Belle & Sebastian

What began as a government-funded recording project by a group of Glasgow shut-ins with no aspirations beyond getting a few songs recorded grew into one of the world's most lasting and beloved indie pop bands. Initially inspired by the instrumentation of '60s chamber pop as much as underground college rock favourites like Felt and Orange Juice, Belle and Sebastian began inauspiciously in 1994 and quickly caught on worldwide with their lushly orchestrated chamber pop tunes built on unabashedly twee sentiments and melodies as delicate as they were captivating.

The gentle power of the songs, and the charm of Belle and Sebastian's affable but slightly warped musical personality, helped deliver classic albums like Tigermilk, The Boy with the Arab Strap, and Dear Catastrophe Waitress alongside Top 20 hits Funny Little Frog, I'm a Cuckoo, Legal Man, and Books.