Europe

RADIOHEAD
In late 2007, Radiohead (PRS) made a decision to release their long-awaited new full-length In Rainbows as a paywhat- you-wish digital download exclusively through Radiohead.com. The decision rocked the music industry twice. The initial blow came when the band earned more per record sold through giving them away than if they had done a traditional release. The aftershock was when the physical CD (released via ATO Records in the U.S.) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Charts two months after the digital release. The release is just one in a long series of successful experiments the Oxford, England natives have conducted both with their music and their business. After releasing two initial LPs that were considered mainstream rock, Radiohead turned their music on its head with the release of 1997's wildly eccentric and electronic-informed OK Computer. Their technological gamble paid off, and OK Computer is now widely considered to be one of the most influential rock albums of all time. Their follow-up, Kid A, reached #1 in the U.S. With their next three albums, bandmates Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, and Philip Selway have continued to challenge listeners' expectations with each successive release. Besides being called "The Best Band in the World" by the UK's Q Magazine, Radiohead has also been named Spin's #1 most influential artist. —LW

BJORK
Iceland native Bjork (PRS) may be the most unlikely female pop star in history. Over the course of six solo records, she has seemed to cling to the realm of musical normalcy with two fingers at the most, eschewing song structure in lieu of tracks that dreamily wander to the outer edges of the universe with manic, and sometimes disturbing beats. Bjork's visual aesthetic matches the eccentricities of her music, and she is most often seen draped in colors, animals, and recently, walking on stilts. Songs like "Joga" and "It's Oh So Quiet" brought Bjork into the spotlight in the mid nineties, and her collaborations with famed directors Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze are widely considered the gold standard of music videos. Most recently, Bjork's recording projects have included Drawing Restraint 9 and 2007's playful Volta, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. —LW

SONDRE LERCHE
The jazz-flavored melodies and swift, clever lyrics on Norwegian songwriter Sondre Lerche's (TONO) 2002 debut album, Faces Down, quickly brought him to the attention of the international music scene. He even garnered a Norwegian "Grammy" for Best New Artist. Since, Lerche has released Two Way Monologue (2004), Duper Sessions (2006), and the edgier Phantom Punch (2007), all to critical acclaim. After relocating to New York, Lerche was asked in 2007 to compose original songs for the film Dan in Real Life. Lerche's sweet demeanor and bright, intelligent songwriting have cemented him as a darling (and sometimes heartthrob) of indie rock. —LW

CALVIN HARRIS
A songwriter since the age of 15, Scotland's Calvin Harris (PRS) has long been hard at work making a living with his music. At 18, Harris' techno/housestyle music was being played in clubs everywhere. Then, after a few tough and quiet years in and out of London, he released his first full-length album, entitled I Created Disco, and gained much hype. He is currently working with pop superstar Kylie Minogue on her upcoming album, among other projects. —ET

KATE NASH
Born in Dublin, Kate Nash (PRS) moved to Harrow in North London as a child where she learned the piano and pursued acting. After a rejection from the Old Vic Theatre School dashed her hopes of a career in the theatre, Nash took a tumble, literally, and the subsequent foot injury forced her to remain home. During this time, she wrote songs and uploaded them to her MySpace website. When pop star Lily Allen took notice and listed Nash as one of her new favorites, Nash's music career took flight. Her subsequent debut album, Made of Bricks, dripping with British sass, entered the U.K. charts at number one. Dubbed as "loveable" by The New York Times, the album was released by Geffen in the U.S. in January. —EP

BAT FOR LASHES
Bat For Lashes (PRS), the stage name for Brighton, England songstress Natasha Khan, is well on her way to great success. Once a music and art student, Khan nurtured her true dream as a musician while earning a living teaching at a nursery school. Her debut album, 2006's mesmerizing Fur and Gold (Echo), fell just short of receiving the prestigious Mercury Prize, yet comparisons have been made between her and such musical heavyweights as Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Bjork. Having already written the material for her next album, Khan plans on releasing her sophomore effort later this year. —ET

THE SWELL SEASON
Glen Hansard, frontman for Ireland's The Frames, had acted in film early in his career. As one of the characters in The Commitments, he starred in one of the most-loved movies about musicians ever made. After reluctantly agreeing to portray another musician in another project, 2007's Once, Hansard - with his co-star in that film, Czech singer/pianist Marketa Irglova – unexpectedly gained international attention when the film became a hit at the Sundance Film Festival. Fortunately for the filmmakers, Hansard and Irglova had already released an album together as The Swell Season (IMRO). In fact, their songs literally became part of Once's narrative and contributed to the film's success. To top it off, Hansard and Irglova justwon the Oscar for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly." —EP

JUSTICE
Justice (SACEM) is a Parisian electrohouse duo who rose to prominence through their 2003 remix of Simian's track, "Never Be Alone." The song was eventually re-released under the title "We Are Your Friends" on Ten Records, a sub-label of Virgin Records. They generated an international buzz with "D.A.N.C.E." an infectious single whose video (featuring animated T-shirts) spread across the web in 2007. Vice Records posted numerous MP3 re-mixes of the song on its blog, and helped set the stage for the release of Justice's full-length album (aka Cross), released in the U.S. by Downtown Records. The album and the song "D.A.N.C.E." garnered three Grammys noms. —EP