The Future 50 - The Innovators Pushing Music Forward

By NME

Posted on 08/05/09 at 11:39:04 am

For a full explanation of each of the fifty, check out our Future 50 Gallery.

Last year’s Future 50 list was discussed for months after, and now it’s time to start the debate all over again. In the true spirit of futurism, we’ve wiped the slate clean and compiled an entirely new rundown – if you were in last year, I’m sorry, but you can’t be in twice. The future is all-new.

La Roux in NME's Future 50

Pulling the list together has been about looking beyond some of the more obvious sonic pioneers to find inspiration in places you might not automatically expect – Syria, for instance, or on the stage of a boy band institution such as Take That or, er, in Norwich.

In times of economic uncertainty everyone always yawns on about people hankering for familiarity and hiding in nostalgia. But that just doesn’t seem to make much sense. Surely it’s more reassuring to know that things are progressing and developing rather than lying stagnant?

After watching the 2009 Future 50 take shape, it is now our firmly-held belief that no matter what happens to us – come further financial meltdown, come raining sulphur or plagues of locusts, come the new Twang album, even – everything will fall into place. One day it will all make sense.

You can read about the Future 50 in detail in the new issue of NME.

In the meantime, you'll find the list after the jump. Be sure to let us know who you think we've overlooked...

continued...

50. Gaggle
49. Xenomania
48. Invasion
47. Yo Gabba Gabba!
46. Diesel:U:Music Radio
45. Cooly G
44. Star And Shadow Cinema
43. Sonar Festival
42. Blackout Crew
41. 3OH!3
40. Stephen McGregor

39. Opera
38. Aldene Johnson and Hannah Marshall
37. Project Natal
36. Lady GaGa
35. Rostam Batmanglij
34. Hyperdub
33. Seb Chew
32. Sweden
31. Greg Kurstin
30. Beck

29. Sonic Boom
28. Take That's stage show
27. Bandstocks.com/Patrick Wolf
26. Micachu
25. Salem
24. Gigbaby
23. The Dream
22. Ray Tintori
21. Platform

20. The Big Pink
19. Twitter
18. Popjustice
17. Mike Sniper
16. Nick Zinner
15. Norwich
14. Bradford Cox
13. Mattias Arrelid
12. Dan The Automator
11. Blocks Recording Club

10. La Roux
9. Little Boots
8. VBS.TV
7. Jack White
6. The XX
5. Omar Souleyman
4. Dizzee Rascal
3. Trent Reznor
2. The Knife
1. Animal Collective

For a full explanation of each of the fifty, check out our Future 50 Gallery.

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Chris [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:28

Some suspect character, Blackout Crew? Chav happy hardcore. Lady GaGa? Madonna already did it. La Roux. The 80's already did it. 3oh3? One catchy song. The XX? Why? Awful list.

Nic S [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:31

this is last year's list right? Twitter? Hello 2008, how is it back there? Popjustice? Hello 2006. Sonar, a, what 15 year old, festival? Lady GaGa is the future? She's barely the present... Almost your entire top ten are well established artists - what happened to "wiping the slate clean and compiling an entirely new rundown"? Nic www.shotwithsound.com

Tarquin [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:33

Which one is the innovator?

scott [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:43

trent renzor as in NIN :S isnt he already earned his lenendary status

DJ Martin Sheen [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:44

lol @ this pathetic list. NME has no direction and doesn't know what to like so prints a useless list full of shit hoping it covers enough bases? Where's the noise bands or the metal bands or the underground?

john [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:48

shite

Nic S [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 12:55

Always Winning [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:08

OK, this is rubbish. Top 10 is just a rundown of established artists. Surely you got to stick your neck out there once in a while NME! Awful awful awful journalism.

I call Yr Name [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:12

– if you were in last year, I’m sorry, but you can’t be in twice. - Huh? Wasn't Mike Skinner in last year?

Matt [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:27

Lady Ga Ga! Jack White! wtf. Surely Matt Bellamy is creating more exciting ,futuristic guitar sounds than Jack White? And where the hell are Foals, Late of the Pier, Klaxons etc??

nick beckett [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:29

this magazine is supposed to be new musical express , so wheres the new music ? wheres detroit social club ? wheres the foxes or little comets ? there not there cause all the can just talk about is industry based rubbish like la roux and dizzie rascal ! theres plenty of new bands out there why don't they put them in a list !wtf is with lady gaga in this list too ?

Lila [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:50

Oh c'mon. Lady Gaga? Dizzee Rascal? You left a word off the end of this article. The Future 50 Crap.

[Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:54

if you hate nme so much then why are on the website? go get a life.

ray juss [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 13:59

this is wack, animal collective are not new, nor is dizzee. these people have been doing great things for ages before you lot jumped on the band wagon NME, focus. Get up to date

Paul [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:14

3oh3? You stupid fools

johnboy [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:14

er...number 15???

Tom [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:20

'The' NME says things like 'last year’s Future 50 list was discussed for months after' - which is just utterly untrue. There are a few 13 year old who nod in bewitched agreement, everyone else just slags off your dull attempts at appearing informed about music and your 'controversial' journalists.

1KG [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:22

This is embarrassing! Grow some balls NME, and hurry up with that new editor.

zeph [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:24

uh-huh, so the future consists of a band about to retire, a band on hiatus and another (admittedly brilliant) band that's on its 8th or so album. And as per usual, Scotland, with the best indie scene bar none, is overlooked in favour of some more English tat...

Salt AAir [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:30

Chew Lips?

RealBad [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:38

awful list. project natal? the knife? to name a few. the intern you got to write this must have been wanting to get home early

Janeymcjane [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:39

It was always inevitable that NME were going to pick La Roux, regardless of whether she is actually 'innovative' in any way, as they've got their head so far up her arse, if she opens her mouth you can probably see their hair poking out. If anyone's "hiding in nostalgia", it's La Roux, and doing a very bad job of it at that. You can' interpret La Roux's pathetic half-baked attempt to recreate the 80s as anything other than "lying stagnant", you just can't. If you're going to pick a synth band who are already quite famous, but who are actually doing something a bit different, why not Metronomy? At least their stuff doesn't sound like anyone else's.

Julien [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:47

Animal Collective, are u kiddin me ???? If this is the most promising band then I should stop listening music right now.

Cahhhlum [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:49

Wheres Pulled Apart by Horses????? You know you've already interviewed them for a future mag.

Julien [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 14:50

And Twitter is totally useless.

[Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:16

Jack white and Trent reznor they kinda already did quite alot no? 30h3 and Lady Gaga?then the futures crap, how about Silversun Pickups and The Horrors?

marc [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:18

some people here are obviously to stupid to distinguish "best new bands" from "future".

You forgot Elvis [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:28

he's innovative, yeah.

suave smooth [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:32

whaz up all my fuckhater.

RrriotGrrl [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:35

You Already Know should be in there. Glasgow band whose debut album is scarily good..and it was recorded in a indie record store!

St Paul II of Bermondsey [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:38

1. Kitsune 2. Smoke Fairies 3. Torch Team 4. Memory Cassette 5. Micachu 6. Slagsmålsklubben 7. Crystal Fighters 8. Alex Metric 9. Losers 10. The Fall

glitterknickers [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:44

dizzie - 2001 little boots - nowhere! take that stage shows! diesel radio - try harder!

axelle [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 15:54

Oh, i got it. it's the 50 most overrated acts ever instead of The innovators pushing music forward !!!

Matt7 [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 16:01

La Roux are great. Little Boots is already on her way out. Sales haven't matched the hype. And Trent Reznor? wtf?

Ridiculous [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 16:15

Garbage list

herman [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 16:24

Trent Reznor is not there for his music, but for his recent statements on music industry, i suppose.

Alex [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 16:48

You missed Speech Debelle and Lightspeed Champion (who's new one is amazing) although granted he might have been on last years list.

tin [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:14

no ones happy here are they?? calm down and enjoy yourself.

Whit [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:28

Trent Reznor is very valuable for music at the moment following The Slip. And he is also God so you know...

Fucking student lame-o's [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:29

get back to class NME dont fucking care

neil [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:36

listszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

roger the cabin boy [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:37

i dont get it. pointless.

quail [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:46

I'm not defending the content of the list, but I think people have missed the point a little bit. People like the foxes and little comets are promising young bands but they're hardly innovative are they? You can be established and still innovate and do something new. Animal Collective might be on their eighth album but they've never been as influential as they are are now they've gained a bit more mainstream exposure with MPP. Things have to go beyond being underground at some point

Robert of Englenook [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 17:56

I'm glad no one complained about Blocks Recording Club. Say what you want about the rest of the list, Blocks is great!

Dave [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:00

Nothing new here. Twitters important for lots of reasons but that should have been last years, this is supposed to be the future list.

Feels Goodman [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:00

NME: FINGERS FIRMLY ON THE PULSE. "So hey, this Beethoven is a pretty cool character..."

me [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:09

SONIC BOOM SIX :D

Sam [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:18

haha are you guys joking? jesus, what a top 10. nice to see IPC are covering their bases....

spiritross [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:35

The Suckers They are blowing up Brooklyn and Manhattan this summer which mean you brits may catch on it a year or two if you want to "keep your body moving" you better catch up.

Massive Cunt [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:39

yeah, never heard of Animal Collective before.

Weary NME reader [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:50

please stop with this pretentious bullshit. everyone knows that 80% of this list will have slipped into nothingness within 2 or 3 years

weary NME reader [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:54

when does Krissi start?

Eh Beast [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:56

NME, your a load of fuckin knob riders. Ive said it before, and ill say it again... NME, your a load of fuckin knob riders.

Jonphillips7 [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 18:57

Terrible list... a few that belong, but all over aweful

Tschussi! [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 19:05

yay blocks!

Ed [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 19:32

Glad to see The Big Pink made it, was sent a promo of their forthcoming debut and it is excellent.

lady gaga's crotch [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 19:53

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha nme = fail

tam [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 20:11

AC have been around since the late 90s! Beck has been around for even longer. Where are bands such as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, or Crocodiles, who clearly seem destined for bigger and better things?

? [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 20:28

see u later innovators

michael [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 20:42

jack white is the best. this list is dumb though. and stop complaining that it doesnt have enough totally obscure or esoteric shitty indie bands that live in brooklyn and have girls and boys in the band. no one will no know who the dirty projectors are in X years.

Andy [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 20:42

dizzee rascal was the future in 2002, i know that NME journalists work for VBS.TV, animal collective are hybrid of vampire weekend and MGMT. this list just seems pretty silly==. apart from the hyperdub label, dubstep is not represented - as probably the largest growing scene in the country apart from chav-house, it should really make a bigger imprint on this list?!

gizacig [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 21:31

the only one on there who is a genuine innovator is trent reznor.

QwertyJim [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 21:35

Methinks some of you are taking this list a little too seriously.

Tron [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 21:38

The Dodos belongs on this list.

retard [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 22:43

nme continues its reign of uninformed and inane list-making

sean [Visitor] //August 5 2009 at 23:47

Reznor is there because of all the work he's done over the last year e.g. giving music away for free, building a closer relationship to the fans through the NIN website and twitter, the NIN iphone app and loads of other things.Shame NIN are going away :(

PandaPandaPanda [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 00:07

where is the context? where is the consistency in criteria? I wonder how innovative and pioneering Animal Collective NINTH studio album will be.

luke [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 00:09

mental. you big up glasvegas and florence all year round they sell shed loads and will sell even more and they dont get mentioned. You have the blackout crew ahahhaa, the biggest bunch of chavs since blazing squad. Norwich is rubbish.

Will [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 00:45

I can only hope Sonic Boom's past work finally receives some recognition with him producing the new MGMT album. He is one of the most overlooked geniuses of the past 50 years.

Jard [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 00:55

LOL

Ian Schultz [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 01:05

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart? Crystal Stilts? Vivian Girls?

Marko [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 01:25

You sooo forgot MGMT and Vampire Weekend. Indie hipster movement FTW!!!

MS [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 03:00

Last time I checked, Radiohead was an innovative band. This list is horribile. 3OH!3? Lady Gaga? Come on, now.

Seán [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 03:45

Why is this 'magazine' still in publication?..my god, You are the most pointlessly slow realisation of what is on the current bandwagon...go back to writing about how inovative the new {oasis,arctic monkeys,whatever shit is out there} album is, you scumbags.

Duhh [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 05:16

OASISOASISOASIS! ;)

[Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 05:22

What? No Raygun?

Rob [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 09:07

Terrible list. So 2008, certainly not the future . Twitter ? C'mon. What about uprising record labels such as Neon Gold and record stores such as Puregroove ?

anystripes [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 09:09

Ok, so it's not like most of these musicians are bad; I mean, sure, I'm a fan of AC, the Knife, Bradford Cox, La Roux etc etc. But I find the list as a whole bewilidering. Very few of the artists mentioned...or even production companies or websites...are particularly new. With the exception of La Roux, the xx and Little Boots, all of the top 10 have been around and making music for at least 7 or 8 years...some more than 10 or 15. Also, what's with these vapid selections like "Sweden" and "Opera" and stuff. ??? How are they suddenly new and innovative? I still don't understand you, NME. Best on the list is Micachu because she's actually developed a completely unique sound. Kudos for that selection at least. Should've been higher though.

Conor's New Fast Car [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 09:42

The comments are funnier than the list. Love the douche who mistook Mike Sniper for Mike Skinner.

Roger [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 10:26

So... When's this new editor coming?

Lizzie [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 12:31

There is nothing innovative or exciting about this list. TRY AGAIN.

Crabcore FTW [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 12:55

Where are Attack Attack! and Brokencyde?

Awesome [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 13:23

I hate this magazine. Why do people still read it?

Jack [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 13:38

no Marina & The Diamonds? I thought the NME were gonna be championing her? Also, here's the compulsory 'Lady Gaga?????'

Sharkeen [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 13:53

Only Michachu was promising, nor anything else. There's no future in the list, only lame predictions, how A'Collective can rebirth again?

Sharkeen [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 14:35

Only Michachu was promising, nor anything else. There's no future in the list, only lame predictions, how A'Collective can rebirth again?

Lish [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 15:23

EWWWWWWWWWWWW. Not MY future, thank god.

dan [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 16:07

Hilarious. Twitter? What's innovative about sounding exactly like 80's syth-pop? I'd like someone from the NME to explain why Animal Collective are innovative. Because they're not.

Nicole A Go Go [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 16:09

Yea they definitely missed the mark on this one. I do like some of the artists featured but I don't consider them innovative so much as entertaining. La Roux and Little Boots are fun but there is nothing particularily ground breaking about their music. And Lady GaGa? What's so innovative about walking around with no pants on to get attention? Haven't "pop stars" been doing that since the 80s? Her music is nothing special and I guarantee if she started putting clothes on she wouldn't get nearly as much attention. She's just another manufactured pop tart.

lovin the love here [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 16:48

Gaggle is one of the only ones here worth listing, let's see more about them please!

wearier NME reader [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 17:01

take note NME. almost all of these comments are bad. pack it in with the bullshit and listen to your readership!

georgie [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 17:30

this list is awful, nme you are on a very slippery slope and have been for quite a while, sort yourselves and your lists out!!

ashley [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 18:01

yhhhh woooo i luv norwich! from norwich and proud! i speak on behalf of norwich and we thankyou good people of NME

NORWICH [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 18:07

My home city has made it to number 15,!!!!!!!!! Check out The Brownies, The Kabeedies, Fever Fever, Violet Violet & Bearsuit and you'll see why!!!!!

[Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 19:49

number 25 is cool. i like salem

Michael Jackson [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 20:11

Shaheen Jafargholi is worth watching for the future.

SCRIBER [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 23:17

I thought it criminal you forgot Johnny Flynn. He's a shining light in music at the moment, shame on you. Shame retracted: Micachu. Well done. Still, edit the list.

murray [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 23:35

trent reznor lady shitga and twiter pffft moronic

murray [Visitor] //August 6 2009 at 23:35

trent reznor lady shitga and twiter pffft moronic

scarlet [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 11:17

I do like a lot of the people you've got in the list but they can't really be calld innovative or anything like that! Half of these people/bands/festivals/producers have been around for ages and people like La Roux, Little Boots, Lady GaGa etc. are only copying what was done in the past! Please be less lazy - last year's list was much more innovative!!!!!

nme = ok stylte shite gossip magazine [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 12:09

utter bollocks.

Leum [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 12:20

I think loads of people have completely missed the point here. Everything on the list represents what will be influential on the mainstream and music industry, not the underground necessarily. In 10 years time will bands really imitate these obscure undrground indie bands of the past? No. Theyll be looking at the more popular acts, which nme represents here. Plus if you read the article properly you would know that they don't use the same things two years running so a lot of things were ruled out already. Nobody should question the decision to put Animal Collective top of the list. Yes theyve been around for a decade already but honestly how many people were into them before Merriweather Post Pavillion? Very few, not that the were bad back then its just now everyone is aware of them I'm sure 100's of bands will aspire to be like them in the future which is what this list is supposed to be about. It's easy to criticize the list as well if you didnt actually buy the magazine and read the full list with explanations to justify them.

Andrew John Collins [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 14:33

YOU WANT INNOVATORS... ...DANCING ROBOT MUSIC YOU CUNT

007 [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 14:39

Yeah agreed, Dancing robot guys should be at least number 34

Your Mums Man [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 14:41

errrr....3D Electro raves kind of taking it to a next level, I cannot be bothered to be an NME whore anymore. Dancing Robot Music JAMES BROWN IS DEAD

ELVIS [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 14:43

errrr....3D Raves are next level man, Dancing Robot Music own you, not forgetting mad props to Jaymo and Andy George, A1 Bassline and El Wood

Chris [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 14:51

Why the hell is Beck on this list? I'm sure Beck will continue to do more brilliant things in the future and people should definately look out for him but he would also be on the list of the present 50 and the past 50. This list is supposed to be about upcoming artists that don't have albums out yet and it's not. Little Boots and La Roux, okay because their albums are recent. But i would expect bands like Goldheart Assembly and Marina and The Diamonds to be on this list. Poor NME can never get it right, if only it started voicing it's opinion instead of representing someone else's then it might sell more.

Matt [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 15:08

I hate to say it, NME but this is list is truly shit. So much is wrong with it like the fact a lot of the bands have been around for a long time, La Roux is nothing special and it features Lady Gaga. How sad.

Jeroen [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 15:40

"The future is all-new" The acid at NME is clearly very potent.

If That Is What The Future Holds... [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 16:32

Better to die right now. :(

Micky from The Rockhouse in Derby [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 18:05

Jack White - god forbid.

Camem Bear [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 20:36

Good list. Definitely feeling the new blood there, especially Gaggle, which has arguably, in London at least, provided the soundtrack to the Summer.

Jack [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 22:33

3OH!3- should be higher but all in all quite a good list (Y)

David Sheldon [Visitor] //August 7 2009 at 22:55

They missed Artrocker off the list...

Noisy [Visitor] //August 8 2009 at 04:47

Klaxons!

John [Visitor] //August 8 2009 at 15:26

anyone who questions animal collective at number 1 knows nothing about music. The only problem is that grizzly bear should be in it as well

blury [Visitor] //August 8 2009 at 18:44

lada gaga is a ridiculous one. i can think of "better" people who deserve to be in this list.

Dave [Visitor] //August 9 2009 at 11:59

What the hell is Omar Souleyman doing on the list? Is this the NME'S pathetic attempt at realising that there is music beyond the western world?

[Visitor] //August 9 2009 at 14:10

Did jaimie hodgson happen to write this? His girlfriend in the top 10 as is the TV channel he sometimes works for. There's also his association with the Big Pink, and his known love for Take That... Sonic Boom?!? Give me a break...

Davey c [Visitor] //August 10 2009 at 02:55

Has the NME ever heard The Vanities???? They should definately feature in the top 10!!! http://www.myspace.com/initiationv

alx hoera [Visitor] //August 11 2009 at 20:39

i love the knife...

anon [Visitor] //August 11 2009 at 20:56

41. 3OH!3 and that's where I stopped reading

Dettol [Visitor] //August 11 2009 at 21:04

The NME is everything I hate about the British music industry and the piss poor music journalism that dwells within it. How a publication this embarrassing and producing this sort of pretentious and pointless shite is still surviving and doing business leaves me clueless. This blog manages to be both disheartening and heartening in equal measures: disheartening because the NME continues to allow this utter shite to pollute their magazine and website, and heartening because the comments section proves I'm not the only person to see what I joke of a music publication you really are. You are an absolute laughing stock and it's your own fault

Dettol [Visitor] //August 11 2009 at 21:06

Vladimir Trentchev [Visitor] //August 12 2009 at 20:59

Comments. And so we are the Judges, what is real and what is not?!

:( [Visitor] //August 12 2009 at 21:41

it makes me sad that talent doesn't appear to be part of the criteria for this list..

Jack Tweed [Visitor] //August 14 2009 at 10:19

Gaggle - yes! Move them from 50 to 1!

josh [Visitor] //August 15 2009 at 15:29

i love you NME but this list is unbelievably shocking La Roux?? Dizzee?? they have been around ages and arent even that good.

Andrew [Visitor] //August 18 2009 at 05:57

How is Animal Collective innovative? Wow. Let's get serious. How many songs have you even heard by them? You lose your music privileges. and Hybrid of MGMT and Vampire Weekend? You're an idiot and just name dropping two other indie flavors of the month. You clearly know nothing about Animal Collective. Yea this list is a little messed up (especially the 3Oh!3 part), but I'm glad Animal Collective are getting recognized, they're pretty amazing. Talking smack about them or the knife is plain ignorant, both groups are talented and very forward thinking. There's a reason that "Vampire Weekend and MGMT" didn't make this list, they do not TOUCH Animal Collective. Should you hate on them I will smite you.

ws [Visitor] //August 18 2009 at 15:23

la roux? lady gaga???????? is this 'your' future of the music????? sad...

kiwi [Visitor] //August 18 2009 at 18:56

Have mars volta ever been here? They're certainly different. What about Silversun Pickups? or Attack! Attack! (uk)? School of Seven Bells? Porbably misguided overall.

V [Visitor] //August 30 2009 at 14:34

anyone doubting that 3oh!3 cannot make it big is a fool, they are an incredible band with amazing potential, and i've been a fan of them ever since their first debut album, and now that their music is taking a turn toward the mainstream and theyre changing their attitudes to what the general public and Mtv would most likely like, doing collabs with people like lil' jon and t pain, they most certainly have a future in the mainstream of music, and can easily make a top 50 of any list, whatever the cost may be on their music, it sucks that they are pretty much selling out their identity to conform to the public, but dont underestimate them

playparanoid [Visitor] //September 1 2009 at 01:04

Maybe it's just me but I've never really understood the Animal Collective hype. Surely they influenced the freak noise pop experimental genre, but it's 2009, I think things have moved on... Made my own top 7 of current music trends, including Big Pink, boy/girl bands, supergroups etc. Would love to hear your comments! http://playparanoid.blogspot.com/2009/08/future-of-music-is-here-its-not-animal.html

Ty [Visitor] //September 19 2009 at 01:46

The knife is amazing!!!

oes tsetnoc [Visitor] //October 2 2009 at 04:17

Sweet! Thank you. Works a treat.

Mike Gregson [Visitor] //October 12 2009 at 17:35

From Time Dizzee Rascal and Lady Gaga was on this pathetic list i couldnt be bothered even reading the rest. Why isnt Wakeman, Murkage Cartel and The Trigonometry aint on this list. NME need to get off the sniff and know the real next future acts.

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Posted on 08/05/09 at 11:39:04 am

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