The National

Gloom and doom can definitely be musically compelling. Take it from Matt Berninger, frontman for Brooklyn-based brooding rockers act, the National. High Violet, which was released to lofty acclaim in May, debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s pop albums chart. So has the diehard indie outfit gone mainstream? No way. In fact, it was recorded in the garage of Aaron Dessner, who along with his brother Bryce and another pair of siblings, Bryan and Scott Devendorf, make up the rest of the band. Together, they craft music that draws serious fans to the concerts, where Berninger is reportedly an intense man behind the microphone.

— Mario Tarradell