BEST 404 soul glo redux
He's gotten delightfully weirder over the past 15 years, yet Cee Lo Green has somehow become a household name in Middle America. "F*** You" landed … »more
Best ambient composers
You have to know the rules before you can effectively break them, and Qurious seems to operate on a higher level of consciousness than its … »more
Best Atlanta-bred song and dance
It must be something in the red clay. From the Bankhead Bounce to the Walk It Out, Atlanta has a storied history when it … »more
Best band to rise above punk's pigeonholes
Punk rock is best when it's channeled through one man confronting the things that keep him awake at night. Greg King's nightmares manifest in the … »more
Best dive bar
We call it a dive because it hasn't been fixed up in forever, the domestic beer is served in bottles and the clientele is decidedly … »more
Best DJ to lose your cool to
She's a lady DJ who isn't afraid to sweat her perm out. And that ain't the half. Since graduating from Scratch DJ Academy two years … »more
Best event space-turned-dubstep destination
When it's not reserved for wedding receptions or other traditional events, West Midtown's King Plow Arts Center hosts monthly Haute Mess dubstep parties and world-renowned … »more
Best experimental band
Over the last three years, Lyonnais has methodically explored the grey area between post-punk and proto-industrial drone. Through it all, the group has fostered a … »more
Best indie rock underdogs
Reveling in the mesmerizing aesthetics of drone pop and Krautrock, Red Sea's songs creep along at a hypnotic pace. But a slow and jangling indie … »more
Best karaoke for closet freaks
After scouring thousands of song titles in the sticky-from-beer binder, you finally submit your pick (Madonna's "Express Yourself") and anxiously anticipate the DJ calling you … »more
Best live act to regroovenate your soul
Whether performing for a standing-room-only crowd at Apache Café or headlining at Variety Playhouse, Avery*Sunshine turns any show into an intimate affair. She pairs her … »more
Best local blues act
An Atlanta guitar slinger with a swooping pompadour, Rod Hamdallah has swiftly risen through the ranks of Atlanta's die-hard blues scene by taking cues from … »more
Best local hip-hop producer on some other ish
<a href="http://supernatural.bandcamp.com/track/the-supernatural-man">The Supernatural Man by ETHEREAL</a>
With his zoned-out beatscapes, young gun producer/MC Ethereal aims to usher in a decidedly chill age of Atlanta rap. … »more
Best local music institution to reinvent itself
Good things have been afoot at the Masquerade since the club opened its doors in 1989. Throughout the '90s, bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, and … »more
Best local overall act
We're proud that Perry, Ga.-bred Ernest Greene has chosen our fair city as his new home base, 'cause he's such a fine Southern gentleman, but … »more
Best local producer
When Ben Allen updates his résumé at the end of the year, not only can he boast of producing breakthrough recordings from Georgia-based up-and-comers Washed … »more
Best local promoter
Since booking his first show in January 2009, Brannon Boyle of Speakeasy Promotions has been adding flair to the local music scene by corralling a … »more
Best MC to molest a mic
4-IZE is the only Atlanta rapper bold enough to go where no MC has gone before — bestiality, baby. Since the December release of his … »more
Best metal band to hit the bong to
The devil's weed is always a little sweeter when cosmic metal monsters Wizard Smoke spark up the joint. The menacing five-piece ensemble drives its up-tempo … »more
BEST MTV-approved arena rock
On the heels of releasing Simple Math, Manchester Orchestra nabbed two MTV VMA noms this year and booked its first international headlining tour. But none … »more
Best nautical-themed pop act
With the April release of Little Tybee's proper debut, Humorous to Bees (Paper Garden Records), the group proved it's one of the most refined bands … »more
Best new gay thing to happen outside of Midtown
Atlanta has a rich tradition of gay bars with delightfully suggestive names: BJ Roosters; Swinging Richards; and the recently shuttered Three Legged Cowboy. But Atlanta's … »more
Best off-the-radar place to see a local show
Forget a Facebook invite; you couldn't stumble upon this place with a pocket compass. That's because the location of the tunnel shows that take place … »more
BEST OMG goth rap
After debuting with the bombastic Flockaveli last year, rap's most divisive figure found time to pose nude for PETA and then announced his early retirement … »more
Best patio dance party for sinners and saints
When's the last Sunday you went to church? Never? Great! Every second Sunday wünder-DJ Vicki Powell makes sinners and saints alike sweat on the patio … »more
Best plugged-in avant-garde ensemble
It's not just the fashionable whiff of geeky technological coolness that makes Sonic Generator the current frontrunner in Atlanta's new classical music scene. The seven … »more
Best spandex-clad dance floor freak
An outsider performance artist with insider appeal, Cousin Dan rocks ridiculous stage-wear and makes simplistic, addictive music videos for his synth-based electro jams. Underneath the … »more
Best weekly club night for face-melting bass
Having one's face melted off every Friday may not sound like that much fun. But QUAD's weekly 18-and-up Melt romps do just that with ambitious … »more
BEST WTF garage band
Pop demigod Mark Ronson produced the band's latest record, but local garage hellions Black Lips remain as flippant and skuzzy as ever — cover of … »more
