Placebo

Placebo are an alternative rock band from London, or at least, they have the same effect as one. Band founders Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal were both guitarists who attended school together. They have taken on drummers at times (most notably Steve Hewitt) but really the band pares down to this duo. They sound like a bridge between the bands R.E.M. and Smashing Pumpkins, surprisingly catchy.

After signing with Caroline Records, Placebo has kicked off seven studio albums, all of which have been certified platinum or gold in multiple countries. Their singles have sporadically charted somewhere in the world for the past two decades, but they’re like a cult following, never a sensation. Placebo has won awards from NRJ, Kerrang!, and MTV.