Top 10 BEST Indie Sleaze Songs
#10: “Take Me Out”
Franz Ferdinand
There might not be a song in the 2000s indie movement that brings as much guitar-driven ferocity to the table as “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand. Its greatest trick? Leading with a frenetic and tense rhythm before settling into an unexpectedly swaggering groove. It’s a fantastic U-turn that gives each of the song’s two distinct sections way more impact. There’s a precision to the guitar work on this one, and its riff is widely regarded as one of the best of the decade in question. It wasn’t the only hit single that Franz Ferdinand carved out for themselves, but they really did create a masterful four minutes of indie-rock gold with this one.
#9: “Chelsea Dagger”
The Fratellis
Few songs of the 2000s capture the lairy and rowdy vibes of a night out in the UK quite as well as The Fratellis’ “Chelsea Dagger”. It’s not a song that will win any awards for complex composition, but it is so simple and catchy that it was destined to become a favourite. It also became very popular at sporting events, where its enormous chant is almost impossible to resist. “Chelsea Dagger” represents the sweaty, drunken, and undeniably sleazy side of radio-ready indie music. To this day, it is by far and away The Fratellis’ most successful single, and an anthem you’ll likely still be hearing decades from now.
#8: “A-Punk”
Vampire Weekend
Released in February 2008 as the second single from Vampire Weekend's debut album, “A-Punk” condensed the band's entire early mission statement into a ridiculously catchy two-and-a-half minutes. Its clipped guitars, rapid-fire bassline, hand percussion and almost absurdly cheerful melody make it too much fun to pass up on. There’s a clear indie influence there, a little Paul Simon, some African flavours, but it's a sound that the band made their own. Vampire Weekend certainly had a preppy and well-put-together image, but their early releases tapped into a carefree and summery style that earned them a unique place in the late 2000s.
#7: “Maps”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Trust us when we tell you that “Heads Will Roll” very nearly took home our vote, but in the end, we had to go with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ’ breakthrough hit, “Maps”. For as much as the band all clearly succeed in their own individual roles, it’s Karen O’s vocals that steal the show. There’s a remarkable level of restraint and vulnerability in the way she pleads with the subject of the song. The iconic music video captures that emotional rawness beautifully, particularly her honest and authentic reaction before and after the performance. It was a song that showed that transparency could be just as enticing as bravado when it came to capturing an audience.
#6: “House of Jealous Lovers”
The Rapture
As one of the major releases in early 2000s dance-punk, The Rapture’s “House of Jealous Lovers” had an incredibly fresh and exciting energy to it. The result is frantic, sweaty and slightly unhinged. It almost sounds like a rock band discovering in real-time that a nightclub could be just as exciting as a concert venue, something that the indie-sleaze movement was all about. The wild vocals and unrelenting pace of the performance hold up to this day, and it succeeds in merging influences that range from 70s New York punk to British new wave. A truly dynamite performance on all fronts.
#5: “Time to Pretend”
MGMT
Although MGMT’s “Time to Pretend” masquerades as a euphoric and uplifting anthem, there is quite a lot bubbling under the surface. In reality, the song almost makes fun of the ridiculousness of the rock star existence, painting a pretty bleak picture, in spite of its surface-level tone. It’s a track that questions the values that indie rock had been presenting us with over the years that preceded it, although many listeners might have missed that initially. To this day, it remains one of MGMT’s signature songs and is also one of the most memorable music videos the genre had to offer.
#4: “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”
Arctic Monkeys
Now revered for their genre-melding, loungey, experimental side, long before the Arctic Monkeys achieved global success, they were pumping new life into rock music in the UK. “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” is a riveting piece of danceable garage rock. The opening guitar attack is iconic, and Matt Helders’ drumbeats give it an energy that never once dips. However, it is the lyrics of Alex Turner that really bring the whole thing home. During this period of the band’s career, he had a real knack for bringing his listeners right into the thick of a Saturday night out on the town. There’s a reason that it remains by far the group’s most-performed live track. A classic of the genre!
#3: “Somebody Told Me”
The Killers
For as much as “Mr. Brightside” is the more enduring anthem, when it comes to tracks that really encapsulate a moment, the frantic energy of “Somebody Told Me” is too perfect to ignore. It takes new wave, glam, disco and indie rock and compresses them into three minutes of superbly efficient songwriting. The chorus has the type of hook that most bands would kill for, enormous, repetitive and instantly singable, all wrapped up in a club-ready driving rhythm. There’s a lot going on with singer Brandon Flowers’ performance on the track, a swaggering, direct, but also uncertain performance that ranks right up there with the best songs The Killers ever released.
#2: “Losing My Edge”
LCD Soundsystem
On the long list of great debut singles that really make a strong statement of intent, LCD Soundsystem’s “Losing My Edge” is always going to rank pretty highly. James Murphy essentially turned insecurity about aging and musical relevance into a dance track, boasting about possessing obscure records while gradually revealing how ridiculous that obsession is. It’s almost a parody but also quite a vulnerable way to announce yourself to the world artistically. Those who pegged LCD Soundsystem as a major player on the indie scene after this track would have their prediction proven correct time and time again.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Don't Look Back Into The Sun”
The Libertines
One of 2000s Indie’s Punchiest Crowd-Pleasers
“Standing in the Way of Control”
The Gossip
A Powerfully-Delivered Anthem With a Real Rebellious Streak
“1901”
Phoenix
As Smooth, Joyous, and Memorable As Any Song Of Its Era
“Banquet”
Bloc Party
Infinitely Danceable and Punchy Track From the British Indie Icons
“Bohemian Like You”
The Dandy Warhols
An Insanely Catchy Radio-Rock Classic From the Year 2000
#1: “Last Nite”
The Strokes
Sure, it takes a few ideas from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “American Girl”, but The Strokes took that formula and undeniably created something entirely their own with “Last Nite”. Spearheaded by a punchy vocal performance from frontman Julian Casablancas, the track’s intro is a real crowd-pleaser, building momentum up to the point where the verse hits. Casablancas somehow sounds bored, fired up, and maybe a little hungover, all at the same time. As far as tracks that sum up 2000s nonchalance, “Last Nite” is just about as clear-cut an example as you will ever find. It was the song that set The Strokes on their path towards becoming one of the standout rock bands of their time.
But what do you consider to be the greatest indie sleaze song of all-time? Let us know in the comments below.
