With more and more new artists popping up on the radio and at festivals each year, everyone wants to get ahead of the curve in terms of finding new artists. It can be hard to find bands and artists that match your specific taste in music, especially within smaller local scenes. Here are some of the most interesting up-and-coming artists you’re likely to see shaking up the headlines this year:
#10: MISS WORLD
Similar Artists: MARINA, Beck
Top Tracks: “Put Me In A Movie”, “Click And Yr Mine”
A pop princess hailing from London and based out of LA, MISS WORLD is a multifaceted experimental pop musician. Her debut album Keeping Up With Miss World in 2018 uses heavy synth and dark electric pop mixed with a flair of femininity that makes her work memorable and stand-out. Recently, she’s taken up directing music videos and her directorial debut horror short film is set to come out this year.
#9: Scarlet Demore
Similar Artists: Destroy Boys, Modern Baseball
Top Tracks: “Alone”, “Spiked Seltzer”, “Wendy’s a Pisces”
Growing in popularity since 2019, Scarlet Demore take the stage at Lollapalooza this year. A mixture of pop-punk and indie rock, Lollapalooza will be their largest audience yet. Their most recent EP, Baby Teeth, sports a sound similar to but uniquely their own from artists like Destroy Boys and Modern Baseball. The self proclaimed Chicago ‘cry-core’ band has big things ahead of them coming out of Lollapalooza this year.
#8: Elevated Undergrounds
Similar Artists: Hole, Jack Off Jill, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Top Tracks: “Wrong”, “I’d Like”, “Gimme Love”
Seattle grunge meets LA punk rock in this Las Vegas band. Elevated Undergrounds’ debut single “Wrong” has amassed over 7 thousands streams on Spotify since it’s release in 2022. This rock quintet has clear potential within their wide array of emo and grunge influenced singles and recent 2023 album Drowning Spree. Elevated Undergrounds has seen a spark of popularity since appearing in the inaugural issue of Lights Off, a Vegas based magazine aimed at spotlighting indie musicians in the Vegas valley.
#7: Johnny Polygon
Similar Artists: Kid Kudi, Dem Atlas, MGMT
Top Tracks: “Dead Meat”, “Bad Habits”, “Riot Song”
Through a combination of rap and experimental pop, Johnny Polygon is able to create a completely unique sound. A voice like no other, Polygon uses synthesized upbeat tracks to back up his distinctive and clever lyricism.With a completely new sound, he’s collaborated with artists like Kid Cudi. His newest release “High Beams” came out in April of this year and angles more into pop than his previous work.
#6: The Local Honeys
Similar Artists: Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton
Top Tracks: “Cigarette Trees”, “Dying to Make A Living”, “Dead Horses”
Dedicated to representing the authentic appalachian sound, The Local Honeys make country music directly from the heart. The majority of their songs contain one or two guitars accompanying Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs brilliant vocal harmonies. They are currently touring throughout the southern U.S. with a standout show in Portland this October.
#5: Blahsum
Similar Artists: Cemetery Drive, The Buttress
Top Tracks: “I’m Alone”, “We Don’t Want the Deal Satan”, “I Don’t Care”
Using samples and experimental beats, Blahsum has become known for a wacky and downright odd rap sound. The band has already released two single in 2024 with plans to put out more before the year’s end. For the time being, Blahsum is based out of New York City. With a completely incomparable sound, Blahsum has only grown in popularity since the release of their first album Montage in 2015.
#4: Fresh
Similar Artists: Orla Gartland, Worriers, Pool Kids
Top Tracks: “New Girl”, “Going to Brighton”, “Girl Clout”
A bedroom-pop-punk band from London, England, Fresh provides an ironically, fresh, take on the modern pop punk style. With bright pop infused vocals and darkly upbeat instrumentals, the band uses their unconventional sound to create something brand new on their latest singles off of Merch Girl.
#3: Ryan Perdz
Similar Artists: Pearl Jam, Aberdeen is Dead, Nirvana
Top Tracks: “Paradise”, “Change Me”, “Angel In a Black Dress”
Gaining notoriety off of TikTok for his single “Paradise,” Ryan Perez has continued to put out his own personal brand of new wave dad rock. Reliant on heavy bass and catchy guitar, each song is a nostalgia trip to the early 2000’s rock scene. While Perez’s style may be based in the rock and alternative of the early oughts, his music remains new and inventive with each release.
#2: Gentry Blue
Similar Artists: Ghost, Mel Bryant & The Mercy Makers, Concrete Blonde
Top Tracks: “Tell Them I’m Insane”, “Take Me Out”, “Lose No Sleep”
At the head of this electrifying psych-rock band is Lydia Gentry-DuBonis on the electric violin and vocals. Gentry Blue found success on TikTok with their song, “Tell them I’m Insane” and have continued to promote on the app since 2022. Combining pop punk and psych rock, the band uses electric violin, strong vocals, and witty lyricism to set themselves apart. Big things are coming for the Nashville based band, as they are currently touring while working on their first full-length album.
#1 Starbenders
Similar Artists: Evanescence, Sloppy Jane, The Pretty Reckless
Top Tracks: “Coming Up Roses”, “Holy Mother”, “Blood Moon”
Currently on tour throughout Europe, this faux 80’s glam rock band has found their success in recently years while touring with artists like Palaye Royale and Asking Alexandria. Starbenders have had over twenty releases in their eight years as a band. With stand-out 80’s rockstar vocals from Kimi Shelter and an otherworldly glamorous sound, the band is bound to headline their own tour in the near future.
