1. Smallpools
Followers: 63,628
This Los Angeles-based indie pop band burst onto the scene in mid-2013 with their infectious hit single “Dreaming.” The song was included in the soundtrack to the globally popular video game FIFA 14, gaining much-deserved attention for the band. Their debut full-length album "Lovetap" was released in March 2015, boasting a lineup full of catchy, electronic-infused tracks closely resembling the sound of electro-pop giants such as Passion Pit and Walk the Moon.
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Check out: Dreaming, Street Fight, Karaoke
2. Ab Soul
Followers: 96,666
This college dropout rapper is a frequent collaborator with highly successful contemporary hip-hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock, all of whom formed the West Coast group Black Hippy in 2009. Under Top Dawg Entertainment, Ab Soul has released three albums ("Longterm Mentality", "Control System" and "These Days"), which were all critically praised. The rapper has made a name for himself with his thought-provoking lyrics and distinctive cadence.
Check Out: Illuminate (feat. Kendrick Lamar), Hunnid Stax (feat. Schoolboy Q), Terrorist Threats (feat. Danny Brown & Jhene Aiko)
3. X Ambassadors
Followers: 76,461
This alternative rock band from Ithaca, New York had their major breakthrough when Imagine Dragons heard a version of their 2012 single “Unconsolable” and advised Interscope Records to immediately sign the band. The band has since created two hit songs in “Jungle” and “Renegades,” the latter of which reached #1 on the US Alternative Charts in the spring of 2015. X Ambassadors recently released their first full-length album, "VHS", on June 29, 2015, which has earned widespread acclaim and mounting popularity for the band.
Check Out: Jungle, Renegades, Litosis
4. Dan Black
Followers: 10,240
This British “wonky pop” artist embarked on a solo career after the breakup of the alternative rock band The Servant, for which he was the lead singer and the rhythm guitarist. His debut 2009 album, "UN", included the hit single “Symphonies,” which featured the enormously popular American rapper Kid Cudi. Slated to deliver his second full-length album later in 2015, Black is an incredibly versatile artist whose music ranges from electronic trance to British pop.
Check Out: Wonder, Symphonies (feat. Kid Cudi), Second Snowfall
5. Discovery
Followers: 34,413
As the electronic side project of Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij and Ra Ra Riot’s Wes Miles, Discovery started back in 2005 before either artist’s main band had found success. This unlikely pair of friends began to record a full length Discovery album in 2006, but had to cease its production due to the rise of their respective indie rock bands. However, the duo returned to the project in 2008, eventually releasing a unique, electro-infused futurepop album simply named “LP” in 2009. Miles and Batmanglij are currently creating a long-awaited second album that will hopefully be available in late 2015.
Check Out: Swing Tree, Orange Shirt, Osaka Loop Line
