Indie Rock 101
 

I wanted to compose a list of ten-twelve must-listen "indie rock" bands for someone that doesn't know much about music.They asked specifically for this genre (which cracks me up, but I'm not saying anything to them). I want mid 80s/90s stuff. Who would you put on?

So far, I have..

1. SY
2. Pavement
3. Dinosaur Jr.
4. Archers Of Loaf
5. Built to Spill
6. Pixies
7. Husker Du
8. Replacements

Sebadoh
Guided By Voices
Superchunk

Damn, I forgot about them. Thanks.

For GBV, should I just go with something off Bee Thousand? They put out more albums than I can frakking count.

The Smiths?

Yo La Tengo for sure.

Also, Archers of Loaf seems a bit obscure to be on an indie rock top 12 or whatever. maybe it's just me.

Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes go together well (and fit on one CD)

Hip Priest- I had her listen to The Queen Is Dead once, she "didn't get it".

Yeah, YLT. Thanks!

stirling- They really do.

fairly comprehensive list there

I'd do

Sonic Youth
Pixies
Pavement
Slint
Guided By Voices
Beat Happening
Shellac
PJ Harvey
Fugazi
Beck

Some additions...

Sleater Kinney
Neutral Milk Hotel
Slint

Spectral- I totally forgot about BH and Shellac. Thanks.

Add Mudhoney.

How about:
Weezer (preferably something off of Pinkerton or the Blue album)
Neutral Milk Hotel
the Decemberists
Belle & Sebastian
Death Cab for Cutie
Hot Snakes
Q and Not U

And last but NOT least:
MODEST MOUSE(I'd put on the song "Life of Artic Sounds")

how about:

helium
the jesus lizard
railroad jerk
unwound
the pastels
rodan
my bloody valentine
the boredoms
spacemen3
low
stereolab
tortoise
unsane

...the Fall?!?!?!!!

Rapeman
Bardo pond
Cows
Melvins
Galaxie 500
Polvo
Lightning Bolt

Just to throw in a few...

Throwing Muses should be in on that action.

I love you guys. This is going to end up being huge.

Classification is pretty nebulous, but I wouldn't call most of those above "indie rock"

Throwing Muses and Weezer - Major label product
Spacemen3 - Space rock
MBV - Shoegaze
Stereolab - Pop-Electronica
Mudhoney - Grunge
Jesus Lizard - ???
Fugazi and Unwound - Too punky
Beat Happening - Too cutesy
Decemberists - Are you kidding? (Plus, too recent)

etc