The Top 10 Indie Songs for May 2021 features a sweeping diversity of indie artists and bands, including a number of true DIYs that got our attention. This top 10 playlist is infectiously enjoyable especially when the world is coming back to life. Thank goodness indie rock is thriving in 2021. There are six entries from the U.K.!; three from the U.S. and one from France.
This playlist of our top picks (based on what we actually got to hear) include terrific releases from:
- Mar Malade (U.K.)
- FUR (U.K.)
- Camel Power Club (France)
- St. Vincent (New York)
- Hazey (U.K.)
- Massage (California)
- Mia Joy (Illinois)
- Ski Lift (U.K.)
- Bliss Williams (U.K.)
- Ali Horn (U.K)
Not intentionally nor by design, these Top 10 Indie Rock Songs for May 2021 are mostly feel-good, upbeat and celebratory. So put your happy shoes on and enjoy. The full Spotify and Soundcloud playlists are included at the end of the post.
This song just had to be the opening track on this particular playlist. U.K. band Mar Malade delivers the summer-time goods on “No Bird (Mr. Hardy)” with its undeniably upbeat, feel-good single booming with tropical-influenced beats and riffs, accompanied by horns and a bumbling, drooping bass line. The song is one of the little hidden gems we love coming across, and sharing.
U.K. indie rock band FUR has returned with two very noteworthy new singles, including the electrifying track, “If Only,” featured here, and which has been on repeat in the cafe for weeks, along with the other track, “The Fine Line of a Quiet Life.” Indie rock is a vague term used to identify rock artists that are or were unsigned, or have signed to small record labels, rather than major record labels. It may also describe artists which have a specific “sound”, and is therefore a genre, although this label is contested by many.:
The Paris indie band Camel Power Club‘s latest track, “Drunken Dreams,” (featuring Racoon Racoon) is impossible to ignore thanks to its mellow but catchy rhythms and melodies, as well as arguably an indie anthemic groove for 2021. We’ll still be playing this track years from now. Camel Power Club is an indie rock band based in Paris, France.
Indie veteran St. Vincent rarely misses the mark with her releases, which is one reason she has amassed a large and loyal following over the past 10+ years. With her recent recollective of her father’s record collection, she serves up another gem, including the reflective single, “Down.”
The more chill, grooving single, “Half A Feeling,” from Los Angeles indie band Massage is a kickback-and-relax song for a summer day. The band has been increasing its visibility among music lovers in the past few years thanks to the indie love their 2018 debut album, Oh Boy, garnered. Now, the follow-up recent release of Still Life has picked up strong reviews from the blogs and zines.
Another U.K. band, this time the Bristol indie duo of Tim Brown (guitar; vocals) and Justin Wilkins (drums; vocals), aka Hazey, make the list with their intricate mix of ethereal guitars and synth rhythms. Hazy is influenced by The Killers, Deaf Havana, Pale Waves, and The Cure. Perhaps the most sombre track on this playlist, the song is ironically titled “Bliss.”
We dug Chicago indie dream-pop artist Mia Joy as soon as her new single “See Us” hit the webs. The soft, whispery track, and meditative, emotive synth keys, conjures up images of floating on a puffy white cloud on a gorgeous summer day and just being happy. It’s the perfect track to chill to and even fall in love too. Joy recently signed to FireTalk Records.
London-based threesome, Ski Lift, returns with their sophomore single, “Portal,” assembled with addictive energy; a sharp, driven guitar riff; and melodic vocals to make it almost an instant for the top 10 for May.
Bliss Williams – “Falling For You”
Yet another London, and U.K., entry on this top 10. One-man recording artist Bliss Williams‘ track, “Falling For You,” was featured in our last In Dee Mail edition, and now in the Top 10. As Williams describes, the single features “sweeping strings [that] melt into harmonies far more precise than the yearning-tumbling…all served on a bed of punchy backbeat and bass groove.”
Ali Horn – “End Credits”
It only seemed appropriate to place a single called “End Credits” at the end of a playlist. But don’t let the song’s position in the playlist indicate its awesomeness as a great track in the top 10. Notice the cheerily, upbeat chorus (‘sing a happy song/happy song’), the bouncy rhythm and beat, and your tapping foot. Ali Horn is based out of Liverpool (England); making him one of six English indie bands or artists in this playlist.
[Editor’s Note]: For a relatively small country (especially in comparison to the U.S.), the number of spectacular bands, artists, and genres of rock/pop music that has come out of England since The Beatles up to today is dazzling. Considering that the U.S. has remained four to six times larger in population than England for the past half of a century-plus, ratio-wise you can say they’ve got us beat as far as one country just dominating pop and rock since 1964.Stream amazing cat-related playlists of the best indie/alt tracks ever!
Make sure to check out our other category/theme-based playlists of the best indie/alt rock songs over the decades – playlists include Best Feel Good Songs; 100 of the Best Chill Indie Summer Songs; Akademic Playlist Series; 1,000+ of the Best Indie Songs Ever; 1,000+ of the Best Alternative Rock Songs Ever playlist; and many others – kickass playlists!