I didn't expect the A-Z Blogging Challenge to be as difficult as it proved to be to complete. While I have made all my entries, I can only say that about a third of them were made on time. There were days where I wrote 3-4 entries in one day to catch up. However, I found the experience most rewarding and it really allowed me to express a part of me that I love...music. I hope you learned about some new artists you didn't know about in the process. I will recap the alphabet's winners and provide a few honorable mentions for musical artists I wanted to also write about but didn't.
Letter A
Winner: Adele
Honorable Mentions:
Above & Beyond (Trance)
The Airborne Toxic Event (Indie Rock)
Alice Deejay (90's Electronica/Trance)
Amadou & Mariam (Blind couple from Africa - Indie World)
Angels & Airwaves (Tom from Blink's sappy other band)
Arcade Fire (Indie Rock - Best Album Grammy Winner 2011)
Armin Van Buren (Trance)
Au Revoir Simone (Indie Electronica)
Letter B
Winner: Bloc Party
Honorable Mentions:
Babyshambles (Indie Rock - Bad Boy Pete Doherty's band)
Beastie Boys (Legends)
Benny Benassi (Progressive/House)
Big Audio Dynamite (The offspring of The Clash)
The Black Keys (Soulful White Boy Rock)
Black Kids (Indie Dance)
Blink-182 (Pop-Punk)
Boys Noize (Hardcore Electronica Dance)
Letter C
Winner: The Cure
Honorable Mentions:
Car-sick Cars (Chinese Post-Punk Pop influenced by Sonic Youth)
Chris Garneau (Singer-Songwriter who makes sad sad songs)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Weird voiced lead singer - Indie Rock)
The Clash (70's Punk Pop)
Coconut Records (Actor, Jason Schwartzman's band)
Cold War Kids (Fullerton, CA Indie Rockers)
Crystal Castles (Indie Electronica duo - from pretty to noisy)
Letter D
Winner: Deadmau5
Honorable Mentions:
Damien Rice (Irish Singer-Songwriter, emotional music)
The Dead Weather (Super Group made up of Jack White & Alison Mosshart)
Depeche Mode (Quintessential New Wavers)
DEVO (Devolution is here Spuds!)
Digitalism (Poppy Catchy Electronica)
Dinosaur Jr. (90's Indie Rock led by J.Mascis)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? (British Electronica/Rockers)
The Drums (British Surfsounding Indie Pop)
Letter E
Winner: Explosions in the Sky
Honorable Mentions:
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes (Indie Folksy Jangly Rock)
Empire of the Sun (Australian Indie Electronica Pop)
The English Beat (80's Ska)
Letter F
Winner: Face to Face
Honorable Mentions:
Flight of the Conchords (Comedy Parody duo)
A Flock of Seagulls (New Wave duo with crazy lame hair)
Florence + The Machine (Amazing British Alternative Woman)
Foals (British Indie Rock/Electronica)
Four Tet (Indie Electronica)
Frightened Rabbit (Scottish Indie Rockers)
Letter G
Winner: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
Honorable Mentions:
General Public (Offspring/Brother of The English Beat)
GIVERS (Energetic Indie Alternative)
Glasvegas (Scottish Indie Dark Rockers)
Letter H
Winner: Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)
Honorable Mentions:
Holly Miranda (Amazing Voiced Indie Singer)
Letter I
Winner: Interpol
Honorable Mentions:
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness (Dark Alt-Rock)
Ingrid Michaelson (Great Singer-Songwriter)
INXS (I miss Michael Hutchence)
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Gentle Giant Hawaiian Singer)
Letter J
Winner: Jonsi (Sigur Ros / Jonsi & Alex)
Honorable Mentions:
John Mayer (People may hate him. but I love his music)
Johnny Foreigner (Indie Alternative)
Jose Gonzales (Added for his cover of The Knife's Heartbeats)
Joy Division (Legends of New Wave Darkness)
Junior Boys (Never to be confused with Junior Senior)
Letter K
Winner: Kate Nash
Honorable Mentions:
The Killers (Glammy New New Waver Rockers)
Kings of Leon (When they weren't prima-donna douches)
Letter L
Winners:
LCD Soundsystem
Los Campesinos!
Honorable Mentions:
Lykke Li (Swedish Indie)
Letter M
Winner: Modest Mouse
Honorable Mentions:
M.I.A. (Controversial Sri Lankin Indie Electronic)
Marvin Gaye (A life cut short too soon / R&B)
Matisyahu (Hasidic Jewish Reggae Rapper/Beat Boxer)
Matsuriza (Taiko Drumming)
Matt & Kim (Happy Indie Duo)
Maxwell (Former Sexiest Singer ever)
Michael Jackson (Can't have a list without him)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (Ska Punk 90s Wannabes)
Miike Snow (Indie Electronica)
Morrissey (Androgynous lead singer of The Smiths)
Mumford & Sons (Indie Folk Rock)
Letter N
Winner: Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Honorable Mentions:
The National (Indie Rockers)
Neil Diamond (Because I'm a Believer)
New Order (My favorite New Wave band)
Noah and The Whale (British Indie Singer/Songwriter)
Letter O
Winner: Oingo Boingo
Honorable Mentions:
OMD (New Wave Synth)
Letter P
Winners: Passion Pit, The Pixies, Pogo
Honorable Mentions:
Pete Yorn (Alt Rocker)
Peter Bjorn & John (Swedish Indie)
Phoenix (French Indie Electronica)
The Postal Service (Electronica collab duo)
Prince (No explanation needed)
Letter Q
Winner: Mix of "Q" Artists/Songs
Honorable Mentions: N/A
Letter R
Winner: The Radio Dept.
Honorable Mentions:
Ra Ra Riot (Lovely Indie)
Rachael Yamagata (Singer/Songwriter)
Rage Against The Machine (90's Angry Protest Music)
Rodrigo & Gabriela (Amazing Guitar duo)
The Rolling Stones (I like them more than The Beatles)
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese Pianist & Film Scorer)
Letter S
Winner: Say Hi (To Your Mom)
Honorable Mentions:
Sade (Sexiest Female Singer ever)
Santigold (NY Indie Electronica)
Saves the Day (90s Post Punk Pop - Great Dark Lyrics)
Shinichi Osawa (Japanese DJ)
Shout Out Louds (Swedish Indie Rockers)
Winner: Adele
Honorable Mentions:
Above & Beyond (Trance)
The Airborne Toxic Event (Indie Rock)
Alice Deejay (90's Electronica/Trance)
Amadou & Mariam (Blind couple from Africa - Indie World)
Angels & Airwaves (Tom from Blink's sappy other band)
Arcade Fire (Indie Rock - Best Album Grammy Winner 2011)
Armin Van Buren (Trance)
Au Revoir Simone (Indie Electronica)
Letter B
Winner: Bloc Party
Honorable Mentions:
Babyshambles (Indie Rock - Bad Boy Pete Doherty's band)
Beastie Boys (Legends)
Benny Benassi (Progressive/House)
Big Audio Dynamite (The offspring of The Clash)
The Black Keys (Soulful White Boy Rock)
Black Kids (Indie Dance)
Blink-182 (Pop-Punk)
Boys Noize (Hardcore Electronica Dance)
Letter C
Winner: The Cure
Honorable Mentions:
Car-sick Cars (Chinese Post-Punk Pop influenced by Sonic Youth)
Chris Garneau (Singer-Songwriter who makes sad sad songs)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Weird voiced lead singer - Indie Rock)
The Clash (70's Punk Pop)
Coconut Records (Actor, Jason Schwartzman's band)
Cold War Kids (Fullerton, CA Indie Rockers)
Crystal Castles (Indie Electronica duo - from pretty to noisy)
Letter D
Winner: Deadmau5
Honorable Mentions:
Damien Rice (Irish Singer-Songwriter, emotional music)
The Dead Weather (Super Group made up of Jack White & Alison Mosshart)
Depeche Mode (Quintessential New Wavers)
DEVO (Devolution is here Spuds!)
Digitalism (Poppy Catchy Electronica)
Dinosaur Jr. (90's Indie Rock led by J.Mascis)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? (British Electronica/Rockers)
The Drums (British Surfsounding Indie Pop)
Letter E
Winner: Explosions in the Sky
Honorable Mentions:
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes (Indie Folksy Jangly Rock)
Empire of the Sun (Australian Indie Electronica Pop)
The English Beat (80's Ska)
Letter F
Winner: Face to Face
Honorable Mentions:
Flight of the Conchords (Comedy Parody duo)
A Flock of Seagulls (New Wave duo with crazy lame hair)
Florence + The Machine (Amazing British Alternative Woman)
Foals (British Indie Rock/Electronica)
Four Tet (Indie Electronica)
Frightened Rabbit (Scottish Indie Rockers)
Letter G
Winner: Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
Honorable Mentions:
General Public (Offspring/Brother of The English Beat)
GIVERS (Energetic Indie Alternative)
Glasvegas (Scottish Indie Dark Rockers)
Letter H
Winner: Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star)
Honorable Mentions:
Holly Miranda (Amazing Voiced Indie Singer)
Letter I
Winner: Interpol
Honorable Mentions:
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness (Dark Alt-Rock)
Ingrid Michaelson (Great Singer-Songwriter)
INXS (I miss Michael Hutchence)
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Gentle Giant Hawaiian Singer)
Letter J
Winner: Jonsi (Sigur Ros / Jonsi & Alex)
Honorable Mentions:
John Mayer (People may hate him. but I love his music)
Johnny Foreigner (Indie Alternative)
Jose Gonzales (Added for his cover of The Knife's Heartbeats)
Joy Division (Legends of New Wave Darkness)
Junior Boys (Never to be confused with Junior Senior)
Letter K
Winner: Kate Nash
Honorable Mentions:
The Killers (Glammy New New Waver Rockers)
Kings of Leon (When they weren't prima-donna douches)
Letter L
Winners:
LCD Soundsystem
Los Campesinos!
Honorable Mentions:
Lykke Li (Swedish Indie)
Letter M
Winner: Modest Mouse
Honorable Mentions:
M.I.A. (Controversial Sri Lankin Indie Electronic)
Marvin Gaye (A life cut short too soon / R&B)
Matisyahu (Hasidic Jewish Reggae Rapper/Beat Boxer)
Matsuriza (Taiko Drumming)
Matt & Kim (Happy Indie Duo)
Maxwell (Former Sexiest Singer ever)
Michael Jackson (Can't have a list without him)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (Ska Punk 90s Wannabes)
Miike Snow (Indie Electronica)
Morrissey (Androgynous lead singer of The Smiths)
Mumford & Sons (Indie Folk Rock)
Letter N
Winner: Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Honorable Mentions:
The National (Indie Rockers)
Neil Diamond (Because I'm a Believer)
New Order (My favorite New Wave band)
Noah and The Whale (British Indie Singer/Songwriter)
Letter O
Winner: Oingo Boingo
Honorable Mentions:
OMD (New Wave Synth)
Letter P
Winners: Passion Pit, The Pixies, Pogo
Honorable Mentions:
Pete Yorn (Alt Rocker)
Peter Bjorn & John (Swedish Indie)
Phoenix (French Indie Electronica)
The Postal Service (Electronica collab duo)
Prince (No explanation needed)
Letter Q
Winner: Mix of "Q" Artists/Songs
Honorable Mentions: N/A
Letter R
Winner: The Radio Dept.
Honorable Mentions:
Ra Ra Riot (Lovely Indie)
Rachael Yamagata (Singer/Songwriter)
Rage Against The Machine (90's Angry Protest Music)
Rodrigo & Gabriela (Amazing Guitar duo)
The Rolling Stones (I like them more than The Beatles)
Ryuichi Sakamoto (Japanese Pianist & Film Scorer)
Letter S
Winner: Say Hi (To Your Mom)
Honorable Mentions:
Sade (Sexiest Female Singer ever)
Santigold (NY Indie Electronica)
Saves the Day (90s Post Punk Pop - Great Dark Lyrics)
Shinichi Osawa (Japanese DJ)
Shout Out Louds (Swedish Indie Rockers)
Smashing Pumpkins (90s Alt-Rockers)
The Smiths (Another quintessential New Wave band)
Snowden (Amazing New New Wavers)
Stars (Offshoot band of Broken Social Scene - Indie)
The Swell Season (Irish Indie Folk)
Letter T
Winner: Tegan & Sara
Honorable Mentions:
Talking Heads (80s New Wave Alternative Rockers)
Toro y Moi (Indie Electronica)
Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (Japanese J-Rock Female Trio)
TV on the Radio (Indie Rockers)
Letter U
Winner: Ulrich Schnauss
Honorable Mentions:
U2 (Bono, The Edge, etc)
Uh Huh Her (The L Word's Leisha Halley's band)
Letter V
Winner: The Vitamin String Quartet
Honorable Mentions:
Vampire Weekend (Ivy League Indie African/Punk/Pop Band)
Letter W
Winner: We Were Promised Jetpacks
Honorable Mentions:
The White Stripes (Jack White's First Band)
Letter X
Winner: The xx
Honorable Mentions:
The Smiths (Another quintessential New Wave band)
Snowden (Amazing New New Wavers)
Stars (Offshoot band of Broken Social Scene - Indie)
The Swell Season (Irish Indie Folk)
Letter T
Winner: Tegan & Sara
Honorable Mentions:
Talking Heads (80s New Wave Alternative Rockers)
Toro y Moi (Indie Electronica)
Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (Japanese J-Rock Female Trio)
TV on the Radio (Indie Rockers)
Letter U
Winner: Ulrich Schnauss
Honorable Mentions:
U2 (Bono, The Edge, etc)
Uh Huh Her (The L Word's Leisha Halley's band)
Letter V
Winner: The Vitamin String Quartet
Honorable Mentions:
Vampire Weekend (Ivy League Indie African/Punk/Pop Band)
Letter W
Winner: We Were Promised Jetpacks
Honorable Mentions:
The White Stripes (Jack White's First Band)
Letter X
Winner: The xx
Honorable Mentions:
XTC (Like the 80's Modest Mouse)
Letter Y
Winner: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Honorable Mentions:
Yo Gabba Gabba! (Not just for kids - Indie doing kid songs)
Letter Z
Winner: Zwan
Honorable Mentions: N/A
Non-Alphanumeric
Honorable Mentions:
30 Seconds to Mars (Hottie Jared Leto's Alt Rock Band)
And that's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed the list as much as I did. =)
Letter Y
Winner: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Honorable Mentions:
Yo Gabba Gabba! (Not just for kids - Indie doing kid songs)
Letter Z
Winner: Zwan
Honorable Mentions: N/A
Non-Alphanumeric
Honorable Mentions:
30 Seconds to Mars (Hottie Jared Leto's Alt Rock Band)
And that's a wrap. Hope you enjoyed the list as much as I did. =)
