This week's issue of NME features Vampire Weekend prominently under the cover, with the attention-grabbing headline "Top 25 Bands Making America Cool Again." Seems that as Bush ends his Presidency, the Brits are willing to admit their love of American rock bands once more. From NME's press release:

As the USA steals itself for a new president this year, it seems the country is also undergoing something of a musical revolution. In its latest issue "We [Love] USA" iconic British music magazine NME, celebrates the 25 American acts who are whipping up a storm on both sides of the Atlantic -- signalling the re-birth of the US music scene!

 

Alex Miller, New Bands Editor for NME said: "Right now I can barely go a day without coming across a new genius band from the States. While the art scene of Brooklyn or the punks of LA are keeping the underground fascinating, the ceaseless ambitions of Lil Wayne and the Kings Of Leon are making the Chili Pepper and Fiddy Cent clichés of the mainstream redundant. If only it wasn't so bloody hard to get a green card!"

 It's a pretty bold statement, and it seems everyone's favorite Upper West Side soweto band is leading the charge. Here's NME's list:

01. Vampire Weekend
02. Lil Wayne
03. Glass Candy
04. Kings Of Leon
05. MGMT
06. Spank Rock
07. TV On The Radio
08. Boy Crisis
09. Black Kids
10. Holy Ghost Revival
11. The Hold Steady
12. Fleet Foxes
13. Amazing Baby
14. Jay Reatard
15. HEALTH
16. The Cool Kids
17. Black Lips
18. Yo Majesty
19. White Denim
20. Telepathe
21. Iglu and Hartly
22. Chester French
23. Girl Talk
24. TheDeathSet
25. Grace Jones 

Interesting that a lot of those bands, such as Black Kids and Girl Talk, are not universally loved in the U.S. Still, it's nice to see anti-Americanism dying down overseas, at least in the small world of pop music.

[Stereogum]