If you’re a diehard indie rock fan, you probably won’t agree with my notion that all of the following bands from the 2010s are underrated. That’s fine; we all have our opinions. But one thing we can all probably agree on is that they’re still killer musical outfits that outlasted the 2010s era of indie rock. Let’s take a look!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. Titus Andronicus
Nothing hits quite like The Monitor. Titus Andronicus really outdid themselves with that 2010 record, and it’s pretty shocking that it didn’t at least make it to the Billboard 200.
Fortunately, though, this indie punk-rock outfit found quite a bit of success with subsequent albums throughout the 2010s, especially Local Business and The Most Lamentable Tragedy. If you need a dose of feistiness in your indie rock, this is the band to watch (and revisit, over and over again.)
2. Japandroids
This entry on our list of underrated indie rock bands from the 2010s broke up in 2024, but their music from the last decade or so has aged gloriously well.
Japandroids was a Canadian noise-leaning indie rock outfit best known for their 2012 hit record Celebration Rock. It’s been called one of the greatest summer albums ever for a reason. This is a good one to put on as the weather starts to heat up.
3. Charly Bliss
This indie rock power-pop outfit has been going strong since 2011, and it’s still wild to me that they haven’t blown up even bigger than they have. Nobody is doing bubblegrunge like them; in fact, one could say their music pioneered the microgenre.
Guppy is an underrated debut, while Young Enough from 2019 was the record that put them on the map. Their extended plays are nothing to sneeze at, either. In fact, all of the work they put out at the tail-end of the 2010s is pretty incredible.
4. Parquet Courts
Parquet Courts is a little bit indie rock, a little bit post-punk, and an all-around solid (yet underrated) entry on our list of underrated indie rock bands from the 2010s.
Their 2011 debut American Specialties and follow-up Light Up Gold did not get the love they deserved. Thankfully, in 2014, the band saw some serious success with Sunbathing Animal. And fortunately, they’re still making music today.
5. Protomartyr
Protomartyr is a unique entry on this list of underrated indie rock bands from the 2010s. This post-punk outfit boasts elements of noise and pure art rock, and their music is nothing short of underrated.
Iggy Pop is a famous fan of theirs, and once noted that Protomartyr was “the best band we’ve got in America right now.” Their debut No Passion All Technique is essential listening.
Photo by Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW
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