Here are five musical acts who have had a big year, and will likely only have a bigger one as the next year rears its head. Only time will tell to see how far they go, but given their momentum, their rise won’t likely come across as a surprise. In alphabetical order:
Chance the Rapper
This Chicago rapper has been active since about 2010, but 2013 turned out to be his big year. In April, he released his Acid Rap mixtape, which has garnered huge critical acclaim and has landed on numerous “best of 2013” lists. Besides his own music, he’s also collaborated with many inside and outside the rap community, from electronic artist James Blake (with apparently more in the works) to rapper Childish Gambino to… even Justin Bieber. He’s currently wrapping up another tour, and he likely won’t be stopping his insane productivity any time soon.
Doomsquad
The Toronto-based sibling trio of Trevor, Jaclyn and Allie Blumas have enjoyed a fairly steady rise since the beginning of the year. Despite having released music in 2011, this year was their first real “explosion,” which saw them signed to the very cool label Hand Drawn Dracula for Canada and the US, alongside artists like Dusted and Beliefs, as well as No Pain In Pop for the EU and UK. Their hard-to-define music is a perfect storm of ritualistic chants, complicated and catchy electronics and an intensity that somehow also inspires frenzied dancing. In February of 2014, they will release their album Kalaboogie, and their ascension will most likely continue unabated.
PUP
Things really came together for Toronto’s PUP this year. After dropping the name Topanga (in light of the news that Boy Meets World was getting a sequel), it’s as though they morphed into a new entity. Suddenly they were signed to Royal Mountain Records, the label started by Hollerado, and this year they released their self-titled debut LP in Canada, with an early 2014 worldwide release expected on Side One Dummy. They also got picked to open for bands like Billy Talent. Their blend of the aggression of punk with an ear for pop makes them a great act that can whip a crowd into a frenzy while also not alienating the less hardcore members of their audiences. 2014 may well be the Year of the PUP.
Wake Owl
This Vancouver/Portland indie-folk project first grabbed some attention when their song “Gold” appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, a show which has launched the careers of several musical acts, most notably The Fray. Wake Owl’s Wild Country EP got a welcome re-release early this year, and the band just recently announced their debut full-length, The Private Side of Paradise. Their folk is highly accessible, with a hint of pop, meaning Wake Owl could really make big on this album. We’ll have to wait and see to find out how far the owl flies.
Perfect Pussy
Despite having a name that you will likely not feel comfortable saying out loud, this very noisy Syracuse group is set to increase the volume, at least on the buzz, with a full-length album to be released via Captured Tracks. This year’s I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling EP has drawn huge praise, and their energetic live show quickly wins over their audiences. They’ll be doing a lot of touring between now and the end of January, and who knows how much more once their LP sees the light of day.
