with Tool though. That's one of the best bands out there.

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cenobite7 September 08, 2009

Well, that's true. I actually LOVE them both myself. Lately, I've played more APC than Tool though. He's just one amazing man, that's all. Did you ever hear the duet he did with Tori?

Count_Orlok_22 September 08, 2009

Generally, I listen to more Tool (I'm all about the "Lateralus" album), but part of that is also I've had less exposure to APC since they haven't been around as long. As for this duet, you may have to send me a video or something via e-mail. Sounds awesome.

cenobite7 September 08, 2009

Yeah, I will try to send a video of that to you. It's incredible imho. Lateralus was a great album too! So far, i think my fav APC was Thirteenth Step although all three albums were awesome material.

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Sean_Rhodes September 02, 2009

I'm not a big music fan (it's just not one of my strong suits) but I am glad to know that someone else actually knows who the Dresden Dolls are. I've heard of many of those other bands, but don't listen to them all. I used to be a big fan of Linkin Park but haven't really listened to anything following their Meteora release.

Count_Orlok_22 September 02, 2009

Oh, yeah. I love The Dresden Dolls. I think cenobite7 and arichards are also fans. What kind of music do you usually listen to anyway?

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Sean_Rhodes September 02, 2009

I'll listen to just about anything... except country and death metal. Most times I'm listening to Rock, Hip-Hop and R&B. Those are probably what I end up listening to the most. Maybe some Trance and Classical every now and then too. I don't listen to nearly as much as I used to, though.

Count_Orlok_22 September 02, 2009

That's too bad. I couldn't get by a day in my life without music.

cenobite7 September 04, 2009

Dresden Dolls rock! I also fell in love with Amanda Palmer's solo album which is definitely a treat for fans!

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QUEENBFLIX September 02, 2009

I always liked Cat Stevens. It's a shame that he disavows his early work. I mean what's wrong with "Morning Has Broken" and "Peace train"? I caught his most recent incarnation on The Colbert Report.

Count_Orlok_22 September 02, 2009

I love his old stuff as well, but I think that judged as a separate musical entity, Yusuf is great. His album "An Other Cup" is terrific.

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QUEENBFLIX September 02, 2009

I've only heard the one song her performed on Colbert, which was okay but not enough to judge an entirely new body of work by.

Count_Orlok_22 September 02, 2009

Any of the other artists ring a bell or bang a gong (tee-hee)?

QUEENBFLIX September 02, 2009

Well, you DID mention Simon and Garfunkel...

Count_Orlok_22 September 02, 2009

I meant on the list, not in the references. Some of them are pretty big (# 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10 all are on MTV). The others have been more low-profile but are worth checking out. At least it's an eclectic mix, so there might be something in there that'll interest you. I could've done all metal bands or all rap and then you probably would've been "Who?"

QUEENBFLIX September 02, 2009

So did I. I watch MTV "all" the time. I'm still going "Who?"

Count_Orlok_22 September 04, 2009

You watch MTV all the time and you still have brain cells? Gee, maybe there is a God! And he watches the telly!

QUEENBFLIX September 04, 2009

The printed word really doesn't convey sarcasm well, does it?

Count_Orlok_22 September 04, 2009

Not so much, unless you're Orwell or Swift.

cenobite7 September 04, 2009

The Yusuf Stevens album was awesome. I was playing that one actually the other nite as a matter of fact. Good stuff! I also gave copies away for the holidays several years back. Thumbs up!

QUEENBFLIX September 04, 2009

Is he calling himself Yusuf Stevens now? Last time I looked it was Yusuf Islam. Maybe his views are softening a bit. Or he wants to be pulles off planes by Homeland Security less often.

Count_Orlok_22 September 08, 2009

As far as I know, he's still Yusuf Islam and I doubt that's likely to change. As for his views, they're always changing a little at a time. For the longest while, he wouldn't make music or even talk about his older stuff, lest he offend Allah or something. Don't get me wrong, I respect the right to practice whatever religion you choose, but to ignore part of who you are because of dogma seems self-destructive.

QUEENBFLIX September 08, 2009

Especially when the songs in question are of such an in offensive nature. I could see him perhaps renouncing a song that was at odds with Islam, but "Peace Train"?

Count_Orlok_22 September 08, 2009

And I suppose "I Love My Dog" was deemed inappropriate since "dog" is commonly used as a derogatory term for an underling there. LOL!

QUEENBFLIX September 08, 2009

You never know. =)

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