Maxïmo Park

Maxïmo Park emerged at the height of the mid-2000s post-punk revival with their debut, A Certain Trigger, a crisp album full of contorted guitar jams (“Apply Some Pressure”) and mod-punk nods (“Graffiti”). However, the Newcastle upon Tyne trio draw from a broader range of influences—the electronic-leaning label Warp Records issued their early albums, and vocalist Paul Smith joined the group in 2003 after being spotted in a bar singing Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” Their second album, 2007’s Our Earthly Pleasures, reached No. 2 on the UK charts on the strength of nervy synth-rock songs (“Our Velocity”) and neo-Britpop jams (“Girls Who Play Guitars”). Maxïmo Park have followed that sonic template ever since to great success, churning out album after album overflowing with guitar-pop gems—and even embracing influences from ’80s New Wave and beyond with 2021’s Nature Always Wins.