Manic Street Preachers

Storming out of the gates in 1991, the same year Nirvana released Nevermind, Manic Street Preachers wanted to create an upheaval in the British rock scene akin to that of the aforementioned band's impact in the United States. Though it never came near those lofty expectations, the Welsh band still managed to cause a stir with its in-your-face glam punk style, political rhetoric and guitar-heavy attack. Early albums such as The Holy Bible and Everything Must Go have cemented themselves as classics of the British rock canon, inspiring countless bands that followed in their wake. The early raw simplicity of Manic Street Preachers' guitar, bass and drums format resonated with fans who had become jaded with overproduced pop. And even though the band in later years has begun to lean more toward the glossy arrangements it initially rebelled against, it continues to be an influential and important contributor to the worlds of alternative and British rock music.