25 bands making America cool again

Great to see The Hold Steady, Kings Of Leon and TV On The Radio included.
They've been righteous "Jump Starts" for me.

yeah and meh

It needs actual musicians who are talented, don't sing to canned music, and who can perform...

Glad to see Grace Jones on that list! Woo hoo!

I hate lists like this.

Not surprised to see the Kings of Leon on the List, They own!

I hate lists like this too... it usually goes based off what the hipster doofuses are listening to.

I was listening to those bands years ago... I would absolutely hate it if any of these bands music was used on The Hills. OH WAIT, THEY DO USe THEM ON THE HILLS!!! ARGHHHH!

Some of these bands are dope! But changing the spectrum of music? Not sure about that.

It would take a very innovative approach to music to do that. Alot of these bands are simply breaking down sound and not depending so much on studio trickery to put out their albums. So, really they are going back to basics, that is not innovative, that is just plain smart. Music back in the day was soooo much better!

TVOTR should be number one!!

Why is Lil Wayne on this list?

Minus anything to do with hip hop and rap this would be an ok start of a list.

I don't even know who these people are.

The American music scene is not dead, the American music business is dead.

All of our good bands go and play overseas.

Hey Saladin thats not totally true its just you have stop listening to the radio and search for a great band to listen to trust me America is very rich with musical talent its just that only the most generic sounding bands are usually the ones to be heard by the masses.

Thats whats wrong with american music they take whats popular with the 12-25 crowd and they push no shove it down our throats.But it wasnt popular when it started you have just heard it enough till it gets stuck in your head.Example...Im a barbie girl in a barbie world... now who has this still going on in their heads.Was the song any good?

We need all the pop culture propers we can get, since we appear to have a problem hitting the mark in any other category.

I think they included Lil Wayne on this list because his latest album incorporates alot of old school jam sounds with some refreshing new beats (that are done using actual instruments, not just a mixer!). I have to give him some props because he has taken his sound to another level since his time with Hot Boyz and Cash Money Records.

Beats then were sort of generic and the emphasis was placed on the rapping. However on his latest venture he has layered his sound, not just focusing on the rapping but also paying special attention to the beats and the overall feel and sound itself.

His first single off the album, "Lollipop" has more of a pop sound to it, but that is to be expected from the first single, since it has to contend with others for radio airplay.

I am not the hugest fan of rap, however his latest album is definitely a step up from his previous and also a step up from some of the other rap albums currently out.

Grace Jones is on there because she Da Bomba!

Vampire Weekend rocks as well, just listen to "Kids Dont Stand A Chance".

Like I said I hate lists like this... who determines this shit? However, I do like a few of the bands on the list.

I don't get why Vampire Weekend is on there. Ditto for Black Kids, the Cool Kids, and Spank Rock. I don't think any piece of rock journalism should focus on what's "in", or "making America cool". Rather, it should focus on the faces, places, and stories that comprise and shape the landscape of rock music, from our past, through what will become of it in the future. I could give a shit about the god awful hipster/the cure mashup that is black kids, and yet they get a spot over The Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket, The Black Keys, and numerous other bands who are laying down history and capturing the spirit of whatever glorious mess we've gotten ourselves into in 2008. I'd be ashamed to see black kids, or most of the trash on that list get a spot a spot in american rock history, if god forbid that ever happened.

Never heard of any of them.

As long as Fugazi is on hiatus, America is on hiatus.

There is so much talent in America. Just look around your nearest city to find some. Myspace is a great place to find local talent.

What does "whipping up a storm" even mean? Sure these bands are the epitome of cool "right now" but it doesn't mean they're worth listening to. They've branded themselves in a way that causes hype in all the right places. If you want to be relevant, drop any of these band's names in your next conversation.

*Of course Lil Wayne is on that list. He's the only one left selling albums in American still.

" cool " is not reading NME to begin with .

Never heard of a single band on that list. Perhaps that makes me old, or perhaps the music the industry has pumped out in the last 10+ years isn't that good (with few exceptions).

Going to the Masters of Metal tour this weekend....Judas Priest, Motorhead and Dio still rockin it out makes America cool.

BECK!!!! Beck Hanson has always been fuckin' cool. He should be on that list, he's at least somewhat original.

Lil Wayne? seriously? I dont even think he counts as a band, not that hes any good in any light...this list is pretty shabby all in all, and fugazi aint that great either bud.

I wish the Racontours and black keys were on that list.