Smaller Bands You Need to Know
- tatimonty
- Feb 14, 2022
- 6 min read
Streaming makes discovering or trying new music a lot easier, as we don't have to buy a song to hear it, or rely on what the radio is playing. It's easier to find and listen to artists who are just beginning to make a name and sound for themselves.
These are 13 artists and bands that range from just under 30,000 monthly listeners to just over 450,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, every one of which who's future looks exciting and promising.
Note: All Spotify Listener numbers are from Sunday, February 13, 2022 and are likely to change.
Under 100,000 Monthly Spotify Listeners
Led By Lanterns (28,442 monthly listeners)
UK rock band Led By Lanterns have been releasing music since 2016, but their debut album, "Paralysis" just dropped at the end of January this year. Self-described as a rock band with heavy riffs and boyband vocals, Led By Lanterns' music is incredibly polished and rivals the sound of more mainstream rock bands. It's genuinely surprising that a band with such a strong discography is still fairly unknown.
Recent Release: "Paralysis" album (2022)
Recommended Tracks: "Disconnected," "Paralysis," & "Catacombs"
NIGHTBREAKERS (33,675 monthly listeners)
NIGHTBREAKERS are an alt-pop band from Florida. With two EPs and a total of 13 tracks released, they won 97X On Air's battle of the bands in Tampa this past November, giving them the opportunity to open the Next Big Music Festival early last December. Their music is just upbeat and absolutely fun to listen to.
Recent Release: "Feelings" EP (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "Quarter to Midnight," "Nashville," & "ALL I WANNA DO IS LOVE YOU"
Emilie Adams (35,203 monthly listeners)
Emilie Adams is a dark electronic pop artist from Norway. With 2 EPs and 11 tracks released under her name, she has quite an interesting catalog. Her lyrics are deeply personal to her. Her songs are, quite frankly, critically underrated -- with the music she makes, she should be a worldwide name, and it's honestly quite a surprise that she hasn't gotten the acclaim her music deserves.
Popular Tracks: "Essence of Us," "Gone," & "Silky Silence"
Recent Release: "Bored" single (2022)
Recommended Tracks: "Monogamy," "Play God," & "Dance in the Rain"
Those Who Dream (37,981 monthly listeners)
Australian alternative rock duo Those Who Dream are a pair of brothers who's, as their Spotify bio claims, "as DIY as it gets" when it comes to their music. Launching onto the scene in 2017 with their debut EP "Life In Cyan," which earned a #4 spot on Apple Music's charts, they've created and fostered a strong but small following through their honest and real music often centered on mental health and self-discovery. Their music pairs honest lyrics with upbeat and energetic instrumentals and production. It's fun, albeit, sometimes haunting. With eight tracks released in total, Those Who Dream's future looks promising.
Recent Release: "BUBBLEGUM" single (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "Red Chair," "BUBBLEGUM," & "Violet"
Concrete Castles (47,489 monthly listeners)
From Pennsylvania, Concrete Castles began as the band First to Eleven, which is known for their covers of pop and rock songs. The name Concrete Castles came from the first original song the band wrote together, "Thrill," and became the name that they would use to release their original music, starting with their debut single "Just a Friend" in March 2021. The trio released their debut album "Wish I Missed U" in September of last year.
Popular Tracks: "Just a Friend," "Half Awake," & "Wish I Missed U" (ft. Anthony Green)
Recent Release: "Wish I Missed U" album (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "Atmosphere," "Porcelain," & "Suburbia"
Eat Your Heart Out (58,902 monthly listeners)
The Australian alternative four-piece Eat Your Heart Out released their debut album back in 2019. Prior to, they've dropped three EPs, and have been signed to Fearless Records since 2017. They're gearing up to drop their second full length this year.
Popular Tracks: "Shape of You" (cover), "Carousel," & "Drag Me Down"
Recent Release: "Florescence" album (2019)
Recommended Tracks: "Closer to the Sun," "Spinning," & "Blinded"
A Story Told (90,515 monthly listeners)
A Story Told is a rock band from West Virginia, who defines their music as "emotionally forward pop rock." They released their debut album, "Keep Watch" in 2016, and have since released two more albums, each better than the last. Their music is infectious and refreshing. They find a gorgeous harmony between pop and rock, and between instrumentals and vocals. This band is going places.
Recent Release: "American Made" album (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "Home for the Summer," "Good as Gold," & "'92"
Under 250,000 Monthly Spotify Listeners
Awake At Last (102,669 monthly listeners)
This five-piece hard rock band has been releasing music since 2014, but their debut album was released in 2019. "The Change," the second single off the album (and also the title track), was released in late March 2019, and, the week of April 8, it had become the #1 most played song on Sirius XM Octane Satellite Radio. From there, things started going up for the band at a higher trajectory, touring with several larger bands in the scene, like Ice Nine Kills, From Ashes to New and Palisades. They're planning a new full-length record release for 2022.
Popular Tracks: "Dead Generation," "Purgatorium," & "DEAD TO ME"
Recent Release: "ARMAGEDDON" single (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "The Change" (ft. Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills), "More Than Animals," & "Paralyzed"
Thousand Below (206,555 monthly listeners)
San Diego rock band Thousand Below formed only a few years ago, back in 2016, and have since released two albums, the first in 2017 and the second in 2019, as well as one EP in 2020. Since signing to Rise Records in 2016, Thousand Below have been consistently releasing emotionally charged music ranging across the spectrum of rock music.
Popular Tracks: "Sinking Me," "let go of your love," & "Chemical"
Recent Release: "Gone to Me" single (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "alone (out of my head)," "Learn to Lose and It All Gets Easier," & "171 xo"
American Teeth (215,003 monthly listeners)
Portland, Maine-born Elijah Noll, known as American Teeth, started releasing music only in 2019. Signed to Fearless Records, he released his debut album, "We Should Be Having Fun" in October 2021. His catalog is full of catchy pop rock albums that fuse organic sounds and synths.
Popular Tracks: "Gemini," "2late," & "Barred Out" (ft. Twin XL)
Recent Release: "We Should Be Having Fun" album (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "Talk," "Gonna Be Okay," & "Tongue"
No Love for the Middle Child (227,083 monthly listeners)
No Love For the Middle Child is a indie/alternative artist who plays seven instruments. He's also a songwriter and producer who has produced and written for other notable artists like Grandson ("Rain," "Death Of An Optimist," among others), and Zero 9:36 ("Adrenaline, "In My Hands," "The End / Undead," among others). He released his first EP in February 2020, but had started releasing a handful of singles under the moniker No Love for the Middle Child in November 2019.
No Love for the Middle Child's music is unique and inspired. It'll definitely make you feel something -- whether that'd be happiness or sadness, that depends on the song.
Popular Tracks: "Bullets in the Dark" (ft. Mod Sun), "February," & "Older" (ft. Cody Carson of Set It Off)
Recent Release: "Losing Feeling" EP (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "No Sleep," "Walk Away" (ft. American Teeth), & "Simple Things"
Under 500,000 Monthly Spotify Listeners
Little Hurt (404,452 monthly listeners)
Solo artist, Colin Dieden, known as Little Hurt, after leaving the Mowgli's in 2019, began writing and releasing music on his own. His music is raw and unfiltered in its lyrics, paired with emotive pop rock instrumentals. Little Hurt's music is a testament to his songwriting capabilities and his songs are sure to get stuck in your head.
Popular Tracks: "Alaska," "Good As It Gets," & "Better Drugs"
Recent Release: "Get Out of My Life" single (2022)
Recommended Tracks: "My Head Hurts," "It's OK to Be Not OK," & "Messed Up"
Boston Manor (454,809 monthly listeners)
Originating from Blackpool, England, five-piece punk rock band Boston Manor formed back in 2013. With three full length albums, and five EPs, their music blends emo and punk with heavier influences that often sonically reminisces to the eras of 90s-grunge and early 2000s post-hardcore. The band has been going full-throttle since their formation, with each release better than the last. In typical punk and emo fashion, their music tackles everything from societal issues, the music industry, to mental health.
Popular Tracks: "Halo," "Laika," & "Plasticine Dreams"
Recent Release: "Desperate Times, Desperate Pleasures" EP (2021)
Recommended Tracks: "England's Dreaming," "Desperate Pleasures," & "Brand New Kids"
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