Without further ado, here are ten indie bands that we know you’ll love.
1. Cassia
From: Cheshire, UK
For Fans Of: The Magic Gang
Get To Know: Cassia came onto the scene in 2016 and have since then delivered indie-pop tunes inspired by summer vibes and carefree living. For the first few years of their career, the Northern trio focused predominantly on releasing singles with catchy verses. But now, with album Replica on their side, they have amounted to almost 400,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone. With a supportive fanbase and Radio 1 on their side, it seems Cassia are only just getting started. With the sun shining, there’s no better time to play them on your speakers.
Key Track: 100 Times Over
2. Chinatown Slalom
From: Liverpool, UK
For Fans Of: Glass Animals
Get To Know: If you like artists that aren’t afraid to stray from genre stereotypes, then you’re going to love Chinatown Slalom. While predominantly an indie band, you can also expect to find funk and jazz-inspired links to all that they do. It’s clear that Chinatown Slalom are an “all or nothing” band; they’ve already taken risks that up-and-coming bands wouldn’t even dare to consider. But, with an already great album and a loyal following, we feel this quirky band will go to great heights.
Key Track: Where U At?
3. Dry Cleaning
From: London, UK
For Fans Of: Sleaford Mods
Get To Know: We love discovering new indie bands purely because of their inventive names. It’s safe to say that Dry Cleaning don’t disappoint in this department. Formed in 2017, this 4-piece band features a female vocalist and three guitarists/drummers. While it’s hard to tie Dry Cleaning down to one genre, we think that “psych indie rock” describes it the most. Expect powerful riffs and monotone vocals, teaming together to create the ultimate eerie vibe.
Key Track: Scratchard Lanyard
4. Dayglow
From: Fort Worth, USA
For Fans Of: Boy Pablo
Get To Know: Although not technically a band, Dayglow is an up and coming indie artist that we can’t afford to miss out. This DIY producer has been documenting his teenage years through upbeat tunes and unique music videos, paving a unique stage for himself in the indie world. At just the age of 21, Dayglow is restoring our faith in the future of music. Expect dream indie vibes that are perfect for a summer’s day.
Key Track: Can I Call You Tonight?
5. Larkins
From: Manchester, UK
For Fans Of: Imagine Dragons
Get To Know: If you’re into slightly heavier indie bands, look no further than Larkins. This punchy group of four know exactly what it takes to create a catchy tune, delivering anthem after anthem without taking a rest. While this oh-so-indie band are already huge in Manchester, we expect to see them dominating the rest of the country any day now. They know what they want, and they know exactly how to get it.
Key Track: TV Dream
6. Bamily
From: London, UK
For Fans Of: The Maccabees
Get To Know: It seems that we can’t get enough of the summer vibes, as Bamily are another band that embrace feel-good rhythms and a euphoric nature. It’s impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to Bamily; they’re full of so much disco-funk and toe-tapping beats. We highly recommend playing this band while in the car, on your way to a beach or airport. The vibes will be immaculate.
Key Track: Katata
7. Inhaler
From: Dublin, Ireland
For Fans Of: Blossoms
Get To Know: Teamed with leather jackets and Arctic Monkeys inspired haircuts, Inhaler are a band that are setting high standards for the future of indie rock. They ranked at number 5 on BBC Music’s Sounds Of 2020 poll, proving that they are making a big name for themselves. With Bono’s son being one of the members, you might have thought this gave them an advantage on the music scene. However, it’s the band’s raw talent that’s taking them to the top.
Key Track: My Honest Face
8. Phoebe Green
From: Manchester, UK
For Fans Of: Marika Hackman
Get To Know: Phoebe Green is another solo artist that we couldn’t bear to leave out of this roundup. She is the big sister we all need, producing highly relatable songs about relationships and realisations within them. Green makes her listeners realise that it’s okay to be sad, it’s okay to feel heartbreak, and it’s certainly okay to dance around your room with her music at full blast.
Key Track: Dreaming Of
9. Talk Show
From: Manchester, UK
For Fans Of: Arctic Monkeys
Get To Know: Talk Show are a band that are still very much finding themselves, but having massive amounts of fun while doing so. With singles covering just about every inch of the indie genre, listening to this band feels like you’re on a rollercoaster. But, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Every band has to start somewhere, and we respect Talk Show’s bravery to experiment with their talents.
Key Track: Stress
10. Porridge Radio
From: Brighton, UK
For Fans Of: The Cure
Get To Know: Could Porridge Radio be the indiest band name of all time? We certainly think it takes the top spot. Providing similar vibes to The Cure and Savages, Porridge Radio has found their sound through grunge-inspired riffs and lyrics written out of frustration. If dark and edgy is what you want, dark and edgy is what you’ll get with Porridge Radio. It’s almost like they’ve taken a mixture of underrated Pink Floyd songs and made them their own. We wish our moody teenage selves had this band growing up.
Key Track: Sweet
Believe us when we say we’re only just getting started with band reveals. With so many great artists out there, from a variety of genres, we’ll continue to deliver you the very best on the scene. Until then, check out our best indie rock bands for a list of must-listen bands!
