I would like to give credit where credit is due and thank "The Office" for this game. If it were not for the writers then I would not have had hours of wracking my brain playing this game constantly debating with my friends about which bands would or would not make the cut.
However, I feel that after quite a long affair that I have made out of this, I finally have a list that I would most likely be content with should I end up shipwrecked on a desert island with only these albums. I also need to point out that this list is in no particular order. Rather, this is just the order that I ended up typing these bands.
These bands constitute a good Desert Island Top 5 because of their diversity and the one thing that they all have in common: they are excellent bands with fantastic work. Being stuck on a desert island would be quite unfortunate and would be made infinitely worse if you had no music but it would be almost just as band if you were stuck there with just a single album to listen to. As such, it is necessary to have diverse bands whose albums are true works of art, not just the same song every track.
I felt it quite necessary to include some of the early Red Hot Chili Peppers work because they are a band that has stood the test of time, groupies, and drugs. Not that the last two are terrible, but the fact that they have existed for so long and have continuously made good music is important. Californication is one of America's most important albums in my opinion because it talks so much about our culture. Furthermore, RHCP simply rock and as such they are on anyone's top 5 as long as that person truly enjoys unique rock and roll.
I already posted about Arcade Fire, and their album Funeral would make my top 5 because of their diverse sounds and astounding lyrics.
If anybody is a true rock and roll fan then Kings of Leon are essential on a deserted island. From amazing guitar riffs to intense jamming solos intertwined with Caleb Followill's unique verses, Kings of Leon would never cease to please someone trapped on a desert island.
I feel it is necessary to say that I actually did like The Shins when they were truly indie music and were not the band that everyone thought of when the word indie started being thrown around. As such, it is pertinent that their first album, and in my opinion possibly their best, be placed on the list. James Mercer's strange vocal stylings combined with some truly interesting song writing and pop folk/artsy sounds promise to remain fresh while stranded.
And finally I chose Iron & Wine for their soft acoustics and Sam Beam's soothing voice. Although this album has one of the saddest songs I've ever heard (Naked as We Came) it also has some of the best songs that owe their strength to their simplicity. With only a swooning voice and a plucking guitar, the best tracks are the ones that are not overdone in the least.
