3 Must-Have Albums for a 2010s Indie Pop Starter Pack
Vice
Last updated: June 5, 2026
This article recommends three albums as a starting point for exploring 2010s indie pop. It highlights Marina's "The Family Jewels," Vampire Weekend's "Contra," and Regina Spektor's "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats" for their unique qualities that defined the genre during that decade.
- Marina's debut album, "The Family Jewels" (2010), is characterized as raw, youthful, playful, and sarcastic, capturing the essence of early 2010s indie pop with surprising vocal exclamations and imagery.
- Vampire Weekend's "Contra" (2010) solidified their place in the indie music scene, surpassing their debut in success. It achieved commercial triumph, becoming the first independently released album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and is lauded for its concentrated, non-forced sound.
- Regina Spektor's "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats" (2012) is praised for Spektor's distinct vocal performance, incorporating wild sound effects and beat-boxing. Her live shows are noted for their immersive quality, emphasizing the artist's ability to captivate audiences through vocal and physical expressiveness.
