I tend to listen to a lot of bands that not many people have heard of. When I tell people what I’m listening to, they often respond with “Oh, I’ve never heard of them.” Well, here’s a list of my current favorite bands and solo artists (in no particular order) that are drastically underrated and who you should definitely check out.
- Arrested Youth
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I’ve been a fan of Arrested Youth (also known as Ian Johnson) for almost two years. His sound is similar to that of Twenty One Pilots (in my opinion), yet wholly unique. He only has two albums currently available (Fear and his latest EP Sobville Episode 1) and both are stunning works of art with deeper messages behind each song.
My Favorite Songs: “Black X White” from Fear and “What You’re Made Of” from Sobville
- Missio
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I’ve been a fan of this band for a couple years now, and though they’ve been gaining a bit more popularity lately, I still believe they deserve more. Founded by Texans Matthew Brue and David Butler in 2015, the duo currently has two full-length albums available (Loner and The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man). Brue’s voice is hauntingly beautiful and their lyrics are just as catchy as they are meaningful.
My Favorite Songs: “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” from Loner and “Underground” from The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man
- American Teeth
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This is a relatively new project, led by Elijah Noll, who I only heard of recently when they opened before Arrested Youth at a Dreamers concert I went to. Though I had never heard of them before, their set absolutely blew me away. At this moment in time, they have only released two songs (“Chemicals” and “2late”) but the energy Noll brought to the stage was infectious and a perfect way to open a show.
My Favorite Songs: “Chemicals” and “2late” (obviously)
- Authentic Pines
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Authentic Pines is a Chicago-based rock band made up of Joel Smith, Vince Savarino, Charlie Fredian, Charlie Verdico, and Nathan Markiewicz. Their style is unique yet feels familiar. It’ll make you want to dance, but if you look into the lyrics, you might cry from all the emotion they pour into their lyrics and performances.
My Favorite Songs: “Pineapple Boy” from Better Broken and “Slackline” from Mother Naysayer
- Fredo Disco/Disco Inc.
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This is another Chicagoland-based indie group. Led by frontman Fredo Fosco, their sound is entirely unlike anything I’ve heard before and their lyrics are incredibly relatable to college students. Fredo’s vocals are distinctively beautiful and together they make very cool music (for very cool people).
My Favorite Songs: “prom, post prom, etc.” from Very Cool Music for Very Cool People and “Ghost of Mariano’s” from The Boredom Keeps Me Up at Night
- Badflower
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Like Missio, Badflower has also been gaining a bit more attention recently (which makes me very happy) and it is 100% deserved. Josh Katz, Joey Morrow, Alex Espiritu, and Anthony Sonetti make up the California rock band who perform songs on a range of topics. With songs about anxiety, addiction, and politics, Badflower do a good job of drawing attention to important issues through surprisingly catchy tunes and emotional lyrics.
My Favorite Songs: “x ANA x” and “Promise Me” from OK, I’M SICK
- Wax Charmer
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Stemming from former alternative group Jubilo Drive, Wax Charmer is a new band made up of Jordan Kleinman, Henry Kuckens, and Jacob Lauing. Their first (and only) single, “Emblem” mixes several different genres to create a sound completely unique to Wax Charmer.
My Favorite Song: “Emblem”
- Aaron Shadrow
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21 year old Aaron Shadrow is currently on tour as the energetic guitarist for Arrested Youth, but his solo music is not to be forgotten. Shadrow is insanely talented and his first album, First Touch, released in December of 2018, is a gorgeous blend of influences from a multitude of different genres.
My Favorite Songs: “Her Name” and “You’re on the Phone, I’m on the Freeway” from First Touch
- Evan Konrad
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From his captivating cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” at Lollapalooza, I was hooked. Evan Konrad’s voice is mesmerizing and he completely defines the alt-rock genre despite only having released two songs at this point.
My Favorite Songs: “The Long Way Out” and “Come on Snake, Let’s Rattle”