The countdown to Electric Picnic is officially on, and with just days to go until Ireland's biggest, craziest, most eclectic music and arts festival kicks off, we've gone through the line-up with a fine toothcomb to make a list of the must-see acts.

With so much going on, it's easy to overlook a band or artist that might change the course of your weekend – so below, you'll find ten acts that you simply should. not. miss. at this year's festival.

Stay tuned, as we'll have a list of the 10 Irish Acts You Shouldn't Miss very soon, too!

1. THE SHINS (Saturday, 10.30pm, Electric Arena)

For our money, The Shins are one of the finest indie-pop bands ever to walk the planet, and James Mercer is one of the best songwriters of his generation. They came to prominence via Zach Braff's Garden State (and their song 'New Slang'), but that's just the tip of the iceberg with their deep-thinking, melodic and downright fun back catalogue of four albums (with a fifth on the way). Add to the fact that they haven't played here since 2007, and you've got a potentially special set on your hands.

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2. NEW ORDER (Sunday, 8.45pm, Main Stage)

They've been around so long that it's impossible to see New Order play and not know a good percentage of the setlist. Bernard Sumner and co. may be focusing on their latest album 'Music Complete', but their recent festival setlists suggests that there's plenty of old classics like 'Bizarre Love Triangle', 'True Faith', 'Temptation' and – drumroll – even 'Blue Monday' into the mix.

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3. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (Saturday, 12.05am, Main Stage)

LCD Soundsystem reforming just a few years after they split proved contentious in some circles, but they're undoubtedly one of the biggest draws of the weekend. There's no question that James Murphy and co. will put on an entertaining show – and even if you're not a fan, you can go stand at the back and furiously roll your eyes at the hipsters weeping and hugging it out during 'All My Friends'. They may be overrated, but they're probably still worth seeing live.

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4. WILD BEASTS (Sunday, 6.15pm, Electric Arena)

They're a hard act to pin down, considering they've progressed from being a fey indiepop band to dark dabblings in electronica in just a few years, but Wild Beasts always put on a thoroughly satisfying live show – and that mix of styles is exactly what makes them so intriguing. 

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5. NAO (Sunday, 7.15pm, Little Big Tent)

You might not have heard of Nao, but make it your business to go see her at Electric Picnic. She's a purveyor of late night, funky-as-hell electro-soul – or, as she puts it herself, 'wonky funk' – as heard on her excellent recently-released debut album. Whatever it is, we're having some of it.

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6. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS (Friday, 10.45pm, Electric Arena)

C'mon, like you really need to be told to go and see Super Furry Animals? One of the most joyous live bands you'll ever see, this set is guaranteed to be electric and like New Order, their setlists take in a bit of everything. Go on, imagine standing there with your mates and a few other thousand people singing 'Rings Around the World' or sexy-dancing to 'Juxtaposed With You'. You know it makes sense. 

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7. ABC (Friday, 6.15pm, Main Stage)

Look, every festival needs a bit of cheese (of the non-nightmare-giving kind – that sh*t ain't fun in a sweaty, enclosed space like a tent). This year, '80s pop heroes ABC are here to fill that gap and it's going to be fun. You're going to go, you're going to silly dance to 'The Look of Love' and 'Poison Arrow', and you're going to have fun. Right?
 

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8. NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS (Sunday, 7pm, Main Stage)

Last year was a breakthrough year for the whiskey-swilling Mr. Rateliff, thanks to his excellent self-titled album with backing band The Night Sweats. He's a heck of a proposition live, too, with his soulful, rough-and-ready rock sound just made for late-night Irish festival crowds.

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9. NAS (Friday, 7.30pm, Main Stage)

One of the most iconic names in hip-hop of the last two decades, it's not often that we see Nasir Jones on Irish shores – and although he hasn't had an album since 2012's 'Life is Good', you can expect a setlist drawn from his lengthy career, and hopefully plenty from the career-defining 'Illmatic', which sounds as fresh as ever, 22 years on.

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10. THE 1975 (Friday, 9pm, Main Stage)

They're one of those love-them-or-hate-them bands, and let's be honest – lead singer Matt Healy hasn't done much to endear himself to people with his silly haircut and dubious sartorial choices. Leaving that aside, the English band's most recent album 'I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It' is actually... y'know... quite decent. If you're into knuckle-dragging recycled indie rock, go see Catfish & the Bottlemen. If you're into indie-rock with a bit of thoughtfulness and flair behind it, you'd do worse than to check these guys out.

 

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