Which Artists Are Going to Blow Up Next?

Picked by: Meaghan Garvey (@moneyworth), Fader

Much of the output from Chicago's bop movement doesn't exactly beg for deep intertextual examination, its hypersaturated giddiness more an appeal to the body and soul than to the mind (ie, you're supposed to dance to it, stupid!). But Sicko Mobb's alien bop transcends the genre's tendency towards the ephemeral and brings it unprecedentedly closer to radio pop, or at least some mutant version of it that's geeked up off too much molly-laced Cookie Crisp.

Super Saiyan Vol. 1, the duo's debut mixtape which dropped right before the new year, is the weirdest thing out of Chicago in what feels like forever—candy-coated astronaut chick pop-rap, a generous touch of footwork's freneticism, just a whisper of bluesy twang—but it's surprisingly easy to get lost in its full-throttle, feel-good madness. Sicko Mobb's almost too weird to blow, but with every release, they inch closer to the kind of polished EDM-pop that their new label bosses, Norwegian production duo Stargate, have long since mastered. (Plus, Young Thug's the biggest thing in rap in 2014—"too weird to blow" is practically obsolete.)

Picked by: Jarri Van der Haegen (@disconaivete), Disco Naïveté

One that may judge too quickly could call Seinabo Sey the modern day Adele of the North—with a big voice and equally strong lyrics, the young Swede has the world at her feet. Paired with producer Magnus Lidehäll who is defining a whole new wave of pop lately (Little Boots, Mapei) after having worked with big names (Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears), Seinabo Sey puts a slice of classic soul with a modern twist into his already iconic productions. Every single one of Seinabo Sey's songs is basically destined to fill arena's, with every single person attending it chanting along so the rest of the world can hear it too.

Picked by: Arjun (@THEArjunGrover), Sunset in the Rearview

If you have ever randomly and not creepily stumbled upon the Instagram account of a 12-year-old kid, you might roll your eyes, shake your head, cringe some, and think that the kids don’t stand a chance.

Raury is a high school senior from Atlanta, Georgia, who is determined to give the kids a chance. He has released two songs, “Bloom” and “God’s Whisper,” the latter of which has garnered wide-ranging acclaim. What makes Raury special goes way beyond two uploads on his SoundCloud account. He has a poignant video for “God’s Whisper” that challenges the lifestyle of Atlanta youth. He is in the middle of conducting an ingenious “Anti-Tour” tour, in which he sets up his show on top of an old van outside of popular venues before, for example, an Odd Future concert, in attempt to “steal their fans.” He is even leading the push for a talent show in his high school; all while making fans out of Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, SBTRKT, and James Blake.

If you watch the first video from the Anti-Tour, you will notice Raury’s charisma and confidence. If you check out his website or music video, you will notice his sense of self and style (featuring his trademark hat). Most importantly, if you listen to the music, you will hear a kinetic, genre-bending cluster of carefully thought out ideas expressed in the simplest, most universal tones.

Raury has a 10-track EP entitled Indigo Child coming out soon, and I think I might be disappointed if it doesn't change my entire life and alter the foundation of most of my close friendships.

Picked by: Jamie Milton (@musicfansmic), This Is Fake DIY

One day we'll probably all look back at Hannah Diamond and go "What the hell were we thinking?!" but there's no other artist that divides the DIY office quite as much as her. Half of us think she's the future of pop music, the other half think it's a faddy, unbearable nightmare put onto tape. Good arguments fall on both sides.

Almost everythingDiamond's label, PC Music, defines itself on is a meta, tongue-in-cheek take on post-milennial pop. A shiny aesthetic, vocals that sound intentionally child-like and hooks that pierce instead of creeping in—this is obnoxious, purposefully tasteless music, but when a track like "Pink and Blue" emerges, heads turn. The first time you play the song, it sounds obscene. Once in the system, however, it begins to piece together. With producers like Sophie closely linked to the "scene" Hannah's part of, it's easy to imagine her fronting the thing, taking this divisive movement to the charts.

Picked by: Jamila (@crueljamila), Cruel Rhythm

Tala's incredibly exciting debut EP has had the internet in a tizzy over the past couple of weeks, and rightly so. Lead track, "The Duchess," effortlessly welds together influences that range from Iranian pop princesses to Prince to Timbaland, and "Serbia" displays a confidence in blending the traditional with the contemporary. That's just a tiny glimpse into the potential of this west-London bred singer, songwriter and producer.

With the Serbia EP scheduled to drop via the ever forward thinking Aesop label in June, it's only a matter of time before the exotic, mysterious world of Tala goes stratospheric.

Picked by: Philip Cosores (@Philip_Cosores), Director at Aux Out, contributor to CoS, OC/LA Register, Paste, CBS/Radio.com, Vice, Time, The Fader

Though the sound of Strand of Oaks' new album HEAL isn’t very cool (think My Morning Jacket, Ryan Adams, Coldplay, and Interpol all shuffled together at their best), the album should push Strand of Oaks from virtual unknown (despite years of genre-defying folk-ish albums) to a more widely heard project. With cosigns from Dead Oceans label-mates The Tallest Man on Earth and Phosphorescent, the record could have been a disaster as songs change dramatically in style from track to track and are only linked at times through the words.

The backstory doesn’t hurt, as Philly-based songwriter Timothy Showalter has spoken bluntly about the marital crisis, the drugs, and the near-death accident that inspired the cathartic collection. But HEAL is a reminder of how little all these periphery elements matter when you have good music in your hands. HEAL is an album that doesn’t need to be marketed—it's loaded with inspired songs that speak for themselves, and if we’ve seen anything this year from acts like The War on Drugs and Future Islands, cool is not a requirement to see your musical presence boom.

Sometimes all you need is a great album. HEAL is out June 24.

Picked by: Legend (@thekidLEGEND), OnSmash

There were a few ways of approaching this question, all with similar end paths. Good music. But good music is all relative to the ear listening to it. Also, not all good music comes to light. Some of it finds the hands of a machine that pushes it to the forefront. A lot don't have that luxury and never make it past the recording booth. The good thing is, the Internet has opened the flood gates for good music (and bad) to make it's way through the crevice we call the World Wide Web. Legit talented people have broken through to the mainstream through different mediums, as well as those lacking the talent. Every day, I strive to bring music worth listening to to a wider audience. That's what it's all about. Putting people on. I feel a certain sense of accomplishment when I put someone on to some shit they've never heard of. But to give, first you must receive.

Considering I've been on an R&B and indie wave recently, entire albums have been getting spins without knowing a single thing about the artist prior to listening. These were complete blind listens. Those are the best, because you never know what to expect. It's just you and the music.

That's how I heard of Chet Faker.

Upon recommendation, I gave the Australian singer/producer a shot and I've been listening to him ever since.  It was convenient that he was releasing music leading up to a new album too, because it gave me something to look forward to. He didn't release a faucet full of tunes, either. I pretty much went into Built On Glass with a clean slate and 11 new songs to enjoy. And I did it one random night. There's something about listening to music at that time. Whether on the way home from a mission or with headphones on full blast while laying in bed. Music just sounds more pure in the vampire hours.

What drew me to Chet was the fact he sounds like an old soul with enough elements of what's progressive that the lines get blurred and you don't even know where he lands when it's all said and done. He's like a Sam Smith, Aloe Blacc, Bon Iver mesh. There are saxophone and guitar solos on the album. He ends it with a song that sounds like Jodeci, or at the very least, a new age Ginuwine track. When he gets in that pocket, it's when he's at his best. All I had to guide me was "Talk Is Cheap" so that's what I give to you.

But I can only say so much. Listen to the album for yourself. Receive.

Downtown Records, you are appreciated. Mapei is on deck.

P.S. If we're talking about rappers here, Cozz got it. Jay 305 too. Oh, and Warm Brew.

Picked by: Will Oliver (@https://weallwantsome1), We All Want Someone to Shout For

As someone who is constantly shuffling through new music on a daily basis, it’s become rare for me to find a new band that captures both my heart and attention in powerful ways. These days it seems more and more buzz bands are leaving us just as quickly as they arrived.

But every so often you get a band that finds a way to work their magic on you instantly, captivating you from the start. One of those bands is GEMS.

I vividly remember my discovery of GEMS. It right after the worst of Hurricane Sandy was over that the band’s Lindsay Pitts reached out to me, sending over their very first song “Void Moon.” After a brutally tough week that was cold, wet, and just all-around awful, this band and song came out of no where and took my mind off the depressing situation, igniting some joy within me. I was totally swept in to their sound, something comparable to Beach House, sure, but something very unique and very much theirs

Since then the band has released a lot more material, various singles and their debut EP Medusa. I’ve seen them countless times live and have seen tremendous growth in the short period of time since I received that e-mail. The band continually finds ways to impress me, reminding me of why I believe in them so much.

Confusion, you asked me what band I anticipate blowing up. The answer is GEMS. Not only because their music has captivated me non-stop over the past year and a half, not only because Lindsay and Cliff are both incredibly nice people, but because they’re going about it the right way. They aren’t worried about the buzz, or doing anything that doesn’t feel right. They are instead going on their own path, creating some amazing tunes and an individually aesthetic to go along with it that is very much their own.

Big things are on the horizon for GEMS, it’s just a matter of time. Quote me on it.

Picked by: Zach Hart (@welistenforyou), We Listen For You

Guessing who will be "next to blow up" is extremely tough because to become the next "it" in any artistic industry you need LUCK. A band these days needs their sound to be very "now," look a certain way, and they still need a miracle. Louisville's The Deloreans are so different when it comes to their sound and look that I'm not sure they will ever "make it," but I must, for my own sanity, believe that the best music will always find a large audience.

That's exactly what The Deloreans are doing right now, being the most interesting and exciting unsigned secret in music. Their sound mixes in a range of influences from late '50s crooners to '70s guitars to Twin Peaks synths. What is undeniable is their music goes back to the days where the lead singer had to be overflowing with talent, the music immaculately arranged, and a unique perspective present. I'm not sure if they will ever "blow up," but if I worked A&R for any label, the first music I would slide across the table to my boss would be the perfect tunes of The Deloreans.

Picked by: Chris Danks (@yochristopher), Hillydilly

There was a time when Kygo was just another face in the sea of talented bedroom producers trying to get noticed. Then, almost out of nowhere, his stock began to skyrocket, and what was once a long-shot for the sonic big leagues is now starting to look like a sure thing. In the past couple of months, his name has been linked with music behemoths Chris Martin (Coldplay) and Diplo, among others, and although his sound has landed on a very specific aesthetic, it's clear that, like the aforementioned artists, what he's created is in very high demand.

What's perhaps more impressive, though, is that although he's only just been thrust into the spotlight a short while back, we're already seeing evidence that he's in it for the long haul. When his music was really starting to pick up steam, there were some who speculated that his sound was starting to stagnate, and that his signature "tropical house" (what the kids are calling it) had reached its saturation point with the fans. In response to this (or maybe because he was just way ahead of us), Kygo released his sweeping remix of M83's "Wait", after which all the naysayers were immediately silenced. It's this preemptive mentality that has bred longstanding success for some of music's biggest stars, and it looks like Kygo has it in spades as well.

With his first North American tour fast approaching, and with even more material in the works, the kid has a lot going for him right now, and although he probably wasn't the first one to cook up his style of dance music, it's almost undisputed that he's the closest anybody has come towards perfecting it. Even if his work evolves into something else entirely in the future, too, he will always be remembered as an innovator, and his music will be on playlists everywhere for years to come. The sunny notes and rolling melodies have already resonated with millions of fans, and if there was ever an artist whose prospects mirrored his music, it's Kygo, because his future is looking as bright as the soundscapes he's created.

Picked by: Sermon's Domain (@SermonsDomain)

Street music is one of my favorite kinds of hip-hop to listen to. However, I can't get down with a lot of what's being hyped up. I don't think some of these artists have skills. Kevin Gates embodies what being a rapper from the streets (of Baton Rouge) should sound like. He weaves vivid tales over dark production, seen heavily on Stranger Than Fiction. He's been through and seen so much that his ability to put us on the ground level is incredible. He's not glorifying what happened or making the streets sound like a great place to be. Just raw and uncut music.

Not only that, he's shown a passion for music as he's constantly introducing new things and experimenting with sounds. It's his redneck flow on "Careful." His determination on "Tiger." All that talk of being a Future clone ceased once people gave him a chance to show what he brings to the table. Atlantic Records has been putting out his mixtapes on digital retail with By Any Means doubling in first week sales in March. A smart tactic that shows the growth. Whether he makes a huge leap into the mainstream this year or next, Kevin Gates surely is one artist that will have next at some point.

Picked by: Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive), Fakeshore Drive

I have to go with rising Chicago emcee Lucki Eck$. He's one of the few rappers who has stopped me dead in my tracks and inspired me to search for more music. He first landed on my radar exactly a year ago when he sent me a song. I liked it, so I posted it. I get a lot of submissions from first timers who have dope songs—but many never follow up with anything that matches it. It's as if that was their one and only good idea. But Lucki's second submission was better than his first, and the next day I was calling him to take a meeting. I was that impressed.

He has a unique style, with wordplay that's mature beyond his years. There really isn't anyone who sounds like him in the game. His style of rap may be an acquired taste for some, but as he continues to cultivate his sound he's only going to get better and expand his fan base. Stay woke on this kid.

Picked by: Nathan Young (@fadedarrow), Faded Arrow

New York’s Alejandro Ghersi produces his disorienting, surreal music under the name Arca. He’s coming off an exciting and promising 2013, during which he lent his talents to Yeezus and FKA Twigs’ EP2 and released &&&&&, a 25-minute mix of jaw-dropping original work. With a full-length album on the way via Hippos in Tanks, there’s little doubt that Arca is poised for a massive year.

Picked by: Brent Burns (@KickKickSnare), Kick Kick Snare

Johnny Stimson is going to blow up in 2014. After a wildly successful release of his latest single, "SO. GOOD.," he can't get the supermodels or labels to stop calling. He had to get a burner phone like in The Wire. He's fresh off of headlining the entire US Communion tour (personally curated by Ben Lovett of Mumford and Sons) and about to play all over Europe. He's seen overwhelming hypemachine and blogosphere love (Grammy.com, MTV, Idolator, R29, etc etc). We've actually heard some unreleased songs and they are absolute fire. We're talking hit songs. Also, a few days ago he lit a candle with his falsetto so I think the government wants to talk with him about some "If I told you, I'd have to kill you" stuff.