Indie Anthems

British hipster bible NME, released a list of the Top Indie Anthems last week. Color me confused. Let’s face it, the apathetic mopes guzzling Pabst and arguing over the best Smiths record aren’t the most anthemic bunch. They don’t live on prayers or pour sugar on anything. So what could possibly be on this list?

10. Arctic Monkeys- I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor
Arctic Monkeys’ songs are more bubble gum dance breaks than emphatic calls to action. Besides, this tune has not stood the test of time. Pass.
9. The Strokes-Last Nite
This isn’t even the best song on “Is This It?” let alone one of the best indie songs of all time. Pass.
8. The Stone Roses- I Am The Resurrection
Here we go! A true hipster classic. The Stone Roses have influenced so many bands in their long career including The Shins and Blonde Redhead with their form of psychedelic dance pop. This track even has echoed drums; very anthemic!
7. The Smiths- How Soon Is Now?
Moz shouts out painfully, as only he can “I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does.” It is a voice of sadness and truth that reflects the melancholy side of indie rock. But is this song an anthem? If so, then for what? How about “Accept Yourself” or “This Charming Man”? These tunes give you something to rally around.
6. The Libertines- Time For Heroes
The reason this track is acceptable -- because it certainly ain’t the music; This one is pulled directly from Joe Strummer’s notebook -- is the lyrics. It has one of the best first lines ever “Did you see the stylish kids in the riot. We were shovelled up like muck, set the night on fire.”

5. The Libertines- Don’t Look Back Into The Sun
My first question when reading this list was “how can you have two songs by the Libertines and not a single offering from the Clash?” For shame. Pass.
4. The Smiths- There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
This should be number one, hands down. The fact that it comes in at number four makes this list obsolete. Expressing undying love by describing a fatal bus accident perfectly displays the paradox of indie anthems.
3. Pulp- Common People
What? Pass.
2. Nirvana- Smells Like Teen Spirit
This is THE anthem. The over-the-top choruses and rebellious lyrical content take this song beyond the boundaries of indie rock or punk rock or grunge rock. This song has become Classic Rock.
1. Oasis- Live Forever
In a recent interview for the Irish Examiner, Noel Gallagher refered to his song “Live Forever” as a response to the Nirvana song “I Hate Myself and I Want To Die.” He expressed his contempt for grunge-rock self-loathing. “I can't have people like that coming over here, on smack, saying that they hate themselves and they wanna die. That's just rubbish.” Rubbish maybe, but also authentic. There is nothing authentic about Oasis here. Indie rockers are a paradox; striking a delicate balance between rebelling against bad musical cliché and imitating the iconography of their rock n’ roll heroes. The far-too-derivative Oasis have too much of one and not nearly enough of the other. Pass.

This list sucks. Few of the songs accomplish the goal of a great anthem, which is to inspire fists to punch the air and even the most embittered of music fans to sing along. These songs should embrace the ridiculousness of being anthemic while still being apathetically hip. If you are going to make a list of Indie Anthems, you must choose songs that rally the true believers, while maintaining a quiet modesty and emotion that characterizes the genre. See the revised list where pissed off scenesters voted exclusively, completely changing the list for the better. http://www.nme.com/anthems/top.php