Barbara Manning

A pillar of independent music and one of the most vital, long-lasting, and interesting songwriters on the indie scene, Barbara Manning has been steadily adding to her wide-ranging body of work since the early '80s. Manning came into her own as a solo artist in the '90s, but collaborations have long been a core component of her output. She's been in multiple bands like 28th Day and World of Pooh but has also created work alongside peers ranging from other indie songwriters to more experimentally inclined artists. Her songwriting style melds folk earnestness and punk volatility, creating a model that would influence subsequent waves of rough-edged indie artists. Though Manning's 1999 album, In New Zealand, would be the last proper studio effort released under her name, various compilations appeared, including 2023's Charm of Yesterday Convenience of Tomorrow.