Recommend one artist

[futuremonkey]

Frank Zappa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPOYmf6tpg0

It would take decades to adequately explain.

[Mumpy]

I don't know if they've been done before, I don't care, they need a recommendation on every page of this thread.

The Hold Steady

1.) I listen to mostly Drum n bass/Dubstep/Electropop, So my ears have been trained to try to find a 'Drop' in any song they hear and The Hold Steady duly deliver. The best part is it's always in an unexpected and interesting way. (To me, who doesn't listen to much other guitar music)

2.) I really like listening to lyrics, and quite a few of there songs have a story to them which is intensely enjoyable to me. They are also quite religious. While organised religion leaves me cold, a personal faith is really nice and inspiring to me. (An atheist wishing I could be agnostic) Another part of the lyrics I enjoy is the backing vocals. Usually they are nothing more than Wooaaaahoooa! But still, a nice, well placed Wooaaaahoooa! gets the job done.

3.) They have a nice number of layers of sound to their songs. Food for my ears. Tasty food. Also, Piano's! I learnt the piano for years, while getting nowhere, so hearing it sound nice is deeply satisfying.

4.) Catchy catchy catchy CATCHY. The start of massive nights is the backing music for a radio show that I used to really like (I think) this instantly drew me towards them more. The singles off of their albums keep hooking me in, while the album tracks make me stay and bake me cake's and other nice things.

5.)There is a lot to listen to! So I only have their first and last albums (I'm missing the middle 2) but that is nothing but a cause for joy, as it means moar musac.

Catchy stuff,Story time and slower stuff

[Ratiqu]

Two suggestions, since I believe they haven't been mentioned yet.

Kanon Wakeshima, though unless you know Japanese it'll be purely for the sound of the music. Her stuff's kinda all over the board, from freaky-but-cuteish to strangely awesome to oddly epic. All imo, of course.

Other than that, I'd throw out Da Vinci's Notebook. This and this. All you need to hear.

[StNowhere]

I don't know any good unknown bands, so I'll just have to go with a good known band - The Verve. "A Storm in Heaven", "A Northern Soul", "Urban Hymns" ... hell, "Forth" was pretty good. (And I'm slightly ashamed to admit the double meaning passed me by for a while.)

[PumpkinKing]

Dumbfoundead
http://www.youtube.com/user/dumbfoundead?blend=1&ob=4

[a_fuzzyduck]

The Advisory Circle - ambient stuff, VERY Public Information Film-ish. A bit sinister, but innocently so.

*cues up Protect and Survive jingle*

[djkjr]

Well I search through the thread for my first picks which were already taken. Not too surprising really.
Also, has anyone made a list of all the suggested music through the read?
I would suggest

The XX

Their music soft, sad and kind of sweet. Their definitely not the best band in the world and probably one of those bands that will go unheard through most channels, but they're worth a listen. Most people I've introduced them too have seemed to like them pretty well. They're a very relaxing type. Terrible in concert though!

bwhahaaah! There's my two cents!

EDIT: And the purpose was to recommend one artist right? Just checking *eyes half of the posts* lol

[Cloud Walker]

Oh, this is easy. The Flashbulb.

I highly recommend the album mentioned in those two videos. If you want more right now: bam bam bam bam bam bam

[Ottofar]

Opeth.

Progressive metal.

[frogg]

Goes Cube
theyre pretty average hardcore/rock, but i download their album Another Day Has Passed. its good

[balderduck]

This one is the greatest neo-swing band (90s swing revival)
The Squirrel Nut Zippers

[HateBot]

Mathisyahu. I'm personally not that into religious music but he is very talented and worth a listen. He was pretty popular and had a few hits. "King Without A Crown" being the biggest

[Noblesaur]

I'm going to recommend this band because I'm listening to them right now and no-one I talk to seems to have ever heard about them.
A Silent Film
They're piano-alternative-rock band from Manchester. They're kinda like Coldplay + Radiohead + Idunnowat

[Unbeliever]

Jethro Tull.

A classic/folk rock band. Famous for their lead artist - one Ian Anderson - using a flute in their songs. Their most famous songs are "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath".

[ImTestingSleeping]

Anyone who enjoys Regina Spektor should check out:

St. Vincent

The entire Actor album is outstanding and I'd highly recommend picking it up (or at least taking a listen!).

[wokattack]

John Butler Trio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VAkOhXIsI0

[micco]

Kingston Wall is quite awesome.

[BirdMav]

Brian Transeau also known as BT, a pioneer in his field of music. The song Antikythera Mechanism off his album, This Binary Universe, is among one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. If you want the definition of epic, this song is it.

[jbwraith]

Two bands from VA

Periphery (listen to Icarus Lives, Insomnia, and Light)

This Time It's War (listen to Dead Worlds, Into the Abyss, and 11:34)

Both bands are on Myspace. Don't have enough posts yet to put a link up.

[CatsEye]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SK3AZ0ZY9c

Downtempo is belta

[TA67]

Two bands from VA

Periphery (listen to Icarus Lives, Insomnia, and Light)

This Time It's War (listen to Dead Worlds, Into the Abyss, and 11:34)

Both bands are on Myspace. Don't have enough posts yet to put a link up.

Yessss periphery is awesome.

I dunno if Between the Buried and Me has been mentioned here...yeah. listen to between the buried and me. It's like Dream Theater but more metal and less boring-ness (and I'm a dream theater fan). The singer can both scream and sing beautifully, and his lyrics are so incredibly interesting. The rest of the band are all technical monsters and amazing musicians in their own right.

edit: link/song provided! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snGxAUBMZHY

For an example of the singer's clean singing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOegg5us0yw

[jjfortherear]

Dokken (original band) - He's (Don Dokken) a good singer, but George Lynch just comes up with the most awesome guitar riffs I've ever heard. They've probably got the largest number of songs I really like of any band I know. List:
Paris is Burning
Tooth and Nail
Unchain the Night
The Hunter
It's Not Love
Heaven Sent

some others I know I'm just not thinking of, but the absolute most bad ass song ever made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bSP8c3Apz4

[IceRabbit]

I'd recommend Avantasia. One seriously good power metal band. My favourite song of them is The Scarecrow (can't post links yet, sorry), which is their most epically epic ballad I've heard so far.

Either that, or Motorjesus. Their new album, Wheels of Purgatory, has a very nice feel to it.

[Amie]

Tape Five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCRO964l_nE

They're electroswing. They're jazzy. And they're awesome.

Love on a rainy day by Tape Five: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QkR7soMFMg

Oh also, I don't know if anyone has recommended this band here but you HAVE to listen to Soft Machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwo3ht8sxJo
Why are we sleeping? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwc_gosvQ_A
We know what you mean: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... H4YNnA2iLI
Wyatt's drum solo in this song is awesome. So boot if at all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSSxQ8Kfxbo

[archeleus]

I'd recommend Avantasia. One seriously good power metal band. My favourite song of them is The Scarecrow (can't post links yet, sorry), which is their most epically epic ballad I've heard so far.

Either that, or Motorjesus. Their new album, Wheels of Purgatory, has a very nice feel to it.

I like.

And yeah, Kingston Wall is quite nice well.

[Djur]

Kinda a little-known artist (altho since he's under Celldweller, iunno if that would actually be "little-known"). Ever hear of Blue Stahli? ULTRAnumb's a pretty good example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-2jNiVK86A (This video has over 1.3mil views at time of posting, so little known he is not.)

And, as so many other people are saying, you cannot ask me to recommend only one artist; there are so many I like that it would be impossible to pick just one. Another one would be Biometrix (previously Dee Jay Mee). Dubstep; try his Requiem Aeternam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so6mZb4sb88

Methinks mumpy would appreciate this one.

[pigsfromagun]

Many of my favorite bands have been suggested already, but this one has not. I was rather pleased to find that the search bar returned no results, because this is one of my top five bands. Hope you enjoy!
Lydia - This Is Twice Now

[Whistling Nixie]

Silvery:

"Horrors"
"The Nishikado"
"Identity"

[rcw820]

try listening to cocoon, a folksy french duo, for something refreshing and unique.
more specifically, try listening to their songs 'tell me', 'cliffhanger', and 'chupee'.

[viioleteyes]

LOVE Zola Jesus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM8fEP8FOqE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlddZf9R0jU&feature=related

[viioleteyes]

LOVE Zola Jesus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM8fEP8FOqE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlddZf9R0jU&feature=related

[Whistling Nixie]

Cardiacs

"Tarred and Feathered"
"Mare's Nest"

[Jambe]

Interesting stuff here (dumbfoundead was neat).

My choice, Lissie:

When I'm Alone

Pretty generic but what a lovely voice.

/edit: been struggling a long time, finally figured out the (older) vocalist she somewhat reminds me of: Bonnie Raitt. Dunno if people here would know her but that's definitely it. In attitude and voice there's similarity, although Lissie's a bit more raw and rowdy.

[SmartViking]

I recommend a song that I'm not really sure who made and what they sing in it as I guess they sing French or something, it's in the end of the movie "In the electric mist" which I have heard is a really bad movie, but I haven't seen is so I don't know, but the song is pretty nice. I can't post links yet but if you search for "In The Electric Mist Final Song" on youtube, you should get to listen to it.

[zmatt]

Two bands that I never get tired of

The Pillows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ashe_4phX_Y
They are basically the Japanese Beatles. If you know them and are a westerner you probably heard them from FLCL (they did all the music). They have released a lot of music since the early 90's. If I had to sum them up it would be catchy alt rock. Some of their stuff has an REM like "jingle" to it, which isn't a bad thing. They are so influential in Japan there was a cover album made not too long ago by some of the biggest popular acts over there in their honor. If you had to start somewhere, Fool on a Planet or Happy Bivouac are good places.

Sunny Day Realestate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiEGmrrUw-U
Music critics blame these guys and Fugazi for emo but honestly I don't know how. Fugazi (love them too btw) is noise rock/hardcore punk, and these guys are just brilliant. They are a great alternative to grunge. Every time I show someone this band they are blown away. I recommend the digital remastered version of Diary, their debut album. It has some extra tracks that are made of pure liquid awesome. if you like dissonant, experimental alt rock then you will love these guys.

[Ptolom]

I recommend Throwing Muses. I'm not sure if I can quite explain what I love about them but I'll try. They're an indie (To the point where they release their own records on the Internet) rock band formed in the 80s. Their songs are kind of oddly shaped, often changing between apparently incompatible time signatures several times in a song. They manage to be ugly and beautiful at the same time.
I saw Kristin Hersh, the lead singer and main songwriter live a few weeks ago. She's pretty much of a genius. Incredibly prolific, without becoming stale. Also, she doesn't even write songs as such. After being knocked down by a car, she just hears new music and tries to play it.
So yeah, Throwing Muses for best band ever.
Oh, and have a look at 50 foot wave (Impressively abreviated as 50'~), a power trio side project. It has a pleasing wall of distorted sound kind of aesthetic to it.

[An-D]

I'm going to throw this into the mix:

Butch Walker

It astounds me that this guy isn't super famous yet. I know...maybe four people that have a good idea of who he is. He's like...alternative rock-ish-y? Have some samples:

Weight of Her (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VePMEVNqdd0): This is one of my favorites.
Pretty Melody (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aTU5TjR39U): From this latest album
Ships In A Bottle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRvB3H3hLn8): One of his slower songs.


He's pretty great.

[Cytheria1]

Outworld. Progressive heavy metal at its very very best.

[KallistiEngel]

I have no idea why Streetlight Manifesto aren't world famous by now. Best ska music ever! :D

One of their greatest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-UTPKL-UGY

I prefer The Receiving End of It All. It just suits me better musically and lyrically, but there's just about zero Streetlight song's I *don't* like.

And I've only recently started to appreciate the stuff from Keasby Nights (originally recorded by Catch-22, but all composed by Tomas Kalnoky). My favorite right now is Riding the Fourth Wave

If you ever have a chance to catch them live, take it. I've seen a number of bands that are well-known in their respective genres (Flogging Molly, KMFDM, Combichrist, Freezepop, Star Fucking Hipsters, The Toasters...) and NO ONE has put on a better show that Streetlight does.

[Microscopic cog]

Recently got myself a Streetlight shirt, hoodie and their CD Somewhere in the Between.

Have you guys heard the acoustic versions of "Dear Sergio", "Somewhere in the Between" and "Forty Days"? They're absolutely amazing!