Where To Find The Best Up And Coming Bands

14-Jul-2017 By Guest Blogger

In this day and age, we are constantly inundated with new music from a multitude of channels—Spotify Discover Weekly Playlists, Youtube recommended videos, and releases pouring onto every streaming device you can think of. And say what you will about the quality and style preferences heard in some of today’s hottest tracks, it is truly an exciting time for the music industry.

However, sometimes all of this new music can be overwhelming. If you are an avid music lover like me, you want to know how to block out the fluff and find really great up and coming artists. But this is easier said than done. Of course it takes a lot of time and effort to stay current in today’s music industry, but check out some of these tips if you’re interested in finding the next great artist.

Check Out Your Local Open Mics

No matter where you are currently living, chances are there is a bar or restaurant somewhere in the vicinity that hosts an open mic night. Open Mic Nights are a great way to get the community involved, draw a crowd, and ultimately provide free entertainment for the establishment.

Next time you see a sign for a local Open Mic Night, or any other local music gigs, make a note to check it out one night. You might be surprised by the kind of up and coming talent that is just starting to get out there.

View Trending Tracks on SoundCloud

SoundCloud is a wonderful place to go to find up and coming music. The platform tends to lean towards independent and DIY artists, so you can be sure that all of the likes and shares are authentic. No matter what kind of music you are into, you’re likely to find some really great artists on SoundCloud.

If you’re in the mood for something new, check out the top songs and most shared tracks on SoundCloud. Many of the top tracks on SoundCloud are also featured on the most popular music blogs and publications as well.

Head To Shows Early To Catch The Opening Acts

Live shows are often fairly long endeavors, and can go pretty late into the night. Not to sound like a total buzz kill, but it’s important to plan ahead so that you have enough stamina to last the entire night. But that said, some of the best new up and coming artists are most likely on tour opening for the bands that you already know and love.

If you have any upcoming music gigs planned, trying going on the earlier side to catch some of the opening acts, as this is a great way to find the newest talent. These are bands and artists hand-picked by the headliners, so you can be sure that they are on the rise.

Staying on top of the latest music industry trends is exciting and fun for anyone with a passion for music, but the platforms and methods for finding new talent are always changing, and it can be very time consuming to weed through the noise to find the really good stuff.

Next time you’re on the hunt for a hot new up and coming band, try out some of these tips and let us know if they lead you to any artists that you plan to follow for years to come.

Author bio:

Freddy Tenny is an audio engineer and avid music lover. He owns and operates Rivington Music Rehearsal Studios, a legendary music and band rehearsal space located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. These studios first opened in 1988 and boast an all-star list of bands and artists who have practiced in them.

Independent Musicians “Bloom” at youbloomDublin Music Summit & Festival

04-Jul-2017 By Marie Tobias

The youbloom Mission Achieved

In the words of The Key Regimes, who performed songs from their debut EP at youbloomDublin, “education and community” are the aspects of youbloom’s mission that they relate with most. “There is never enough of either”, they stated.

How does youbloom provide this through youbloomDublin? Just ask the artists who performed.

The Key Regimes, who were “blown away with the quality of the bands playing over the weekend”, relaxing before a set at youbloomDublin

Community and Education Fostered at youbloomDublin

“Having a sense of community is extremely important for musicians”, Pixie Saytar, a three member band who played a set at 4 Dame Lane, stated. The ability to form a connection rather than a competition allows artists to “feel a part of something bigger”. Pixie Saytar believes a community atmosphere is “vital to growth as both an artist and a person”.

To Pixie Saytar, the educational aspect of youbloom is also important in that it’s about “sharing your expertise with others”, and meeting industry figures removes some of the big bad scariness.

Pixie Saytar striking a pose at youbloomDublin

For others, such as Dandelion Tea, youbloom is about “building a community that supports artists” and learning from others in that community. They quoted Vaughan Williams who once said that “the composer must not shut himself up and think about art, he must live with his fellows and make his art an expression of the whole community.”

ELLYD, who returned to youbloomDublin this year as a solo artist, playing some tunes

Successes and Takeaways From youbloomDublin2017

CARRON is hoping to make it to youbloomLA this year. The two sisters are thankful for the advantageous music industry contacts they made who can offer valuable tips for artists such as themselves. They also look forward to possibly “performing [with them] in the near future”.

Dandelion Tea also saw success in that they were “booked for another gig straight after.” Overall, many artists felt as though their performances were well received by a nice crowd. In the words of ELLYD, “it’s always a pleasure to play at youbloom!”

The Music Industry: Artists’ Outlook

30-Jun-2017 By Marie Tobias

YoubloomDublin2017

At around noon on Thursday, June 1st, Dublin’s atmosphere became a bit more community-minded. More specifically, it became a bit more nurturing towards those who possess a love of music.

Sixty independent musicians based in multiple countries—from Portugal to Sweden—would play a unique gig during that weekend at the youbloomDublin Music Summit & Festival, an independent music conference and festival. Its uniqueness stems from the fact that youbloom caters specifically to unsigned artists with the intention of altering the current unsustainability of said artists.

How do they accomplish this? Well, just ask the artists themselves who performed at youbloomDublin three weeks ago.

But first, let’s take a step back.

The Music Industry Exposed

The music industry is extremely skewed: a few hundred artists make 75% of the revenue. Smaller artists usually remain unseen because they simply don’t have the support they need to grow their business. These music industry statistics and the monopoly effect lead artists like Oski Bravo, who performed at youbloom Dublin for the first time, to insist that the music industry is a “pigsty”.

Back to the Ocean, an alternative band who played twice at youbloomDublin, also attests to the demanding aspects of the music industry in that independent musicians basically must figure out how to get fans on their own. They’re “expected to have world class recordings, [a] big fanbase, professional videos and social media profiles, and [a] business orientation”.

Back to the Ocean rocking out at youbloomDublin for their first performance at the festival

A Love of Music

But for many, even though the odds seem insurmountable, the love for the craft is greater.

“It felt like a natural progression for both of us”, CARRON stated. For the two sisters who played at youbloomDublin in Phoenix Park on Saturday and The Globe on Sunday, it began with “leading roles in shows like ‘Annie’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, and ‘The Sound of Music’” along with violin and vocal lessons.

They believe the music industry standard is quite high, particularly in Ireland with artists such as Hozier attaining success. However, they are hopeful for what it means for them in that “[they] must always be progressing too, writing new music and taking part in as many live events as [they] can”.

CARRON striking a pose at youbloomDublin

For others, such as Dandelion Tea, who performed at 4 Dame Lane on Saturday, “Music is just something that always made sense. [It’s] an intangible form of art that can impact so many people in a big way. We felt we had something unique to say and music was the language we could best express it in.”

The music industry may receive complaints, but as Dandelion Tea said, pictured here feeling the music at youbloomDublin, “that’s the nature of monetizing art.”

The overwhelming nature of the music business may discourage artists to pursue music, but many still do simply because they couldn’t imagine themselves doing anything different. It’s this overwhelming love for music that fuels artists and youbloom members alike.