Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like Kurt Vile — and the music that made them

Indie Rock · 2008-present

Indie rock's master of hazy, hypnotic guitar wanderings

Kurt Vile is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who creates dreamy, lo-fi indie rock with intricate guitar work and stream-of-consciousness lyrics. His laid-back yet musically sophisticated approach has made him a critical darling and influenced a generation of indie musicians.

Essential tracks

►Pretty Pimpin

►Bassackwards

►Baby's Arms

Did you know

He was a founding member of The War on Drugs before going solo

Records most of his music in his home studio called 'The Shag Palace'

His stage name 'Vile' comes from his middle name 'Samuel' backwards

“Hazy guitar loops and drawling vocals create meditative suburban psychedelia”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace Kurt Vile's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

Kurt Vile

2008-present

Pavement

1989-1999

cited

Dinosaur Jr.

1984-present

cited

Sonic Youth

1981-2011

cited

Neil Young

1968-present

cited

The Velvet Underground

1964-1973

sonic

Television

1973-1978

sonic

The Kinks

1963-1996

sonic

The Byrds

1964-1973

movement

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Looped guitar phrases

Drawling conversational vocals

Lo-fi production aesthetics

Meditative tempos

Start with these tracks

Pretty Pimpin

Bassackwards

Jesus Fever

Runner Ups

If you like Kurt Vile, try these

Real Estate

They share that dreamy, guitar-driven sound with hazy suburban melancholy

2000s · Indie Rock

Mac DeMarco

Both create laid-back, warped pop with intimate, conversational vocals

2010s · Indie Pop

Ariel Pink

2000s · Psychedelic Pop

Ducktails

Matt Mondanile's guitar work shares that meandering, dreamy quality

2000s · Indie Rock

Woods

Both blend folk with psychedelic textures and unhurried tempos

2000s · Psychedelic Folk

Ty Segall

Shares that garage-psych guitar approach but with more meditative energy

2000s · Garage Rock

About this page

Music like Kurt Vile — Kurt Vile is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who creates dreamy, lo-fi indie rock with intricate guitar work and stream-of-consciousness lyrics. His laid-back yet musically sophisticated approach has made him a critical darling and influenced a generation of indie musicians.

Artists like Kurt Vile today include Real Estate, Mac DeMarco, Ariel Pink, Ducktails. If you enjoy Kurt Vile, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like Kurt Vile and songs like Kurt Vile are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.