More importantly, it shifted the trajectory of popular music. The album’s fingerprints can be found all over the subsequent decade of mainstream and independent music—from the bedroom pop of Toro y Moi and Neon Indian, to the experimental pop boundaries pushed by artists like Charli XCX, Frank Ocean, and Bon Iver. It proved that pop music could be avant-garde, and that experimental music could be accessible, joyful, and danceable.
In January 2009, the musical landscape shifted. The release of Animal Collective’s eighth studio album, Merriweather Post Pavilion , marked a definitive peak for independent music in the 2000s. Named after the famous outdoor amphitheatre in Maryland designed by Frank Gehry, the album captured a specific cultural zeitgeist. For a generation of listeners discovering music through blogs and early file-sharing networks, tracking down the album in high-quality formats—most notably the coveted MP3 rip—was a rite of passage. More importantly, it shifted the trajectory of popular music
Perhaps most importantly, the album's influence is still felt today. It stands as the culmination of everything the band had worked toward over the previous decade, and as a touchstone for indie music in the 21st century. It completed their journey from the short-lived "freak folk" scene to the vanguard of contemporary alternative music. In January 2009, the musical landscape shifted