50 Underrated Indie Rock Artists Worth Checking Out

PK White

54 minutes ago7 min read

50 Underrated Indie Rock Artists Worth Checking Out

(Pictured - Japandroids 2018)

Indie rock has always thrived in the margins—built on cult followings, word-of-mouth praise, and a stubborn refusal to chase mainstream appeal. While some bands manage to break through, countless others remain criminally overlooked, even within indie circles. Sure, bands like Pavement and Pixies are technically underrated in the broader rock sphere, but within indie circles, they’re royalty—so we’re not focusing on them. Instead, this list highlights the truly underrated: the bands even most indie fans probably haven’t heard of but absolutely should. These are the bands that the cashier at your local record store pretends to like—you know, the guy in the Neutral Milk Hotel tee and glasses without frames, who somehow looks disappointed in you no matter what you buy, "Actually, Bleach was Nirvana's only good album..." Nevertheless, here are fifty underrated indie artists worth checking out. This list is unranked, although we did highlight ten artists in particular that ought to stand out. And if you’re looking for underrated indie rock songs, we’ve got you covered there too—with a Spotify playlist ready for all your streaming needs.

Wolf Parade

This selection of underrated artists is unranked, but if there were an exception, it would be Wolf Parade. The Canadian rock outfit boasts an incredible discography, with their first three albums being fantastic, the first two exceptional, and their debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary, standing as one of the greatest indie rock records of the 21st century. Co-fronted by Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner, the band is unlike any other, with its unconventional song structures, lyrical style, vocal delivery, and instrumentation. Their signature dueling keyboard-guitar interplay creates a uniquely brilliant sound, heard especially well on Fine Young Cannibals, I’ll Believe in Anything, Yulia, and the sprawling, 11-minute Kissing the Beehive. Both frontmen trade lead vocals, each bringing a distinct, off-kilter style, with Krug’s frantic, high-register, shout-like delivery being particularly unforgettable. Though they only found moderate success, mainly in Canada, they’ve been praised to the moon and back by critics and the indie fans lucky enough to stumble upon them. If there is any band on this list to delve into first, start with Wolf Parade.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Formed in Springfield, Missouri, in 1999, this curiously named band—generally referred to as SSLYBY—crafted an incredibly tight sound, balancing crisp, pristine studio production with the lo-fi(ish) indie aesthetic that defined the 2000s. Their first three albums, in particular, stand out among their six-album discography, showcasing their incredibly catchy sound. They were never the heaviest or loudest band—just effortlessly catchy, with the right balance of rock and pop. SSLYBY could shift between different moods with ease—House Fire is deeply emotive, Sink/Let It Sway is danceable, and Anne Elephant is straight-up quirky. Perhaps their greatest strength, though, comes from their riffs and hooks, with Back in the Saddle, Glue Girls, Modern Mystery, and, of course, All Hail Dracula! immediately coming to mind. Overall, their discography is packed with a ton of great songs, well worth checking out.

The Go-Betweens

As time has passed since The Go-Betweens' '80s prime, listeners sometimes mix them in with other jangle-pop bands like The Smiths or The Housemartins, falsely believing they had some sort of breakthrough commercial heyday. The truth, however, is that they really didn’t have any hits, and they never sold very many albums. On top of that, they were all the way in Australia, where they were somehow even less popular than they were in the UK. Time kept marching on, but their songs were never forgotten, and eventually, retrospective reviewers, critics, and journalists began holding them in high regard, with 16 Lovers Lane now considered one of the premiere jangle-pop records of the '80s. Even Franz Ferdinand took notice, covering Was There Anything I Could Do on Triple J in 2013. All in all, they wrote interesting songs and made sonically pleasing, guitar-driven rock, well worth checking out. If they’re a band you haven’t heard of, start with the closest thing they had to a hit, Streets of Your Town.

Allo Darlin'

Formed in 2008, initially as a solo project for Elizabeth Morris, Allo Darlin’ is a perfect find for fans of Belle & Sebastian and Camera Obscura. The band takes the gentle, swaying sound of twee pop and layers it with infectious guitar work—arguably more intricate than what you’d typically expect from the genre. As charming and pretty as Morris’s voice is, it’s Paul Rains’ guitar playing that really makes the band stand out. Most of their songs revolve around some form of an irresistible guitar hook, with The Letter and Kiss Your Lips coming to mind instantly. Speaking of Kiss Your Lips, fans of Weezer ought to check that song out (yes, really). All in all, the band only released three records, but each one is solid—especially their debut.

Luna

The same year Galaxie 500 called it quits (another band worth checking out), frontman and lead vocalist Dean Wareham formed Luna—a band stylistically similar to its predecessor. Wareham’s guitar playing was at the forefront of Luna’s sound, with his guitar lines often becoming the most iconic parts of their songs. Along with his skill as a guitarist, Wareham is a one-of-a-kind vocalist, with an unusual, exposed, somber, and soothing style. Their music carried that same hazy, dreamlike quality Galaxie 500 was known for, but with a sharper, more polished sound. One of the most interesting aspects of this indie outfit is the praise they received from Television frontman Tom Verlaine, who played guitar on Moon Palace and 23 Minutes in Brussels from Luna’s 1995 album Penthouse.

The Bats

Not that too many people in North America or Europe noticed, but there were some incredibly interesting musical developments coming out of New Zealand’s Dunedin Sound in the ’80s. Characterized by jovial jangle-pop, drenched in reverb and hazy, out-of-focus vocals, the style stood apart from its European and North American counterparts. Of all the regional acts echoing the Dunedin Sound, The Bats were definitely at the forefront. Their catchy, carefree songs carried a subtle surf aesthetic, adding a distinct flair to their jangly melodies. The band’s debut album, Daddy’s Highway, was well received by the few publications that covered it, earning a cult following among those who sought it out. For those who have discovered The Bats, North by North, Round and Down, and Block of Wood have become standout tracks from the debut LP.

Camper Van Beethoven

Longtime indie fans might be a bit perplexed to see this eccentrically named rock group on a list of underrated bands. Sure, Camper Van Beethoven is revered within die-hard indie circles, and their influence is undeniable, but that doesn’t change the fact that most people—including plenty of indie fans—still haven’t heard of them. The band is regarded as one of the trailblazing American indie acts of the ’80s, crafting music that had no real place in the mainstream. To be honest, a lot of it was even too weird for college radio. Still, this band had a charm and aesthetic that lasted well beyond the decade. Their impact within the indie realm was substantial, and Take the Skinheads Bowling has become the quintessential ’80s underground American indie track.

Sebadoh

Sebadoh was formed in 1986 as a side project for Dinosaur Jr. bassist Lou Barlow, giving him a space to develop his own songwriting outside the shadow of J Mascis. The band quickly became one of the pioneering acts of the lo-fi movement, particularly on the rock side of the spectrum. Their use of four-track cassette tape recording defined the scrappy, unpolished sound of ’90s lo-fi, embracing raw imperfections that made their music feel more personal and immediate. Every hiss, tape crackle, and offbeat moment became part of the charm. Beyond their lo-fi appeal, Sebadoh embodied true DIY ethics, proving that great records could be made with minimal resources. Their 1994 album Bakesale remains one of the most praised indie rock records of the decade, a testament to their ability to turn rough edges into something deeply resonant.

Japandroids

Japandroids fused noise rock and garage rock with minimalist punk, creating an immensely powerful sound from a stripped-down setup. Instead of a traditional four-piece rock outfit, Japandroids were just a duo—guitarist Brian King and drummer David Prowse. The sheer force they managed to generate was nothing short of outstanding, earning them a reputation for energetic, deafening live shows. The Canadian duo found localized success in British Columbia, gradually expanding their notoriety eastward, including into the U.S., as their years on the road piled up. Although mainstream success was limited, bloggers and critics championed them, with Celebration Rock being named the best album of 2012 by multiple publications and landing a spot on just about every other year-end list.

Pretty Girls Make Graves

Bloggers and critics have always struggled to pin a genre on Pretty Girls Make Graves, which, honestly, is kind of a cool thing. One thing they are not, though, is a Smiths-like jangle-pop outfit, despite what their name might suggest. The band fused post-hardcore energy with emo lyricism and indie rock guitar work, crafting three of Matador’s most electrifying albums of the label’s early 2000s run. Separating themselves from traditional hardcore or punk acts, their songs were incredibly intricate, clearly rehearsed to near perfection. Much of Pretty Girls Make Graves’ rhythmic complexity came from the interplay between drummer Nick Dewitt and guitarists J. Clark and Nathan Thelen, layering their sound with precision and depth. Of all the bands on this list, Pretty Girls Make Graves is undoubtedly one of the most technically gifted.

The Thermals

Shout Out Louds

Parquet Courts

Superchunk

The Wedding Present

Jordan Dean

Slint

Game Theory

The Concretes

Deep Sea Arcade

Together Pangea

The Clean