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Playboy Playmate Lauren Anderson is an Inspiration to WAGs Everywhere

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'Homemade Movies' Recreates the Bullet Time Scene From 'The Matrix'

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Every week, our friends at CineFix release a new homemade shot-for-shot video that recreates either a movie trailer or famous movie scene (like this one from "The Fast and the Furious"), all without any added visual effects. It's "sweded" movie magic from acclaimed director Dustin McLean. This week, "Homemade Movies" takes on the famous bullet time scene from "The Matrix." We think it's their best yet. Enjoy the creative remake above, and then check out the side-by-side comparison below to see how they did.

 

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Playboy's 1979 'Roller Disco & Pajama Party' Is Still Better Than Any Party You've Been To

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This clip from a Playboy television special in 1979 will either make you nostalgic (which means you're too old) or wonder why the soundtrack isn't all Dubstep (which means you're too young). Either way, we can all agree we're glad it's not 1979 anymore. Then again, even though the graphics, music, bathing suits, and hairstyles are absolutely ridiculous when you look back now, this party is still way better than any party you've ever been to. Where else can you go to see a ventriloquist chatting up playmates with his creepy puppet in a pool (5:29) or James Caan wearing a belt buckle the size of his head while he plays with squirrels and a dog (5:42)?

 

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Guess What, Guys...the Harlem Shake is Back

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And it's hotter than ever. Just kidding. Let this be a reminder to all of us that the "Harlem Shake" video craze is not back and does not need to come back anytime soon. I guess that's what the poor fella gets for starting to dance too early at the 3-second mark.

 

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The Hottest Women of 'Pain & Gain'

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Underrated Indie Rock Songs Spotify Playlist

The Funniest GIFs of the Week - April 25, 2013

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Today's Funniest Photos - April 25, 2013

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2013 NFL Draft Drinking Game

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2013 nfl draft, geno smithCongratulations, you've just been selected with the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft drinking game extravaganza. The league turned the draft into a prime-time event and you can do the same at home or at a bar with this game.

The draft, and your drinking, kicks off on Thursday at 8 p.m. on NFL Network and/or ESPN (more on that later), at which time you'll sit down with a printout of this page, some buddies, and an ample supply of beer. (Buddies optional.) We designed it primarily for the main event, but feel free to keep playing throughout the weekend.

A couple of caveats. 1) There's pretty much no way you'll be able to keep track of all the rules - so choose your own adventure. 2) The goal is to make the draft a beery spectacle, not a total shitshow that results in vomiting, so have fun, but don't regurgitate. (Unless you're a Browns fan. Then it's totally understandable.)

FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS, REGARDLESS WHICH BROADCAST YOU'RE WATCHING

Single servings (one swig of beer each occurrence):
1. For every pick until Geno Smith gets taken.

2. Every time a player from an SEC school is selected.

3. When you hear the following names:
a. Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez or Tim Tebow
b. Colin Kaepernick, Andrew Luck, RG III or Russell Wilson
c. Manti Te'o
d. Darrelle Revis
e. John Elway, Dan Marino or Jim Kelly
f. Manning (Eli or Peyton)
g. Ray Lewis
h. Brian Urlacher
i. Sean Payton

4. When you hear the following buzz words:
a. Read-option
b. Red flag or "character" (concern, issue, whatever)
c. Upside
d. Value
e. Catfish
f. Elite
g. Hoax
h. Motor
i. Bust
j. Reach
k. War room
l. Adversity
m. Ceiling
n. Twitter
o. Combine
p. Playmaker
q. Impact player

5. When a player is shown talking on a phone in the green room.

6. When a draftee holds up the jersey of his new team.

7. When Barkevious Mingo comes off the board.

2013 nfl draft, new york jets fansDouble swig:
1. If you spot a cougar mom. And call it out! (Note: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; don't hate).

2. If a prospect is shown sitting with a hot girlfriend (or fiancée or wife) at his side.

3. Take another double if a prospect has a hot girlfriend (or fiancée or wife) but has his arm around his agent instead.

4. Every time a QB is selected.

5. If you spot a 40-plus year-old man with his face painted.

6. If you see personnel in a team's War Room exchanging high fives after a pick.

7. If you see a prospect wearing lenseless glasses.

8. If you notice a player wearing a Windsor tie knotted roughly as large as Merrill Hoge's.

9. When you notice a player's mother crying; take another if she's bawling hysterically.

10. When a player from a non-FBS school is taken.

Six pack:
1. If anyone associated with the broadcast tips a pick, i.e., reveals a team's selection prior to the pick getting called.

2. If teams exchange draft picks while one of the teams is on the clock.

3. If a team's selection time expires for any reason... a la Baltimore in 2011.

4. If a draftee gives a shout out to the designer of his custom made suit.

5. If Chance Warmack's belly is exposed during footage from his highlight reel.

6. If Andy Reid is shown in the Chief's War Room eating or chewing something.

Untimed chugs:
1. Each time Goodell and a player hug, drink for the entire duration and once the hug finishes, take a breath and drink an additional shot for each "man slap" that the pair exchanges during the embrace.

2. If Jets fans boo When Jets fans boo the team's selection. Do not stop drinking until the boos subside. Continue for an additional 10 seconds if you're a Jets fan.

2013 nfl draft, mel kiper FOR THOSE WATCHING ESPN'S COVERAGE

Single swig:
1. When Gruden says "I like" in any context.

2. When Adam Schefter is shown on camera looking down at his cell phone.

Double swig:
1. Every time Gruden mentions Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib.

2. Every time Kiper talks over Todd McShay.

Six Pack:
If Gruden says anything negative about a player.

Untimed chug:
If Todd McShay snaps and shouts at Kiper, "Well screw you, Dad!!!"

FOR THOSE WATCHING NFL NETWORK'S COVERAGE

Single swig:
1. Every time Michelle Beisner appears on camera.

2. When Rich Eisen tries not to laugh at an inappropriate joke.

Double swig:
1. When Deion Sanders refers to himself in the third person (including Leon Sandcastle).

2. When someone at one of the 16 draft parties shown by the network appears to be drunker than you are.

Six Pack:
Every time Michael Irvin speaks for more than 20 seconds uninterrupted without making a salient point.

Untimed chug:
If Les Miles chews grass on the air (he'll appear Saturday afternoon).

BONUS:
Celebratory dance party every time "College Football Playoff" is referenced.

 

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12 TV Show Theme Songs That Changed, For Better or Worse

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Other Celebrities With James Harden's Beard

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The 100 Most Underrated Indie Rock Songs

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This list was written with John Sellers. He wrote a book about indie rock.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Give this a second to load. All the Spotify links need a moment to do their thing.

There's a lot of things in this world that we don't understand. For instance, why the world loves Black-Eyed Peas, but yet 95% of the public has never heard of 95% of the bands on this list. In an effort to change that, we wanted to point out some songs that deserved more. All 100 of these songs are awesome. And all 100 of these bands need to be more popular.

You need to be logged into Spotify to listen to the embeds below. Click on the song titles to watch the videos. Or, you can go straight to the full Spotify playlist here, or watch/listen to these songs on our Youtube playlist here.

100. "Magnet's Coil" (1994)
Sebadoh
Sometimes I'll hear a song and gush, "That's going to be a massive hit." I'm still saying that about "Magnet's Coil," arguably the catchiest two-and-half minutes of prolific Dinosaur Jr. bassist and Sebadoh head honcho Lou Barlow's wonderful life. And I'll probably be saying it forever, because it's not like songs from 1994 chart very often these days.


99. "Everybody's Down" (2007)
No Age
Is it too early to anoint a 2007 song a classic? And is there any special equipment required to anoint stuff? Frankincense? Myrrh? I have no clue. Suffice to say, No Age is hereby doused in some sort of holy liquid for giving us the lo-fi blood-letter "Everybody's Down."


98. "Rave Down" (1991)
Swervedriver
Few music magazine boners have been more bonerific than SPIN's decision to put Teenage Fanclub's awesome Bandwagonesque at the top of its "20 Best Albums of 1991" list, ahead of even awesomer LPs by Nirvana, My Bloody Valentine, Pixies and a few others. Possibly an even bigger boner: The list completely snubbed Swervedriver's unheralded debut, Raise - containing this raucous shoegaze classic - yet ranked an album by P.M. Dawn at number ten. (The word "boner" is fun, by the way. Try it!)


97. "Helicon 1" (1997)
Mogwai
I can't rightly say whether the hypnotic instrumentals originating from the direction of the Scottish crew Mogwai sound more transcendent when heard under the influence of weed. But I can tell you that the tsunami of sound that blasts my face at precisely 2:54 into "Helicon 1" gives me the munchies.



96. "Made of Stone" (1989)
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are huge in the UK. But, immediately after Coachella organizers announced the festival's 2013 headliners, American youngsters flooded Twitter streams everywhere with, essentially, "Who the fuck are the Stone Roses?" "Made of Stone," from the re-united Manchester group's seminal self-titled debut, is one answer to that perplexing question.


95. "Skip Tracer" (1995)
Sonic Youth
On the list of musical third bananas, Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo ranks somewhere behind George Harrison and ahead of Pavement's Bob Nastanovich. But we're giving him center stage here for his spoken-word contribution to SY's Washing Machine, which contains the impressive lyric, "We watched her fall over and lay down/Shouting the poetic truths of high school journal keepers."


94. "Brassneck" (1989)
The Wedding Present
I may not know what the word "brassneck" means, but I'm pretty certain that "Brassneck" can be defined as "a song that I just listened to 37 times in succession because it is fucking amazing."


93. "Mexicola" (1998)
Queens of the Stone Age
Quibble, if you must, with our inclusion of stoner rock on a list celebrating indie rock, but we suggest you listen to this grungy behemoth at top volume until you've sufficiently chilled out enough to realize that you forgot to thank us for putting a Josh Homme gem on this list.


92. "Cath Carroll" (1993)
Unrest
Theory that probably doesn't track: "Cath Carroll" is to Unrest as "Alex Chilton" is to the Replacements. Regardless, the British music critic and post-punk singer Cath Carroll is now a friend of mine, even though I've only met her via the stalker-y lyrics of this sprightly homage by Unrest's Mark Robinson, who totally deserves a stalker tribute of his own.


91. "Color Me Impressed" (1983)
The Replacements
Speaking of the Replacements, here's an unassailable tune by the Replacements. No, it's not the anthemic "Alex Chilton," which certainly doesn't help my precious Unrest theory, but "Color Me Impressed" will need all the support it can get when I finally get around to launching the campaign to make it the mayor of Minneapolis.


90. "When My Baby's Beside Me" (1972)
Big Star
And speaking of Alex Chilton, the Big Star big dog, who sadly passed away in 2010 at age 59, shall receive a spot of his own on this list by virtue of being the de facto grand poobah of indie rock. A tellingly indie factoid about Big Star: Despite its aspirational title, the band's dazzling debut album, #1 Record, sold fewer than 10,000 copies upon initial release. Everyone's familiar now with "In the Street," thanks to That '70s Show, but pretty much every track Chilton and friends ever recorded will kick your ass, especially this power-pop classic that maybe ten people have ever talked about.


89. "Happy" (2003)
The Wrens
Every now and then, I like to imagine the conversation that might have occurred when producers from NBC's sad-sack 2008 Knight Rider revamp approached the Wrens to ask for permission to use the stand-out track from the New Jersey's group's oft-forgotten Aughts classic Meadowlands. The Wrens: "Wait, David Hasselhoff's not even in it?" Knight Rider producers: "No, he isn't, if you can even believe it. But, hey, Val Kilmer is doing the voice of KITT." The Wrens: "Sold."


88. "Raisans" (1987)
Dinosaur Jr.
Two facts about this bodacious deep cut from You're Living All Over Me, Dinosaur Jr.'s most enduringly perfect album: 1. "Raisans" is not how you spell "raisins." 2. "Raisans" will be played at my funeral if I ever die.


87. "Quicksand" (1996)
Silkworm
Someone needs to create a graph charting the intersection of bands that have been signed to the Matador Records label and bands that have recorded with Steve Albini. Chief among bands that fall into both camps is Silkworm, a massively undervalued and tragically defunct Chicagoland band that was partial to boozy lyrics and killer riffs. I mean, just listen to this goddamn song.


86. "Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead" (2003)
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
And while you're at it, also tell Balgeary that guitar god Ted Leo should be a lot more famous, in part because of how superbly the dude shreds.


85. "Seed Toss" (1991)
Superchunk
Here's one of those Keanu Reeves conspiracy theories for you to chew on: What if the eternally underrated North Carolina band responsible for this epically underrated track off the ridiculously underrated 1991 album No Pocky for Kitty had elected to call itself Underrated instead of Superchunk, thereby making the group both underrated and Underrated?


84. "Broke" (1996)
Modest Mouse
Admittedly, Modest Mouse's debut single isn't hugely underrated in the great scheme of things, thanks to the Washington band's ascendency circa the cross-over 2004 hit "Float On." But considering that a song as easy on the ears as "Broke" would have been number one for 50 weeks in a row in a world where any of us had any brains, we'll go ahead and include it anyhow.


83. "So Far Gone" (1991)
Teenage Fanclub
Released on a merely above average EP in that brief window between Teenage Fanclub's twin towers of 1990's A Catholic Education and 1992's Bandwagonesque, "So Far Gone" may seem to be easy to overlook. Not so. It's called a playlist, -look into it. [Note: This is currently not on Spotify. Click the link to watch it on Youtube.]

82. "Time Machines" (1999)
Lexo and the Leapers
For every song that Bob Pollard has released over the years with Guided By Voices, as a solo artist, and in countless side projects, he's probably done two of his signature leg kicks. If you've never witnessed Pollard in action, "Time Machines," from the ultra obscure one-off Lexo and the Leapers experiment, is basically the sonic equivalent of one of those thousands of leg kicks. It is also an extremely good song.


81. "That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate" (1982)
Mission of Burma
I haven't done any research or anything, but I'm pretty sure that this post-punk smackdown by the hugely influential (and predictably under-appreciated) Massachusetts band Mission of Burma is the best song to namecheck Tulsa in its lyrics.


80. "Magic Bumrush Heartz" (2008)
The Library Is on Fire
Forgive this analogy if you're an actual meth addict, but here's hoping that this Nirvana-infused bong hit will be your gateway drug into the irresistible meth habit that is the DIY oeuvre of the Brooklyn power trio The Library Is on Fire.


79. "Staples" (1992)
Buffalo Tom
The awesomeness of this early-'90s alt-rock staple (pun intended!) needs no explanation. Somehow it seems more useful to mention that Buffalo Tom is one of Jon Stewart's favorite bands.


78. "Falling Away" (2001)
Preston School of Industry
All-too-brief Pavement reunion aside, Stephen Malkmus has received far more attention than his former bandmates since the Matador group's 1999 breakup. This is in no way surprising. But put "Falling Away" in your pipe and smoke it, as it's one of the best songs ever written by Pavement second fiddle Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg. [Note: This song is currently not on Spotify. Click the link to watch it on Youtube.]

77. "Carry the Zero" (1999)
Built to Spill
Regardless of whether it's true or not that "Carry the Zero" is the most underrated song of all time - and something this legitimately epic has to at least be in that conversation - I'd be stupid if I didn't use this space to point out how effective math humor can be when composing lyrics.


76. "Church on White" (2001)
Stephen Malkmus
There are days when I'd willingly take the position that this reflective, riff-filled highlight from Malkmus's first post-Pavement album ranks among his five greatest tracks ever. And then there are others when "Church on White" wouldn't crack the top 50. The guy has written way too many amazing songs.


75. "Manta Ray" (1989)
The Pixies
Back when this Doolittle-worthy track was relegated to the flip side of the "Monkey Gone to Heaven" single, college kids who didn't have the spending money to burn on every single interesting release coming down the pike faced significant challenges if they wanted to dive more deeply into a band's catalog. I was one of those clowns, so please pity me for two seconds, and then head over to YouTube to give this formerly black-market B-side an immediate listen.

74. "Monkeys" (1980)
Echo & the Bunnymen
Not that it will affect your enjoyment of this stand-out track from Echo and the Bunnymen's debut album, Crocodiles, but you're listening to what may well be the second-best song with monkey in its title, after "Monkey Gone to Heaven" (our insincerest apologies to Peter Gabriel, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, et al.).


73. "Dennis and Lois" (1990)
Happy Mondays
Pure speculation here, but I'm thinking Dennis and Lois may have been the names of 24 Hour Party People subject and Happy Mondays mucky-muck Shaun Ryder's horny pet turtles.


72. "Slice of Life" (1983)
Bauhaus
Behold, one of the handful of Bauhaus tracks not featuring Peter Murphy's unmistakably haunting vocals. Perhaps he was practicing hanging upside down like a bat while the other guys cranked this bad-ass tune out.


71. "The Queen of Eyes" (1980)
The Soft Boys
The prettiest tune on Robyn Hitchcock's old band's cult classic Underwater Moonlight, "TQOE" is roughtly two minutes of Byrds-y jangle and harmony - until you realize that the lyrical object of Hitchcock's affection, described as having "a carapace shell and black lace thighs," wouldn't be out of place in a horror movie.


70. "Tom Boy" (1992)
Bettie Serveert
Unless Van Halen qualifies, I am pretty sure Bettie Serveert is the best Dutch band ever. But even if the former Matador recording artists faced serious competition for that crown from groups not abbreviated VH, the bold chords and hummable verses that propel "Tom Boy" through time and space would surely help them carry the day.


69. "Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone" (1996)
Neutral Milk Hotel
Although this song is sad and beautiful and all, it's most notable for introducing us to the slang term "gardenhead," which is akin to "pothead," only regarding someone who does a variety of drugs instead of just marijuana.


68. "Plants and Rags" (1992)
PJ Harvey
An early Polly Jean Harvey entry in the Most Depressing Song of All Time sweepstakes, the folkish "Plants and Rags" stands apart from the more bombastic work she was doing at the outset of her career. Yet, somehow, it still rocks as hard as nearly any song in her canon.


67. "The Dog-End of a Day Gone By" (1985)
Love and Rockets
Roughly every 37 days, I find myself wondering when this ethereal, reverb-laden track from Love and Rockets' debut album will turn up on a Sofia Coppola soundtrack.

66. "What's the World" (1983)
James
In the States, James is known as the one-hit wonder behind the alternative chart-topper "Laid." But the band's sizable UK success traces all the way back to this debut single about the perils of the music industry, a song that one-time tourmates the Smiths quickly made their own.


65. "Can't Be Sure" (1989)
The Sundays
The very first single from the outfit fronted by wistful, chipmunk-cheeked Harriet Wheeler may have been eclipsed by the chart success of its painfully lovely follow-up, "Here's Where the Story Ends." But this one is better.


64. "Feathers of Forgiveness" (1996)
Polvo
Don't bother trying to figure out whether the angular, super-sonic riffs produced by the North Carolina eccentrics on this track fall into the "math rock" category. It will hurt your head far less to simply crank up the volume and enjoy.


63. "My Slow Descent into Alcoholism" (2000)
The New Pornographers
Any song bearing this title would warrant a listen, even if it were a song by Warrant. But proof that the New Pornographers elevate this Canandian corker beyond its funny name can be found in the intense urge to guzzle mass quantities of Labatt while listening to it.


62. "Sound of Music (Peel Session)" (1979)
Joy Division
Rest assured, this lumbering, sinister guitar party that also perfectly encapsulates Ian Curtis's lyrical and vocal chops has nothing to do with Julie Andrews.


61. "Silent Places" (2006)
Baby Dayliner
One day, I hope to solve the mystery surrounding the general populace's near-shunning of Baby Dayliner. The investigation will center on why "Silent Places" never went viral. Star witness: Entourage's Adrian Grenier, who makes a cameo in the song's video.


60. "Harold and Joe" (1990)
The Cure
So, the only thing that allowed me to get over the trauma of having seen the Information Society in concert that one time was playing this chill "Never Enough" B-side on a loop on the drive back from the venue. [For some reason I can't find this on Spotify. Click the link to watch it on YouTube.]

59. "Turn It On" (1994)
Flaming Lips
Before they became irretrievably offbeat, Wayne Coyne and crew were more prone to throwing down, as demonstrated on this crunch-tacular tune from the same album that brought you "She Don't Use Jelly."


58. "Hairstyle of a Smug Bastard" (1998)
The Beatnik Filmstars
Congratulations to Beatnik Filmstars, a prolific British band so obscure that this one-minute burst of GBV-style sweetness is the only member of our Underrated 100 whose fans haven't gotten around to uploading it to YouTube.


57. "Lonesome Tonight" (1984)
New Order
For those of us who got into New Order via Joy Division, the songs on which Bernard Sumner jams out on his guitar tend to have the best staying power. And he totally jams out on this buried treasure found on the second disc of the Substance compilation, if "jams out" can be applied to a New Order song.


56. "Narrow My Eyes" (1992)
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants have a well-deserved reputation for writing "funny" songs. But their catalog is also full of songs that have heaps of sadness to them. "Narrow Your Eyes" is one of those songs.


55. "Psychic Hearts" (1995)
Thurston Moore
If indie rock had a TV show, this would be the theme song. Thurston's entire solo album (of the same name) is so vastly underrated that a good number of Sonic Youth fans haven't discovered it yet. Your marching orders are to listen to it if you haven't heard it.


54. "Ocean Breathes Salty" (2007)
Sun Kil Moon
Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek has a knack for taking very good songs and turning them on their head. Without falling into the lazy cliché of saying he makes them better, he rearranges them, adds his very awesome voice to make you think completely differently about the original. And that's exactly what he did with Modest Mouse's fast-paced "Ocean Breathes Salty."


53. "Bathtub" (2012)
Waxahatchee
There's never been a song that better illustrates how cruel we are to the people who have crushes on us (if we don't have a crush on them back.) We're not bad because of it - it's just who we are.



52. "Sad Pony Guerrilla Girl" (2003)
Xiu Xiu
I once interviewed Jamie Stewart, the creative force behind Xiu Xiu and he said, "You either really, really love Xiu Xiu, or you really, really hate Xiu Xiu." And he was right. But if more people heard this song, I'm guessing he'd have a few more of the former fans (and maybe even a few more of the latter.) Either way, the world could use a little more Xiu Xiu.


51. "Strawberry Hill" (1993)
Red House Painters
Mark Kozelek is awesome. And his band, The Red House Painters were the ultimate shoegazer, slocore - whatever you want to call it - band of the early '90s. For some reason, they never broke through into the MTV world, but that just made anyone who found him feel like they were part of a secret club.


Click here to see 50-1 of the Most Underrated Indie Rock Songs of All Time

 

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The 100 Most Underrated Indie Rock Songs - Part 2

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This is Part 2 (songs 50-01) of our 100 Most Underrated Indie Rock Songs List. Click here to get to Part 1.

(And if this is the first page you've come to, give the Spotify links a second to load.)

You need to be logged into Spotify to listen to the embeds below. Click on the song titles to watch the videos. Or, you can go straight to the full Spotify playlist here or watch/listen to these songs on our YouTube playlist here.

50. "Powder" (1994)
Bedhead
Bedhead's dreamy, atmospheric hypnotic songs are exactly what you want to put on as you drive your beat-up car across Texas in the middle of the night, chain-smoking the whole way. It would be OK if you just put "Powder" on repeat until you hit the New Mexico border.


49. "Colors and the Kids" (2003)
Cat Power
Cat Power has flirted with semi-stardom, but her early records had some relatively undiscovered gems. This is one of them (duh.)


48. "At Break of Day" (2001)
Bonnie Prince Billy
Only Bonnie Prince Billy (or Will Oldham or Palace Music or whatever you want to call him) can make a song about committing suicide at dawn sound so sweet. [This isn't on Spotify. Click the link to watch it on YouTube.]

47. "The Badger Song" (1992)
The Extra Glenns
Before there was the Honey Badger, there was the Extra Glenns' "Badger Song." And I think we all know which one is better. Fans of John Darnielle's Mountain Goats will appreciate this very early track. [Also not on Spotify. You know the drill.]


46. "Starfire" (1999)
Low
I think I can safely say that this is the best song ever written about two best friends who want to start their own ambulance service. Broken bodies all the time. Let's take a ride. Awesome.


45. "A Passing Feeling" (2003)
The Thermals
The Thermals were indie pop/punk at its finest in the early 2000s. They never got the recognition they deserved. Well, they're starting to get some recognition. But if you're currently recognizing them for the first time, you should also recognize their earlier albums.


44. "Canary" (1993)
Liz Phair
I had a giant crush on Liz Phair when I was 17 years old. While she was known for the over-the-top sexualized lyrics, I always thought "Canary" was way hotter than "Flower." It was smart and sad and mysterious - pretty much everything 17-year-old-me really liked.


43. "Dean's Dream" (1985)
The Dead Milkmen
When you peel away the jokey, satire of a lot of the Dead Milkmen's songs, you're left with stuff that's almost touching. "Dean's Dream" is one of those songs that captures the other side of the Milkmen. While most people put on "Bitchin' Camaro" or "The Beach Song," this is one that Milkmen fans put on when people leave the party. They would probably hate being called "indie rock," but we're so indie we put them on this list anyway.


42. "Capital Letters" (1991)
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Ned's Atomic Dustbin suffered from having a terrible name. No one took them seriously, even though God Fodder (which had "Happy," "Kill Your Television" and "Grey Cell Green") was one of the best records of the 120 Minutes era. And "Capital Letters" was always a song that seemed like it could have been a bigger hit.


41. "Bad As They Seem" (1995)
Hayden
If you watched MTV as much as I did in the late '80s and early '90s, you might vaguely remember the video for this playing for a week or two. It was basically just Hayden mowing his lawn in slow motion looking at neighbors driving by. And then it was gone. Well, here it is again.


40. "Iceblink Luck" (1990)
Cocteau Twins
The shoegaze-y soundtrack for the John Hughes-ian 2012 flick The Perks of Being a Wallflower inspired me to rummage through my closet for that old Cocteau Twins cassette that used to get stuck in the tape deck of my Chevy Cavalier. But then it occurred to me that I no longer have a cassette player. This track, with virtually indecipherable lyrics that I am convinced employs the phrase "cherry cola," was always my favorite song on that cassette.


39. "Coast Is Clear" (1991)
Curve
This faux-industrial bangeroo got me through that surreal week in 1991 when I thought, incorrectly, that I was being stalked. It turned out that she was just someone who'd signed up for a lot of the same classes. [This isn't on Spotify. Click the link.]

38. "Wonderful Woman" (1983)
The Smiths
Can any band boast a higher percentage of songs that don't suck than the Smiths? Even tossed-off tracks such as this early B-side succeed in not sucking. I'm seriously asking, is there another band whose catalog is more unassailable than the output of Morrissey-Marr?


37. "The Swish" (2004)
The Hold Steady
Any band that namechecks Elisabeth Shue and Steve Perry in the same song earns major awesome points, so kudos to nebbishy Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn for doing just that in this taut fan favorite from the Brooklyn-based band's first album.


36. "Teenage Lust!" (2007)
Times New Viking
That rare band that has named itself after a fake font let loose on its ultra lo-fi debut record with one of the best lyrics of the decade: "I don't want to die in the city alone." It funny because it's true.


35. "Wave Backwards to Massachusetts" (2007)
Hallelujah the Hills
This Boston-based group should win you over with this way-under-the-radar sonic nugget while simultaneously bring to mind a thorny discussion topic. Namely: Hallelujah the Hills is neither religious nor from elevated terrain. Discuss.


34. "Get Under It" (1996)
Robert Pollard
According to the amazing GBV database (GBVDB.com), "Get Under It" is one of over 100 Robert Pollard-penned songs released in calendar year 1996. At this exact second, it's also the absolute best of them, but ask me again in a few minutes and you'll no doubt get a different answer, as the gems he unearthed that year are very shiny. [It makes me very sad that this one is not on Spotify. If you do one thing today, click the link so you can hear this song.]

33. "Day Glo" (1993)
Hazel
Remember when music videos could be shot on your front porch with your friends and it could get on MTV? Yeah, that doesn't really happen anymore, does it? (I'm looking at you, Beyoncé.) [Also not on Spotify.]


32. "Bed of Roses" (1991)
Screaming Trees
Yes, they sound like The Doors. And yes, this song was briefly on MTV, but the Screaming Trees (and this song in particular) never achieved the indie rock success that their Seattle counterparts achieved. Maybe that's a good thing, since a lot of their contemporaries are now dead.


31. "The Loft" (1995)
Ben Lee
When Ben Lee got signed to The Beastie Boys' Grand Royal label when he was 16, everyone thought he was going to be the next Beatles. That didn't happen, but that record was 21 songs of pure indie pop gold. "The Loft" never seemed to get the love it deserved. [Another Spotify leave-off.]


30. "Blackout" (1993)
Heatmiser
I used to drink in a bar in Park Slope where Elliott Smith used to also drink before he killed himself. There's no reason for me to include that tidbit, as I never said one word to him. But Heatmeiser is his first band. So, I guess that's a suitable-enough tie-in. [No Heatmeiser on Spotify.]


29. "Coby" (2000)
The Lilys
While everyone waited 20 years between My Bloody Valentine albums, the Lilys were sitting there the whole time, recording songs that were as awesome as "Coby." You're welcome. [I'm going to stop mentioning that a song is not on Spotify soon.]


28. "Today Is the Day! (Rock Version)" (2003)
Yo La Tengo
Sometimes you can't believe that no one else has a heard a song that is so awesome it can change your whole outlook on life. This version of "Today Is the Day" is one of those songs. Why does Katy Perry get 70 bajillion YouTube views and this only has 10K? I don't understand people.


27. "Amusement" (1982)
Hüsker Dü
If you like Hüsker Dü, or if you don't like Hüsker Dü, you should listen to this song because it's fucking awesome. You should also like Hüsker Dü. [Not on Spotify. Click the link.]

26. "Between Planets" (1989)
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Yes, the drum machine and chord progression central to "Between Planets" sound quite similar to those offered up by "Head On," the best-known track on the Chain's divisive album Automatic, but who cares? Complaining about two fantastic songs sounding similar is like complaining about two different brands of awesome beer. Ultimately, we're enjoy both.


25. "Like Hearts" (2006)
The Prids
You may not agree that this song from hugely D.I.Y., Portland-based The Prids sounds like a cross between "In a Big Country" and early Echo and the Bunnymen. At least you listened to it, which is something everyone should be required to do.


24. "Faith Healer" (1987)
Big Dipper
One of the few bands named after a constellation, the Boston-based Big Dipper has an ardent, cultish following, albeit much smaller than contemporaries Dinosaur Jr. and the Pixies. Little Dipper doesn't have quite the same ring to it.


23. "Good Morning Captain" (1991)
Slint
When this loping doozy off the seminal Kentucky band's masterwork finally reaches its boiling point at the 6 minutes and 40 second mark, your mind will be blown, even if it's thousandth time you're listening.


22. "Cigarette in My Bed" (1988)
My Bloody Valentine
MBV should be fined for endorsing smoking in bed if this song wasn't so darn impossible to hate. [Not on Spotify]


21. "Underwhelmed" (1992)
Sloan
Famous in its native Canada, Sloan remains nearly unknown here, despite a strong 1992 debut with this clever modern-rock hit. You wouldn't necessarily be wrong to suggest that most Americans were underwhelmed by them.


20. "Just North" (2009)
The Non-Commissioned Officers
Would you believe this lovely song was written for the soundtrack of a zombie movie no one has ever seen? Would you also believe it's not on Spotify?

19. "She's Gone" (1995)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
This cultish band's cultish name has scared off more than one pair of potentially receptive ears, but the intrepid souls fearless enough to explore BJM's vast catalogue will likely find at least one track that speaks to them ... and maybe more like 50.


18. "Sennen" (1992)
Ride
If you must know, Ride was Oasis before Oasis was Oasis, only they wrote better songs than Oasis ever did, even after Ride's Andy Bell joined Oasis. It had to be said.


17. "How Wrong You Are" (2009)
Boston Spaceships
One of the more impressive Robert Pollard side projects is his fruitful, accessible collaboration with former GBV bassist Chris Slusarenko and Decemberists drummer John Moen. From 2008 to 2011, the power trio issued five albums and nearly 100 songs, not the least of which is the hook-laden number "How Wrong You Are."


16. "Form and File" (1996)
Archers of Loaf
The first two Loaf albums tend to dominate any conversation about the newly reformed Chapel Hill band that's fronted by crazy-tall songwriting genius Eric Bachmann. But "Form and File," the twelfth track on the excellently titled All the Nations Airports, is their best song. Well, probably.


15. "The Cardinal Movements" (2006)
Bottomless Pit
The day that the surviving members of Silkworm formed this band and began putting out music as good as anything they'd done previously was a very good day indeed.


14. "Childhood Memories" (2003)
British Sea Power
Ah, nostalgia. Although none of my childhood memories involve British Sea Power, because I'm old. [This isn't on Spotify. Click the link to watch it on YouTube.]

13. "Dine Alone" (1993)
Quicksand
Yes! I just received a memo from Mandatory HQ permitting me to say that "Dine Alone" is the most incredible song ever written about eating.


12. "Hexenzsene" (1994)
Unwound
If you can tell us what the title refers to, we're game to hear it. But we'd rather just hear this highlight from this grunge-era post-hardcore band that we missed the first time around.


11. "Eddie Vedder" (1997)
Local H
Most folks who did hard time with MTV circa 1997 remember Local H's vaguely Nirvana-y hit "Bound for the Floor" but we'd like to reacquaint you with the Chicago band's shout-out to the Pearl Jam frontman because it holds up a bit better.


10. "Ex Lion Tamer" (1977)
Wire
As you greedily consume this post-punk mofo by the massively influential British band Wire, consider ordering new business cards that refer to your profession as "ex lion tamer" before heading out to your next sales conference.

9. "Scarlet" (1990)
Lush
This is the song that appears in the dictionary next to the word "shoegaze." Well, not really, but we'd love to own a dictionary that gives props to Lush like that.


8. "Slow Song" (1995)
Sleater-Kinney
From the debut album of the best band ever named after a freeway exit, this song was recorded not in the group's native Pacific Northwest but, improbably, in Melbourne, Australia.


7. "Dedicated" (1995)
The Amps
Even if you own everything ever recorded by those two better-known Kim Deal bands, you probably missed her mid-'90s side project, The Amps. That would be a piteous shame, for reasons you can discern for yourself while listening to this track that will slap you silly with goodness.


6. "Glad I Don't Know" (1989)
Lemonheads
Did you know that before they were covering Simon and Garfunkel and pimping frontman Evan Dando as a Sassy magazine pinup, the Lemonheads were essentially a strangely badass preppy ripoff of Hüsker Dü? [The subpar version of this song is in the Spotify link. For the better version, click the song name link.]

5. "Advice to the Graduate" (1994)
Silver Jews
No offense to my parents, but the most helpful advice anyone ever gave me is, "Your third drink will lead you astray," just one of the many perfect David Berman lines found on this lo-fi team-up with longtime pal Stephen Malkmus. [This is not on Spotify. Click the link to watch on Youtube.]

4. "Teenage Crimewave" (2007)
CPC Gangbangs
Few Americans have experienced the many guffaws lurking within FUBAR: The Movie, the 2001 Canadian mockumentary about beer-guzzling headbangers that coined the always useful phrase, "To my left nut, see ya later, fella." And fewer still can claim to have had their chest hairs singed off by CPC Gangbangs, a short-lived Montreal garage punk outfit featuring that one dude from FUBAR. A visit to Netflix and an earful of CPCG's loud/proud "Teenage Crimewave" would solve those problems pretty quickly.


3. "Pantherz" (1995)
Guided By Voices
Whether or not you agree with our (incidentally true) belief that Robert Pollard is the most underrated songwriter in the history of music, it's hard not to consider him the most prolific. So, to recap, he's the most underrated, most prolific songwriter in the history of music. Now enjoy "Pantherz," an invaluable relic from the unreleased Guided By Voices album, The Power of Suck.


2. "Ed Ames" (1992)
Pavement
Spoiler alert: This is a song about lonely Edward Franklin Ames that ends, ridiculously, with Mr. Ames offering "respect to the Vikings and the Caucasian warriors."


1. "Nobody Loves Us" (1995)
Morrissey
Some songs, you want to marry. "Nobody Loves Us," a hidden classic that easily eclipses the mid-period Morrissey single fostering it, is that kind of song. "Nobody Loves Us" makes you want to lobby Congress to alter the definition of marriage to include human/recording relationships. It makes you worried about visitation rights should either one of you become hospitalized. Lots of other mushy junk, too. But this song is polyamorous and we're cool with that, so enjoy.

Click on the song titles to watch the videos. Or, you can go straight to the full Spotify playlist here, or watch/listen to these songs on our YouTube playlist here.

 

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