Who are your favourite top ten current bands or artists?

  • I'm interested to know who your favourite current / existing bands / artists are.

    ( I'm first to admit I don't know much about current music , most of my favourite bands/ artists are not going any more or are dead) .

    Being current can be hard to define but for purposes of this thread I'm saying they need to have created new stuff in the last three or four years or so , not didbandedand/retired, still tour or gig .It's normal to have a gap of a few years especially for big artists. Old bands that have got back together to do new stuff is fine, but don't include bands that only get together for reunions ( even for annual events) and play old stuff or solo artists that only periodically play old stuff. So Genesis don't count. I don't want to be too prescriptive so arguments about who is or who isn't current are allowed . All in fun .


    Here's mine.


    1. Mostly Autumn

    2. Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons

    3. Hawklords

    4. Nik Turner / New Space Ritual,

    5. Ray Wilson,

    6. Hawkwind,

    7. Chris Rea,

    8. Christy Moore,

    9. The Levellers,

    10.Ana_thema.

  • 1/ Moody Blues (though effectively now retired, last gigs in 2018 but Graeme Edge has called a day now, I believe) so effectively Justin Hayward and John Lodge, who are still gigging and releasing.

    2/ Cock Robin.

    3/ Steve Hackett (though not any of the albums since BTSH or Squackett, sadly!)

    4/ Tim Bowness.

    5/ Nick Magnus.


    That's about it, I think. Mostly buying old stuff in new formats these days, like BJH 5.1 mixes, Korgis complete back catalogue, etc.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

  • In no particular order


    Radiohead

    KT Tunstall

    King Crimson

    Goldfrapp

    Angel Olsen

    Christine & the Queens

    Orielles

    Grizzly Bear

    Julia Holter

    Bent Knee


    There are others and on another day I'd have put some of them but anyway I reached 10. Technically PG is active so he's there in spirit too.

    Abandon all reason

  • I misinterpreted the intended theme.

    I'll amend my list


    Big Big Train

    Peter Gabriel

    Steve Hackett

    Santana

    Van Morrison

    Steve Winwood

    Strawbs

    Neil Young

    Bob Dylan

    King Crimson

  • I presume active and "retired" bands are valid:


    1- GENESIS (plus Alumni)

    2 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

    3 - IQ

    4 - Marillion (both Eras)

    5 - YES (Plus Alumni)

    6 - King Crimson

    7 - RUSH

    8 - Jethro Tull

    9- Camel

    10 - PINK FLOYD (All Eras and alumni)

  • Grouped to try & observe your definition of what constitutes “current”:


    Genuinely new young bands (apart from Backdrifter, these seem to be in short supply elsewhere on this thread ! ;))

    Lemon Twigs

    Starcrawler


    Noughties survivors:

    Franz Ferdinand (far & away my favourite band of the noughties, sadly they’ve run out of steam now)

    Kasabian (who’ve also run out of steam)


    Very old favourites who still release new albums, albeit not as good as their early work

    Joe Jackson

    Steve Hackett

    Johnny Marr

  • Imogen Heap

    The Who - their new album is actually great

    The New Pornographers

    Metric

    Adele

    Janelle Monae

    Lorde


    After that it gets a bit uncertain. I like stuff by St. Vincent, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Grimes. Not sure they fit into my top ten.

  • St Vincent! Yes of course, she'd certainly be in my top 10 on a different day. I see that like me you lean toward the female voice. I hadn't thought about it until I was putting together a miscellaneous compilation and realised it was mainly female voices. I thought, what the hell and did all-female.


    I thought there was good stuff on Lorde's debut album but I'm very much less keen on the follow-up. I'm undecided about Eilish so far. She and Lorde are beautiful, I love that unusual sort of look. Good call on Grimes. I don't know Metric and Lizzo, I'll investigate.


    Pixx and Pip Blom are recent favourites of mine, I also recommend Julia Holter from my list if you don't already know/like.


    Imogen Heap is appearing in the Royal Albert Hall home concert streaming series, Friday 29th at 7.30, check out the RAH website.

    Abandon all reason

  • Grouped to try & observe your definition of what constitutes “current”:


    Genuinely new young bands (apart from Backdrifter, these seem to be in short supply elsewhere on this thread ! ;))

    I had a feeling the "current" thing would quickly go by the wayside! Although, check out the list from Dr. John. I'll give Lemon Twigs and Starcrawler a try.

    Abandon all reason

  • I don't have many. But I guess they are:


    1. Mark Knopfler

    2. Paul McCartney

    3. Rolling Stones

    4. Elton John

    5. Robert Plant

    6. Steve Hackett

    7. Jeff Lynne's ELO

    8. Steven Wilson


    I think it is stretching it to include Peter Gabriel, sadly and frankly. And while I used to love Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, I cannot express any enthusiasm for their recent work, and the same goes for Neil Young.


    Other artists I have listened to in recent times are Opeth (I went to see them), Sons Of Apollo, Rammstein (though I wouldn't call them a favourite) and hubby just got a Devin Townsend DVD so he will probably be next.

  • I really like some stuff by St. Vincent and her live performances are arresting. But I think I need more time to really into her albums.


    Agree that Lorde's first album is much better than the follow-up. I hope it is not the same for Billie Eillish. Metric is a great Toronto band, mixing retro synth pop sounds and indie guitar band sounds. Check out the song Gimme Sympathy for a taste. Lizzo is fun R&B-ish stuff (and she's a classically-trained flautist).


    I know not Pixx, Pip BLorn, and Julia Holter so I will check them out, especially if you have specific recommendations.


    Thanks for the tip on Imogen's concert. That's my birthday, so it will be a nice birthday activity. I saw her last year in Toronto and she was amazing. I then got to meet her backstage, over which am still pinching myself.

  • ... except that is BST, which is 1:30 PM in Toronto. Might be hard to skip off work to watch. Darn!

    It just means you won't see it live, the feed recording stayed up for eg the KT Tunstall one for later viewing so hopefully it will be the same for Imogen.

    Abandon all reason

  • Metro sounds right up my alley, I'll listen to Gimme and take it from there.


    I'd recommend Pixx - Funsize, nice bit of electropop; Pip Blom - Daddy Issues, catchy fuzz-toned guitar pop; Julia Holter - Turn The Light On, not sure how to describe it other than teetering on the edge of chaos, one of my favourite tracks of last year.

    Abandon all reason

  • Great list of bands but .. Nope. I'm interested in active artists only with recent new stuff.

    So Marillion and IQ count.


  • Metric is a great Toronto band, mixing retro synth pop sounds and indie guitar band sounds. Check out the song Gimme Sympathy for a taste.

    I saw Metric open up for The Smashing Pumpkins back in 2018, and they were quite good. I hope they make a larger splash going forward. They are a good modern rock band and they deserve a larger audience.


    I have to agree about the new album by The Who too; it's really, really good! During promotional interviews, Roger was saying that it was the best Who album since "Quadrophenia". That claim made me raise my eyebrows a bit (in incredulity, not just surprise) - I'm not sure I'm there yet. I do think it's their best since at least "Face Dances" and possibly "By Numbers". I may someday concur with his opinion, however - it is just possible...

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • I'd recommend Pixx - Funsize, nice bit of electropop; Pip Blom - Daddy Issues, catchy fuzz-toned guitar pop; Julia Holter - Turn The Light On, not sure how to describe it other than teetering on the edge of chaos, one of my favourite tracks of last year.

    Thanks for the tips. Will check these out.

  • Metric is a great Toronto band, mixing retro synth pop sounds and indie guitar band sounds. Check out the song Gimme Sympathy for a taste. Lizzo is fun R&B-ish stuff (and she's a classically-trained flautist).

    I watched the Gimme Sympathy video which was OK, then randomly watched Risk which was much more to my taste. That said, I'll be honest and admit I loved ogling the singer's beautiful legs in the Gimme video. Anyway, lovely legs aside, I'll probe Metric a bit more. My jury is still out on Lizzo having watched two videos, R&B isn't a strong point for me but she seems a better quality example of the genre.


    I just recently heard a couple of things by Ghostpoet, do you know his stuff at all? It's got elements of electronica and trip-hop, he's certainly a bit Trickyesque in his delivery. I heard one called something like Nowhere To Hide Now (or Nowhere To Run To maybe) which was really interesting with very nice textures, I recommend it.

    Abandon all reason