| GROUP | GENRE | DATES | COUNTRY | DESCRIPTION | BEST RELEASE |
| Aztec Camera | New Opt | 1981- | Scotland | Boy genius Roddy Frame with his collectible 50s guitars | High Land, Hard Rain. |
| Bluebells | New Opt | 1981-85 | England | Aztec Camera proteges. Kinda folky. | Sisters. |
| Josef K >> Memphis | New Opt | 1978-81 | Scotland | Neo-pop masters. Dark but uplifting. Joy Division on Prozac? | Young and Stupid. |
| June Brides >>Phil Wilson | New Opt | 1983-87 | England | Smiths/James-styled guitar pop with cool horns. | There Are Eight Million Stories… |
| Orange Juice >> Edwyn Collins | New Opt | 1979-85 | Scotland | Seminal Postcard label band. Edwyn has a unique nasally voice -- the band did T.Heads jittery punk/sol. | The Heather's On Fire. |
| Pale Fountains >> Shack | New Opt | 1981-85 | England | Breezy, jazzy quartet from Liverpool. Featuring Andy Diagram (Dislocation Dance, Spaceheads) on trumpet. | Longshot For Your Love collection |
| Prefab Sprout | New Opt | 1982-97 | England | Tuneful, wistful pop with Paddy MacAloon's quaint songs. A big too wimpy for some. | Steve McQueen (aka Two Wheel's Good). |
| Strawberry Switchblade | New Opt | 1981-86 | Scotland | Perky synthetic girl pop with ironic undertones. | Trees and Flowers. |