This past year, we were treated to an assortment of diverse rock and metal bands, all of which solidified their status in the music industry, including:
- Screamo outfit Eyes Set To Kill
- Metalcore syndicate The Word Alive
- Pop punkers Four Year Strong
- Solo-driven Never Shout Never
With 2011 around the corner, there is a fresh crop of talented music artists looking to make their breakthrough in an industry that desperately seeks new stars.
Five diverse bands to listen to in 2011
#5 Black Gold: Most Overlooked Band
Black Gold is the music industry’s most overlooked gem,waiting to be adored on a global scale. Since their formation in 2006, the Brooklyn tandem has toured alongside mega pop rock band Panic! At The Disco, had their single “Plans & Reveries” featured on The CW’s One Tree Hill, and their radio-friendly smash “Shine” appeared as the farewell song on the seventh season of So You Think You Can Dance.
#4 XFactor1: The Right Direction
XFactor1 truly personifies the DIY mentality. Since their formation in late 2005, the Ohio-based metal quintet have released three projects (2006’s Something Inside EP, 2007’s full-length studio debut and live CD Live Another Day and 2008’s sophomore set American Dream) and moved over 40,000 units independently.
#3 Soulidium: Trapped and Vampires
Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails always had powerful music accompanied by unforgettable theatrical shows. Nowadays, that’s a lost art but not to worry. Soulidium has arrived to fill that void. The Tampa-based quintet has a fascination with vampires, but not in a Twilight kind of way. Instead, the hard rock collective draws their inspiration from the sophistication of the creatures and incorporates that element into their records and live performance.
#2 Twin Atlantic: Next Euro Band to Blow Up
After spending the past four years putting the United Kingdom on lockdown, Twin Atlantic is ready to impose their will on the ‘States with a delectable pop rock flavor that is bound to saturate the mainstream market. Having already toured with groups like the Smashing Pumpkins, Funeral For A Friend and the Lost Prophets, the Scottish-bred quartet released their mini album Vivarium, which yielded indie highlights “What Is Light? Where Is Laughter?” and “You’re Turning Into John Wayne.”
#1 I Fight Dragons: Lyrics Galore
They aren’t necessarily knights in shining armor, but I Fight Dragons are slaying everything in their path. Formed in 2008, the Chicago-based sextet uniquely combined elements of pop rock with a Nintendo-influenced flavor (both sound wise and visually) that quickly stole the hearts of boys, girls and, unsurprisingly, video game fanatics. After releasing a plethora of songs off their website for free and dropping their official EP Cool Is Just A Number in 2009, the group’s following became even stronger.
Other Memorable Rock Moments from 2010:
- The Beatles are finally on iTunes
- Red Bull Soundclash redefines competition
- Bruce Springsteen sings Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair”
- Jay-Z performs at Coachella
- Steven Tyler becomes a judge on TV’s “American Idol”
Do you agree with this list? If not, let us know by leaving a comment below.
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