From UK synth pop to red state alternative rock, we reached out to the 10 artists who are on our playlists, climbing the charts, and shattering instagram. This month: Brooklyn’s electro duo Fly By Midnight, UK indie pop Caezar, LA pop act VOILÀ, North Carolina’s rock act Lowborn, Nate Head, Cleveland’s Recess, South Africa’s Leandro, Canada’s Krowns, indie sensation Fil Bo Riva, and New Mexico’s local radio darling Maiya.

Fly By Midnight are making with waves with the new track You Belong.  Formed by former MTV’s Dream Bigger reality star and multi-instrumentalist, Justin Bryte, and producer- songwriter Slavo, the duo has been dropping singles garnering music label interest. Releasing their music via AWAL, the duo just dropped their debut album with the latest single You Belong landing on Spotify’s New Music Friday, Apple Music’s Breaking Pop & A-List Pop, and Soundcloud’s Fresh Pressed.  CONTINUE READING

Los Angeles-based pop duo YVR dropped the new track “Messy”. It has big hooks that could go on the album of any seasoned pop artist and probably chart. Think Tove Lo meets Betty Who. The duo is made up of Courtney Jenae who began as a solo artist and rose to popularity on YouTube while Stephen Stahl is a music producer. Additionally, the couple worked with and wrote songs for K-POP acts like Exo and Girls Generation. YVR tells Kings “The song is about the power of having your cake and eating it too regardless of what the consequences may be”.  Give it a stream.
weareyvr@gmail.com

Krowns dropped the second track Fake It that comes off of their new album in January. The alternative three-piece from Canada worked with music producer Stephen Kozmeniuk (Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar) – crafting electro rock songs with big hooks. Although I really loved the debut track High While The World Ends – the new single Fake It is more innovative with the band starting to sound like themselves.
Plus, this is a better track written about peer pressure:
“We fake it to survive We fake it
We fake this plastic life We fake it
They don’t know what it’s like
To be locked out of paradise
Always hiding behind this disguise”

Give the track the stream!

The NFL first made waves when it revealed that it does not pay its halftime acts a performance fee. The NFL may want to consider coughing up money because artists simply don’t want the gig anymore. You would think artists would jump at the opportunity to perform for a 100 million watchers.

Although the NFL likes to have younger artists perform, regardless, Maroon 5 took the non-paying Super Bowl gig. The pop band reached out to a half of dozen stars to appear as featured guests, but none have agreed. According to sources, the featured guests including Cardi B, Andre Benjamin, and Mary J. Blige turned down the offer.

As one insider said about the halftime show, “Nobody wants to be associated with it.”

But why? Some say the NFL became overly controversial with a player’s right to protest. A-list artists don’t want the risk of alienating their fanbase for a non-paying gig. Since Atlanta will host the Super Bowl, Maroon 5 is looking for a local act to perform with them.