Characteristics:

 

• Orchestral arrangements or classical style

• Matched with Indie or Indie pop 

• Intially it's indie rock but additonal members are add scope and give it a more powerful orchestral sound

• Unique instruments given focused that wouldn't be found in most popular music including accordion or harpischord

• Narrative quality to songwriting

• Makes reference to history, literature, philsophy and folklore

• Sophistication and elegance

• Rejecting aggressiveness, vulgar or low-brow humour

• Lush instrumentation

• Antithesis to grunge and alternative rock when it formed in 1990s

• Sometimes traditional pop instrumentation is disregarded

• Aesthetic productions

• Emphasis on live orchestration and instrumentation

• Intricate and complex melodies

• Horned and stringed instruments

• Influenced by lounge revivalism.

 

Paraphrased from Last FM and Wiki

 

1990s+ present day

 

Anthems:

 

1. The Divine Comedy- Generation Sex (UK)

2. Belle and Sebastian- Come On Sister (UK)

3. Woodkid- Ghost Lights (FRANCE)

4. The Irrepressibles- In This Shirt (UK)

5. Owen Pallett- The Secret Seven (CANADA)

6. The Tinkersticks- Tiny Tears

7. Anthony and The Johnsons- Epilepsy is Dancing (UK)

8. San Fermin- Sonsick (US)

9. Of Monsters and Men- Little Talks (ICELAND)

10. Bat For Lashes- What's A Girl To Do? (UK)

11. Clean Bandit- Rather Be (UK)

12. Patrick Watson- Words In The Fire (CANADA)

13. God Help The Girl- Come Monday Night (US)

14. Scott Walker- Brando (US)

15. Annie Moses Band- Poor Wayfaring Pilgrim

16. Ra Ra Riot- Boy (US)

17. Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground- Oh Lord, I Hate You California

18. Rufus Wainwright- Jericho (US/CANADA)

19. Goodnight Blue Moon- New England

20. Arcade Fire- No Cars Go (CANADA)

21. Panic at the Disco!- Nine In The Afternoon (US)

22. Louis Phillipe- You Mary You (Belgium)

23. The Mummers- Match of The Dawn (UK)

24. Iamthemorning- Howling (Russia)

25. Princess Chelsea- Monkey Eats Bananas (New Zeleand)