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The Top 40 American Bands | 2005

United States

Last year I talked a lot about Information Leafblower’s list of the top 40 bands in America. This year I participated in the selection. A whole bunch of bloggers were asked to list “the top 10 bands in America today.” 114 “bands” were nominated. Kyle Leafblower compiled the top 40 in a list, in order.

(REMEMBER: NO bands from the UK or Canada)

Mariah Carey I tried to be objective with my list. I mixed my own worldview with the bigger picture. I define “top” to be more than a band who put out an album I like a lot (didn’t nominate The Mountain Goats or The Hold Steady). (UPDATE: As Matt pointed out in the comments, I tended to weigh who’s “hot” very highly) I nominated Mariah Carey even though I don’t listen to her much. Other bloggers seemed to take the “favorite albums of 2005” approach. For instance the band “Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin” made the list. Mariah didn’t.

Green Day HERE’S MY LIST:
1) Green Day *
2) The White Stripes
3) Bob Dylan
4) Kanye West *
5) Bright Eyes *
6) Devendra Banhart *
7) Kelly Clarkson *
8) Mariah Carey
9) Sufjan Stevens *
10) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
* made the top 40

My Runner Ups: The Decemberists, Death Cab For Cutie, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Rilo Kiley, Sleater Kinney, The Strokes

Casey Kasim

READ THE TOP 40

The White Stripes

** Six of my top 10 made the top 40.
** Three of my top 10 made the top 10.
** I have no idea how The White Stripes didn’t make it at all.
** It has to be backlash & denial that kept CYHSY off the top 40.
** The National are the second best band in America right now?

Antony Antony & The Johnsons would of been in my top 10, but I figured he wasn’t qualified since he accepted the UK’s Mercury Award. Others voted for him anyway so he made the list (barely). I’d like to revote and add him to my list. I might have to drop Mariah.

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THE PANEL Gorilla Vs. Bear, Largehearted Boy, Music for Robots, 5500, My Old Kentucky Blog, Catbirdseat, Central Village, Bradley’s Almanac, Chromewaves, Dceiver, Byron Crawford, Catherine’s Pita, Tuning Fork, Jason and Rajeev from One Louder, Brooklyn Vegan, Soviet Panda, Melody Nelson, Seeking Irony, Coolfer and Information Leafblower.