Pixies

Led by Black Francis (AKA Charles Thompson), this Boston band revelled in the raw, loud energy of punk, but harnessed it in service of catchy melodies laced with bizarre lyrics. Their 1989 album, DOOLITTLE, is widely considered to be one of the best alternative-rock albums ever, and their influence extends to a legion of artists, including PJ Harvey and Nirvana. After five records in five years, they were gone, splintering into the Breeders (led by bassist Kim Deal) and Francis's solo namesake, Frank Black. In 2004, however, the band reunited for some highly publicised performances.

• rock