It goes without saying that 2015 is going to be a massive year for music, but in between the obvious contenders for our most anticipated releases, there’s also a slew of up-and-coming talent that we’re keeping our eyes glued to this year. Naturally, there are way more than ten artists that we’re excited about, but we managed to narrow it down to ten for the sake of this article (and your dwindling attention span)–read about our writers’ choices below!
As It Is
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PS6gWXz67k
Brighton pop punk quintet As It Is grabbed 2014 by the horns by going on their first tour, releasing a four song EP, and being the first UK band to be signed to Fearless Records. Their new EP This Mind of Mine manages to incorporate many aspects of the traditional pop punk/rock sound but still feels fresh and original. They provide a variety of sounds and rhythms, taking their listeners from loud heart pumping songs like “Bitter Broken Me” to slower more gentle power ballads like “Relive The Story”. Vocalists Patty Walters and Benjamin Bliss’ voices contrast and complement each other incredibly well, keeping the sound of their songs dynamic. Over the summer they recorded their first studio album, which is set to be released sometime this year; in addition to that, they’ll be taking to the road this summer and playing the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour as well as joining Set It Off and Against The Current for the Glamour Kills Tour this spring. Learn their songs quick and go see a show while they’re still small, because before you know it, As It Is will be blowing up the alternative scene. 2015 is going to be a great year for music and a great year for As It Is. (Jenna Cafora)
Author
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeWf6yOCGr8
January tends to be the slowest month of the year for new music, but the boys of Author either didn’t get the memo or took one look and tossed it aside without a second glance. With a January 15th release date slated for their debut full-length Of Brighter Days, they’re wasting no time getting their 2015 off to the biggest start possible. The juxtaposition of the album’s title and its dead-of-winter release are no coincidence; that sort of paradox seems to be a defining quality of the band’s music. The songs have that dark, morose quality that makes them perfect for grey January days, but it’s interwoven with an undeniable beauty and blended into lush soundscapes that keep you looking toward the brighter days ahead. Having recently relocated from Minnesota to the music-rich city of Atlanta and with some North American touring under their belt in support of their Aaron Marsh-produced EP People Are Alike All Over, Author are ready to play their way into the hearts of lovers of gorgeous indie rock everywhere in 2015. (Eleanor Grace)
Cautioners
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbGH3Qsz7vU
A small pop punk act from Poughkeepsie, New York, the group formerly known as Far From Proper initially made their name with their debut release Rock Bottom in 2012 and full U.S. tours with fellow punk acts With The Punches and Ampersand. However, the band opted for a name change in the middle of last year, and under the new moniker Cautioners, the four-piece are ready to make 2015 their year. Cautioners closed out 2014 with the release of their first single “All I See,” a steady-paced punk number with clear vocals and a vibrant melody, and their debut record Dead Ends is expected to release sometime this year. It was recorded with producer and engineer Will Yip and is something you’ll want to keep on your radar; Yip has produced with other significant pop punk bands like The Wonder Years, Man Overboard, Title Fight, and Polar Bear Club. Combining Cautioners’ traditional pop punk melodies and lyrically rich verses with Yip’s production skill means a strong debut record is in store; in fact, this is one of my most anticipated releases for the new year. Keep your eyes on Cautioners–2015 is only the beginning. (Hannah Pierangelo)
Dark Waves
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEYfo4VWUF0
Coming off the feel of popular bands like The Neighborhood and The 1975, Dark Waves also channels that pop synth sound with a little bit of darkness and some more moody tones and melodies mixed in. After releasing his self-titled EP in September of last year, the one-man band has seen some serious momentum and success. His song “I Don’t Want To Be In Love” was a major hit on the TV show The Vampire Diaries, and it seems that’s just the beginning. Dark Waves’ voice alone is enough to hook you on him, but his mysterious attitude and the haunting music he adds to it have an allure that makes discovering more a need. The six songs he has out now are good enough to hold you over until he announces a full-length album. You can catch him opening up for Brooke Fraser on the Brutal Romantic Tour towards the beginning of 2015, and with such a strong start from his very first release, it’s not hard to see how he’s going to gain even more recognition in 2015. (Shelby Chargin)
Friends of Foes
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jr2jHY39IQ
From the moment I heard an inkling of a song that would eventually grow into Friends of Foes, I knew great things were in store for the people behind the project. Something special was hidden in every note of the alternative indie music they were producing, and it was coupled with stellar musicianship and a vocalist that could stop you in your tracks. Fast forward a couple of years, a hell of a lot of work, a full-length album, and a single, and I’ve watched as the rest of the world started to recognize the potential Friends of Foes hold. The band is gaining more recognition from the media and music lovers alike by the hour, and as a result have received countless awards, more than a couple “Album Of The Year” listings, and a few features on local news stations. This year, let the wonder-filled atmosphere created by any of Friends of Foes’ remarkable tracks consume your headphones and accompany you through the months. With a career as promising as theirs, the only way to go is up, and if you jump on now, you’ll get a front row seat to all the kickass accomplishments coming their way. (Emillie Marvel)
Head North
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RfxYMESsvg
2014 was one hell of a year for Head North, a 4-piece pop punk outfit based out of Buffalo, NY. The band has distinguished themselves in the thriving Buffalo music scene with their creativity, diversity, and willingness to take risks. They’ve toured the country with A Will Away and Picture Perfect and opened for local dates of national acts like Senses Fail, Transit, and Modern Baseball, to name a few, as well as releasing their first EP Scrapbook Minds and a split with A Will Away on vinyl. They ended the year playing A Very GK Holiday Festival in New York City and announcing their signing to Bad Timing Records. To ring in the new year, the band announced plans to release a new EP in the spring and play Skate and Surf festival in May. Head North are one of the hardest working bands out there, and this is just the beginning. Keep an eye on them this year, because it looks like 2015 is going to be their best year yet. (Tori Bilcik)
Mallory Knox
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzTXoKhP8rw
Mallory Knox are already pretty big in their native England, but 2015 should be the year they finally get the North American recognition they deserve. Of course, it helps that they’re opening for the massive Pierce the Veil/Sleeping With Sirens tour that kicks off later this month, plus they were recently announced for SXSW. They’ve toured with heavy-hitters like A Day To Remember and Lower Than Atlantis, and their huge UK tour for their latest album Asymmetry (released last October and produced by Foo Fighters-favoured Gil Norton) was opened by Frank Iero. With anthemic singles like “Lighthouse” and the radio-ready “Shout at the Moon”, these British alt-rockers are a strong contender to replace the Anberlin-shaped hole in your heart. (Sam Devotta)
Old Again
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlLH5G2l_d4
Meet Old Again, a pop punk quintet hailing from central Florida with music as sunny as the weather. Since their formation in early 2013, they’ve been on the road nonstop while putting out two EPs, a split with Firestarter, and a collaboration with Real Friends vocalist Dan Lambton, catching the attention of Stay Sick Records and ultimately becoming one of the first bands signed to the label. Their debut full-length record is set to hit the shelves this year, and we can’t wait to hear what they’ve got in store for us. Don’t miss out on Old Again – 2015 is bound to be their year in the pop punk world. (Emily Yee)
Prides
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uM_9qXcI2w
If you haven’t heard of Glasgow indie-pop trio Prides yet, that’s alright – after all, despite having played their fair share of gigs across the pond, they’ve only performed a handful of times here in the States. It’s about time you stand up and take notice, though, because those shows they played on our shores? They were opening up for one of the biggest new synth-pop bands out there, Magic Man, so it’s clear that they’re well on their way to doing some big things themselves. I was fortunate enough to catch that tour as it came through Los Angeles, and their energetic, synth-infused tracks that come packaged with massive hooks won the entire audience over, and one listen to any of the songs on their self-titled EP will do the same for you. It’s insanely catchy and a sure sign of huge things to come from the band, so keep an eye out on what they’ve got planned for the future. (Tarynn Law)
Trash Boat
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXXFygNpqZQ
Hailing from the UK, Trash Boat currently boast just over 1,000 likes on Facebook and 4 songs on their debut EP, Look Alive. When they first came across my computer screen, I was expecting just another run-of-the-mill pop punk band; instead, their few songs completely blew me away. Playing upbeat aggressive music in the same vein as The Story So Far and Neck Deep, the band rises above mediocrity with their punchy, catchy melodies and British-accented vocals (which we’ve all fallen back in love with now thanks to The 1975). If they’re already writing impressively strong tunes this early on, I can hardly imagine how good they’ll be when they actually hit their stride. The band will be venturing to mainland Europe next month with As It Is and Trophy Eyes to play their shows outside the UK; one can only hope that their touring schedule will reach stateside by the end of the year. (Catherine Yi)