Making music that's jittery, neurotic, darkly comical, but also powerfully catchy, the Violent Femmes are a pillar of the American underground movement, and one of the best early examples of alternative rock. Full of songs built from the unlikely combination of acoustic instruments and seething bile, their self-titled 1983 debut was a groundbreaking collection of tuneful angst, and they released albums steadily through the '80s and '90s, including standout moments like the sharp but melodic folk-rock of 1991's Why Do Birds Sing?
