Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy This is the Dream of Win & Regine June 29, 2006

You might think you know string virtuosity, but wait till you watch Owen Pallett, here under his Final Fantasy pseudonym, synthesizing a handful of electric violin loops (including pizzicato plucks, rapid-fire spiccato, and traditional bowing) into a hypnotic live beat for him to sing and play even more violin over. Even if you don't like the song — and the song is pretty damn haunting for a ballad about a couple Arcade Fire members — even Yngwie Malmsteen would have to be absolutely stunned by the technique.