Gossip

Led by Beth Ditto — whose soulful, powerhouse pipes and tell-it-straight honesty has pulled in fans from all corners — Gossip delivers a disco-punk massacre, detonating dance floors with sledge-hammer riffs, chest-thumping low-end, and enough clanging cowbells to lead an entire herd to pasture. Around since 1999, the band initially veered closer to the grimy garage rock/raucous riot grrrl end of the equation with lo-fi lashings like "Lesson Learned," "Swing Low," and "Danger" before fully embracing the wilder side of clubland with 2005's Standing In the Way of Control. Gossip go live, get remixed, and strip it back, in Next Steps.

If there's one thing Gossip fans can agree on, it's the sheer knee-knocking raw power of the group's live shows, a bulldozer presentation built on the bare minimum setup of bassist/guitarist Brace Paine, drummer Hannah Billie (the sister of Blood Brothers screamer, Jordan Billie), and vocalist Beth Ditto, a mic-wielding superwoman who demands your attention from the second she steps onstage. To hear what we mean, check out the pole-axing dance beats of A Touch of Class's extended "Listen Up" remix, then follow the band into a no-frills piano bar for the pleasant surprise of bonus track, "Sick With It."

Few breakout indie acts have earned as many "do they deserve it or what?" comments as Gossip. While they've been major icons in garage-punk circles and the gay community for years now, the Arkansas natives really struck a nerve with worldwide listeners via their third album, Standing In the Way of Control: a rare example of disco-punk done right and a collection that hits both sides of the equation with startling accuracy, from Beth Ditto's astounding Donna-Summer-at-a-basement-show vocals to the group's ridiculously tight rhythm section. Whether you're an old fan or a recent convert, our Gossip playlist will have you rockin' out in your living room to catchy, relentless cuts like the electro-stormin' Le Tigre remix of "Standing In the Way of Control," and a hyper-ventilating live version of George Michael's "Careless Whisper."