I think the word "Lady" was left out for a reason

Some bands are great and some bands are awesome, but sometimes it can be hard for a band to be simply... cool. The Killers is a cool band. Coming up from the deserts of Vegas, The Killers hit the ground running with their debut Hot Fuss in 2004. They skyrocketted the charts with the singles "Mr. Brightside" and "Somebody Told Me," making them overnight superstars. These radio jingles were how I was first introduced to them, and I didn't really give them the time of day until I saw them premiere "When You Were Young" on the 2006 VMAs. It was literally a jaw-dropping sight, and if I remember correctly, they premiered the music video for the song right afterwards. At that point, they pretty much... killed me.

When they started out, The Killers were part of a wave of post-punk revivalists. As the name implies, post-punk revival is a genre that "revives" the post-punk sound of 20+ years past and makes it accessible to a wider audience by incorporating various pop-centered influences: New Wave, disco, dance, adult contemporary and alternative rock to name a few. The Killers even took their name from a (sorta) post-punk band (see the bass drum in "Crystal" by New Order). For a while beforehand, the "revival" was occuring in the UK with bands like Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand and Placebo (the most "post-punk" of them all).

The "revival" was also a reworking of the band dynamic: no longer were the vocals the star of the show (R&B) or the instruments the center of attention (hard rock), but all components worked together in succinct harmony. Hot Fuss is the quintessential example of that. Every song on the album showed a musical balance that's worth imitating, and if you need more convincing, then I think "Change Your Mind" would change your mind.

The Killers released Sam's Town in 2006, showing a shift towards Springsteen-inspired heartland rock. With a new edge and new moustaches, the band made it clear that they liked it on top and have the talent to keep themselves there. With half the songs sounding like "Uncle Johnny" and the other half like "Bones," they were pushing the boundaries of what it meant to be an alternative band.

In 2007, they collected some b-sides and rarities and released Sawdust with the leading single "Shadowplay," a cover of a Joy Divison classic. 2008 saw the dawn of Day & Age, their most poppy album. Personally, this took some getting used to because I was going from "Move Away" to "Spaceman." The CD does have its merits ("Joy Ride"), but it is definitely not my favorite. After a tour, the band took a little break and frontman Brandon Flowers recorded the heartfelt Flamingo. I didn't really follow him this far, but I hear from various sources that the album is OK.

The Killers' merging of Queen presence, Cure emotion and Nirvana attitude have made them one of the biggest and most influential names of the 00's. I even have this theory about how their fame was a result of Clear Channel censorship in the early decade and how their success paved the way for indie and electronica on the mainstream... but I'm still working out all the details. Nevertheless, I believe that if ever we needed to look up to four guys for the direction of pop music (again...), it would be these guys.

"Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits Cover)" by The Killers

[Song starts at 1:00]

Now go and show 'em that the world stayed round,
Kelvin