48. Kaiser Chiefs

This Leeds, England, quintet's sprightly tempos, staccato rhythms, one-fisted keyboard riffs, cocky English accents and supercharged guitars all bespeak of record collections high on Madness and XTC. But boyish vocalist Ricky Wilson and his harmonies with drummer Nick Hodgson also owe a debt to the zingy melodies of original British Invasion bands like the Hollies and the Zombies. It's the hook-happy tunefulness of this debut album's perfect pop singles "I Predict a Riot" and "Oh My God" that suggests these dapper lads could outlast the current vogue for all things post-punk.

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