The 25 best indie albums of 2004

6 September 2024, 15:02

Let's look back at 2004 - the year of Golden Touch, Take Me Out, Dry Your Eyes and Mr Brightside.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. The Walkmen - Bows + Arrows: release date 2nd February 2004

   The second album from the New York band included Little House Of Savages and The Rat.

   

2. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters: release date 2nd February 2004

   The New York glam popsters released their debut, which featured Take Your Mama and their cover of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb.

   

3. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand: release date 9th February 2004

   The Scottish band released the debut album which featured the classic Take Me Out, plus Michael and Matinee.

   

4. The Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart: release date 9th March 2004

   The Detroit band released their second album, which featured the single C'mon C'mon.

   

5. Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News: release date 6th April 2004

   The band had their biggest hit this year, with the classic Float On.

   

6. The Zutons - Who Killed The Zutons? Release date 19th April 2004

   The Liverpool band released their debut album, which featured the songs You Will You Won't and Pressure Point.

   

7. Keane - Hopes And Fears: release date 10th May 2004

   Tom Chaplin and his comrades issued their debut album this year, which featured Somewhere Only We Know, Everything's Changing, This Is The Last Time and Bedshaped.

   

8. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come For Free: release date 17th May 2004

   Mike Skinner released his second album, which featured the huge hit Dry Your Eyes, plus Fit But You Know It.

   

9. Morrissey - You Are The Quarry: release date 17th May 2004

   The Mozfather had his big comeback album this year, which featured the hits First Of The Gang To Die and Irish Blood, English Heart.

   

10. Mylo - Destroy Rock 'N' Roll: released 24th May 2004

    The Scottish DJ and producer released his debut album, which included Drop The Pressure and the brilliant title track which included a sample of an American preacher denouncing a roll call of 1980s pop stars as "sinful".

    

11. The Killers - Hot Fuss: release date 7th June 2004 (UK release)

    Brandon Flowers and co issued their debut, which included Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, Mr Brightside, Somebody Told Me and All These Things I've Done.

    

12. My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge: released 8th June 2004

    The band's second album was released and featured I'm Not OK (I Promise) and The Ghost Of You.

    

13. Razorlight - Up All Night: released 28th June 2004

    Johnny Borrell's troubadours released their debut album, which included Golden Touch, Stumble And Fall and Somewhere Else.

    

14. The Futureheads - The Futureheads: released 12th July 2004

    The Sunderland band released their debut LP, which included their excellent cover of Kate Bush's Hounds Of Love and Decent Days And Nights.

    

15. The Libertines - The Libertines: release date 30th August 2004

    The band released their second and final album (to date) this year, which opened with the poignant Can't Stand Me Now and the equally poignant What Became Of The Likely Lads?

    

16. Kasabian - Kasabian: release date 6th September 2004

    The Leicester band released their debut album in 2004, which included Processed Beats, Club Foot, LSF, Cutt Off and Reason Is Treason.

    

17. The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning Strike: released 13th September 2004

    The hip hop project, under the leadership of songwriter and producer Ian Parton, released their debut album, which included Bottle Rocket and Ladyflash.

    

18. Arcade Fire - Funeral: released 14th September 2004

    The full length debut from the Canadian band was released in North America and featured Rebellion (Lies), Wake Up and Haiti.

    

19. Green Day - American Idiot: released 21st September 2004

    The American punk trio released their biggest album to date, which included the incendiary title track, plus Boulevard Of Broken Dreams and Wake Me Up When September Ends.

    

20. Interpol - Antics: release date 27th September 2004

    The second album from the New York post-punk band was the follow-up to the acclaimed Turn On The Bright Lights and included Slow Hands, Evil, C'mere and Narc.

    

21. R.E.M. - Around The Sun: release date 5th October 2004

    The 13th studio album from the alternative rock giants included the singles Leaving New York, Wanderlust, Aftermath and Electron Blue.

    

22. Elliott Smith - From A Basement On The Hill: released 18th October 2004

    Smith had died the previous year, but had been working on this, his sixth album at the time of his death. Tracks include the single Pretty (Ugly Before).

    

23. Death From Above 1979 - You're A Woman, I'm A Machine: release date 26th October 2004

    The duo of bassist Jesse F Keeler and drummer Sebastien Grainger issued their storming debut album, which included the singles Romantic Rights, Blood On Our Hands and Black History Month. Keeler would also be part of the DJ/electro music duo MSTRKRFT.

    

24. Kings Of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak: released 1st November 2004 (UK release)

    The Followills released their second album, which featured Four Kicks, The Bucket and King Of The Rodeo.

    

25. U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb: release date 22nd November 2004

    The Irish band released their eleventh album this year, which included the tracks Vertigo and City Of Blinding Lights.