Paris, France

French punk-pop quintet Madame Kay formed in Paris in 2001. Comprising singer Fred, guitarists Jérémie and Guillaume, bassist Baudoin, and drummer Jonas, the group toured the local club scene and cut several self-financed demos to little notice until mid-2005, when they signed to Sony BMG. While working on their debut LP, Madame Kay starred in an eight-week French television reality series spotlighting the album's production and promotion. The music in question finally arrived at retail in 2006 under the title Choix de la Redaction. ~ Jason Ankeny