Gerard Way
If you strip back all the highly commercialised groups of today, you can get to the core of what is really important about a band. Not many can make it in the business without succumbing to creating the generic music we hear time after time again, but we’ve managed to put together a list of seven of those we think have (mostly) stayed true to themselves whilst building a huge empire of followers and musical hits. Take a look at our list.
The Black Eyed Peas / Best song – ‘Where Is The Love?’
We know they’re currently on hiatus, but we cannot wait for the return of The Black Eyed Peas, which will hopefully see them produce hits as amazing as ‘Where Is The Love?’ and ‘Pump It’, released back in 2003 and 2006, when their career was really taking off.
Although they still remain successful to the current day, with four top ten UK album chart entries, we can’t help but long for the great vocals they once showed on the tracks rather than the overuse of auto tune and electronic effects. They’re brilliant in their own right of course, but in small doses rather than a period of years.
An ‘Elephunk’ part two would be a brilliant comeback for the pop sensations, and we’re really interested to see what’s next.
Fall Out Boy / Best song(s) – ‘Dance, Dance’ and ‘Thnks fr th Mmrs’
Also on hiatus, much to the disappointment of millions of adoring fans is the worldly popular pop punk group Fall Out Boy.
They’ve enjoyed success and won multiple awards including MTV Video Music Awards, and Teen Choice Awards, showing just how diverse the audiences they play into really are.
The announcement of their split came in 2009, and many have speculated that the members of the band have been getting together to produce new material ever since. Nothing as of yet has been officially confirmed. The statement made back in 2009, posted on to lead vocalist Patrick Stump’s Tumblr account reads, “I am confident that we’ll have a record out sooner than later but there are currently no plans, no “2 years,” no “6 years,” no parameters. It might happen later than any of that, it might happen sooner. It is literally, as it’s always been, an indefinite hiatus.”
We hope it’s sooner rather than later, as the world and the industry as a whole misses their punchy classics!
The Pretty Reckless / Best song – ‘Goin’ Down’
Fronted by Taylor Momsen, former cast member of ‘Gossip Girl’, is the alternative rock group The Pretty Reckless. With some stunning vocals and truly relatable lyrics, anyone who gives their music a chance will be dancing in their chairs for hours on end.
The band’s debut single, ‘Make Me Wanna Die’ was generally received positively by critics, and was even used in the closing credits to hit film ‘Kick-Ass’, appearing on the film’s official soundtrack. It also appeared in an episode of season four of ‘Gossip Girl’, giving a nod to the former member of the ensemble.
The UK seemed most receptive to the group, and the single managed to climb to number 16 on the Official UK Singles Chart. ‘Miss Nothing’ and ‘Just Tonight’ were later released as UK-exclusive singles, unfortunately only peaking at 39 and 163 respectively.
We truly hope that the group go on to become as successful as they deserve, because they have the power to mould their genre around them with their unique sound.
The Script / Best song – ‘Breakeven’
This Irish alternative rock group from Dublin have now seen massive success both here in the UK and in the States, and show no signs of slowing down.
Most recognisable would be the track ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’, which surprisingly actually never reached the number one spot in the UK. In fact, it was only this year with the first single from their third album, ‘Hall of Fame’ (featuring will.i.am), that the group did manage to reach number one, and maintain the position for a total of two weeks.
With their determination to succeed and raw vocal talent, it’d be a crime if this three-piece group faded out, but so long as they keep hammering their true emotion and real genius into their releases, they should be just fine.
Maroon 5 / Best song(s) – ‘She Will Be Loved’ and ‘Misery’
Their number one debut album ‘Songs About Jane’ was a global success, and the following three albums, which all peaked in the top six in the charts disappointed only a handful, as they went on to maintain a brilliant quality and standard of music.
Frontman Adam Levine’s vocals are instantly recognisable, and probably a large part of the reason why the band do so well.
Their talents were given to ‘The Hunger Games’ movie soundtrack, when they recorded a song specifically for the film called ‘Come Away To The Water’ (featuring Rozzi Crane), a film which went on to become one of the biggest movies of all time.
Only ever shaking up their members if absolutely necessary, the strong chemistry between all the members of the group is apparent, and we hope that their persistence and hard work will continue to pay off for them in years to come.
Green Day / Best song – ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’
What most people don’t know about Green Day is that they actually formed in 1987, but it took almost ten years for them to breakout into the industry as a well-known and successful punk rock group.
Shooting forward, 2004 saw the release of their best known studio album to date ‘American Idiot’, which went on to win a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The longest tour of their career spanning a gigantic total of 150 dates followed, really making sure that they had left their mark worldwide.
2012 has seen a trilogy of albums released, all in the latter end of the year, but unfortunately Billie Joe Armstrong hasn’t had the best few months as of late. A rant about their set being cut before it was over brought him some negative press, and then the weeks after saw him enter rehabilitation for substance abuse. Despite all that, we remain positive that he will be back to his usual self before long, and be creating some of the best punk music around.
My Chemical Romance / Best song – ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’
With four widely successful studio albums to date, and a fifth in the works, My Chemical Romance have gone on to become one of the most adored American alternative rock groups on the planet.
Their high energy performances put them leagues ahead of others in the same genre, and you can tell that they put their all into their career, giving the fans exactly what they need.
Thought-provoking lyrics have seen them accused of propaganda, when US broadcaster Glenn Beck said of their single ‘Sing’, “It's an anthem saying 'Join us'. How can you and I possibly win against that?" Some of the lyrics he was referring to are “People moving sideways / Sell it till your last days / Buy yourself the motivation / Generation nothing / Nothing but a dead scene / Product of a white dream".
Gerard Way, frontman of the band responded, and said in a statement made on the official website “I think the word Glenn Beck was looking for was 'subversion' not 'propaganda', because I don't know what it would be considered propaganda for—truth? Sentiment?"
We can’t wait for the arrival of My Chemical Romance’s fifth album, as we’re sure it’ll be another fantastic record packed with hit after hit.
So, that’s our final cut! Do you agree with those listed, or do you have an alternative view of who should be regarded as the best band or group of today? Let us know your opinion in the comments section below, or tweet us directly at @FemaleFirst_UK
FemaleFirst Daniel Falconer @Danarazzi