Bubbling Up: Rising Songs Catchy Enough to be Mainstream Hits

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To be catchy, a song has to do more than just repeat itself. Repetition is a start, but it's also an easy way to get locked into a pattern.

To make the jump from the bedroom to the radio, a song has to strike an emotional chord that sticks with the listener, and leaves them wanting more when the last notes ring out. Here are 17 songs that do just that.

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3. Tiggs Da Author - "Georgia"

"Georgia" could have been written at any point in the last 50 years—Tiggs Da Author has written a timeless hit, a retrofitted soul song for the modern era. His confident vocals get boosted by a vintage, crackling filter and a super catchy chorus to make for one of 2015's catchiest tracks.

Part of the credit should go to Bobby Bland, whose "Shoes" serves as the sampled foundation for "Georgia." But Tiggs brings it all home with the chorus, earning his title of "da author" in the process. This guy is going to be big.

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5. LEISURE - "Take It To The Top"

When New Zealand quintet LEISURE comes to New York City next week, they'll be arriving on the winds of some serious hype. "Take It To The Top" is their fourth single in recent months, and they're 4/4. They've paving the funk-rock roads cleared by bands like Jungle, pairing hushed, sensual lyrics with insistent backbeats and a dedication to dancing.

For this latest cut, the band clambers on the back of a big walking bass line and adds tinges of psychedelic atmosphere to the proceedings. Yet another example of the great music coming out of New Zealand.

You can catch LEISURE in NYC on October 23.

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9. XYLØ - "L.A. Love Song"

XYLØ's signature brand of bittersweet pop has a way of sneaking up on you—crystal clear vocals and subtle, careful instrumentation make for a smooth listening experience, and the West Coast duo have taken their formula to new heights with "L.A. Love Song."

With a couple of intensely quotable hooks ("live fast, leave a pretty body") and just enough punch to keep things from ever getting morose, these two have further positioned themselves to make the mainstream leap. And with "L.A. Love Song" premiering on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show, the gears have already started turning.

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11. Kamau ft. No Wyld - "Jusfayu"

Amidst all the booming electronic production that dominates contemporary music, it's refreshing to hear a song that forgoes all types of instrumentation for beatboxing and a cappella harmonies.

But don't go thinking "Jusfayu" is some barbershop quartet doo-wop. Kamau's melodies are more in line with Andre 3000, and this latest single has enough vibrancy and vocal range to make Andre proud. With an assist from No Wyld, Kamau has turned in one of the feel-good jams of the year.

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13. Tor Miller - "Carter & Cash"

Tor Miller is signed with Glassnote Records (Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Childish Gambino, CHVRCHES), and at 20 years old, the New Yorker is ready to fully commit to a music career. “Carter & Cash” has indie sensibility, but with its huge hook and clean production, it could easily be a mainstream success.

“I traveled a lot during the time of my last relationship and we wrote many letters back and forth,” Tor explains. “At the end of each letter we would sign off with ‘you are the Carter to my Cash’ or vice versa. We, like many others, had an admiration for their story and relationship. It always seemed like something so pure and a possessed a depth which wasn’t present in most couples. And I guess thats what everyone wants in the end.”

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15. Nao - "Zillionaire"

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Nao's "Zillionaire" isn't your obvious pop hit, but it's got an undeniable futuristic bounce to it that merges sleek, modern production with a timeless groove. The song has been out since May, but that new Samsung commercial is sure to get plenty of new listeners hooked.

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17. Kill J - "You're Good But I'm Better"

"You're Good But I'm Better" has been one of my most-listened-to songs of the past two weeks. At first I labelled it a guilty pleasure—it pops like bubble gum at first, and I'm a super-serious music writer. But the more I listened, the more I realized Kill J put together one of the hardest songs in recent memory.

"Do I have to slit my fucking wrists to get an answer out of you?" These are the kind of rhetoricals the Scandanavian songstress lays at the feet of her lyrical prey, directed at "the crush that went stale and toxic," according to her SoundCloud. She goes on to say the song is about "the bitter cocktail made up of sexual frustration, feeling invisible, lovesickness and alcohol." If there's ever been a case for the creative benefits of alcoholism, this is it.

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19. The Japanese House - "Cool Blue"

The Japanese House is the project of Amber Bain, a U.K.-based artist with a penchant for unique vocal filters and unconventional song structure. She's followed up the success of "Still" with a flurry of heart-wrenching singles, the most recent of which is "Cool Blue."

The vibes are as serene as the title suggests, led by some feather-light guitar work and Bain's nimble voice, and the track really opens up around the one-minute mark. This one, of course, could never be a Diplo/Skrillex-type hit, more an M83 "Midnight City" type indie-mainstream crossover success. Get familiar below.

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21. Transviolet - "New Bohemia"

There will always be a place in the world for youthful pop anthems. Transviolet’s “New Bohemia” flirts with that over-the-top, idealistic type of rebellion that you see in teen movies, but teen movies can be awesome, and that take-over-the-world attitude can be inspiring. Plus, at its core, “New Bohemia” is a great song with strong production and an unforgettable chorus. Halsey's "New Americana" has 30 million plays on Spotify—could Transviolet's like-minded "New Bohemia" be next?

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23. Kodak Black - "Ran Up a Check"

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18-year-old Florida rapper Kodak Black doesn't fit in the rap soundscape of 2015, and that's exactly why he stands out. "Ran Up a Check" sounds like it could've been a summer hit from the mid-2000s, but that makes it no less enjoyable in 2015. Kodak has a bright future if he can stay out of trouble.

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25. Hinds - "Garden"

You know how, every now and again, a random indie song gets big after a placement in a commercial? That could be Hinds' "Garden," no doubt. It's a loose-limbed, 110% fun garage rock jam, but behind the fuzzy guitars and DIY aesthetic there is a real earworm of a chorus.

Hinds' debut album Leave Me Alone is out January 8 and we can't wait.

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27. Kelela - "Rewind"

Part of the appeal of Kelela's music is her forward-thinking approach to production. On Cut 4 Me she worked with the best of the Fade To Mind and Night Slugs camps, and on her new EP Hallucinogen she added Arca and DJ Dahi into the mix. But don't let the experimentally minded beats distract you from the fact that Kelela is a fantastic songwriter, continuing the R&B lineage of greats like Aaliyah.

"Rewind" is one of her brightest, most upbeat songs to date. It feels like it could have been a hit in the '90s, and it should be a hit in 2015.

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29. Pell - "Queso"

Pell's fantastic Floating While Dreaming mixtape may only be a year in the rearview, but he's already grown leaps and bounds as an artist. The proof is in the "Queso"—its bouncy, funk groove is a far cry from Pell's mixtape, but this addictive cut is evidence that he's developing and evolving with impressive speed.

"Queso" is one of Pell's biggest songs to date, and it's just starting to gain momentum.

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31. Klyne - "Closer"

Klyne comes all the way from the Netherlands, and the Dutch duo have made a name for themselves with a unique brand of minimalist dance-pop. They've been getting closer to finding that big single with each new release, and "Closer" might just be the one to put them over the top.

Built around a bouncy, glitchy synth that seems comprised of equal parts Disclosure and Jamie Woon, "Closer" is the kind of straight-ahead groove that can pop into your head hours after listening. It's an '80s-inspired dance jam with staying power. Look out for these two.

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33. Dev09 - "You Made Me"

18-year-old Indiana-based singer dev09 made a powerful introduction with “Lethal,” but it felt like just that: an introduction. At under two minutes long, it left a lot to be desired. For “You Made Me,” Dev is back with producer Stelios Phili, and she turns up the tempo for a more pop-leaning approach with a big hook. Despite the catchiness, “You Made Me” has teeth, thanks in part to Dev’s confidence, attitude, and liberal use of curse words.

Read more about dev09 here.

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35. Viola Beach - "Swings & Waterslides"

Viola Beach are four mates from the North of England who started writing songs and making music together, but if "Swings & Waterslides" is any indication, they're about to be a lot more than that. It's a jaunty indie rock song with a huge hook, built for primetime radio play and to be screamed by massive festival crowds.

"When I was younger I was into Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks. I still kinda try to do my own thing rather than become the next Arctic Monkeys or the next Kooks," Kris from the band told us. While we're backing Viola Beach to carve out their own lane, a few more songs like this one, and they'll be well on their way to A-list rock band level popularity.

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37. Demo Taped - "Game On"

If the bubbly, jagged, wonderfully colorful production that Demo Taped does so well was the norm for mainstream pop music—rather than generic EDM beats—the radio would be a whole lot easier to listen to. His latest, "Game On," is another gem, and when that hook hits, it sticks.

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Here's a playlist for your listening convenience, featuring all the songs from this list that appear on SoundCloud.

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