~Radiohead~ Well, of course, Radiohead is the best band on the planet. I do not find it necessary to prove this statement; it's a basic fact of life. In my opinion, their very best work would be a three-way tie: Hail to the Thief, OK Computer, and The Bends. But that's not to downplay the brilliance of Pablo Honey, Kid A, and Amnesiac, because those are also works of sheer genius. I saw them during the Summer of 2003 at Blossom in Cleveland, and it was a religious experience for me, sheer ecstacy.
~Bright Eyes~ If you were to ask me to describe Bright Eyes, I guess the best I could do is to say they're a combination of folk music and emo. And with the rather androgynous Conor Oberst as their driving force, people either love them or hate them. I saw Bright Eyes play at The Newport in Columbus, and despite the fact that The Newport literally turned the sound off on them, Conor wouldn't stop. He came back out, sat on the edge of the stage, and sang another song. After the show, he sat on top of his van and sang yet another song, right out in the alley behind The Newport!!! So, anyone who tells you Conor Oberst was throwing temper tantrums that night really just doesn't get it: he was upset he couldn't play his whole set, and he obviously wanted the fans to get what they paid for.
~Coldplay~ No, they're not "Radiohead Lite." No, they're not music to fall asleep to. Their music is brilliant, their lyrics poetic, and if the only voice I could ever hear the rest of my life was Chris Martin's, that would be just fine with me. The best song by Coldplay, in my opinion, is "Politik." My friends and I coined (at least I assume no one else has come up with) the word "pianorgasm" to describe Chris Martin's movements at the piano during this song.
~Miranda Sound~ This band is pretty much local, but they travel a lot, according to their website. I found out about them because one of them was the T.A. for a class I was taking, and there was a link to the band's website on part of his department's website. I was curious, and then discovered that this is a really amazing band. Their c.d. Engaged In Labor is a lot better than Baby Inertia, but both are worth buying (they're hard to find, though; you pretty much have to go to a live show to get a c.d., unless you want to buy online).
~Weezer~ Rivers Cuomo is undeniably a disturbed individual, and likely a complete asshole. However, Pinkerton and The Blue Album (their first c.d., really just called Weezer, but usually referred to by its color) are amazing in many respects: humor, musical beauty, sadness, poetic lyrics, just to mention a few. The Green Album (again, this one is actually titled Weezer) is the weak spot for them thus far, but Maladroit might be a sign of things coming around, as it seems to be a marriage between the empty pop of Green and the honesty and beauty of Blue and Pinkerton.
~The Smashing Pumpkins~ They were all I listened to for a couple of years. No matter what anyone says, Billy Corgan is a fucking genius. He's able to write in almost any style. If you don't believe me, actually listen to all of the Pumpkins' c.d.s, all the way through. He can write classical-style piano solos, heavy metal, almost New Age electronic music, and regular old alternative; and he can infuse it all with emotion that few other musicians could ever imagine. Best c.d.s: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Siamese Dream, and Adore.
~The White Stripes~ A lot of people have been complaining about all the praise given to The White Stripes. My question to these people is, why not be happy that a band that actually cares about real music is getting the time in the sun that it deserves? Oh, and they are not brother and sister, okay? Jack White's last name used to be Gillis. For whatever that's worth.
~The Strokes~ It may be sort of trendy to like The Strokes, but I don't care. They are amazing. Room on Fire may not be as memorable as Is This It, but it's still worthy of a semi-permanent place in your c.d. changer.
~Interpol~ Their style may not be completely original, but as far as I know, there's no other band like them in existence currently. If I'm wrong, let me know. Interpol is dark and fun all at the same time. "NYC" makes me cry (no, it's not about September 11, 2001).
~Belle and Sebastian~ I actually only have the c.d. Dear Catastrophe Waitress right now, but it's unlike anything I've ever heard before. I saw this band in concert, and there wasn't a bad song; I didn't want the show to end.
~Tori Amos~ She just gets it, in my opinion. She gets what it's generally like to be female in our society, she gets what it's like to be confused by feelings for someone, she gets the complexity of human interactions and relationships. And not only does she get it, but she sings about it. Her voice is absolutely beautiful, with an amazing range. And her piano playing reminds me why it's my favorite instrument. Anything she's done is a necessity in a music collection. The B-Side "Cooling" is one of those rare songs that's so fucking beautiful, the mere sound of it brings tears to my eyes.
~Sarah Brightman~ She was the first Christine in The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and she's been releasing solo albums fairly regularly. Some of the songs are too pop-like, but her classical work and international-style recordings are absolutely beautiful. I especially recommend La Luna.
~Michael Ball~ He does musical theatre, but also releases solo c.d.s (mostly in England, I believe). His voice is absolutely amazing if you're a fan of musical theatre.