Best 5 bands of 2020 you may not have heard of: Beach Bunny to Sleep Token, don't miss out on these underrated artists
The art of music never stops growing, and with countless content on popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, YouTube on more, it's easy to get lost in finding a great band/artist in the thick of it all. The online platforms and social media certainly boost musical careers, but numerous artists all-too-often go under the radar or are later deemed "underrated" when they should have gotten the much-needed attention, to begin with. With that in mind, we want to showcase some of the best rising acts of 2020 that you may not have heard of. Check out our top five below:
Sleep Token
Associated genres: Alternative metal, progressive metal, ambient
Don't let their masked, cryptic appearances fool you. Sleep Token can just as much let out some of the most soulful vocals you've heard as they can get you pumped or headbanging to the sounds of metal music. They've been around for a while already, debuting in 2016 with their EP 'One', but we can't let some potential fans go without an introduction to this alluring band.
Recommended song: 'Blood Sport', 'The Offering'
As mentioned earlier, Sleep Token's music has a strong focus on metal music, yet breaks that cut into melodic vocals are immensely soulful and deep-cutting. Although many genre descriptions have been tethered to their name by critics, is it safe to call them "soul-metal"? It wouldn't do justice to link them to one genre, though, and for that reason, we want to make an exception with our suggestion of song to listen to by including two that deliver an epic variety. Listen to 'Blood Sport' and 'The Offering' below:
Fantastic Negrito
Associated genres: American folk, roots, blues, R&B
An artist with a defiant acceptance for eccentric flair in his appearance and music that will give thump your chest cavity, Fantastic Negrito is certainly one to look out for. He is also a musician whose passion for music is without limits and felt in every song: he learned to play music by sneaking into music classrooms at the University of California Berkeley despite not being a student there, according to BBC.
Recommended song: 'Plastic Hamburgers'
A song off the album 'Please Don't Be Dead', which released in 2018, the powerful 'Plastic Hamburgers' is about the prescription drug epidemic in the US. Check out the official music video below.
Do Nothing
Associated genres: alternative/indie
One of the earlier bands on our lists, Do Nothing stepped into the musical arena with their EP 'Zero Dollar Bill'. A band that mixes up the wacky and funky, Do Nothing's music has already ignited the attention of listeners and critics. In an interview with Loud And Quiet, frontman Chris Bailey said, “In the past, I’ve tried to be something else, I’ve always tried to emulate something that I like, but there came a certain point when I just started doing exactly what is me." He added, "We used to play quite complex music, but I just wanted to do something a bit more minimalist, that just had the ingredients that it needed and left a bit of space. And then later on you can add some fucking bells and flowers and shit when you’ve run out of simple things to do.”
Recommended song: 'LeBron James'
'LeBron James' features as the lead track for their debut EP. It includes spoken-word vocals, a nonchalant bassline, twangy guitars, percussive resonating "fucking bells and flowers and shit" and we love it. Listen to 'LeBron James' below.
Beach Bunny
Associated genres: indie pop, pop-punk, emo
Beach Bunny is a U.S. indie pop band that have been making music and performing since 2015, but they fall into the "underrated" category on our list and deserve way more attention. The group released their debut studio album, 'Honeymoon', in February this year, and have regularly been praised for their sincere and honest take on making music and in their public appearances. Beach Bunny's music is infectious, easy-listening, and easily relatable, and the world needs more unpretentious artists such as this.
Recommended song: 'Prom Queen'
Lead singer Lili Trifilio wrote 'Prom Queen' for a friend that was struggling with body issues. The song has been called "a protest of Euro-centric beauty standards." Among several positive reviews, The Chicago Tribune said the track "distills tween anxiety and self-doubt with a rare directness. It’s a survivor’s manual dressed up in dark wit and a sharp, guitar-driven melody."
Girl in Red
Associated genres: indie pop, dream pop, lo-fi
A Norwegian indie-pop singer-songwriter, Girl in Red has been active since 2015 when she began writing and releasing Norwegian music to SoundCloud under the moniker of "Lydia X." Using her current moniker of Lady in Red, she published her debut single 'I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend' on SoundCloud in November 2016, where it got about 5,000 streams within five months. In early 2019, Girl in Red won her first award when she was presented with "Norwegian Newcomer of the Year" at the 2018 GAFFA Awards and is increasingly becoming popular with every new song.
Recommended song: 'Rue'
'Rue' is Girl in Red's latest single and the first off her upcoming debut album. With this track, the singer deals with escapism, singing lyrics like, "I remember you couldn’t stop crying. You found me when I thought I was dying. Believe me when I say. I tried so hard to change."