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4. Gorillaz (1998 - present): Over the course of their existence, Gorillaz evolved from their silly initial conceit of being a modern-day Banana Splits to a faceless, shape-shifting pop collective with no conceivable artistic boundaries. At their most inclusive and insane -- 2010's Plastic Beach -- the Albarn-led band was working with everyone from grime artist Bashy to Brit-rapper Kano to the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music…and that was all in one song. That collaborative spirit ultimately opened up a galaxy of musical exploration, with Albarn’s gorgeous plaintive croon acting as the space between the stars. Over the course of four full-length albums, though, the revolving door could be disorienting -- Gorillaz featured such a disparate mélange of sounds that the band necessarily shunned a singular artistic vision, and therefore, an identifying voice. Frankly, to those unfamiliar with the band’s origins, even Albarn might have felt like a guest on occasion.
