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25 forgotten indie bands of the 2000s, ranked from worst to best

So many lads. So many ‘The’s.

Mercury Music Prize 2006 - Grosvenor House hotel, central London Source: PA Archive/PA Images

THE 2000S WAS a landmark decade for indie music, producing acts that are still huge today – Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, to name but a few.

But it also lead to the scourge of ‘landfill indie’ as the decade wore on. Fancy a trip down Indie Memory Lane? You got it.

25. Hard-Fi

Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 - London Source: EMPICS Entertainment/PA Wire

Indie for the ladsladslads. The kind of thing you’d find yourself singing along to on the radio, then recoil and go “Ew. Why am I singing along to Hard-Fi.”

24. The Automatic

the-automatic-monster-b-unique Source: 45cat

If football chants gave royalties, The Automatic would be millionaires. What’s that coming over the hill? Oh, it’s another flash-in-the-pan indie band.

23. Scouting For Girls

Girlguiding Big Gig at Wembley Arena - London Source: EMPICS Entertainment

Ev-ery. So-ng. Go-oes. Li-ike. Thi-is. God, I’m aggravated just thinking about Scouting For Girls.

22. Jet

Source: JET/YouTube

Bang of ‘random Playstation 2 sports game music’ off Jet. ‘Tis all they were good for.

21. The Fratellis

600x600 Source: Rhapsody

As a petite woman, I know when Chelsea Dagger comes on it is time to leave the dancefloor lest I want to spend three uncomfortable minutes wedged under a lad’s sweaty armpit. For that, Fratellis, I can never forgive you.

20. The Ordinary Boys

ordinary boys Source: EMPICS Entertainment

The actual band took a backseat to frontman Preston’s antics on Celebrity Big Brother and later, Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Which was a good tactic on his part, because they were crap.

19. The Bravery

Source: TheBraveryVEVO/YouTube

An Honest Mistake is OK for what it is, which is a blatant attempt by a record label at emulating the success of The Killers. No thanks.

18. The View

Scottish bungee jump Source: PA Archive/PA Images

The View had one song. And that one song is grand, and then it turns into Brimful of Asha. Future generations will not look at Same Jeans as a masterpiece of composition.

17. The Coral

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We’ve all happily hollered along to Dreaming Of You in Whelan’s or wherever else, but how many people would actually say they’re a fan of The Coral? Exactly.

16. The Pigeon Detectives

Shockwaves NME Awards 2008 - London Source: EMPICS Entertainment

That name, man. I’ll probably never get past it.

15. The Vines

Source: TheVinesVEVO/YouTube

Another band that just call to mind video games. This time, car video games. Get Free is still fine?

14. The Ting Tings

BRIT Awards 2009 - Arrivals - London Source: Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment

That’s Not My Name was lead singer Katie White ranting about her frustrations with being a woman in the music industry, which is fair – but Jesus, if I ever hear it again I’ll scream.

And the guy Ting Ting, what was his deal? He always wore sunglasses. What was he hiding?

13. The Wombats

61LIE4RQNDL Source: Amazon

“Carrots help us see much better in the dark/ Don’t talk to girls, they’ll break your heart.” Just an example of a Wombats lyric for you.

12. The Kooks

Source: TheKooksVEVO/YouTube

Naive was genuinely great! But everything after that was just… eh. Their second album was called Konk, which is quite fitting, in retrospect.

11. Razorlight

Andy Burrows in concert - London Source: PA Archive/PA Images

Ah, Johnny Borrell. He as a character is unforgettable, but the music of Razorlight? Zzzz.

10. The Cribs

the-cribs-mens-needs-wichita Source: 45cat

Just because there is still some joy to be obtained from hearing Ryan Jarman howl “MEEEEEEEEEEEN’S NEEEEEEDS! MEEEEEEEN’S NEEEEEEDS!”

9. The Revs

Source: vb7000/YouTube

Three lads from Donegal who made sprightly tunes about manic pixie dream girls and Louis Walsh. Bet you just said “Ah The REVS!” didn’t you?

8. Be Your Own Pet

be-your-own-pet-4f366abaeea58 Source: Fanart.tv

Be Your Own Pet were probably not as well known as some of the bands in this list, but they were bags more fun than most of them. The perfect soundtrack to being a brat.

7. Maximo Park

Reading Festival 2009 Source: PA Archive/PA Images

These guys always seemed to be for people who were like, into ART and LITERATURE. They wore suits and hats! They had an umlaut in their name!

But wasn’t this good? And this an ideal ‘something to make me even sadder’ breakup song?

6. The Futureheads

Source: yurksemesh/YouTube

I am not too proud to admit that I almost lost my mind when this Hounds of Love cover came on in a pub recently. A work of art, and enough to cement them on the latter half of this list.

5. The Hives

0045778010769 Source: Epitaph

Where would the world of sporting montages be without The Hives?

HATE TO SAY I TOLD YOU SOOOOOO… *goal is scored*
…ALRIGHT! *Robbie Keane does a cartwheel, crowd goes wild*

In all fairness though, they were responsible for some tunes. And so stylish!

4. The Maccabees

Shockwaves NME Awards 2010 Nominees Launch - London Source: Empics Entertainment

I would like to point out that the members of The Maccabees are called things like Orlando, Hugo, Felix, and Rupert. Make of that what you will.

How and ever, their gentle lovesongs were the ideal accompaniment to burgeoning teenage romances. So thanks for that, lads.

3. Klaxons

BRIT Awards 2008 - Press Room - London Source: PA Archive/PA Images

Nu-rave may not have aged well as a scene, but Myths of the New Future still holds up, surprisingly. Go on! Listen to it! And try not to dance. Just try.

2. The Gossip

Source: Kill Rock Stars/YouTube

Will happily stomp and screech along to Standing In The Way Of Control for the rest of my life. Beth Ditto was and remains a goddess.

1. The Thrills

the thrills Source: Wikia

Oh, The Thrills! How did five lads from grey, rainy Dublin make songs so evocative of sunny California? Put on Don’t Steal Our Sun there and pretend you’re in The OC. Treat yourself.

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