With the music industry fracturing more and more each year and the widespread availability of music on the Internet, indie music has become a giant metaphor for the numerous niche markets that have popped up across not only the musical landscape but within our iPods.
What counts as “indie” is up for debate and ever-changing, ranging from the classic rock and punk-influenced sounds of The White Stripes and The Hold Steady, to the grand orchestral pop of Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire, to the less-is-more pop sounds of Spoon and LCD Soundsystem, to the experimental post-rock of Wilco and TV on the Radio, to the spastic electronic creations of Animal Collective. Here are our picks for the top 10 indie songs of the decade.
10. Sufjan Stevens ““ “Chicago” (2005)
9. Animal Collective ““ “My Girls” (2009)
8. The Hold Steady ““ “Stuck Between Stations” (2006)
7. Modest Mouse ““ “Float On” (2004)
6. Spoon ““ “The Way We Get By” (2002)
5. Wilco ““ “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” (2002)
4. The Arcade Fire ““ “Rebellion (Lies)” (2004)
3. The White Stripes ““ “Fell In Love With A Girl” (2001)
2. TV on the Radio ““ “Wolf Like Me” (2006)
1. LCD Soundsystem ““ “All My Friends” (2007)