Top ten favorite bands
I like filling out those mundane surveys online. You know, the ones with titles like “80 questions you’ve never been asked!” or “50 questions about me,” or what have you. They’re easy, they’re mindless, and best of all, they kill time when you don’t feel like doing anything particularly significant.
One of the questions that invariably pops up on these surveys is “Who is your favorite singer?” or “What’s your favorite band?” That kind of question is easy. I’ve had the same answer for quite some time. Figuring out who’s number one is no problem. I even know who my number two is. But getting past those two it starts to get a little murky. Just who, exactly, falls into spot number three? Or number eight? I like a lot of different bands, but where do they stand in my mind?
It was these thoughts that inspired me to create a proper list of my top ten favorite bands. These are not the only bands I like, remember. These are just bands I like best. And I’m sure my choices will shift over time. Still, these are the bands I attend the concerts of. The bands I watch the activity of. The bands I actually buy the albums for. I’m not obsessed with these bands, at least not as much as some people. I don’t want to sleep with and have no plans to stalk any of the members. I like them. A lot. That’s all.
Without further ado, I present Mai’s Top Ten Favorite Bands!
#1: Garbage
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Shirley Manson (vocals), Duke Erikson (guitar, keyboards), Steve Marker (guitar, bass), Butch Vig (drums)
Years active: 1994-present
Best album: Garbage (1995)
Best song: “The World Is Not Enough” (Single [1999])
#2: AFI
Genre: Punk rock, Alternative rock
Members: Davey Havok (vocals), Adam Carson (drums), Hunter Burgan (bass, keyboards), Jade Puget (guitar)
Years active: 1991-present
Best album: The Art of Drowning (2000)
Best song: “Morningstar” (from The Art of Drowning [2000])
#3: The Rasmus
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Lauri Ylönen (vocals), Pauli Rantasalmi (guitars), Aki Hakala (drums), Eero Heinonen (bass)
Years active: 1994-Present
Best album: Hide From The Sun (2005)
Best song: “Shot” (from Hide From The Sun [2005])
#4: Sum 41
Genre: Pop punk, Punk rock
Members: Deryck Whibley (vocals, guitar), Tom Thacker (guitar, keyboards), Jason McCaslin (bass), Steve Jocz (drums), Dave Baksh (guitar)
Years active: 1996-present
Best album: Chuck (2004)
Best song: “Pieces” (from Chuck [2004])
#5: The Offspring
Genre: Pop punk, Punk rock
Members: Dexter Holland (vocals, guitar), Noodles (guitars), Greg K. (bass), Pete Parada (drums), Ron Welty (drums)
Years active: 1984-present
Best album: Americana (1998)
Best song: “Gone Away” (frpm Ixnay on the Hombre [1997])
#6: Vienna Teng
Genre: Folk, Pop
Years active: 2003 - present
Best album: Waking Hour (2002)
Best song: “Green Island Serenade” (from Warm Strangers [2004])
#7: The Dandy Warhols
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Courtney Taylor-Taylor (vocals, guitar), Peter Holmström (guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboards), Brent De Boer (drums)
Years active: 1993-present
Best album: Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000)
Best song: “Bohemian Like You” (from Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia [2000])
#8: Sonata Arctica
Genre: Power metal
Members: Tony Kakko (vocals), Elias Viljanen (guitar), Tommy Portimo (drums), Marko Paasikoski (bass), Henrik Klingenberg (keyboards)
Years active: 1996-present
Best album: Reckoning Night (2004)
Best song: “Full Moon” (from Ecliptica [1999])
#9: Filter
Genre: Industrial rock
Members: Richard Patrick (vocals, guitar), Mitchell Marlow (guitar), John Spiker (bass), Mika Fineo (drums)
Years active:
Best album: Short Bus [1995]
Best song: “Hey Man, Nice Shot” (from Short Bus [1995])
#10: The Mediæval Bæbes
Genre: Classical, Traditional
Members: Katharine Blake, Emily Ovenden, Sarah Kayte Foster, Melpomeni Kermanidou, Esther Dee, Bev Lee Harling
Years active: 1997-Present
Best album: The Rose (2002)
Best song: “Salva Nos” (from Salva Nos [1998])
There. Now you have some new bands to check out. Who knows, maybe you’ll come to love them as much as I do. Until next time!
~Mai
“Can I have a little support, please? I’m not just some crazy person.”
One of the questions that invariably pops up on these surveys is “Who is your favorite singer?” or “What’s your favorite band?” That kind of question is easy. I’ve had the same answer for quite some time. Figuring out who’s number one is no problem. I even know who my number two is. But getting past those two it starts to get a little murky. Just who, exactly, falls into spot number three? Or number eight? I like a lot of different bands, but where do they stand in my mind?
It was these thoughts that inspired me to create a proper list of my top ten favorite bands. These are not the only bands I like, remember. These are just bands I like best. And I’m sure my choices will shift over time. Still, these are the bands I attend the concerts of. The bands I watch the activity of. The bands I actually buy the albums for. I’m not obsessed with these bands, at least not as much as some people. I don’t want to sleep with and have no plans to stalk any of the members. I like them. A lot. That’s all.
Without further ado, I present Mai’s Top Ten Favorite Bands!
#1: Garbage
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Shirley Manson (vocals), Duke Erikson (guitar, keyboards), Steve Marker (guitar, bass), Butch Vig (drums)
Years active: 1994-present
Best album: Garbage (1995)
Best song: “The World Is Not Enough” (Single [1999])
#2: AFI
Genre: Punk rock, Alternative rock
Members: Davey Havok (vocals), Adam Carson (drums), Hunter Burgan (bass, keyboards), Jade Puget (guitar)
Years active: 1991-present
Best album: The Art of Drowning (2000)
Best song: “Morningstar” (from The Art of Drowning [2000])
#3: The Rasmus
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Lauri Ylönen (vocals), Pauli Rantasalmi (guitars), Aki Hakala (drums), Eero Heinonen (bass)
Years active: 1994-Present
Best album: Hide From The Sun (2005)
Best song: “Shot” (from Hide From The Sun [2005])
#4: Sum 41
Genre: Pop punk, Punk rock
Members: Deryck Whibley (vocals, guitar), Tom Thacker (guitar, keyboards), Jason McCaslin (bass), Steve Jocz (drums), Dave Baksh (guitar)
Years active: 1996-present
Best album: Chuck (2004)
Best song: “Pieces” (from Chuck [2004])
#5: The Offspring
Genre: Pop punk, Punk rock
Members: Dexter Holland (vocals, guitar), Noodles (guitars), Greg K. (bass), Pete Parada (drums), Ron Welty (drums)
Years active: 1984-present
Best album: Americana (1998)
Best song: “Gone Away” (frpm Ixnay on the Hombre [1997])
#6: Vienna Teng
Genre: Folk, Pop
Years active: 2003 - present
Best album: Waking Hour (2002)
Best song: “Green Island Serenade” (from Warm Strangers [2004])
#7: The Dandy Warhols
Genre: Alternative rock
Members: Courtney Taylor-Taylor (vocals, guitar), Peter Holmström (guitar), Zia McCabe (keyboards), Brent De Boer (drums)
Years active: 1993-present
Best album: Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia (2000)
Best song: “Bohemian Like You” (from Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia [2000])
#8: Sonata Arctica
Genre: Power metal
Members: Tony Kakko (vocals), Elias Viljanen (guitar), Tommy Portimo (drums), Marko Paasikoski (bass), Henrik Klingenberg (keyboards)
Years active: 1996-present
Best album: Reckoning Night (2004)
Best song: “Full Moon” (from Ecliptica [1999])
#9: Filter
Genre: Industrial rock
Members: Richard Patrick (vocals, guitar), Mitchell Marlow (guitar), John Spiker (bass), Mika Fineo (drums)
Years active:
Best album: Short Bus [1995]
Best song: “Hey Man, Nice Shot” (from Short Bus [1995])
#10: The Mediæval Bæbes
Genre: Classical, Traditional
Members: Katharine Blake, Emily Ovenden, Sarah Kayte Foster, Melpomeni Kermanidou, Esther Dee, Bev Lee Harling
Years active: 1997-Present
Best album: The Rose (2002)
Best song: “Salva Nos” (from Salva Nos [1998])
There. Now you have some new bands to check out. Who knows, maybe you’ll come to love them as much as I do. Until next time!
~Mai
“Can I have a little support, please? I’m not just some crazy person.”