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Every state is home to iconic landmarks, foods and even celebrities. But what about an iconic band?
Thrillist compiled a list of the best band from every state. Here's a look at the criteria they used to make their picks:
The band must have been formed in or primarily based in the state in question. Lots of groups move to Los Angeles or Nashville or New York City after scoring a record deal, but they're not from those cities. Only groups, not individual artists, are considered. This admittedly skews the list away from hip-hop and country, but it also skews toward not driving us totally insane trying to wade through every musician from every state. We limited ourselves to bands who rose to prominence after World War II. These are not simply our favorite bands from every state; we considered a secret recipe of historical significance, influence, popularity, and the nebulous "quality" factor.
The best band from Arizona is the Meat Puppets. Here's what Thrillist said to back up its decision:
While "Hey Jealousy" by the Gin Blossoms might be the most immediately recognizable song by a band with Arizona origins -- unless you grew up yelping along to Jimmy Eat World's pop-punk anthem "The Middle" -- the Meat Puppets are the quintessential Arizona band. They might not have the hits of an act like Alice Cooper or the chops of a group like Calexico, but their combination of punk ideals, eclectic taste, and untamed spirit speaks to the mysterious character of the Southwest. While blending country, hardcore, and psychedelic rock, the Meat Puppets have endured longer than many of their SST Records peers of the 1980s, crafting a quirky legacy -- and a lengthy discography -- that's difficult to pin down but impossible to deny.
You can read Thrillist's full report here.