The Hottest Guys of Indie Music

There are a lot of hot guys at the top of the music world. Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Usher and the like dominate our pop culture landscape for both their talent and their good looks. But what about the bands that don't play the Super Bowl half time show or make the cover of Rolling Stone? Well, it turns out there is a whole underground world of hotness that most people haven't been exposed to yet. I feel obligated to bring these men to your attention!

Matt Johnson - Matt and Kim

Matt Johnson, the "Matt" half of dance pop duo Matt and Kim, certainly has a lot going for him. For one, he is gorgeous. For another, his band is having a great couple years, beginning with their 2009 MTV Video Music Award for their video "Lessons Learned" (where Matt strips completely naked in Times Square. Seriously, go look it up, it's pretty awesome) as well as playing major festivals like Lollapalooza in 2010 and Bonnaroo this past summer. The band is gaining popularity, hopefully Matt will remember his naked music video roots and be sure to not get too far away from that, or else I will be forced to protest.

Chuck Criss - Freelance Whales

The surname for Chuck Criss might ring a bell for many of you (and if not, let me be the first to welcome you to AfterElton) but rest assured, my shallowness is completely unbiased and pure. After releasing their first album Weathervanes last April, Chuck's band Freelance Whales has gotten a lot of attention from sources like Spin Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Paste Magazine and MTVU, with most agreeing that Freelance Whales has the potential to be "the next big band", a sentiment strengthened by the band's amazing performances at this year's Coachella and Bonnaroo festivals.

Freelance Whales also released an EP through the music charity Sweet Relief with 100% of the proceeds going to victims of the Japanese earthquake (you can buy it through their website www.freelancewhales.com), proving that not only is Chuck gorgeous and talented, he is generous and charitable too.

Robert Levon Been - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

As the super hot bassist for the band Black Rebel Motorcycle, Robert Levon Been has the distinction of being a member of what I believe is one of the best rock bands of the last couple of years. The band, which has been together since 1998, has released several albums with a wide range of sounds and styles, from hard rock, to soulful gospel, to all instrumental.

Since touring, making music videos, writing music and being extremely attractive was not enough to keep Robert and the rest of Black Rebel Motorcycle busy, they also created their own record label, Abstract Dragon, under which they released their last two albums, The Effects of 333 in 2008 and Beat the Devil's Tattoo in 2010. The band also released a DVD of their live shows, taken from their tour in Berlin, Glasgow and Dublin, a worthwhile purchase so that one can stare at Robert and watch him over and over again, without having to deal with shaky YouTube footage.

Kristian Matsson - The Tallest Man on Earth

Musician Kristian Matsson, who performs as The Tallest Man On Earth, may not be as tall as his stage name suggests, but he is extremely attractive and has an amazing voice. The young Swede is often compared to Bob Dylan, with his deep, raspy sound and acoustic style, but it would be unfortunate to dismiss him as some sort of Dylan wannabe, considering his talent.

While I am not even going to pretend that I know anything about the mechanics of playing an instrument, Kristian's beautiful instrumentals and unique voice are stunning to listen to. It's probably best that he plays solo, because having anyone else on stage would simply be a distraction from staring at his gorgeous face.