Train - Calling All Angels
I need a sign, to that blonde girl from Bleecker Street, Red Lion Sat 12:34 we had a moment...
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Radiohead - High and Dry
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Michelle
Foo Fighters - Times Like These
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The National make music for the hours after midnight: anxious, funny, romantic and quietly devastating. Matt Berninger’s baritone and two pairs of brothers, Aaron and Bryce Dessner and Scott and Bryan Devendorf, built a sound that grew slowly from Brooklyn clubs to festival headline slots. They are proof that a band can become huge without ever being loud about it.
| Formed | 1999, Brooklyn, New York (members from Cincinnati, Ohio) |
| Members | Matt Berninger (vocals), Aaron Dessner (guitar, keyboards), Bryce Dessner (guitar), Scott Devendorf (bass), Bryan Devendorf (drums) |
| Genres | Indie rock, post-punk, chamber rock |
| Breakthrough | Boxer (2007), High Violet (2010) |
| Grammy | Best Alternative Music Album, Sleep Well Beast (2018) |
All five members grew up in Cincinnati and reunited in New York in the late 1990s. They self-released their debut and spent years building an audience through relentless touring before signing with Beggars Banquet and later 4AD.
Early albums with country and folk influences, still finding their voice.
The critical breakthrough, with “Mr. November,” “Abel” and “Karen.”
Elegant and understated, with Bryan Devendorf’s distinctive drumming. “Fake Empire,” “Mistaken for Strangers” and “Slow Show” made it an indie classic.
Bigger and lusher, with “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” “Terrible Love” and “England.” It took them to arenas.
Melodic and melancholy, featuring “Demons,” “I Need My Girl” and “Graceless.”
Electronic textures and guitar noise; it won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” is a highlight.
The band embraced guest vocalists and new textures. First Two Pages of Frankenstein features Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens and Taylor Swift, and Laugh Track followed later the same year.
Berninger’s lyrics mix anxiety, desire and dark humor with oddly specific detail. His live performances, often wandering deep into the crowd, are legendary. He has also released solo work.
The Dessner twins are the band’s musical architects. Aaron has become one of the most in-demand producers in music, working with Taylor Swift on Folklore and Evermore, while Bryce is an acclaimed classical composer.
The National showed that slow-burning, literate rock could build a huge audience over time. Their influence can be heard across modern indie and in the way artists now cross between rock, folk and classical music.
Interpol, Arcade Fire, The Airborne Toxic Event, Big Red Machine, Bon Iver, Phoebe Bridgers and Cold War Kids.
In 1999 in Brooklyn, New York, by musicians from Cincinnati.
Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Scott Devendorf and Bryan Devendorf.
Boxer (2007) and High Violet (2010) are the most celebrated.
Yes. They released two albums in 2023 and continue to tour.
The National is our go-to for late-night radio: literate, emotional rock that rewards close listening. Catch it on The Modern Rock Radio Show, check the radio show schedule, or press play on the live stream. Want a specific song? Send a request or dedication.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Official artist website: www.americanmary.com. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
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