The summer is here, and that means that the men are hot, hot, hot.
Two years ago, we had our list of hot women, and the temperature is now ripe for the opposite sex. Here are our list of the 88 Hottest Men in Indie Rock (we love you Jack White!).
- Sufjan Stevens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uceNZtKZAnc
Our WKNC djs had bellowing arguments and fisticuffs to put Sufjan Stevans on top. Ever since he invited us to “Come on feel the Illinoise!”, his soft, luring voice only complimented his angelic good looks. If only he felt the way about us as he does about the fifty states. And it doesn’t hurt that he played a cover of The Innocence Mission’s “Lakes of Canada” with a banjo ON TOP OF A ROOF! Could you get hotter than that? We didn’t think so.
2. Andrew Bird
There’s a reason why his last name is “bird”.
Andrew Bird is well versed in violin, guitar, and the glockenspiel. But his greatest instrument is that fabulous whistle. That croon could attract many an avian creature and delighted female alike. His classic countenance combined with his folky and eclectic sound makes him number two on our list.
3. Phil Moore (Bowerbirds)
Moore comprises half of Raleigh favorites, The Bowerbirds. Even though the band is very in-touch with Mother Nature (“In our Talons”; also both Moore and Beth Tacular currently reside in a trailer in the woods of Pittsboro), this mountain man could not bathe for weeks on end and still be hot. Recently he has been sprouting a long ponytail, and he still looks prettier than most women.
4. Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend)
What band is Ezra Koening not in? He played saxophone for the Dirty Projectors, interned with The Walkmen, recorded with MIA and The Very Best, and provided vocals on Discovery’s LP, not to mention front. A graduate of Columbia, Koening is intelligent enough to woo you with talk about unnecessary punctuation and sweet enough to teach your little sister’s class room. What a pile of sugar, spice, and everything adorable.
5. Chris Chu (Morning Benders)
The lead singer of Morning Benders looks like me if I were a male, but that is not the sole reason he makes a top slot in our hot list. Plus he piled in massive amounts of musically inclined in the studio to record the Yours Truly Recording of the epic ”Excuses”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jgmgE-QDzA
6. Sondre Lerche
Countless Viking blood must have been shed to make this Norwegian hottie. So pale, so gorgeous. Only the warmth of his delicate voice will save you from the cold of his country.
7. Will Hackney (Midtown Dickens, Mount Moriah, Lost in the Trees)
I remember seeing the keyboard man in Mount Moriah and commented to myself, “Hot damn. That keyboard man is ridiculously attractive.” He was so attractive, it was ridiculous. As it turns out, the man behind the keys is actually the co-owner of Trekky Records and partakes in what seems like every single local band.
8. Christopher Bear (Grizzly Bear)
Despite the fierce moniker of his last and band name, Christopher Bear has a baby face. I wish I had the right to bear his hands.
9. Kristian Matsson (Tallest Man on Earth)
With a voice like Bob Dylan, the Tallest Man on Earth is actually of average height. And he’s from Sweden! But that rough voice is only a front for his soft, story-spinning heart. I want to be the Queen of Spain.
10. Matt Berninger (The National)
That deep set baritone contributed the soundtrack to Obama’s campaign video and probably bedded a lot of women.
11. Paul Banks (Interpol)
My love for Interpol is for one of those bands that I will consistently love and support despite the fact that their recent releases have been subpar. One of the reasons for this is because of Paul Banks, his bilingual vocals, and his smashing attractiveness. I don’t think I can ever have enough of this Julian Plenti.
12. Damian Kulash (OK GO)
When OK GO toured Raleigh last year, Damian Kulash lauded Raleigh for the homeplace of his grandfather, the one who invented a species of beetle. His other grandfather invented the Fish Stick. Good genes apparently pour into this sex creature.
13. Andrew Vanwyngarden (MGMT)
This adorable cutie from MGMT looks so young and innocent, I feel almost shameful for putting him on this list.
14. James Blake
The cover of James Blake’s eponymous album is blue and distorted and basically obscures James Blake’s beauty. Why hide behind a blue blob, James Blake? Maybe he didn’t want his “pretty boy” countenance to be the deciding factor in his music, which is commendable, but it doesn’t hurt that he is a’smokin’.
15. and 16. Flight of the Conchords (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement)
In this New Zealand duo’s rap ballad, “Hiphopopotamus vs Rhymenoceros”, McKenzie and Clement proclaim that their “rhymes are so potent that in this small segment / [they]I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant,” which is a fairly accurate description.
17. Kele Okereke (Bloc Party)
Not only is he on our hot list, but last year, Kele Okereke was named the
Sexiest Out Gay Male Artist by music website LP33. Quite an accomplishment. Kele is known for being very political in his songs, and we commend that kind of fortitude.
18. Johnny Flynn
He may be the Justin Bieber of Indie Rock, but Johnny Flynn is one promising hot young artist. He writes his own poetry, and cites Yeats and Shakespeare in his lyrics. A man that well-versed deserves a spot in our hot list.
19. Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes)
The founder of Fleet Foxes has this shy, coy look about him, like an animal emerging from the forest about to be hit by a car. But when he opens his mouth, out bursts the love child of Crosby, Stills, Nash and / or Young. Not to mention that beard completes this fox’s face.
20. M. Ward
M. Ward is the Him of She and Him but don’t let Zooey Deschanel (#2 on our Hottest Women of Indie Rock list) distract you from how hot he is. Take a gander at “Poison Cup” and his intense longing croon will win any girl over.
21. Carter Gaj (Max Indian)
Carter of Max Indian wore sunglasses during his performance in Double Barrel Benefit, and he is the only man who can pull off doing so at night. His cool attitude could only be the product of some magical force that drifted from Aphrodite’s sea foam waves.
22. Kevin Drew (AC Newman, Broken Social Scene)
A founding member of a Canadian supergroup, Kevin Drew has dated hot indie women, Feist and Emily Haines. We can tell why of course. With talent like that, it’s hard to resist.
23 and 24. The Dodos (Meric Long and Logan Kroeber.)
A dodo is an endangered bird but “The Dodos” are two fetching men who rock out with the intensity of gods.
25. Thomas Mars (Phoenix, Air)
Mars is the baby daddy of Academy Award-winning director Sophia Coppola’s baby. What a father. Here we have a lead of the Grammy-award winning French dance pop band Phoenix, and my, is he hot. I hope he runs into me with a lasso.
26. Spencer Krug (Frog Eyes, Sunset Rubdown, Wolf Parade)
27. Thom Yorke (Radiohead)
28. Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)
29. Bon Iver
30. Jens Lekman
31. Ryan gosling (Dead Man’s Bones)
32. Matt Johnson (from Matt and Kim)
33. Brian Corum (Lonnie Walker)
34. Dan Whitford (Cut Copy)
35. Dave Monks (Tokyo Police Club)
36. and 37. Ratatat (Mike Stroud, Evan Mast)
38. Villagers
39. Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses)
40. Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio)
41. Chris Keating (Yeasayer)
42. John Paul Pitts (Surfer Blood)
43. Patrick Stickles (Titus Andronicus)
44. Stephen Malkmus (Pavement)
45. Beck
46. Bill Callahan
47. Dan Auerbach (Black Keys)
48. Sam Herring (Future Islands)
49. Stu Mclamb (The Love Language)
50. Noah Lennox (Animal Collective, Panda Bear)
51. Julian Casablancas (The Strokes)
52. Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips)
53. Jose Gonzales
54. Hamilton Leithauser (the Walkmen)
55. and 56. Seth and Scott Avett
57. Jack Beva (Foals)
58. Dave 1 (Chromeo)
59. Robert Schwartzman (Rooney)
60. Twin Shadow
61. Yoni wolf (Why?)
62. Owen Pallet
63. Calvin Harris
64. Chuck Chriss (Freelance Whales)
65. Alex Scally (Beach House)
66. Britt Daniel (Spoon)
67. Dougy Mandagi (Temper Trap)
68. Michael Angelakos (Passion Pit)
69. Patrick Phelan (Luego )
70. Win Butler (Arcade Fire)
71.Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend)
72. Ivan Howard (The Rosebuds)
73. J.Roddy Watson
74. Colin Meloy (The Decemberists)
75. Jack Penate
76. John Darnielle
77. Ari Picker
78. Brett Harris
79. Django Haskins (The Old Ceremony)
80. James Mercer (Shins, Broken Bells)
81. Conor Oberst
82. Ben Gibbard
83. Matt Voorhis (SNMNMNM / Rooster for the Masses)
84. Ash Bowie of Polvo
85, 86, and 87. The beards of Megafaun (Phil and Brad Cook, Joe Westerlund)
88. Jack White
WKNC earned: