20. Kele - Tenderoni

Kele Okereke. Reading & Leeds enthusiast is back, and this time he’s riding solo and he’s making..... DANCE MUSIC! It may have been an unwelcome surprise for many and it’s a definite struggle trying to encompass a new genre but Kele does it here so well that it seems like he was born to do this his whole life. The infectious beat that bursts into life in the chorus meant that this was one of the biggest hits of the summer on dancefloors and at festivals. The daringness for Mr Okereke to drop everything he’s ever been best known for, from catchy guitar riffs, and a distinct, individual voice is worth a mention alone. The fact that it’s a brilliant song only shows off the many talents of the man. The part groovemaster, part Bloc Partier has braved the change and we are better off because of it.

21. Kings Of Leon - Radioactive

It hasn’t really been a great year for Kings Of Leon really has it? They had to leave the stage after a bunch of pigeon protestors repeatedly shat in the face of Hannah Montana dater Jared Followill, Caleb’s called all his “new” fans “fucking douchebags” for liking Sex On Fire and there new album has been loved and loathed in equal measures. I for one quite like it though this was after a few listens. The same went for their comeback single Radioactive, a tribute to coming home best said in the chorus “It’s in the water/It’s where you came from.” It’s not as stadium filling as Sex on Fire but this definitely isn’t a bad thing. The Followills seem at their most comfortable here and Calebs new found raw and spectacular vocals feeling perfect on top of the funky guitar lines. I was great to see them take a step back to the brilliance of their earlier work, even if he did mean sacrificing a great deal of respect for their charity advert styled video.

22. Yeasayer - ONE

Yeasayer are the new kings of the pop oddballs. MGMT have willingly thrown down their crown and stepped aside, leaving Yeasayer, the only worthy heirs to the kingdom in charge and it’s just as well. Their second album Odd Blood, definitely lives up to their new positions, this complimented by an excellent performance at Reading festival this year has seen them slowly rise to popularity, somewhere they should of been with their Vampire Weekend-esque first album All Hour Cymbals. Their second single ONE is one of the reasons that its clear to see how justified the critical acclaim is that has surrounded them. ONE is a wonderfully strange but extremely danceable song which forces you to move your feet to their nu-hippy beat. This is a song that, if given to the wrong pair of clammy hands could have been an unlistenable disaster but with Yeasayers unrivalled coolness, this has become somewhat of a quiet favourite in the realms of indie dance movement and the kings of kooky have found their feet at the most important moments in their career.

23. Zola Jesus - Night

Zola Jesus has, unfortunately been labelled with the big G-word (GOTH) which is less a clear cut way to a wider audience and more a incredible hulk sized monkey on your back. But none the less, Zola Jesus aims to shake this giant monkey in the most perfect of ways, through making genuinely great music. Her debut LP Stridulum II was released mid way through this year to many applauding hands and it was through single I Can’t Stand that she made it abundantly clear that the G word doesn’t apply. This is a wonderfully written love song which is beautifully told from a third person perspective. She plays an agony aunt of sorts but the kind of aunt who you wouldn’t be adverse to hanging out with outside of awkward family gatherings. The caring that she displays through her lyrics keep the audience glued as she wonders so unashamedly through something that is so difficult for so many people to understand, love. “It’s not easy to fall in love/but if you’re lucky you might find someone” until uttering one of the most devastatingly blunt lyrics “Cos in the end you’re on your own.” It is a bleak look at love but when sung so emotionally and so hauntingly, it’s hard for it not to leave an impression.

24. Delphic - Doubt

One of the things often associated with Delphic is that they are over pretentious in the way that they go about things. This is true in some cases I mean calling you album and many of the songs with different Greek words is never going to ooze modesty especially as the title track Acolyte is an 8 minute instrumental piece that really doesn’t serve any purpose what so ever. Yet, Delphic do have the undeniable ability to write extremely catchy electro pop songs in the style of bands such as New Order before them, Doubt the first major single released after the release of their album in January was a moment of great song writing. The undeniable catchiness of the beat has made many feet groove in indie clubs around the country. It was made to dance to any Delphic are, like Hot Chip the awkward kings of indie dance grooves across the globe and I for-one shall be shuffling my uncoordinated feet to them for many indie nights to come.

25. MGMT- Flash Delirium

After unsuccessfully committing career suicide, things are looking surprisingly up for MGMT. The new album “Congratulations” a psychedelic mind fuck of an album was marketed as having no singles and certainly no “kids” or “times to pretend” and they almost managed to stick to it but eventually squeezed out a few singles. The first, Flash Delirium, like the rest of the album is a bizarre concept, splicing together so many different genres and paces it makes less sense then Ozzy Osbourne. Yet, somehow amongst this, it works wonderfully well and still retains an element of global appeal. Though it isolated a lot of people through the fact that many saw it as a band in joke, it holds all the comparisons with a lead single. It’s superbly epic, especially in the final section, where the bands voices merge together into a brilliant harmony whilst Andrew Vanwyngarden sings an entirely different part. Not many could have made this work but if it wasn’t for MGMT’s undeniable talent that surely would have sunk their musical ship and the readily predicted “career suicide” would have been more than accurate. Surprisingly and thankfully, they have survived, and their careers look brighter and more interesting because of it.

ALSO HOW STRANGE IS THIS VIDEO???!!

26. Vampire Weekend - Giving Up The Gun

What a year Vampire Weekend have had. From pop oddballs to proud US Album Chart toppers the Ivy League Americans have hit the big time. This is due to their hugely loveable and brilliant second album “Contra”, packed full of unforgettable pop-tunes that explore and embody pop in equal measures. The best of the bunch, “Giving Up The Gun” may have made people snidely remark that they had “sold out” by including many A-list celebrities in the music video (unfortunately among them the Jonas Brothers........) but this video was more about having fun than anything else. The song itself falls into our ears as softly as snow. Vocalist Ezra Koenig recognisable croon is gentle throughout never overpowering the extremely catchy melody as the tempo shifts perfectly the whole time. Vampire Weekend have made their mark and thankfully are here to stay.

27. Villagers - Becoming A Jackal

The loveliest of the lovely Cat Gough followed by her less lovely (but still loveable) other half Matt Walsh introduced me to Villagers and I thank them whole heartedly for doing so. Villagers are by some opinions a bit of a surprise hit this year, coming from nowhere to score one of the best debuts of 2010. The song that helped them to gain the attention of many “Becoming A Jackal” (beautifully played acoustically by front man Connor O’Brien live) as well as extremely deserved Mercury Prize nomination. The way that Connor weaves a story in every song that he’s written so well that it forces you to stop what you’re doing and pay attention to what he’s saying as the song grabs you by the scruff of the neck and won’t let you go until you’ve given it your lunch money. A surprise hit they might have been this year, but a very welcomed surprise too.

28. Best Coast - Boyfriend

Best Coast are rapidly becoming the names embedded in the mouths of music loving teens as “their new favourite band.” Their debut album Crazy For You released this year has successfully charmed everyone around them. They are not concerned in the likes of death and religion for song inspirations they just want to express the pain, envy and joy that comes and goes with love. The album opener Boyfriend is considered to be the best song on the album. The unashamedly envious lyrics that lead singer Bethany Consentino displays in their lo-fi style underlines a certain amount of playground jealousy that I’m sure almost everyone has felt in their lives at some point. This combined with her honest and self-conscious look at herself “The other girl is not like me she’s prettier and skinnier/She has a college degree/I dropped out when I was 17” means we can’t help but feel for her as she laments that she’d “love him to the very end” and it leaves us feeling slightly heartbroken for her. Here they prove why they should stand out from other lo-fi bands that have sprung up in the last year or so and completely justify the acclaim that has so rightly come their way.

29. Mystery Jets- Alice Springs

Mystery Jets are, like The Maccabees are on the verge of becoming indie pop giants. Their loyal and ever-growing fan base as well as their ability to produce glittering brilliant and evergreen pop songs about adolescent love has seen them play the main stage at Reading festival this year. The opening of their third and arguably best album Serotonin is a new benchmark in their career. Spacey synths open the track, creating an eerie atmosphere whilst lead vocalist Blake Harrison sings the line ever immortalised in the breakups of so many teenagers “it’s better to have loved and lost/ then to have lived and never loved anyone.” The song then bursts into life as the gorgeous vocal harmonies fall on you as welcome as a sack full of puppies under the Christmas tree. Beautiful.