Over the years indie rock has become one of the most important genres in music. For a long time, it was a genre discarded from the music industry, especially because indie rock is difficult to define.

However, there are a lot of indie rock bands that go down in history and are part of the favorite musical repertoire of millions of people. Today we are going to tell you about 5 indie rock bands that changed music forever.

So find a snack and enjoy this article, we are sure you will love it.

1. Bright Eyes

This band was fundamental in the life of music lovers who liked emotional lyrics and sad melodies. Even though their years of success are gone, to this day they are still making music together and are one of the most important bands in indie rock. In 2020 they released an album called “Down in The Weeds, Where the World Once Was".

The band members were Conor Oberst, Nate Walcott, Jon Theodore, Mike Mogis, and Stefanie Drootin. What most characterizes this band is Oberst's voice, as it is a very particular voice. His way of singing transmits a lot of melancholy and allows you to feel identified with anything he says.

Their lyrics cover many topics, but mainly love, teenage worries, loneliness, and sadness. For this reason, Bright Eyes are also considered one of the kings of the emo genre.

Although Conor Oberst separated from the band to dedicate himself to his solo career, this band will always be an important part of his life.

The most famous song they have is "First Day of My Life" and it is considered one of the best-written and most significant love songs in indie.

2. Pavement

If you like Sonic Youth, you probably know Pavement. Many people wonder why they are so often compared to Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon's band and well… They have a lot of things in common. Both of these bands are known for being rebellious, to say the least.

Pavement started out making music in one of the most dangerous areas of Stockton - California, just jamming and sharing music with a lot of people. Its members were Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Gary Young, Rebecca Cole, and Steve West.

At first, it was simply a project they had in mind, but as time went on it became a band. Pavement changed the perception of music and record labels forever. From the beginning, they never wanted to be part of any label and even promoted their music themselves.

However, in 1992 they released their first album called "Slanted and Enchanted" on Matador Records. The rest is history...they made music for almost a decade in which they were very successful until they disbanded in 1999. Their separation was due to the dissatisfaction that Stephen Malkmus felt.

3. Belle & Sebastian

Imagine a band that can bring back the music of the 50s but in their way, being something original with beautiful lyrics and melodies. Well... that's exactly what Belle & Sebastian managed to do.

The band members were Stuart Murdoch, Sarah Martin, Bobby Kildea, Stevie Jackson, Richard Coldburn, Mick Cooke, Chris Geddes, Dave McGowan, Isobel Campbell, and Stuart David.

Belle & Sebastian's songs are full of melancholy, joy, and hundreds of emotions that make you feel warm and at ease. That's exactly why they succeeded! They are a welcoming band that makes you feel at home while you listen to them.

Although indie rock is characterized by sounds influenced by rock, progressive, noise, or punk, this is one of the most important bands within the genre.

4. The Shins

Before we talk about this band, do you know a movie called Garden State? If the answer is yes…then you must know the mythical scene where Natalie Portman tells Zach Braff that she is listening to The Shins. And after that, she tells him that he has to listen to a song because it will change his life!

That song is New Slang, one of the most important compositions within indie rock. On Spotify is probably the song that has more plays, it's amazing!

The movie is from 2004, but even before it was released The Shins were already very successful. However, the soundtrack of the movie won a Grammy.

But now let us tell you a little bit about The Shins. Throughout its career, it was formed by James Mercer, Patti King, Jessica Dobson, Richard Swift, Yuuki Matthews, Mark Watrous, Jon Sortland, Martin Crandall, Jesse Sandoval, Dave Hernandez, Joe Plummer, Neal Langford, Casey Foubert and Ron Lewis.

On their album "Wincing the Night Away" they managed to sell thousands of copies, becoming one of the greatest exponents of indie rock. This is one of the bands that you have to listen to…at least once in your life, it is part of the culture of the last few years!

5. Yo La Tengo

The last band we will talk about was founded in 1984 by a man named Ira Kaplan and his wife Georgia Hubley... isn't it amazing? Imagine having the opportunity to make music with the love of your life!

Kaplan was a music writer before he founded the band, so he had all the knowledge necessary for Yo La Tengo to succeed in the future. All this happened in New Jersey, and since then they have been part of one of the most appreciated indie rock bands in recent years. One of their most famous albums is "I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One". They continue to play concerts together with their other member, James McNew.

Many times they are compared to The Velvet Underground because of the similarity of sounds, however, we can assure you that they are original in their music. So, don't wait any longer and listen to all of their discographies, you will fall in love.

These were the bands that changed indie rock forever, and those bands can't be compared to any other. They simply managed to touch the hearts of many people, and probably yours now! We hope you liked this article, but tell us...

Do you know any other band that has been important in indie rock?