Tiny Desk Concerts are a lot like MTV Unplugged was in the 1990s and early 2000s. It serves to prove artists’ true musicianship, stripping it all down to the basics. Grunge bands of the 1990s shocked the world, delivering incredible performances. The same has been done with indie rock artists on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. We’ve seen countless brilliant performances throughout the years. Naturally, we start considering who we haven’t seen yet and what it’d be like. Here are 4 indie rock bands who deserve to perform an NPR Tiny Desk Concert.
the strokes
This may be the most obvious answer. It’s a shock that this legendary indie rock group hasn’t performed an NPR Tiny Desk concert. Especially with their comeback album, Reality Awaits, released in 2026. It was their first official release since 2020. Additionally, the band headlined Coachella over two weekends in April and embarked on a world tour. It wouldn’t be surprising to see The Strokes appear on NPR Tiny Desk soon. At this point, it seems inevitable. The band did perform an unplugged concert in 2021, and that’s the closest we’ve gotten so far.
arcade fire
Canadian indie rock legends Arcade Fire have been releasing music again since 2022, following a brief hiatus in 2017. Not only would their newest album fare well on Tiny Desk, but their classic tracks would as well. Especially their signature 2004 hit, “Wake Up”, would be a great fit for the show. You can almost hear the whole room harmonizing along to the track, as if it’s already happened. The closest we’ve gotten has been former member Will Butler performing songs from the Broadway musical Stereophonic. Despite the multi-instrumentalist’s departure from the group, Arcade Fire continues.
built to spill
With Built To Spill’s wide range of styles, they’d be a great fit for NPR Tiny Desk. Band leader Doug Martsch always seems to stamp brilliance on everything he touches. Stripping their sound down would be a feat for a band that relies heavily on feedback and noise-rock techniques. It’s a feat I’m sure Martsch can handle and would excel at. Songs such as “Carry The Zero”, “The Plan”, and “Car” would be a treat to hear.
Arctic monkeys
Fans of the Arctic Monkeys have been pointing this one out for years. Their songs have been covered on Tiny Desk numerous times. Most notably, Hozier and Dua Lipa both covered “Do I Wanna Know?” at their respective Tiny Desk concerts. Songs that would be wonderful to hear stripped down are “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball”, “One Point Perspective”, and, of course, their own version of their hit “Do I Wanna Know?”
Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns
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