It's the rhythm, stupid. Oh, and in No Doubt's case, a platinum-blond peach of a female singer, Gwen Stefani, who breaks up the asexual baggy-shorts-and-balloon-pants monotony of alt-nation guy rock (311 included). Both Tragic Kingdom and 311 are ear candy with good beats, not just bludgeon-by-numbers guitars, and both bands are remarkably adept at genre juggling. No Doubt have a spry, white-suburban take on ska and Blondieesque pop; 311 have a tight, sinewy sound that for all of its obvious Beasties-cum-Chili Peppers traits has a potent reggae undertow. So why snipe at either group for lack of depth? Because power ballads are irritating swill, and No Doubt's "Don't Speak" is no exception (the high-pitched rippling in Stefani's voice, more effective with fast songs and sunnier hooks, doesn't help). And you have to wonder about the substance beneath the sweat when 311 fire off lines like "I reserve the right to be as trite as I want." Hey, it's a free country.

“Time to Pretend”

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”