No one wants to be late to trends, especially in the music scene. There’s nothing worse than running to your friends with your favorite new artist, eager to show them, and having them say “Oh yeah, I remember hearing that when it came out two years ago.” While you may have a new person to discuss their discography with, it seems somewhat belittled. This list is for you to get on the metaphorical “wave” before your friends. Some of them have new albums coming out this year, some are on the brink of releasing their first EP, and a couple have only released singles so far. No matter the discography size, we want you to come along on the ride with these artists. We’ll start with the most popular of the ten and slowly work our way down. (All numbers are as of July 24, 2024)

1. Hey, Nothing: 597,462 Monthly listeners

One of my personal favorite bands for the past couple years has been this duo out of Athens, Georgia. Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips mostly make acoustic-centered folk pop, and they work expertly in the mediums of ballads and upbeat driving music. Mabry has a reedy voice reminiscent of Peter McPoland, and Phillips’ voice has the ability to make you cry alone in your bedroom or scream as hard as you can at the dashboard. They play off of each other extremely well and the chemistry that they have comes across in the recording booth. The overall feeling of their music is similar to when your most talented friends whip out a guitar (You know, the ones that know when to pull one out, not the ones that decide to bring it to every social gathering imaginable). They’ve released an amazing run of singles this year, and are gearing up to release their second album this year. For beginners, I recommend the tracks Too Drunk to Drive, Like a Brother, and Low Spirited Funeral.

2. Oblé Reed: 176,522 Monthly listeners

Oblé is a Seattle based alternative hip-hop artist (at least that’s how he describes himself on his Spotify profile). As you’ll quickly become aware if you attend one of his live shows “that’s O-B-L-E, don’t forget the accent, Reed”. Fortunately, I got the chance to see one of Reed’s live shows at Treefort Music Festival. Oblé’s energy is infectious, and the environment that he cultivates within his fan base is extremely genuine, so much so you might group hug it out with a few strangers once the set concludes. That live energy is conveyed effortlessly within his recorded projects, as they feature doubled up vocals during most choruses, imploring you to sing along to every word. Reed compares himself to acts like J. Cole, Chance the Rapper, and Dominic Fike. While his flow is definitely similar to that of J. Cole, I would argue he shows more versatility over different types of beats. Whether it’s a smooth beat like that of Circle Theory or a Tommy Richman-esque beat like 2O, Reed fits right in to the groove. He released his second studio album RETROVISION on June 4th. Check out CIRCLE THEORY, LOOKWHATYOUVEDONE, and AVE! off of that album, as well as WHERETHEMONEYGROWS and SK[I]NCARE off of previous releases.

3. Francis of Delirium: 146,853 Monthly Listeners

Jana Bahrich and Chris Hewett make up Francis of Delirium. This Brit-band released their debut album on March 22nd of this year. Lighthouse is a tight 38-minute record of mellow indie-pop that spends most of its time in the same vein as acts like Girl in Red and Clairo. Every once in a while, the album does get a little heavier, namely on acclaimed single Blue Tuesday. If you like subdued guitar, a smooth bassline, and solid yet not overpowering drums, you’ll love Francis of Delirium. I recommend the aforementioned Blue Tuesday, Real Love, and Quit Fucking Around.

4. Katy Kirby: 141,243 Monthly Listeners

We travel from Seattle to New York for our next artist to be excited about this year. Katy Kirby is a singer-songwriter through and through, and while that stereotypically means you’ll be hearing an abundance of acoustic guitar and whispery vocals, you only get that some of the time with Kirby. Instead, percussion seems to be a fairly prominent piece of the formula, which differs from our original definition. The timbre of Kirby’s voice is also something that she appears to be experimenting with as well. For an example of this, listen to the songs Juniper and Wait Listen back to back. Unreal right? This experimentation, whether intentional or not, increases the intrigue for her music tenfold. Listen to Drop Dead and Wait Listen off of her newest album Blue Raspberry, as well as Juniper off of her debut album Cool Dry Place. Make sure to consult a mental health professional before listening all the way through Blue Raspberry though.

5. wilt: 76,307 Monthly Listeners

We’ll once again traverse the continental United States to stop off in LA in order to check out indie-rock outfit wilt. They call themselves “you’re favorite band you’ve never heard of”. Well, now you have heard of them, I hope they can still be your favorite band. Chelsea Rifkin, Aaron Liebman, Andrew Perrea, Daniel Bermudez, and Jake Shpiner make up the five-piece, and each gets their chance to shine through in at least one of their records. wilt’s music is a combination of distorted guitar riffs, soaring vocals, and complimentary yet not overbearing percussion (think Ringo with the Beatles, to a lesser level). They’re also purveyors of my favorite moment in music that I like to call the “big whoosh” effect. The music cuts, the vocalist says a few words, and then the band blares their way in altogether to kick your eardrums in. Check out all of their self-titled EP to get acquainted, and check out The Riff and Moved Along while you’re there.

6. Carpool Tunnel: 63,061 Monthly Listeners

No, it’s not the name of that injury your dad got from poor wrist placement on his office keyboard. This is Carpool Tunnel, a band that finds a place at the table right between the surf and indie rockers. This makes sense, given that the band is from San Francisco, nestled between the sacred territories of both genres. They remind me a little of Miniature Tigers, in that their singer (Ben Koppenjan) has extremely clear vocals that effortlessly blend between chest and head voice. Of course, as with all other band comparisons, there’s just a little something different about Carpool Tunnel. I’m not sure if I could explain it with words, it’s more of a feeling when listening to them. They make you sway while tugging at your heartstrings. Their newest track The Risk is a slight departure from their previous work, but it’s a welcome one. In terms of other tracks, I’d suggest Nothing I’d Rather Do, Glow, and Impressions.

7. Edgehill: 56,691 Monthly Listeners

So you liked wilt, huh? Well, check out this indie-rock trio that specializes in both fast-paced flying guitar riffs and pounding rock ballads. While they have one of the smaller discographies among this list (10 singles in total up to this point), they pack a punch that will undeniably carry any future EP or album release they may have. I checked in with this band after they released their first two singles Shooting Glances and Jonny’s Friend in 2022. I had largely shoved them to the back of my mind until recently, when my sister (who I’m proud to say steals music from my playlists) played their newest release Towel on a road trip to Utah. From there I hopped back in and started kicking myself for missing out on even more great music from this band. Check out their whole discography, as I will die on the hill of “No Skips” as of July 2024.

8. Le Shiv: 16,044 Monthly Listeners

Some artists are able to have an instant impact on you. It’s even more impressive when this impact can be felt on the first single they’ve ever released. This was the case for me this year with Le Shiv. Their 2019 release No Freak is a bombastic opening to their catalogue, both literally and figuratively. The chorus is begging to be blasted and the drums sound even better when accompanied by your own taps on the wheel when driving. Catchy hooks, wide arrays of instrumentation, and talked vocals make Le Shiv all the more endearing. They are another band with a small discography, but once again, they have built out a solid baseline for eventual full-length projects. Listen to When the Kids Grow Up, I’m Fine, I’ve Said too Much, But How Are You? and I Remember for the best introduction to them.

9. Charity Kiss: 2,691 Monthly Listeners

It’s my personal policy that I only interview good artists. Charity Kiss fills this requirement and then some. This four-piece from Reno, Nevada has an extremely bright future with their lyrical and compositional prowess. While some entries in their catalogue may have you write them off as a punk band, they’re so much more than that. Every track up to this point stabs a hole in your chest, either with driving punk attitude or with heartfelt sincerity. Pat Hansen, the aptly named Nate Drum, Cooper Conway, and Cole Hendriks have great stage cohesion and their live shows are amazing no matter the venue. You could play this music through an Arby’s drive-thru and I’d pull around a second time just to listen again. Check out Ur Birthday, Virginia is For Lovers, Roll Over Ben Stiller, and Cellars. For a deeper cut, check out Pretty Little Place too.

10. Unknown Venus: 507 Monthly Listeners

There’s one thing that I always tell myself when watching live music: “You know what would make this ten times better? A harp.” Well luckily my itch was scratched when I happened upon Annie Lancaster (stagename Unknown Venus) at the Cyclops Stage at Treefort Music Festival. I was able to sit down with Lancaster for an interview, but thanks to some faulty mics, the interview will unfortunately be text-only. It’s not often that you can say that someone’s vibes are as good as their music, but that is exactly the case with Lancaster. While there are currently only four singles released on the all-knowing streaming giant Spotify, each one showcases something great about what is to come out from under the Unknown Venus banner. Check out each single, and especially Dishes and Dominoes. If you’re ever in LA, check for show dates, as you may be able to catch lightning in a bottle with this artist.

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There it is, your definitive guide to some of the best small artists of today, and what I hope will be some of the best big artists in the future. As painful as it may be to lose that precious little seed you call your favorite “under the radar” band, we have to let them all bloom into the big huge flowers they were meant to be. After all, they deserve it right? As always, I have included links to Spotify profiles and have included credits to the photographers profiles for my aspiring graphic design and concert photography peeps.