Artists like Elliott Smith

Heatmiser was an American rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in October 1991. Consisting of Elliott Smith, Neil Gust, Brandt Peterson and Tony Lash (drums), they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs often featuring the juxtaposition of melancholic and cheery words and melodies. Elliott Smith's pop-oriented songs provided a contrast to Neil Gust's darker compositions, yet both songwriters explored themes such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.

Nicholas Rodney Drake was an English musician. An accomplished acoustic guitarist, Drake signed to Island Records at the age of twenty while still a student at the University of Cambridge. His debut album, Five Leaves Left, was released in 1969, and was followed by two more albums, Bryter Layter (1971) and Pink Moon (1972). He did not reach a wide audience during his lifetime, but found acclaim and wider recognition following his death.

Red House Painters were an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1988. Founded by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Kozelek, along with drummer Anthony Koutsos, the band relocated to San Francisco, California where they were joined by bassist Jerry Vessel and guitarist Gorden Mack in 1989. Phil Carney would later replace Gorden Mack as the band's guitarist. The group released 6 studio albums and an EP, before dissolving in 2001, and are considered to be a pioneering act of the slowcore subgenre.

Jason Andrew Molina was an American musician, singer and songwriter. Raised in northern Ohio, he came to prominence performing and recording as Songs: Ohia, both in solo projects and with a rotating cast of musicians in the late 1990s. Beginning in 2003, he garnered a further indie following for his releases with the band Magnolia Electric Co.

Timothy Charles Buckley III was an American musician. He began his career based in folk rock, but subsequently experimented with genres such as psychedelia, jazz, the avant-garde, and funk.

Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker is an American musician. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter of the band Big Thief, as well as an established solo artist. She has released several solo albums, including Abysskiss (2018), Songs and Instrumentals, and Bright Future (2024), the latter of which earned her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

Kind of Like Spitting is an American indie rock band. They formed in 1996 in Portland, Oregon. The band was led by singer-songwriter Ben Barnett, whose work has drawn comparisons to Elliott Smith, Mark Eitzel, Billy Bragg, and Robert Pollard.

Mount Eerie is the musical project of American songwriter and producer Phil Elverum. Elverum is the principal member of the band, but has collaborated with many other musicians on his records and in live performances. Most of Mount Eerie's releases have been issued on Elverum's label P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd., and feature highly detailed packaging with his own artwork.

Haley Hannah Heynderickx is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. In 2016, she released her debut EP, Fish Eyes. Her first full-length album, I Need to Start a Garden, was released in March 2018 on Mama Bird Recording Co. Seed of a Seed, her second album, was released in November 2024 on the same label.

The Mountain Goats are an American indie folk band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite the plural moniker. Although he remains the core member of the band, he has worked with a variety of collaborators over time, including bassist and vocalist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, singer-songwriter Franklin Bruno, bassist and vocalist Rachel Ware, singer-songwriter/producer John Vanderslice, guitarist Kaki King, and multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark.

Syd Matters is a French indie band from Paris, France. The band was formed in 2002, and is fronted by composer Jonathan Morali. Other band members include Jean-Yves Lozac'h, Olivier Marguerit, Remi Alexandre and Clement Carle.

Sign Crushes Motorist is a musical project by Irish musician Liam McCay. Originally from County Donegal, he is best known for releasing music under this pseudonym, though he has also released music under several others, including Birth Day and Take Care.

Better Oblivion Community Center was an American indie rock superduo consisting of musicians Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers. They released their self-titled debut album on January 24, 2019, through Dead Oceans.

Jessica Pratt is an American singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Her self-titled debut album was released in 2012 via Birth Records, a record label founded by White Fence songwriter Tim Presley to release Pratt's music. She is often associated with the freak folk movement. Her second and third albums are On Your Own Love Again and Quiet Signs. She released her fourth album, Here in the Pitch, in 2024.