Everyone loves the feeling of “I knew them before they were big.” If you’re an avid music lover, you’re probably always looking for new songs to add to your playlists or show your friends. There are so many underrated artists waiting to be discovered, especially within the indie genre. If you’ve been looking for a new favorite artist to gatekeep, here’s a list of seven upcoming indie artists, all with less than 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
- Phoneboy
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Phoneboy, consisting of three members from New Jersey, has an indie pop-rock sound with songs about relationships, memories with friends, and growing up. Last fall, the band came to TCNJ for CUB’s Alt show, where they performed songs off their self-titled 2021 album, sold merch, and met students. This past winter, they also served as one of the openers for The Happy Fits, and will soon be starting their own headline tour. Over the past few weeks, they have been slowly releasing songs after their new album “Moving Out,” which will be released on March 24.
- Ax & the Hatchetmen
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Despite the slightly unsettling name, the band has very upbeat music and an even livelier stage presence when performing. Ax & the Hatchetmen are comprised of seven men from Chicago, one being the lead singer Axel (hence the name), and they even have a trumpet and a saxophone player. Their music can fall under many different genres, like indie pop and rock and roll, while even including elements of jazz and surf rock within their songs. The band currently has one EP out, called “Bear on the Roof,” along with multiple singles. The band formed in 2018 and is still releasing music and touring.
- Joe P
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Joe P has become a lot bigger within the past year and now has 981,545 monthly listeners on Spotify. One of the reasons for this is that a few of his songs have blown up on TikTok, especially “Off My Mind,” which currently has over 25 million streams. He started making music during the pandemic, where he wrote and recorded his music in his basement in Asbury Park, NJ. He will also be headlining his own tour soon starting in April, where he will be playing nearby in Philadelphia and Brooklyn.
- Juice
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Juice was another performer at TCNJ, who came to the most recent spring CUB Alt show. The six-piece band from Brooklyn released their first EP in 2018, “Workin’ on Lovin’,” and currently has one other EP and an album out. The band describes their unique sound as “blending rock, pop, R&B, and hip-hop.” The band recently opened for The Dip for part of their tour and will be performing at the Boston Calling festival this spring over Memorial Day Weekend. While at TCNJ, the band explained that they are currently working on new music, and has recently put out a live EP with five of their songs.
- Mickey Darling
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Mickey Darling is a duo from San Antonio, TX with a strong indie pop sound. Austin Medrano primarily provides the instrumentals, while Skyler Molina is the lead singer. Their fun and witty lyrics grab the attention of the listeners, especially in songs like “VROOM VROOM” and “Reverse Cowgirl.” The pair have been playing small shows since September and will conclude their tour at the end of April. The two members also make their own solo music, with Medrano’s more alternative project called “Nico Days,” and Molina’s project “Sad Brad.” The two even have a separate side project together called “Late Night Jog,” which they describe as an experimental hip-hop sound.
- Kevin Walkman
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Kevin Walkman has a very similar sound to Mickey Darling, and the two even have a song together called “OhNo!”. Kevin Walkman’s music is defined by his witty, creative lyrics and fast-paced indie pop sound, even incorporating some hip-hop elements in his music. Though he only has six songs at the moment, one of them, “it’s alright,” has blown up on TikTok and has earned over 10 million streams on Spotify. He will soon be starting his own tour, with the first show being in Philly on April 19, where he will perform his new EP, “Thank You For Coming,” for the first time.
- The Regrettes
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If you’re a fan of Wallows, you may already know The Regrettes. The lead singer and songwriter of The Regrettes, Lydia Knight, used to date the lead singer of Wallows and the star of 13 Reasons Why, Dylan Minnette, before their breakup last December. One of their biggest songs, “Barely on my Mind” has amassed nearly 10 million streams on Spotify and encapsulates the sound of their 2022 album “Further Joy,” which they describe as their “poppiest, and danciest” album yet. The band will be touring with Yungblud throughout the spring before playing at the Hinterland Music Festival in August.