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Bands and Artists You Should Know

Festival circuit tourers, up-and-coming talent and simply flat out awesome bands and artists that you NEED to know about.

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Bands and Artists You Should Know

There is an enormous amount of musical talent in this world. Sometimes, we just have to look for it. The bands and artists listed below are what I consider up-and-coming and/or simply flat out awesome bands and artists that you HAVE to know.


1. The Ceremonies

Managed by Troy Carter (current manager of John Legend, Meghan Trainor, former manager of Lady Gaga), the Ceremonies are a group of brothers from Los Angeles with beautiful harmonies that will not disappoint you. Their intriguing style combines nostalgic new wave with modern alternative rock. Their songwriting is top-notch, with poets such as William Wordsworth cited as lyrical inspiration. What is probably the second most admirable quality about their music behind the harmonies, it that the lyrical content explores themes beyond what most top 40 hits use in their recipe-- and it's quite refreshing.


2. Mother Mother

The five piece Mother Mother is one of the better bands to come from our beloved next-door neighbor, Canada. Their sound seems to be firmly established in their most recent album, "Very Good Bad Thing." After about a decade as a band, this is Mother Mother's first album to be produced under a major label (Universal Music Canada). The album shows off their experience working as a band through their very lyrically driven songs. A song with thoughtful story-telling is always admirable.


3. Parson James

Parson James is an American singer/songwriter who gained fame in a number of countries from his collaboration with Norwegian producer, Kygo on the song, "Stole the Show." His upbringing by a teenage mother in a conservative southern town where he sang in church, as well as his experience with being gay and bi-racial, are themes clearly reflected in his soulful music. His recently release EP, "The Temple," is now available, and his first full-length album is due later this year.


4. Zella Day

Zella Day is a 21-year-old indie pop singer/songwriter from Pinetop, Arizona whose sound exudes the west coast vibe. Her tone is similar to that of Lana Del Rey, but with lighter and brighter qualities. Her songs have the Lana Del Rey sound, but aren't quite as dark. It is incredibly likely that you will see her name more often in the near future since her debut album, "Kicker," received much critical acclaim. There is no wonder why, since this up-and-coming artist is set to make her first festival debut at Coachella this coming weekend.


5. BABYMETAL


In case you missed it, Japanese group, BABYMETAL, made their U.S. television debut on April 5, 2016 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The group consists of three teenage girls backed up by their band. The band describes their genre as "kawaii metal," which is a mix of the J-Pop idol and heavy metal genres.


6. Boy Epic

Boy Epic is an up-and-coming artist and definitely one to watch. Racking up millions of views on YouTube with his covers, his own penned-songs will surely catch attention in the near future. His recently released song, "Scars," is a song inspired by The Joker, in anticipation of the movie, "Suicide Squad," and will help him to gain even more exposure.


7. Big Data

Big Data is a project by producer and Harvard graduate, Alan Wilkis. He describes Big Data as a, "paranoid electronic music project from the Internet, formed out of a general distrust for technology and the cloud." It's super interesting how the music is an exploration of the current debate over privacy on the internet. In fact, one of the songs on the album, "2.0," is entitled, "Snowed In"-- a collaboration with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo, that is essentially a pro Edward Snowden anthem. As a producer, Big Data collaborates with many artists including Kimbra, White Sea, and Joy Wave.


8. Sunflower Bean

Brooklyn indie rock band, Sunflower Bean is an up-and-coming band on the alternative scene. They first caught attention at SXSW in 2015, and this year, they will be performing at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Julia Cumming (vocals), also a model for Yves Saint Laurent on the side, sings with such an effortless quality that meshes so well with the combination of psychedelic and punk rock qualities in the trio's music.


9. Robert DeLong


What makes Robert DeLong's music unique, is his use of alternative rock influences to create electronic music. He will be performing a lot this year. Among other places, this weekend, look for him at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and in June, be sure to catch his set at the Firefly Music Festival.


10. Ivy Levan


Ivy Levan is a vocal powerhouse with a tone reminiscent of Christina Aguilera. In summer 2014, she was a supporting act for Fitz & the Tantrums while simultaneously performing at clubs in support of the LGBT community. She isn't currently touring, but her latest album, "No Good," released in August 2015, is currently available for streaming or download.


11. Marian Hill


Although their name sounds like a singular person, Marian Hill is not one person. This duo from Philadelphia derives their name from the roles they both played in their high school's production of "The Music Man." Their sound can best be described as electronic and R&B influenced alternative. They released their debut album, "Sway," in 2015 and their sophomore album, "ACT ONE," is set for a June 24, 2016 release.


12. Greek Fire

Last on the list but not least, is Greek Fire. This indie rock band from St. Louis, Missouri, has the ultimate goal of providing our generation with the quality rock music that we are so lacking. Their song, "Top of the World," was featured in a commercial spot for the Academy Award winning animated film, "Big Hero 6." Like this song, the rest of their music is also feel-good rock, and will always pump you up!

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