The xx won the Barclaycard Mercury Prize on Sept. 7, 2010, for its self-titled debut album, which broke into Billboard's independent albums Top 10. And the band's songs have been featured on the American TV shows Grey's Anatomy and Gossip Girl. The London-based trio's signature laidback electro-indie sound relies on two singers, Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft, and some creatively programmed drum-machine tracks. But it's the understated hooks and hushed melodies that make the music stick. The xx hit Lollapalooza on Aug. 7 and are touring the U.S. through October.
Sounds like: Vampire Weekend, the Pixies
Recommended song: "Crystalised"