Best 2010s Alternative and Indie Songs

The best alternative songs of the 2010s (10s), ranked — each one links to the album it came from, on vinyl, CD or Amazon Music.

All song lists Alternative and Indie albums Best Alternative and Indie albums of the 2010s Alternative and Indie of the 1990s Alternative and Indie of the 2000s All 2010s songs

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1

VW

Step

Vampire Weekend · from Modern Vampires of the City (2013)

A literate, harpsichord-laced gem.

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2

AM

Do I Wanna Know?

Arctic Monkeys · from AM (2013)

The riff and the swagger: the first truly global Arctic Monkeys moment.

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3

TI

The Less I Know the Better

Tame Impala · from Currents (2015)

A funky bassline and woozy melody.

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4

TI

Let It Happen

Tame Impala · from Currents (2015)

Seven minutes of psychedelic pop that earns every second.

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5

MI

Your Best American Girl

Mitski · from Puberty 2 (2016)

The guitar feedback and the cultural displacement: indie rock as identity crisis.

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6

CS

Fill in the Blank

Car Seat Headrest · from Teens of Denial (2016)

The most cathartic shout-along in lo-fi rock.

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7

MI

Nobody

Mitski · from Be the Cowboy (2018)

The most painfully accurate song about loneliness in recent memory.

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8

BT

Not

Big Thief · from Two Hands (2019)

Adrianne Lenker's voice against an electric guitar: deceptively minimal.

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Tap the artwork or "Listen" to find the track on Amazon Music; "Watch" opens a YouTube search; the song title opens its album page. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases and sign-ups.