10. Green Day
I just put Green Day in here to make a point I try to make whenever I get a chance. If you look at all of the bands out such as Blink 182, Sum 41, etc...the pop/punk bands...you can trace them all back to Green Day (whether you think that's a good thing or not is up to you). They truly started a new trend in music, and I don't think they get the credit they deserve for that.

9. Creed
Wait!! Let me explain! I think it is highly underappeciated just how bad these guys are. Their songs are written to a formula...predictible and with no depth at all. They could single-handedly kill mainstream rock music when the backlash hits, as I think it will. I just like to complain about Creed whenever I get the chance.

8. Incubus
I wanted to follow the Creed story with an example of someone doing it right. The Incubus guys have written some complex pieces...you can just sit there and examine them for hours. Morning View is the best example of this. Even when an experiment doesn't quite work for me, I still find it intriguing. It's sad that they're just lumped into the same modern rock category as Creed and Linkin Park.

7. Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown
This is changing, as Ryan Adams seems to be everywhere lately (heck, he's in a Gap ad). I'd still love to see him get more mainstream recognition, though. Try this...more Ryan Adams....less Creed. Feel better already, don't you?? Catch Ryan November 4th on Letterman...with Willie Nelson, even!

6. Vic Chesnutt
You either know his work, or you have no idea who I'm talking about. (You know the guy in the wheelchair in the movie Slingblade? That's Vic.) He has written some of the most eerily beautiful songs, and some of the funniest, also.

5. Counting Crows
I know you're sitting there going, "What the hell are you on about now? Everyone knows who the Counting Crows are." Yea, but not really. The band doesn't get tons of airplay these days, and the songs that do get released don't even begin to touch the surface of what they can do. As you might have noticed, I've recently rediscovered the Crows. The first disc that everyone knows and loves is elementary compared to the others. Buy them all.

4. Matthew Sweet
Apparently he's writing and producing some stuff with Hanson right now, but we don't hold that against him. The only live show of his I caught was an experience. Some of his work borders on cheese, but some borders on brilliance. It's all good.

3. Ass Ponys
The Ponys rock. Somewhat bizarre, but always entertaining, the Ass Ponys have put out a couple of my all-time favorite records.

2. Better Than Ezra
This band just keeps getting better and better, but most people only know then from one song off of their first album...and they probably don't even remember what it is until you play it for them (I've run this test multiple times...trust me. They go.."I recognize the name...but I don't know what song you're talking about." So you play it and they go, "Oh, yea!") Anyway.

1. Grant Lee Phillips/Grant Lee Buffalo
Oh, come on. You knew he was going to be #1...so don't even look at me like that. GLP is one of the greatest songwriters ever, and he's never really risen beyond a cult following. I hope that will still change down the road.