Haim’s favourite indie anthems
Ever since their breakout in 2012 with the indie anthem ‘Forever’, Haim have been making the genre fun again. With their on-stage dance routines, effortless sibling humour and sharp lyrical pen, they’re easily one of the finest outfits in the genre at the moment. But beyond being music makers, the members are music fans, too.
The Haim sisters were born and raised in music. From the moment they could hold an instrument, they were inducted into their parents’ family band, Rockinhaim, to play covers of classic rock anthems at local fairs. Growing up on the hits from the 1970s, the Californian trio were always destined to be musicians.
Between them, however, they boast an eclectic background. Este Haim studied for a degree in ethnomusicology, considering the science of sound. Alana Haim went to an arts high school, and Danielle Haim set off on a session musician career, touring with the likes of Jenny Lewis and Julian Casablancas.
Despite being united by the band, their paths have remained just as winding and broad-ranging as Alana dipped into acting in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza while Este worked on The White Lotus‘ music team. Though each member is interested in different styles, passions and genres, weaving traces of R&B and pop into their music, classic rock and indie always pinned them down.
When I think of Haim, I think about being a teenager in the rose-tinted golden days of indie. Days spent drinking smuggled alcohol while the genre had its revival thanks to Tumblr. Topshop jeans and jumped-up teens parading in the muckiest pumps you’ve ever seen. Along with Wolf Alice, Swim Deep, Catfish and the Bottlemen and The Neighborhood, Haim were a key part of the 2010s soundtrack.
They clearly loved being there, too. As each sister put together a playlist of their favourite songs, some of their 2010s peers appeared. Wolf Alice’s ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ made the cut, alongside Blood Orange’s ‘Chamakay’ and Vampire Weekend’s ‘Ya Hey’.
There are also some deeper cuts as they go back a little further to the original indie sleaze era, picking songs that would have soundtracked clubs and local venues as the sisters started going out. Artists like Grimes, Chairlift, Phoenix, Bat For Lashes and Little Dragon make the cut with some of their now classic hits.
To go even further back, they pay their respects to some of the genre’s originators. Names like Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Tom Petty and The Cardigans are scattered across their playlists as some of their all-time favourite artists who helped pioneer and shape the umbrella term we now call indie. Merging the classic rock, they were raised on with more alternative elements. It’s easy to see how Haim began to carve out their own sound when this was their musical taste.
Haim’s favourite indie anthems:
- ‘Windows’ – Angel Olsen
- ‘I Belong In Your Arms’ – Chairlift
- ‘Too Young’ – Phoenix
- ‘Chamaky’ – Blood Orange
- ‘Marilyn’ – Bat for Lashes.
- ‘Ritual Union’ – Little Dragon
- ‘Lovefool’ – The Cardigans
- ‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ – Wolf Alice
- ‘St Jude’ – Florence + The Machine
- ‘Between Me And You’ – Brandon Flowers
- ‘Multi-Love’ – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
- ‘REALiTi’ – Grimes
- ‘Brass in Pocket’ – Pretenders
- ‘Windfall’ – Cass McCombs
- ‘Ya Hey’ – Vampire Weekend
- ‘I Zimbra’ – Talking Heads
- ‘Wildman’ – Sun Drug
- ‘Making Plans for Nigel – XTC
- ‘American Girl’ – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
