At the Drive-In
This group of rabble-rousers from El Paso, Texas, don't sound like Coldplay that much, but there's no doubt the English band is awestruck. There's shouting, spiky guitars, and a Gang of Four reference or 12. They're hailing last year's Relationship of Command as the sound of an angry future.

Jeff Buckley
Currently the name to drop in English music circles, Jeff isn't around to enjoy his impact on everyone from Coldplay to Travis to Radiohead. The singer drowned in the Mississippi in 1998 while working on the successor to 1994's acclaimed Grace - a debut spotlighting his expansive songs and unique voice.

The Doves
While the world around them went pop, Manchester dance act Sub Sub picked up their guitars, christened themselves the Doves, and then spent years creating their debut album, Lost Souls. Made in the face of their manager's death, their studio's destruction, and changing fashion, it's a triumph.

Muse
Hailing from Chris Martin's home county of Devon, Muse stole an OK Computer chip off the Radiohead block in order to express their suburban frustration. Debut album Showbiz pushed all the right buttons, too, down to enlisting The Bends producer John Leckie to give the trio more sonic heft. Dave Grohl loves 'em.