Bon Iver

What a difference five years makes. Back in 2007, Justin Vernon, a.k.a. Bon Iver, was just this bearded, pale-faced folkster writing songs in his Wisconsin cabin while recovering from a nasty bout with mono. The fragile, falsetto croon and delicate folk instrumentation on his debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago won over indie fans, television-soundtrack programmers and Kanye West alike. As time has progressed, so has Vernon's sonic palette and confidence to try new things. On his new self-titled chart-topping album, Vernon's trademark falsetto is still intact, thank God, and he spreads his wings with plush, soft-rock structure and Genesis-inspired synthesizers. Bon Iver: 1; mono: 0.

Perfect Date Night For: A Wiccan hippie chick and her smooth R&B, Auto-Tune enthusiast partner.