UK V's USA - Name the current top 5 bands from each country.......
 

Here's my choice (all genres):

UK

1. Kaiser Chiefs
2. The Kooks
3. Radiohead
4. Bloc Party
5. Muse

USA

1. Cold War Kids
2. The Killers
3. System Of A Down
4. NOFX
5. Green Day

http://www.wiredessential.com
new movies & music resource

I'd be pissed you undersold us if you hadn't done the same for yourself. if it was what I thought the top 5 should be, I'd say:

US:
White Stripes
QotSA
Modest Mouse
Mars Volta
Tv on the Radio

UK:
Amy Winehouse
Radiohead/Thom Yorke
Arctic Monkeys
Gorillaz
Whatever you make of Libertines.

Your taste is impeccable.

Edit: TV on the Radio look interesting, I see their influences include The Pixies and The Fall.
Care to elaborate Big3?

I'd love to sir if I only knew what I was to elaborate on...

On the band, TV On the Radio.

You obviously rate them highly and I haven't heard any of their music yet.
And The Pixies and The Fall are two interesting bands and I wondered if you agreed with the comparisons?

And, incidentally, why aren't the Flaming Lips in your top 5 U.S. bands?

UK

1. Patrick Wolf
2. Radiohead
3. Frank Turner
4. 65daysofstatic
5. Vashti Bunyan

USA

1. Bright Eyes
2. Owen
3. The Elected
4. Brand New
5. Joan of Arc

LOL. With lists like that, how the hell can you be posting in the Alternative/Indie section? With that said, I think those lists stink particularly the UK one. The Kooks, The Kaiser Chiefs? You 'aving a laugh? That's just goddamn insulting to the UK!

Anyway, I don't usually seem to agree with Crowquill on much at all, but that Patrick Wolf is the best thing the UK have to offer alternative music at the moment is pretty much beyond questioning. Of course, the best English band even today is Radiohead by a walk. Franz Ferdinand are also a good band, as are the Long Blondes.

There are way too many excellent alternative bands and artists in North America at the moment to permit the making of a list of five, in my opinion. Though my 5 favourites, in no particular order, would have to be:

TV On The Radio
The Arcade Fire
Deerhoof
The Flaming Lips
Of Montreal

Well i know this will lead at a second revolutionary war but I've never actually heard the Fall. The Pixies influence I don't really hear, then again maybe I'm tone deaf.

The two big singles were:

Wolf Like Me
and
Staring At The Sun

They sound very different and I was going to write a description but I just couldn't do it. Give it a shot though. The melody of SatS is dark and beautiful, while WLM is more of a package deal. Im interested in your opinion.

I downloaded both albums earlier today and I like them. I'm not sure what to make of them yet, but so far I find them agreeable.
Although the lead singer sounds a little like Lloyd Cole...I don't know if that's accurate yet as I just slagged him off recently in a different thread (and he's still in my mind)....Lloyd Cole that is.

Edit: I can usually tell when I'm going to take to a band.
Firstly, they have to be different and secondly and more importantly, they have to have me interested...they do both so far.

Why couldn't any of the norse countries be mentioned on this list?

(Not in any specific order)

USA:

Tool
Dream Theater
Isis
Pelican
Novembers Doom

Britain:

Radiohead
Porcupine Tree
Iron Maiden (I guess)
DragonForce (barely makes the list)
Paradise Lost