Pop quiz, hot shots: Rank the following folks in the order they finished on this year’s Billboard Top Independent Artists chart, which combines radio play, album sales, and tour $$.
The Eagles
Arcade Fire
Jason Aldean
Elliott Yamin
Little Big Town
The Shins
Garth Brooks
The answer’s after the jump.
1. Jason Aldean
2. The Shins
3. Elliott Yamin
4. Little Big Town
5. The Eagles
6. Garth Brooks
7. Arcade Fire
I enjoy me some Aldean as much if not more than the next gal — click below to play "Johnny Cash," which I embed in lieu of finding an embeddable copy of "Amarillo Sky" — but never figured to see him on the top of that list, especially given the competition and my affectionate opinion that he suffered from a little sophomore-itis with the rest of this year’s Relentless. But hey, cowboy, big congrats; now make me a new record. As for you, The Shins, way to keep that Sub Pop magic alive. I embed "Phantom Limb" in your honor. The rest of you get nothing. Sorry. Do better next time.
ALDEAN! Whitney, I wish you would have found an embeddable copy of “Amarillo Sky.” It’s his best song!!!
I can’t believe half of these people are considered independent artists. Arcade Fire and the Shins are the only two I recognize as independent artists. Where’s Feist and Ingrid Michaelson?
KR independant according to Billboard just means you dont have major label distrubtion. So you can be a little band released on a little label or a big band released on your own/little label. It didnt say #1 Indie band, that would be different, and not about numbers wouldnt it?
re: KR. feist is actually on interscope records, which is as un-indie as you can get!!
YAY Elliot Yamin!
whitney, where have you been? i’ve missed your snark!
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