The Shins

Indie pop-rock band The Shins formed in New Mexico in 1996. After the release of its debut album Oh, Inverted World (2001), the band toured with Modest Mouse, playing hits like "New Slang" and "Caring is Creepy.” The two songs also appeared on the critically-acclaimed soundtrack to Garden State, giving the group wide exposure. 

The Shins' next album, Chutes Too Narrow (2003), was also highly successful. Unlike the last record, however, it featured a hi-fi sound with greater emphasis on guitars than keyboards.

Wincing the Night Away (2007) is the band's most commercially-successful album, and it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Album Charts. It includes the hits "Phantom Limb" and "Australia," and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Riding the train of success, The Shins' Port of Morrow (2012) peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Charts, featuring the popular hit "Simple Song." On the tour for this album, the backup band included musicians from Modest Mouse, Crystal Skulls, and Beck. 

Aside from Garden State, The Shins' music is frequently used in popular films and television shows, such as Gilmore Girls, The OC, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, and The Amazing Spider-Man, indicating the group's generation-spanning allure.