The Shins

A classic guitar pop group, the Shins began in 1997 as the side project of singer/songwriter and guitarist James Mercer. After a couple 7"s on Omnibus, the Shins were asked by Sub Pop to contribute to the label's Single of the Month Club, which eventually became an offer to release their their debut album. 2001's Oh, Inverted World was one of the definitive indie rock albums of the early 2000s. Chutes Too Narrow was released in 2003, followed by 2007's Wincing the Night Away, which sold over 100,000 copies in its first week. The album's sales snagged the guys a debut spot at number two. ~ Heather Phares