10 Artists Winning on SoundCloud in 2017

While blog coverage can certainly help an artist, it’s not a prerequisite. Thanks to the introduction of internal support like SoundCloud’s repost function, plenty of artists have managed to bring in huge numbers despite relatively small followings and minimal media coverage. Even the viral success story is becoming traditional fare, and as such some artists are building their fanbases in smarter, more gradual ways.

Success online often leads to real life fans, working as a stepping stone to selling out tours across the country. Whether it be through clever collaborations or nurturing an increasingly hungry group of die-hards, artists once thought of as niche are translating a reliable online presence into a career arc. That's why, for so many new artists, SoundCloud, Twitter, and Instagram have become more important than getting a deal or working with PR companies.

Here are 10 rising artists who are killing it on SoundCloud right now.

While it’s not uncommon for rappers and singers to produce their own music, few artists match up to the double-threat of St. Louis’ Dylan Brady. With his second album due sometime this year, Dylan promises to turn more heads than ever in 2017. His debut project, All I Ever Wanted, set the tone wonderfully, showcasing just how colorful his production can be. With the follow-up EP, Choker, Dylan proved that he was more than capable of matching the production with some incredibly catchy vocals, too.

Through his production with Night Lovell, Dylan has truly flourished as a producer, but he’s just as fantastic on his own, too. “Little Bando” and “Coming Down” both have the kind of weirdo pop-sheen that are capable of propelling Dylan into the spotlight, giving us hope that his next album will be his biggest and best release yet.

Formerly anonymous, Cali rapper and singer Indica partnered with a number of SoundCloud cult favorites for a promising self-titled effort last summer. Atop production from Vague001, Ryanjacob, and Blvc Svnd, Indica intricately flowed over the bouncy production to create one of the most immediate projects of the year.

For a debut project, Indica delivered something pretty remarkable. It might be a little too repetitive at times, but the release showcased just how carefully Indica honed in on his sound. He’s definitely got his aesthetic down, and his first project made it clear he could very well deliver on that immense promise with his second full-length.

A few years ago, French-Algerian artist Ta-Ha released the hypnotic “Lil Bit,” and while she kept quiet for most of 2015, she really stepped things up in 2016. By releasing two stellar EPs, Ta-Ha made her return and got people talking again. From the opening track of her X-RayZ EP, “I Deserve It,” it’s evident that Ta-Ha knows success will arrive sooner rather than later.

Atop dreamy production, Ta-Ha concocts a cloudy atmosphere akin to a world unlike our own. Vivid imagery abound, Ta-Ha provides the same surreal reference points that catapulted Yung Lean to stardom. It’s pretty clear that a lot of her lyrics aren’t meant to be taken too literally, but anyone who opens a song with, “I fell in love with a yakuza” has our full attention.

Over the past year, there’s been an increasing embrace of the much-dreaded “rap-rock” tag. Through some inventive means, artists have been able to adapt ill-advised genre concoctions of the past for the modern age. But where rap-rock previously faltered, artists like Lil Peep are excelling, through a balanced approach to both halves of the descriptor. Rather than sounding like Korn or Linkin Park, Lil Peep’s music is more akin to a rap side-project by Brand New or American Football.

Your enjoyment of Peep’s music will likely come down to how much that description appeals to you, or how much it pisses you off. He’s quickly coming something of a controversial figure because of this. His inflection sits somewhere between suburban emo and Blink-182’s UFO-loving Tom DeLonge, albeit filtered through the sounds of cloud-rap and elements of Future’s more energetic output. Despite the amount of attention he’s received online on Twitter, SoundCloud, and Tumblr, he’s pretty much alluded media coverage up until very recently, receiving coverage from a number of large outlets in one big swoop.

With the rate at which he’s been releasing projects, Peep is getting harder to ignore, setting himself up to amass more fans than ever in 2017.

Even as he continues to rake in plays online, Blank Body isn’t a name that receives as much attention as it should. Regularly raking up over 50,000 plays on his solo tracks, Blank Body possesses a wholly unique, modern sound that  makes him stand out among the legions of other producers crowding SoundCloud. Whenever a rapper or singer enlists his production for a track, it often becomes an instant highlight in their catalog. He's equally deadly when left to his own devices, as heard on jagged, bass-heavy tracks like "HIGHRISE."

It might seem like it happened out of nowhere, but Florida rapper Wifisfuneral has put in work to get where he is. Through collaborations with Robb Banks and New Orleans duo Suicideboys, Wifisfuneral has established a growing fanbase. From his earlier lo-fi recordings to his bouncy single “It Don’t Matter,” Wifi has progressed a lot in the short time he’s been releasing music.

Like many other rappers gaining traction online, he’s got a hell of a work ethic, and it’s clear that it’ll pay off big time for the rapper this year. He released his most recent project, When Hell Falls, just last week.

Chicago rapper Melo Makes Music has all the makings of an underground success, despite his seemingly small following. What he lacks in followers, however, he more than makes up for with plays. “Murphy’s Law” and the Ravyn Lenae-featuring “Drain U” have both brought in over 100,000 listens each, a huge jump from his pre-2016 output. The numbers don't lie—these exciting collaborations are paired with Melo's increasingly confident songwriting, and it's paying off. 

Atop gorgeous production from Martin Sky, Melo flexes his vocals with an energetic delivery that refuses to sit still on "Drain U." Stretching his voice back and forth, frequently straining his limits before bringing things back down, Melo is improving track by track. If he can keep this quality up, then he’s guaranteed to have a fantastic year ahead of him.

Philadelphia-based producer Instupendo is somewhat of an anomaly in the SoundCloud community, if only because he’s managed to garner over half a million listens on tracks that are essentially ambient. His dinky, raw production is instantly enjoyable, and tracks like “Six Forty Seven” and “Long Live” have become part of the regular rotation. Focusing on melodies and a gentle ambience, Instupendo provides a really nice change of pace from the rest of the artists with big numbers on SoundCloud.

20-year-old producer and singer Lund has amassed some crazy stats on SoundCloud over the past few years, and he's done it all from behind a veil of anonymity. With his online presence nothing more than a series of CGI skeletons accompanying his songs, Lund has continued to build out his brand and refine his sound.

Lund has made it obvious why tracks like “Broken” have racked up over two million plays, and with his debut album on the way this year, the enigmatic artist will be finally be getting the overdue attention he deserves. Considering all we know about the artist is his music and nothing else, he’s left one hell of an impression.

Despite his his unassuming name and online presence, 16yrold has been putting in some serious work. “Rita Ora,” a track with St. Louis rapper Aaron Cartier, has reached over a million listens and even attracted the interest of the titular subject. His booming production never overcomplicates itself, and perhaps that’s why his music has been so shareable on SoundCloud—16yrold's instantly accessible but still creative production fits on any party playlist.