The Killers

Las Vegas gave the world a lot of things, but few gifts hit harder than The Killers, who came together in 2001 when guitarist Dave Keuning placed a newspaper ad that caught the eye of singer Brandon Flowers. Rounded out by bassist Mark Stoermer and drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr., the band quickly developed a sound that borrowed heavily from 80s British new wave — think Depeche Mode, The Cure, and New Order — but filtered it through an American heartland sensibility that felt entirely their own. Flowers' theatrical baritone and the band's synth-drenched guitar work gave them an identity that stood apart from the garage rock revival dominating the early 2000s.

Their 2004 debut Hot Fuss was nothing short of a phenomenon, launching anthems like Mr. Brightside and Somebody Told Me into the cultural stratosphere. Sam's Town followed in 2006 with a bigger, Springsteen-inflected sound that divided critics but deepened the band's fanbase. Albums like Battle Born and Imploding the Mirage proved their staying power, consistently landing arena-filling tours across the globe. Mr. Brightside in particular has achieved a kind of immortality, spending an almost absurd number of weeks on the UK charts and becoming a generational touchstone. For a band that synthesizes rock, pop, and new wave so effortlessly, The Killers remain one of the defining acts of their era.