1. The 1975
This group is hands-down my absolute favorite band to listen to. Their quirky alternative sound has led them to immense popularity, (especially with the ladies). Their lyrics do not appeal to pop culture, but rather convey the turmoil that ever person experiences, and aims to retain a raw and real character. You may know a couple of their big hits, like “Chocolate,” “The Sound,” or “The City”, but every song that The 1975 produces is just as catchy and unique as them. Prior to the release of their latest album, “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it” the group actually took a hiatus to return to their roots after gaining so much popularity in such a short time, and beginning to conform to the ideas of the culture and industry. The band truly desires to create content that tells of their struggles with relationships, ideas of God, the influence of media, and success. This genuine drive to stay true to themselves is what makes The 1975 so loved by their fans, and admired by their industry.

http://www.twincities.com/2017/01/23/british-alt-r...

2. Jon Bellion

My boy Jon just recently made his radio debut with “All Time Low”, but has been killing the game long before that. With a unique sound that incorporates techno-sounds, elements of rap, and incredible vocals, Jon is truly shattering genre barriers. His lyrics speak of the human condition (coincidently the name of his second album) and relate to his audience on a completely personal level. His passion for music and creativity is so evident in everything that Jon does, from recording music to performing it live, and from writing lyrics to discussing them with others. His zeal for breaking boundaries and pushing the limits of creation and performance is something that the music industry craves, and Jon certainly delivers.

https://genius.com/albums/Jon-bellion/The-human-co...

3. Bon Iver
You might know Bon Iver as the artist of, “Skinny Love,” but his work has come so far since his rise to fame. His newest album, “22, A Million” has a sound that isn’t for everyone as it is a bit unintelligible to most. The intent behind that, though, is to inspire the listener to delve into the lyrics and connect to the story in an individual way. The album is strange, eery, and experimental in the sense that it defies institutional definitions of what music ought to sound like. Bon Iver challenges the expectation of artists, and instead seeks to discover the true nature of music. I believe that this deviation from the mainstream music that we consume daily is much needed, and Bon Iver is just the artist to do so.
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22420-22-a-mil...

4. Alessia Cara
Cara has taken the entertainment stage in a frenzy as her rise to fame happened seemingly overnight. Her single, “Here” climbed the charts instantly, and her career was launched. Since then, Cara has released her first album, featured in a single with Zedd, and appeared on the Moana soundtrack alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda. Her album, “Know It All” shares the emotional rollercoaster that Alessia experienced on her journey from high school student to international musician. In her appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show,” Cara told us that she really hopes to voice a character in an animated movie sometime in her career. She’s already worked with Disney for Moana, so maybe we’ll see her on the big screen soon…

https://www.iheart.com/artist/alessia-cara-3083209...

5. Maggie Rogers
This newly emerged artist is a graduate student at NYU who left John Legend speechless in the studio. With no criticism of her song, “Alaska” from the ten-time Grammy Award winning artist, Rogers released her freshman album, “Now That The Light Is Fading” and has over 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Her songs contain poetic lyrics that intertwine beautifully with the alternative melodies, performed with the fresh and pure vocals of an emerging star. I know that we’ll be seeing much more of Maggie very soon, I mean, how could we not.

http://www.umusic.ca/press-releases/maggie-rogers-...

6. Florence + The Machine
I have been listening to Florence since I began to cultivate my own taste in music, and have never once regretted having her on every single playlist of mine. Not only do Florence Welch’s vocals continue to haunt and electrify every nerve ending in the body of her audience, but the Machine composes and executed similarly impressive instramentals. The band creates an ambiance of vulnerability and authenticated quirkiness as they weave spell-like melodies and sounds to enchant the listener. Florence embodies the message of each and every one of her songs, and performs them with a transparency that allows individuals to connect with her emotions and experience what she if feeling in that moment. From, “Dog Days” to “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful,” Florence and the Machine continue to produce content of the utmost quality, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.

http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/5108/florence...

7. Keaton Henson
Okay, I am in love with Keaton Henson. His fragile and vulnerable vocals convey, perfectly, the message of the condition of the human heart. I admit, his songs can render one into a state of sad, disheartened contemplation of ideas concerning love, purpose, and insecurities, I do believe that this is the authenticity that we crave. Music is supposed to reflect its creator, and Henson does this oh so well. We need more of this fragility in the music industry, and honestly, in life.
http://beardedgentlemenmusic.com/2015/04/07/adopt-...

8. Lorde
Seriously, where has Lorde been? That beautiful, haunting angel captivated all of our hearts in 2013 with her dark, strange look and sound. Here first and only album, “Pure Heroine” is pretty self-explanatory because four years later, we’re still stuck on it. Her captivating quality makes us all feel some kind of way, and whatever it is, I like it and I miss it. Please grace us with your voice soon, Lorde.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&so...

9. Ed Sheeran
Let’s face it, we always need more Ed Sheeran. With his down-to-earth personality, and lovable quality, Ed is a crowd favorite. It doesn’t hurt that everything he produces isamazing! The three singles released this year, alone, have redeemed Ed’s year-long break from social media and production to focus on his writing. It obviously paid off, but please don’t leave us for an entire year again, Ed. We just need to see more of him, plain and simple. Love you, Ed!
http://www.mtv.com/artists/ed-sheeran/