80. The Gloomcatcher – Starla Over The Fences (2011)
The first of a few Jessy Ribordy fronted projects you’ll find on this list as it proceeds (Falling Up, The River Empires, Gloomcatcher). I think he’s an absolute musical genius. Start with some releases that appear closer to the top of the list, but this one is great and you’ll definitely want to get to it at some point.
Genre: Folk-Rock
RIYL: Falling Up, The River Empires, The Dear Hunter
Stream: Starla Over The Fences – The Gloomcatcher
79. The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding (2017)
It’s like hearing 70s rock hits that never were, but with a nostalgic atmosphere.
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4TkmrrpjlPoCPpGyDN3rkF?si=jiLhWUYDQLq7Kr4169tWtQ
78. Jars of Clay – Inland (2013)
I cannot stress enough that people need to understand that Jars of Clay are a legitimately great band and not just a punch line for articles about 90s Christian youth group culture. They never were a dumbed down, mainstream-copying CCM band, and they still aren’t with their most recent full-length.
Genre: Pop/Rock
RIYL: Counting Crows, Sixpence None the Richer, Crowded House
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/26xODR4QAfy3zgeLAvxhpG?si=TlVekK6iQCSYFGv21XWqKQ
77. Jimmy Eat World – Invented (2010)
Yet another album of bangers by one of the best pop/rock bands to ever do it.
Genre: Rock
RIYL: I mean, you most likely know what Jimmy Eat World sounds like.
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1TxRb6Hl940xyXG4eL8Tlo?si=vgt3WxZ1Ro-RTub-EYTcpg
76. Canopy Climbers – Blindfold (2014)
This band was one of the best kept secrets of the decade. You’ll be seeing more of them on this list. You’ll definitely want to check them out if you like the bands in the RIYL.
Genre: Pop/Rock
RIYL: Paper Route, Mute Math, All the Day Holiday
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1edBqhcYVNTGW2yRsxCwpK?si=o0eAuj24Ss-pUFGXnFFiww
75. The National – Trouble Will Find Me (2013)
This is my favorite album by The National.
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: Being in your 30s or 40s.
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/2JhR4tjuc3MIKa8v2JaKze?si=nbS-e0HmRGCM3inEJPu_vw
74. Bon Iver – Bon Iver (2011)
This is just a gorgeous collection of atmospheric, falsetto-dominated folk songs by Bonny Bear.
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: Pretty things
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1JlvIsP2f6ckoa62aN7kLn?si=FExbfA0eSHSanwRTtcV7wQ
73. My Epic – Ultraviolet (2018)
My Epic show off their softer, dreamier side here with the companion to the heavier/darker, Violence. I still think they’re at their best when they incorporate it all together, but I love that they gave us a proper look at each extreme of their musical personalities.
Genre: Rock
RIYL: Thrice, Medical Morning, No Devotion
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/6eIyBydQxrNK0J14hGm74W?si=fGJYJTcSRPSds7yVgidjZg
72. Jimmy Eat World – Integrity Blues (2016)
I see a lot of people saying that ‘Surviving’ is the best Jimmy Eat World album of the decade, but I’ll continue to stand with Integrity Blues.
Genre: Rock
RIYL: Jimmy Eat World
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/03hVtUfmQW3fhMbYoliIod?si=JMA7dmx5QoqF3iYiqGtLNQ
71. Paper Route – The Peace of Wild Things (2012)
This is the closest thing I heard this decade to the Tears For Fears classic, Songs From The Big Chair. If you love that album, this one deserves your attention.
Genre: Pop/Rock
RIYL: Tears For Fears, Canopy Climbers
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4gCXFcJXBeseiCQ0GCakO0?si=6aEhWfN_RH2IuAb-vnOtsA
70. Beach House – 7 (2018)
I’ve been a casual Beach House fan for awhile, but this is the first release from the band that I found myself wanting to keep listening to over and over.
Genre: Dream Pop
RIYL: Grizzly Bear, Real Estate, Deerhunter
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4qftBBO7pnYlek3mRENIvM?si=d60gOZF2TZ6598McuTRbew
69. Over the Ocean – Paper House (2010)
This is one of the best post-rock influenced worship albums I’ve heard. The guitar work is beautiful and the vocals are pretty unique for the genre.
Genre: Post-rock/Worship
RIYL: Explosions In The Sky, Young Oceans, The Glorious Unseen
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZRSDwOlk80SAt8T9WidVC?si=RAljHQarSFap1muo6GXQ6A
68. New Canyons – Everyone Is Dark (2013)
This album is very much dark and light. Both are strongly at play and working together. It’s like Depeche Mode and U2 making music together.
Genre: Pop/Rock
RIYL: Tears For Fears, Depeche Mode, U2, Paper Route
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1BiWLsvr6CacIJBy4T4adZ?si=72qOCdq9QHWhv36jjNsNBA
67. Terrible Things – Terrible Things (2010)
This is the only album released by this super-group consisting of members of Taking Back Sunday, Coheed & Cambria, and Hot Rod Circuit. These songs have Jimmy Eat World-quality hooks, vocals, and compositions. It’s a bit overproduced, but like several albums on this list, the songs overcome it with repeated listens.
Genre: Rock
RIYL: Taking Back Sunday, Jimmy Eat World, Foo Fighters
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/1TyMDExhiw77m4yoUC9ZOY?si=vAfO8O2pTsSM4tS0m6ipXw
66. Ships In The Night – Myriologues (2017)
Alethea Leventhal attempts to process the death of a loved one with these heartfelt tracks. The atmosphere around these songs is thick and heavy, as expected, but a beam of light often shines through.
Genre: Darkwave
RIYL: Dark and atmospheric synth-pop
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4kdlQdWX4jaVI5HSXqWm4F?si=Z_TcyH-xQbq_fxCeZ6oijw
65. Hundredth – When Will We Surrender (2010)
Before they were making quality shoegaze-infused indie rock, they were a beast of a hardcore band.
Genre: Melodic Hardcore
RIYL: Shai Hulud, Strongarm
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/0goba3bGJ2BHbK8hTpeEMz?si=RrJkpmkuShugtkoAlkeVNg
64. Athletics – Who You Are Is Not Enough (2014)
Post-rock + Emo + Post-hardcore = YES. I really miss this style of music that Athletics and Moving Mountains did so well.
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: Moving Mountains, Gates
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/3XkhvmeGUwG2IZbxkQnsDH?si=yg1wCfe-S427hOrSa7d1Yg
63. My Epic – Yet (2010)
This is the first My Epic release to have Matt Goldman on board as producer, and he takes this band to a whole new level by making their already great songs sound as huge and powerful as the deserve.
Genre: Post-Hardcore
RIYL: Thrice, Brand New, Attalus
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4msQh5pDwjBIwh7fEOYhZ5?si=4c2ORChETSGleSWg5E9hPw
62. Tusks – Dissolve (2017)
This album has shoegaze, dream pop, some Sarah McLachlan-type adult contemporary, some R&B. Having so many different things going on can come across as incohesive to me oftentimes, but the steady atmospheric feel makes it all work fabulously here.
Genre: Dream Pop
RIYL: Anything atmospheric
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/343TgZDe4XHXNBNO1RWiT6?si=TEyWkHZqS6SNOYXYK8bN0Q
61. Owel – Paris (2019)
Owel takes elements of Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, and American Football (that’s what I hear, anyways) and makes them work well with every release. This one may be their most consistent release yet.
Genre: Indie Rock
RIYL: That little cute cartoon mouse with the big sneeze
Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4aobB2zVFraL709l2rekaY?si=4-3mbUPRRPSGz0zrLRDYsA
