There is a lot of good music out there. In fact, there's almost too much. There is so much good music that it's so easy to get stuck in the Top 50 cycle. Not that that's a bad thing though! Here are six artists to check out this summer if you're looking to diversify your interests.
1. AJR
GiphyOkay, so you've probably heard "Weak" and "100 Bad Days" but have you ever listened to The Click from start to finish? Or Neotheater? Some of my personal favorites include "Turning Out," "Birthday Party," and "Role Models." AJR is a dynamic young band, composed of multi-instrumentalist brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan. The band just realized their third studio album in April 2019 and is definitely worth a listen.
2. Dispatch
An older band, but still a goodie! If you like a more stripped down sound, with funky acoustic guitar picking patterns, this band is for you. "Painted Yellow Lines" is the perfect summer song to play as you drive down windy back roads, sit around a campfire with old friends or stick your toes in the sand at the beach. The band went on hiatus in 2002, but released their long-awaited comeback album America, Location 12 in 2017.
3. Alice Merton
Alice Merton broke onto the music scene in 2017 with "No Roots." The German-British-Canadian singer-songwriter just released her debit studio album, Mint, in January 2019, featuring the singles "No Funny Business," "Lash Out," and, of course, "No Roots."
4. Juice
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzExTWbAD99/
Okay, I don't want to play favorites, but Juice is probably my favorite new band in the past two years. The seven-piece rock band from Boston, MA draws influence from many different genres, including rock, hip hop, and R&B (they recently embarked on their 'What's Your Genre' tour this summer to play on all those different influences). Some standouts include "Gold," "Sugar" and "DAVE (Turn The Music Down)."
5. LP
LP stands out because of her voice: it's crazy. Seeing her in concert only solidifies the talent we can all hear in her music. She has co-written many songs, including "Cheers (Drink To That)" by Rihanna and released "Lost On You" from her fourth studio album of the same name. Check her out and you won't be disappointed.
6. The Aces
Powerful all-girl bands that rock? Check. The Aces are an alternative band from Utah. They released their first single, "Stuck" in 2016 and their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, in April of 2018. Highlights include "Baby Who," "Hurricane" and "Lovin' Is Bible."
