Influences on MGMT
Ben once explained:I'd say [Oracular Spectacular] is influenced by a lot of things. We try to reference a lot of things we're influenced by in our music. It's weird, because a lot of time people don't get the references or think we're referencing other bands. We get a lot of comparisons to Ween, Muse and They Might be Giants, who are not really bands we listen to. So it's funny what we think we're influenced by and what people think we sound like—which is usually nothing like what we listen to. (Source)
Other bands the boys have listed as influences:
Suicide
Nine Inch Nails
Led Zeppelin
Neil Young
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Radiohead
Loop
Dead Meadow
Of Montreal
Chrome
Lady Gaga
Spiritualized
Spacemen 3
Aphex Twin
Kanye West