2001: THE STROKES

These New York natives played an A&R-packed show at SXSW, but told EW, ''We didn't come here to get signed. We came to play and have a good time. It was really cool.'' We believe them, but the well-coiffed punk rockers got signed anyway, after one of the most hyper bidding wars in recent memory. Their debut CD, Is This It, was released by RCA in October '01 to huge critical acclaim and was later named EW's album of the year.