Number 25: Cat Power

If you haven't heard, Chan's moving into her Dusty In Memphis phaze. For the first time every song is a fully fleshed out monster of aching, girlie, sadness, even the "hate myself and I wanna die derge."

Cat Power was the go to sad person band well before Elliot Smith plunged a knife into his heart and the horns and R&B tempoos to do nothing to change that. What they do indeed do is add to the ghostly nature and mystery surrounding Cat Power. Chan emotes better these days because she seems to have finally harnessed and focused her sadness into her work. There's even been a steady decline (maybe even a total end) to live Cat Power horror stories. Chan should have a big year in '06, if not than chalk it up to sexism and snobbery.