Really? The Postal Service are EVERYWHERE! I can't turn on the tv without hearing that "Such Great Heights" song used in every other commercial I see. I'd say they're annoyingly mainstream.

Also, The Police are amazing.

So what about these rockin' geezers from the seventies? Like Eric Clapton or Paul Simon? Or The Who? Even though that last one is more of just a reunion thing. People give props to those guys in thier sixties still acting like thier in thier twenties?

Talking Heads

Peter Gabriel (not a band ;) )

The Cure

Nirvana (sentimental connection)

and many more...

I'd never heard Postal Service on the radio

Sonic Youth
Rolling Stones
Beatles
Bob Marley & The Wailers

Shellac
Xiu Xiu
Animal Collective
Deerhoof
Wolf Eyes
Fantomas



....because if more that 100 people have even heard of them, they're totally mainstream, man! Yeah! Im such a cool indie hipster fuckin bastard!!!!!!

Metallica
White Zombie/Rob Zombie
Mastodon
Tool
Queens of the Stone Age
Helmet
Wolfmother
Muse
White Stripes
Mars Volta
Death From Above 1979
Beastie Boys

plus a bunch of grunge bands.

I wouldn't call half of the bands in this thread, if not more, 'mainstream'. Whether them bands have a strong following or a huge fanbase.

Mariah Carrie. Yep. Swear to God. I always hated her, but then I heard her do "We Belong Together" at Grammy's; it was the most soulful, gut-wrenching performance I'd heard on tv for awhile. I got the recorded version, and it was tamer than the live version, but still quite good. The rest of the album sucked butt, but that ONE song...holy shit.

So, does one song equal respect? I dunno.

By the way, if you say you hate U2, then you're lying.

radioheads popularity "despite" their popularity to more obscure-oriented music connoisseurs just makes my day . first time i've laughed out loud here .

what the hell , never heard so many people get defensive and eager to make excuses for what they like (in this case, a couple mainstream bands) since the days when it was rare and weird to like obscure music .

DFA 1979
Radiohead
Qotsa
Interpol
YYY's
Nirvana