Old favorites will always be old favorites, but for lifelong music fans, nothing matches the rush of falling in love with someone new. We’re still head-over-heels with our picks from last year, and artists such as Blondshell, Ice Spice, NewJeans, and Meet Me @ the Altar have all hit another level. If anything, this year’s roster is even more exciting.
Do you like shoegaze? Stay tuned for what could be the world’s first shoegaze superstar. Hip-hop fans can check out the young woman channeling DMX and the young man in conversation with Kendrick Lamar. Some of these bands have already taken over the tiny font in festival posters, and others seem poised to get the headline treatment as soon as next year. Not all of them will blow up, but they’ll all be worth your time.
— Wren Graves
Features Editor
Bktherula
Atlanta’s Brooklyn Rodriguez is a young vet: a 21-year-old with four increasingly-popular albums under her belt and a SoundCloud trail going back to the age of nine. Bktherula’s taste in beats covers all the ground between trap, psychedelia, and off-kilter weirdness, like if Rico Nasty had found Tame Impala and PinkPantheress instead of punk. Best of all, her ability to both sing beautifully and rap hard bodes well for a long career. — W. Graves
Brittney Spencer
Maryland-born country singer Brittney Spencer first gained attention from a viral Twitter video of her covering a song by The Highwomen. Since then, she has delivered a couple of EPs, performed at the CMA Awards, and released a series of promising singles (and appeared on the Consequence Podcast Network series Beyond the Boys Club!). Her debut album, titled My Stupid Life, is set for release on January 19th through Elektra Records and is in perfect position to take her to the next level. — Venus Rittenberg
glass beach
glass beach are a Los Angeles quartet who make emo-inspired indie rock for the real heads. Taking cues from overlooked weirdo bands of yore like Brave Little Abacus, their 2019 album the first glass beach album garnered a cult following online of fans endeared to their blissfully maximalist approach. Their new album plastic death, out January 19th, hones in on their playful, evocative experimentalism without losing their eccentric edge. — Abby Jones
ICECOLDBISHOP
ICECOLDBISHOP’s 2023 debut album, GENERATIONAL CURSE, revealed what could very well be a generational talent. The LA MC’s high-energy tenor evokes J.I.D, Danny Brown, as well as a certain Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper that you’re not supposed to mention in comparisons. Even so, good kid, m.A.A.d. city was an obvious touchstone, both in the grand ambitions, and in details such as a house party getting ripped apart by gunfire — an incident that involves, not Kendrick’s Sherane, but a character called Sheronda. It’s a darker album than good kid, m.A.A.d. city, but the bars are so crisp, it earns the comparison. — W. Graves
julie
Despite only having one EP and a handful of singles out, julie are already making noise — and not just with their presumably massive pedal boards. A refreshingly earnest buzz surrounds them, fueled by bootlegged sets, robust touring schedules, and great tunes. No word yet on what 2024 might have in store new-music-wise, but with an opening spot for Faye Webster on the horizon and the growing support of ‘nu-gazers’ everywhere, it just might be their year. — Jonah Krueger
Lily Seabird
For any listeners who got Burlington, Vermont, as their ‘Sound Town’ on their 2023 Spotify Wrapped, Lily Seabird (a true-blue Vermonter) has the potential to be your indie folk obsession. With her excellent sophomore album Alas, officially out in full and a run of tour dates on the horizon, don’t be surprised to see more and more people talking about her dynamic, charming, irresistible tunes. — J. Krueger
Liquid Mike
Liquid Mike has been delivering catchy-as-hell power pop for a few years now, but with 2023’s S/T, they perfected their craft. The record made the rounds online, capturing the hearts of everyone who loves kick-ass guitars and hooks sharp enough to catch a whale. To keep the Liquid Mike train nice and fueled, the Michigan band is quickly turning around with a follow-up, Paul Bunyan’s Slingshot, due out February 2nd. — J. Krueger
LUCI
Pick any LUCI song, and you’ll immediately hear it. Whatever that elusive it really is — on-mic charisma, sheer confidence, originality, real-life magic — the artist has some to spare. Soon, she’ll use it to follow her excellent 2022 project, Juvenilia, with her debut full-length, They Say They Love You. As singles “Martyr,” “Spins,” and “11:11” hint, the record is absolutely explosive; hip-hop fans are advised to take cover. — J. Krueger
Militarie Gun
Militarie Gun formed at the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by summer 2023, they earned a spot in a Taco Bell commercial. While that might be all the convincing you need to get on board, it’s worth praising the Los Angeles punks for finding their niche so early on: hook-heavy, kinda-sorta hardcore that’s mainly concerned with having a good time. Listen to their 2023 debut album Life Under the Gun once over and you’ll be chanting along to their trademark “ooh-ooh”s in no time. — A. Jones
Royel Otis
If you’ve seen just about any 2024 festival poster, you’ve seen the name Royel Otis. The Australian guitar-pop duo had a massive streaming hit with 2022’s “Oysters in My Pocket,” and they capitalized on that success with 2023’s Sofa King EP. During those boiling hot afternoon fest sets, these bouncy, effervescent tunes will go down like a cool drink of water. — W. Graves
ScarLip
New York rap is alive and well. With DMX’s name on her lips, ScarLip is packaging golden age throwbacks and fresh drill to become one of the hardest MCs to conquer TikTok. After breaking out with “Glizzy Gobbler” in 2022, she had a banner 2023, earning a trio of hits in “Blick,” “This Is New York,” and the irresistible “No Statements.” She’s ticked every box of the rising star; all that’s left is the debut album. — W. Graves
Scowl
California hardcore band Scowl had a phenomenal punk release in 2021 with How Flowers Grow, and their subsequent 2023 EP, Psychic Dance Routine, housed some of their best material. Some of their music features aggressive, snarling vocals, while other songs contain more traditional melodic singing. Frontwoman Kat Moss manages both of these styles extremely well, and the juxtaposition of the two keeps a listener utterly invested. They’ve started their ascent, and god only knows where their limit is. — V. Rittenberg
Sweet Pill
Considering that they’re a Philadelphia band who make songs about 20-something despair, Sweet Pill walk a familiar path. But as evidenced by their debut album Where the Heart Is – released through Topshelf Records in 2022 – and their recent single “Starchild,” it’s a method they’ve nearly perfected. Equal parts twinkly emo and beefy punk rock, they’re for current adults who were once Fueled by Ramen teenagers. — A. Jones
