10 British Indie Albums That Defined the 2010s

The 2010s were a defining decade for indie music. A new wave of British indie began to emerge, pushing the genre in fresh directions as indie rock and indie pop bands came to the forefront of the music scene.

Band such as The Amazons, The Wombats, Two Door Cinema Club and Sundara karma brought indie music to a new generation, showcasing the many different sounds that the genre could produce.

The 2010s provided us with some truly memorable indie records. Here are 10 British Indie albums that left their mark on the indie scene:

Editor’s note: For this list, ‘indie’ is defined by sound, scene, and festival heritage rather than strict record label ownership.

10. Young Chasers - Circa Waves (2015)

‘Young Chasers’ was a truly feel-good album full of youthful energy, melodic riffs and a euphoric feeling of nostalgia. ‘Young Chasers’ was the debut album for the Liverpool band which was well received by British indie fans, landing Circa Waves a number 10 record in the UK albums chart.

Songs like ‘T-Shirt Weather’ and ‘Best Years’ perfectly imitated the feeling of late carefree summer nights through their infectious hooks and upbeat lyrics.

Following the success of ‘Young Chasers’, The band went on to produce two more albums in the 2010s - ‘Different Creatures’ and ‘What’s It Like Over There?’ which sent the band in a different direction, leaning more into the style of Indie Rock.

9. What Went Down - Foals (2015)

‘What Went Down’ was loud, adrenaline fuelled and catchy, everything that you desired from an indie album! It perfectly represented a more experimental side to Indie music and was a step up from Foals' previous album ‘Holy fire’.

There were multiple big anthems that Foals gifted us from the album. ‘Mountain At My Gates’ and ‘What Went Down’ were hugely popular with their fans meaning that the album quickly became one of their most successful records, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart.

8. For Crying Out Loud - Kasabian (2017)

Kasabian’s sixth studio album ‘For Crying Out Loud’ provided us with catchy guitar melodies, energetic drums and big choruses.

Tracks like ‘You’re in Love with a Psycho’ and ‘Ill Ray (The King)’ brought a huge amount of energy to the album and became standout songs within the UK indie scene.

The album was well received commercially, and reached number one in the UK Albums Chart. It also demonstrated that Kasabian were still incredibly popular and remained a force in the indie scene.

7. Concrete love - Courteeners (2014)

Courteeners’ fourth studio album ‘Concrete Love’ is a great example of the incredible indie-rock albums that were being created in the 2010s. Courteeners were already incredibly popular in the indie music scene, and ‘Concrete Love’ just continued to keep Courteeners at the top of their game.

The album did however show a more emotional and reflective side to Courteeners. Songs such as ‘How Good It Was’ and ‘Small Bones’ delivered softer melodies and emotional lyrics which demonstrated how the band had developed and ‘matured’ since the release of their iconic debut album ‘St Jude’ in 2008.

6. What Did You Expect from The Vaccines - The Vaccines (2011)

‘What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?’ was a fast-paced and lively debut that established the London band as one of the most exciting new acts in British indie rock at the time.

The album was upbeat and infectious, with songs such as ‘If You Wanna’ and ‘Post Break-Up Sex’ becoming fan favourites.

It was a huge success for the band, even receiving a Mercury Prize nomination. Its success cemented The Vaccines as an important band in the UK indie scene and helped establish their place as being one of the most memorable UK indie bands of the 2010s.

5. Blossoms - Blossoms (2016)

‘Blossoms’ was a confident debut that established the Blossoms as one of the most lovable indie bands around at the time. Their catchy melodies gave them a distinctive sound that stood out during the resurgence of indie music in the mid-2010s.

The album was energetic and upbeat and brought fresh sounds onto the scene. Songs such as ‘Charlemagne’ and ‘Honey Sweet’ were well received and still remain popular amongst fans.

It was a hugely successful album, spending 2 weeks at No.1 in the UK albums chart. Its success helped establish Blossoms as one of the leading bands of the new wave of British indie.

4. As You Were - Liam Gallagher (2017)

‘As You Were’ marked Liam Gallagher’s successful return as a solo artist following the breakup of Beady Eye and his earlier career with Oasis. The album went straight to No.1 on the UK albums chart and sold an impressive 300,000 copies in the UK.

The album includes songs such as ‘For What It’s Worth’ and ‘Paper Crown’ which demonstrated a more vulnerable side to Liam and almost felt like a reinvention. The album played part in attracting a new younger audience for Gallagher and was so popular that it sold out the entire UK album tour.

3. Hypersonic Missiles - Sam Fender (2019)

‘Hypersonic Missiles’ was a bold introduction to Sam Fender that quickly established him as one of the most exciting new voices in British indie rock.

‘Hypersonic Missiles’ feels like a snapshot of Britain in the late 2010s — politically frustrated and uncertain about the future which resonated with many at the time. It was an incredibly strong debut and set the foundations for what would become a hugely successful career.

Stick to Sam Fender and read BritRock Heaven's list: Best Sam Fender Songs: 10 Tracks Ranked

2. The Balcony- Catfish and the Bottlemen (2014)

‘The balcony’ was an incredible introduction to the world of Catfish and the Bottlemen. For a debut album it’s impressive, full of passion, infatuation and the frustrations of being young and hopelessly in love.

The album provided us with indie gems such as ‘Kathleen’ and ‘Tyrants’, both of which portray that guitar heavy sound that Catfish and the Bottlemen became known for.

The band went on to release two further albums during the decade, ‘The Ride’ in 2016 and ‘The Balance’ in 2019, both of which were both also big hitters in the indie world. However I think ‘The Balcony’ is really an amazing piece of work and deserves the platinum status it has since received. ‘The Balcony’ remains an incredible piece of work in its own right, and its eventual Platinum status feels like a fitting recognition of just how influential and well-loved the album became.

1. AM - Arctic Monkeys (2013)

‘AM’ is the epitome of the 2010s, full of angst, lust, and that unmistakable Tumblr-era ‘leather jacket’ aesthetic. The feeling of hearing songs like ‘R U Mine?’ and ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ for the first time is completely unmatched - almost an out-of-body experience.

The fifth studio album by Arctic Monkeys, ‘AM’ became one of the UK’s best-selling vinyl albums of the decade and cemented itself as one of the defining records of its era.

With Alex Turner’s smooth, almost hypnotic vocals paired with weighty guitar riffs, ‘AM’ is a perfect example of indie rock. It captured the sound and attitude of a generation and somehow, 13 years later, it still hits just as hard.

Stick to Arctic Monkeys and read Alex Turner’s 10 Wittiest Lyrics: Arctic Monkeys to TLSP

Amy Hamilton
Contributor, BritRock Heaven