Who can forget the thrill of unearthing new music during the wild era of illegal downloads on Limewire or Frostwire? Or the excitement of tirelessly page hopping across Myspace profiles only to stop once you’d stumbled upon who you were certain would be the next greatest underground artist? Ahh, the good ‘ole days, a golden period.
Fortunately, discovering new music isn’t as challenging these days. Especially with idobi Radio by your side *wink wink*. Somewhere in the depths of a muggy basement or a beatdown garage, the next greatest artist is crafting, writing, and recording—chronicling the soundtrack of the next generation.
As we continue our exploration of 100 emerging artists that you need to listen to in 2024, we’re spotlighting the most promising up-and-coming talents across diverse genres, backgrounds, ethnicities, races, and genders. Because let’s face it—none of these distinctions matter when it comes to great music. All that matters is the art.
44Blonde
One of 44Blonde’s first singles was called “At Least I Know Your Name!” and by the end of 2024, you will know his name. The way 44Blonde meshes pop, rock, and southern rock with his raspy voice is unique for an up-and-coming artist. Opening for Sueco on tour, essentially 44’s first live show, he will drop his debut project, Rehab Runaway, at the start of the new year. —Fish
Baby Got Back Talk
With a handful of EPs, including their 2023 release, Wince, Repeat, and one full-length album, Genre Reveal Party, to their names, Baby Got Back Talk is skillfully carving out a unique niche for their eclectic blend of punk/pop-punk/alt-rock/indie. Through each release, the trio—comprised of G’Ra Asim (vocals/bass), Rhiana Hernandez (keyboard), and Jake Lazaroff (guitar/vocals)—reaffirms their ability to intertwine an array of genres seamlessly. Simultaneously, they steadfastly maintain their strong foundation rooted in their progressive beliefs and aptitude to discuss social issues, DIY ethos, and punk principles. While these elements undeniably play a significant role in shaping their releases and overall attitude, Baby Got Back Talk doesn’t let that prevent them from infusing a sense of fun and dance-worthy synths into their sound. Instead, they effortlessly blend these foundational aspects with irresistibly catchy tracks that will undoubtedly have you singing along. —Paige Owens
Clementine Was Right
At the heart of Clementine Was Right are Gion Davis and Mike Young, two seasoned poets who came together to share their gift of words. Using the medium of an alternative, shoegaze-filled, western emo effort, the project is a collective of poetic visionaries collaborating across many different states. They immortalize their travels from Northern California to New England to Alaska to New Mexico through cinematic narratives and lyrical imagery. This year, they released singles “Take Tall Walks,” “River Boys,” and “There Are No More Almond Trees.” Their music is carefully crafted for those living in the between stages of life, learning to enjoy the journey, and not getting too hung up on the destination. They idle in the quiet moments, pondering life events as memories being made in real-time. Let yourself unwind with Clementine Was Right. —Tate Logan
Diva Bleach
There’s something about feeling like you’re 16 years old, lying on your bed, and listening to records to. Upon first listening to any song by the Phoenix, AZ duo Diva Bleach, it sounds as if they’re creating a coming-of-age soundtrack that’s emitted from songs “Crawling” and “White Noise.” And, of course, there’s the pop-punky, takedown track that’s more than appropriate for a mandatory band scene in any film, “Kiss Her Goodbye.” They’ve recently completed a West Coast tour with a stop at Hawthorne Heights’ festival, Is For Lovers in California. It isn’t going to be the last time anyone sees them anytime soon. —Lizzie Baumgartner
Jen Razavi
Rolling away from her skate-punk roots in The Bombpops, Jen Razavi dips her feet into dark-pop waters on solo project. The departure is evident in her recent feature on Liquid Death’s Greatest Hates, Vol. 3, which is a straight-out-of-the-80s synth-dance track called “It’s Dumb And I Won’t Buy It.” Her recent release, “Bender,” emits the same liveliness that hasn’t been present in music this outwardly for the last handful of years. The versatility she displays shows that she should be on everyone’s radar. —Lizzie Baumgartner
KC Rae
If you were as obsessed as we were with indie-pop duo Now, Now’s synthy sophomore album, Saved, in 2018, then you’ll be thrilled to know that vocalist Cacie Dalager just dropped her debut solo album, Think I’m Gonna Die. Now performing as KC Rae, KC’s soft vocals wash over textures of dreamy guitars, strumming banjos, and mandolins. The entirely self-produced and self-written 9-track LP delves into personal topics, like reminiscing over childhood memories of her cousin through a neurodivergent lens in “Blockbuster” or struggling to push through depression on the opening track “Happy,” with lyrics like “If I disappear, could I be happy?”. Crossing our fingers for a full tour announcement in 2024! —Tommy Wooldridge
Lina K.O.
While Lina K.O. may be largely flying under the radar at the moment, her mesmerizing debut EP, Earth Apple, released at the beginning of the year, suggests that it’s only a matter of time before she catapults to immense stardom. Possessing a haunting and melancholic vocal quality reminiscent of early Julien Baker, Lina K.O.‘s six-track debut effortlessly weaves a hypnotic dreamscape that finds its niche in the warm embrace of dream-pop, indie, psych-folk, and alternative genres.
The crown jewel of the collection, “Arrhythmia,” presents Lina’s resplendent vocals, intricately layered atop one another, set against a somber backdrop of sound. The long and short of it—if you’re not already tumbling headfirst down the intricate rabbithole that Lina K.O. is methodically creating, you need to make it a priority in 2024. And boygenius—let’s get Lina out on tour with you next year—you won’t regret it. —Paige Owens
Mint Green
Gently blending emo, synth, and indie, and enveloping them into a bedroom-pop package is what Mint Green brings to the party. Hailing from Boston, MA, the act recently released their dreamy rendition of Incubus’ “Drive” for Pure Noise’s Dead Formats Vol. 2. They’ve been carving a mini crater in the music scene since their 2022 LP release, All Girls Go To Heaven. With soft guitars and soothing vocals, the reminiscence feeling of listening to similar sounds in the back of your mom’s car in the early 2000s generates comfort with a punch of reality. Mint Green is an outlier that transcends scenes and should be on everyone’s must-listen-to list in 2024. —Lizzie Baumgartner
talker
The latest single, “TWENTYSOMETHING,” from the alt-pop artist talker, isn’t going to the the only stand-out track she puts out. Celeste Tauchar creates relatable indie tunes that have fans screaming, dancing, or tapping their foot to the enticing beat. She’s previously collaborated with Crooked Teeth and Oceantor on songs and remixes that generated an uncanny copy of crisp newness. The raw intensity she’s brought to her music is something that’s needed to fit into the massive puzzle of the alt-punk-mainstream pipeline. It will no doubt complete it once her debut full-length album drops next year. —Lizzie Baumgartner
TJ Minor
Los Angeles-based artist TJ Minor is bringing a fresh new vibe to the alternative world. A surely soon-to-be indie popstar, he has the whole package. From his knack for writing an insanely catchy chorus to his modern Gen Z style and his absolutely captivating voice, TJ Minor is on the precipice of something great and longevous. This year, he has released three singles—most recently “Barely Breathing,” following “Waste My Time” and “Funeral.” All three are glittery pop songs on first listen, duet to vocal delivery, but carry the instrumental depth of a rock song. Distressed guitars, upbeat drums, and glossy hooks make for perfect playlist potential. His voice is reminiscent of the likes of Justin Bieber or Shawn Mendez, showcasing his immense talent. He is definitely on the rise. We can’t wait to see what is in store for him in 2024. —Tate Logan
