1998 ARTIST GLOSSARY

Afghan Whigs: R & B-inspired rock quartet from Cincinnati led by Greg Dulli (disb. 2001)

Air: Ambient/electronica duo from France

Tori Amos: English-based singer/songwriter/pianist from North Carolina

Autour de Lucie: Alt-pop quartet from Paris featuring vocalist Valérie Leulliot

Beastie Boys: Veteran punk-influenced hip-hop trio from New York

Bernard Butler: English rock singer and celebrated guitarist formerly with Suede 

Better Than Ezra: Rock trio from New Orleans led by vocalist Kevin Griffin

Broadcast: Sixties/retro-pop quintet from Birmingham, UK featuring vocalist Trish Keenan

The Cardigans: Swedish alt-pop quintet featuring vocalist Nina Persson

Chroma Key: Costa Rica-based keyboardist/vocalist Kevin Moore (ex Dream Theater)

Sheryl Crow: Los-Angeles-based singer/songwriter from Missouri

Esthero: Toronto trip-hop duo featuring vocalist Esthero Englishman

Neil Finn: Singer-songwriter from New Zealand, co-founder of Split Enz and Crowded House

Firewater: Jazz-influenced rock band from New York led by vocalist Tod A.

Fuel: Four-man rock band from Pennsylvania led by guitarist Carl Bell

Garbage: Wisconsin-based rock trio featuring Scottish vocalist Shirley Manson

Girls Against Boys: Electro-rock quartet from Washington, DC led by vocalist Eli Janney

Harvey Danger: Rock quartet from Seattle featuring vocalist Sean Nelson

Juliana Hatfield: Alt-rock singer/songwriter from Boston, leader of Blake Babies

Kristin Hersh: Alt-rock singer/songwriter from Newport, RI, co-founder of Throwing Muses

Hole: Rock quartet from Los Angeles led by Courtney Love

Hooverphonic: Pop/electronica trio from Belgium featuring vocalist Geike Arnaert

Hum: Rock trio from Champaign, IL

K's Choice: Rock band from Belgium led by Gert and Sarah Bettens (brother/sister)

Kent: Swedish rock quintet featuring vocalist Joakim Berg and guitarist Sami Sirvio

Komeda: Sixties-influenced pop group from Sweden featuring vocalist Lena Karlsson

Kula Shaker: Asian-influenced London rock quartet led by vocalist Crispian Mills (disb. 1999)

Sinéad Lohan: Folk-influenced singer/songwriter from Ireland

Madonna: Superstar dance-pop singer/songwriter from Michigan

Massive Attack: Seminal trip-hop trio from Bristol, UK

John Mellencamp: Veteran rock singer/songwriter from Indiana

Midnight Oil: Veteran rock quintet from Sydney, Australia led by vocalist Peter Garrett

Joni Mitchell: Seminal singer-songwriter from Canada

Oasis: Rock quartet from Manchester, England, led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher

Orgy: Electro-rock quintet from Los Angeles led by vocalist Jay Gordon

Perfume Tree: Electronica trio from Vancouver featuring vocalist Jane Tilley (disbanded 1999)

P J Harvey: Polly Jean Harvey of Yeovil, England, leader of eponymous rock trio 

Placebo: Glam-influenced multinational rock trio featuring English vocalist Brian Molko

Portishead: Seminal, jazz-influenced trip-hop group from Bristol, UK

R.E.M.: Seminal alt-rock trio from Athens, Georgia

Saint Etienne: Alternative pop trio from Croydon, England fronted by vocalist Sarah Cracknell

Semisonic: Rock trio from Minneapolis led by vocalist Dan Wilson

Sloan: Rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia

Duncan Sheik: Brown-educated alt-pop singer/songwriter from South Carolina

Soul Coughing: Jazz- and hip hop-influenced Boston trio led by M. Doughty (disbanded 2000)

The Spinanes: Chicago -based studio group from Oregon led by Rebecca Gates

Stereolab: UK-based experimental pop sextet featuring French vocalist Laetitia Sadier

The Tragically Hip: Rock quintet from Kingston, Ontario led by singer Gordon Downie

Tricky: Pioneering trip-hop composer and vocalist from Bristol, England

U.N.K.L.E.: Experimental electronica/hip-hop duo, DJ Shadow and James Lavelle

VAST: Rock collective centered by prodigious Humboldt, CA rock guitarist/songwriter Jon Crosby

Paul Van Dyk: German techno/house electronica artist and producer

Back to The Best of 1998.