As much as we love jamming out to the Top 40 hits, we love discovering new artists to put on our playlists. These 10 artists are at the frontline for bringing us songs with a fresh, new sound.
Banks
Banks, an American R&B and alternative singer-songwriter, evokes the smoky voice of Lana Del Ray and sets it with ominous soundscapes that combine to make a really beautiful sound. She recently toured with The Weeknd, and her single “Waiting Game” now has over one million hits on YouTube, building anticipation for what she’ll release next.
Jake Bugg
Jake Bugg is said to be a modern day Bob Dylan. His voice reaches new levels of expression with his self-written indie rock songs, all describing a kind of rebellious nature that we all obtain in our teenage years. At the young age of 19, Bugg’s songwriting skills are on par with the recently globally famous songwriter Lorde, as they both express themselves in lyrics way beyond their years.
Tom Odell
Like Jake Bugg, Tom Odell is another talented British singer-songwriter. With his debut studio album that came out this past summer, Odell’s voice has a unique quality that is completely enrapturing. Odell, who plays the piano on many of his songs, can take a song from a soft piano love ballad to an emotion packed indie pop tune over the course of a track and manages to do so seamlessly.
Rizzle Kicks
Rizzle Kicks, a hip-hop duo, released their album Roaring 20s this past year, and there isn’t a single song on the album that disappoints. Their songs infuse old school hip-hop sounds with swinging jazz and their lighthearted lyrics bring a refreshing twist to modern hip-hop.
Sam Smith
Sam Smith’s voice is consistently goose-bump inducing on all of the tracks the singer-songwriter has recently released. While Smith showcases his voice on several of his singles, he is also very popular in electronic music, collaborating with groups like Disclosure and Naughty Boy on dance tracks that will make you seriously consider DJing a form of fine art.
Disclosure
Speaking of Disclosure, over the past year, this electronic music duo has raised in popularity rapidly, working with Sam Smith, AlunaGeorge, and recently this past month, Mary J. Blige. Their music is fun, fresh, and we highly recommend it for your next party playlist.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX is a singer-songwriter, recently known for the track she wrote for Icona Pop, “I Love It.” Her next album should be coming out later in this year, but this month she has done a song with Iggy Azalea called “Fancy,” and her chorus is ace. Not to mention the music video is a reenacted version of Clueless, which is brilliant in itself.
Chvrches
Chvrches is a Scottish synth-pop group, and the lead singer Lauren Mayberry has a bright voice that sounds just as good live as it does over recording. Synth-pop bands are a dime a dozen, but Chvrches manages to separate themselves from the pack with head bopping melodies.
Ty Dolla $ign
Ty Dolla $ign is angling towards being rap’s next big thing, having just released a 7-track EP this January. Wiz Khalifa’s protégé, collaborating with B.o.B., French Montana and Trey Songz to name a few, his EP has been very well received so far.
Clean Bandit
Clean Bandit, another British electronic group, is really funky and really fun. Their single “Rather Be” topped the UK Singles Chart this past January, and their album is set to be released on May 12th. It’s sure to be just a funky and dance-y as the rest of their music has been so far.
Keep your eye out for these artists in the next year, they promise killer tracks in the future. Happy Listening!