2012.  Dirty Projectors teach some guy how to play air guitar.  Then they record an amazing record and call it Swing Lo Magellan.  Incredible virtuosic guitars, unbelievable vocal harmonies, and sweet, sweet melodies. And every time this happens I headbang uncontrollably.

2012.  Dirty Projectors teach some guy how to play air guitar.  Then they record an amazing record and call it Swing Lo Magellan.  Incredible virtuosic guitars, unbelievable vocal harmonies, and sweet, sweet melodies.

And every time this happens I headbang uncontrollably.

2012.  Psy releases his music video for Gangnam Style.  Never before has an artist so foreign been able to make such a huge impact with one crazy music video.  And this video is definitely crazy.  Also great. This is the Platonic Ideal of a viral sensation.

2012.  Psy releases his music video for Gangnam Style.  Never before has an artist so foreign been able to make such a huge impact with one crazy music video.  And this video is definitely crazy.  Also great.

This is the Platonic Ideal of a viral sensation.

2011.  St Vincent releases Strange Mercy and plays a set at the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  She plays amazingly beautiful songs with her amazingly rad guitar fingers. And I am amazed by her amazingness.

2011.  St Vincent releases Strange Mercy and plays a set at the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  She plays amazingly beautiful songs with her amazingly rad guitar fingers.

And I am amazed by her amazingness.

2010.  Kanye West releases My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  It is released with five album covers, each of which are from a series paintings by George Condo.  The album itself is an extravagant mix of pop and hip-hop with lush instrumentation, and even some prog samples.  It was incredibly successful both in the charts and as an incredible piece of music history. Also, look at how many people worked on this album.  It is a lot.

2010.  Kanye West releases My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.  It is released with five album covers, each of which are from a series paintings by George Condo.  The album itself is an extravagant mix of pop and hip-hop with lush instrumentation, and even some prog samples.  It was incredibly successful both in the charts and as an incredible piece of music history.

Also, look at how many people worked on this album.  It is a lot.

2009.  The final season of Flight of the Conchords airs on HBO.  Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement confuse everyone by being hilarious comedians, yet actually writing great songs at the same time.  Even the snobbiest musicians can’t deny the great melodies and lyrics in these tunes. Guys, can you please make some more episodes and also be my friends?

2009.  The final season of Flight of the Conchords airs on HBO.  Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement confuse everyone by being hilarious comedians, yet actually writing great songs at the same time.  Even the snobbiest musicians can’t deny the great melodies and lyrics in these tunes.

Guys, can you please make some more episodes and also be my friends?

2008.  Deerhoof releases Offend Maggie, and guitarist Ed Rodriguez joins the band.  Prior to releasing Fresh Born, the first single of this album, Deerhoof released the song’s sheet music. Then everyone recorded their own versions of the song and felt really bad about themselves when Deerhoof released their far superior version.  Uh, that’s how I felt anyways… Sweet vocals, drum madness, innovative in every way, also tiger.  I love Deerhoof  very much.

2008.  Deerhoof releases Offend Maggie, and guitarist Ed Rodriguez joins the band.  Prior to releasing Fresh Born, the first single of this album, Deerhoof released the song’s sheet music. Then everyone recorded their own versions of the song and felt really bad about themselves when Deerhoof released their far superior version.  Uh, that’s how I felt anyways…

Sweet vocals, drum madness, innovative in every way, also tiger.  I love Deerhoof  very much.

2007.  Les Savy Fav releases Let’s Stay Friends.  Not only does Les Savy Fav treat you to sweaty, powerful performances with plenty of partial nudity and plenty of beard, they also treat you to some of the finest songs ever written. And if you’re lucky, Tim Harrington will love you right in your face.

2007.  Les Savy Fav releases Let’s Stay Friends.  Not only does Les Savy Fav treat you to sweaty, powerful performances with plenty of partial nudity and plenty of beard, they also treat you to some of the finest songs ever written.

And if you’re lucky, Tim Harrington will love you right in your face.

2006.  Mastodon releases Blood Mountain.  An epic concept album that loosely tells a story of a crystal skull, birchmen, a one-eyed sasquatch, heroes, and of course, blood. If this all sounds very awesome it is because it is very awesome.

2006.  Mastodon releases Blood Mountain.  An epic concept album that loosely tells a story of a crystal skull, birchmen, a one-eyed sasquatch, heroes, and of course, blood.

If this all sounds very awesome it is because it is very awesome.

2005.  LCD Soundsystem releases their debut album.  Electronic and dance music begin to overtake the garage rock revival in popularity, but James Murphy takes a bit of both to create incredible dance punk albums.  Then Daft Punk plays at his house. And not a single edge was lost.

2005.  LCD Soundsystem releases their debut album.  Electronic and dance music begin to overtake the garage rock revival in popularity, but James Murphy takes a bit of both to create incredible dance punk albums.  Then Daft Punk plays at his house.

And not a single edge was lost.

2004.  The Flaming Lips officially become the greatest live band in the world when Wayne Coyne gets in a giant hamster ball and rolls around on the audience at Coachella.  Plus, they pair it with crazy psychedelic lights, hands, and oh yeah, amazing songs. I love The Flaming Lips, but all I really want to do is roll around in that ball.

2004.  The Flaming Lips officially become the greatest live band in the world when Wayne Coyne gets in a giant hamster ball and rolls around on the audience at Coachella.  Plus, they pair it with crazy psychedelic lights, hands, and oh yeah, amazing songs.

I love The Flaming Lips, but all I really want to do is roll around in that ball.