40. Kings of Leon “Radioactive”
“Radioactive” exits as it enters, with an assaultive bass solo that anchors the entire song. Kings of Leon build on its foundation with rapid, tinkling guitar, skipping drums, and hearty vocals. You can’t leave your past behind, and the band nods to its gritty start while embracing their growth and evolution to smart arena-ready rock. – Stacey Lansing
39. Villagers “Becoming a Jackal”
Conor O’Brien’s wounded voice pairs well with ’60s influenced pop-rock that wouldn’t sound out of place in the Lennon/McCartney canon. His dashed hopes are our pure audio pleasure. – Claire Tiller
38. Deerhunter “Revival”
Mixing up form — opting for chorus-verse-chorus-verse-verse — is just one way Deerhunter fills “Revival” with surprises. The result is Beck-reimagined-as-’60s-rock, pushed along by a driving bassline. Just try to get the hook out of your head. – Drew Mosley
37. Best Coast “Our Deal”
“Our Deal” is straight, unfiltered California sunshine served in two minutes of bliss. Best Coast is a sonic successor of The Beach Boys, with Bethany Cosentino lending her bright voice and lazy harmonies to the band’s modern brand of surf rock. – Claire Tiller
36. Shout Out Louds “Fall Hard”
“Fall Hard” is a chameleon-esque track that could fit right in to the laziest of Sundays or the craziest of Saturday nights. Horns and synth are brilliantly used to provide an easing, reflective undertone of which Robert Smith would be proud. And while similar songs can sometimes create a disjointed dichotomy of fast and slow, these Swedish rockers know how to blend these elements masterfully. – Chad Helminak
35. Menomena “Queen Black Acid”
You are scared of girls. So are the boys from Menomena. That’s where the similarities end, as you don’t write endlessly repeatedly pop gems like “Queen Black Acid.” If you aren’t paying attention, you’ll only hear the shimmery goodness of the lead track from Mines. If you are, you’ll also hear the common refrain of a man dealing with love lost, and hating himself for how easy a target he has become. – Tyler Kieler
34. Active Child “When Your Love is Safe”
Brooding and beauty, a dual concept Active Chid’s Pat Grossi grasps well on his debut Curtis Lane EP, and it’s with “When Your Love is Safe” where his talents are best represented. Grossi’s choir boy vocals wail in solitude, and his new wave sensibilities amalgamate into a heartbreaking recollection of love lost. – Sarah Probst
33. Lissie “Little Lovin'”
With her track “Little Lovin’,” Lissie creates an uplifting experience filled with a raw and ambitious energy. Her wavy vocals and clean guitar riffs are like a breath of fresh air on an open range. By the time the drums kick in, you’ll find yourself stomping to the beat and feeling a sense of reassurance that the future of American folk is in good hands. – Chad Helminak
32. Peter Wolf Crier “Hard as Nails”
The ebb and flow of most Peter Wolf Crier songs is mesmerizing enough, but the finger-picking, Jose Gonzalez-like sound of “Hard as Nails” brings Peter Pisano and Brian Moen to a higher musical level. The momentum of the track continues on from the soft and stealthy playing of Pisano right to the frenzy of Moen’s drumming. The sweet falsetto harmonies that close out the tune add the perfect finishing touch, just like icing on delicious cake. – Amanda Hammermeister
31. S. Carey “In the Dirt”
The shifting rhythms and subtle texture changes in “In the Dirt” lend a refined complexity to the minimalist nature of Sean Carey’s debut. “Dirt” is an effective union between Carey’s classical inclination and his folk intuition, marrying timbres, meters, and styles into a gorgeous landscape of sound. – Claire Tiller
30. Baths “Indoorsy”
Will Wiesenfield, the young songwriter known as Baths, knows how to create motivated songs that remain fragile throughout. “Indoorsy” displays that talent with its hermitic, contradicting verses and hazy, distorted vocals. The upbeat synthesized sound holds together the double verses and solitary attitude of the song. – Amanda Hammermeister
29. The Morning Benders “Promises”
“Promises” packs a 1-2 punch of big guitars and head-bobbing beats. Enhanced by Christopher Chu’s Grizzly Bear-like harmonies, the song navigates the familiar terrain of an unstable relationship. Uncertainty never sounded so good. – Claire Tiller
28. Cee-Lo Green “Fuck You”
Saying “fuck you” has never felt better. In a track that should make Berry Gordy proud, Cee Lo Green’s silky smooth voice delivers the simplest and catchiest kiss-off to an ex-lover and her new man. By the time the second chorus rolls around you’ll find yourself singing along, a smile wide across your face despite the song’s sentiment. – Stacey Lansing
27. The National “Conversation 16”
Matt Berninger’s deliciously nonchalant delivery makes “Conversation 16” sound as though he’s been through this conversation a dozen times before. Lyrics like “Meet our friends out for dinner / When I said what I said, I didn’t mean anything” wearily speak to discontentedness in a stale relationship, made all the more distressing by the Dessner brothers’ hazy, disorienting guitars. – Claire Tiller
26. Arcade Fire “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
For a rumination on the decay and cloy of suburban living, “Sprawl II” is awfully danceable and joy-filled — which leads you to believe it’s a concession that growing up in the land of manicured lawns and expansive parking lots isn’t all bad. Yes, our narrator wants to get out, but stolen moments kissing on playgrounds aren’t what make her want to leave. – Stacey Lansing
Cee Lo Green for Coachella 2011!!!