Artist Debuts
Earlier this summer, unknown 21-year-old singer-songwriter Ryn Weaver uploaded a track called “OctaHate” to SoundCloud. The song became a literal overnight sensation, with over 30,000 plays on the first day and over a million in two weeks. It was produced by Michael Angelakos (Passion Pit) and co-written with British singer Charli XCX.
French Style Furs is a brand new supergroup comprised of the LA-based soul rockers Cold War Kids‘ frontman Nathan Willet and bassist Matt Maust alongside We Barbarians drummer Nathan Warketin. Their debut album Is Exotic Bait was released on the Frenchkiss label with music inspired from 1980s proto-punk and lyrics inspired by the poetry of Trappist monk and mystic Thomas Merton.
An alternative reggae/rock/soul band from Kansas City, 77 Jefferson has released five albums independently and toured heavily for seven years, playing festivals and venues throughout North America. They have shared the stage with artists like Toots & The Maytals, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Jimmy Cliff, Katchafire, SOJA and many more.
Frances Cone is a Brooklyn born indie-folk band with arresting male-female vocal harmonies, beautiful song melodies and innovative production. Singer and keyboard player Christina Cone has garnered comparisons to Harriet Wheeler from The Sundays, but she also sounds like she’d fit perfectly in the middle of First Aid Kit’s singers.
New Music
Sinead O’Connor – I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss
Taking its cue from the Ban Bossy female empowerment campaign, Sinead O’Connor’s 10th studio album in a 27-year career is a guitar-driven, pop and blues-inspired recording. It includes a collaboration with Nigerian musician Seun Kuti, son of Fela, on the track “James Brown.” Other songs abound with themes of love, sensuality and betrayal as heard on “The Vishnu Room,” “Dense Water Deeper Down,” and the album’s lead single, “Take Me To Church”.
Rusko – !
Rusko drops a four-song EP simply titled ! that features a bit of silliness and a refreshing update to his “brostep” sound. Glitch hop and Trap are obvious influences in the opening tracks “Like A Boss” and “Sunshower,” while “Rusko Theme” sounds like a ‘70s fusion jam complete with a Seinfeld-esque bass solo. This is just the beginning as Rusko plans to release a second half later this year. If this EP is titled !, will the follow-up be ??
Peter Frampton – Hummingbird In A Box
The legendary guitar virtuoso’s 15th studio album has an unusual background – ballet dancing. Back in April, Peter Frampton joined forces with the Cincinnati Ballet for a production featuring two segments choreographed to his music, with Frampton and his band performing live. His first album since 2010’s Thank You Mr. Churchill, the mini-album Hummingbird In A Box features seven original guitar pieces in his virtuosic styling.
Genre Stations
Enjoy the following new stations we’ve created for Back To School:
Here’s a station that plays the biggest hits from the summer of 2014 and we’ll keep adding the latest releases throughout the fall.
Tracks include: “Fancy,” “Am I Wrong,” “Boom Clap,” “Turn Down For What”
With huge bass drops, slammin’ beats and party raps, Bass In Yo Face will get you ready for the big game or a night on the town.
Artists include: Yellow Claw, Martin Garrix, Borgore, The Chainsmokers
Beats For Studying is the latest Pandora station utilizing music to help focus your concentration. Featuring meditative hip-hop beats, downtempo lounge rhythms and a mellow jazzy sound, Beats For Studying will provide the perfect background for your studies with an instrumental beat head feel. Pete Rock, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Gramatik, Madlib, Bonobo and Tokimonsta all showcase their velvety side on Beats for Studying.
Pandora lights up the new sunshine reggae sound with Cali Reggae. Here you’ll find US reggae artists roaming the festival circuit like Rebelution, SOJA, Groundation, Iration, Tribal Seeds and Rootz Underground. Whether you’re kicking it at the beach, the park, your dorm room or backyard, Cali Reggae rolls up all your favorite American reggae bands into one.
Dig this collection of the most popular contemporary Latin club genres. Included herein is Uptempo Reggaeton, Merengue Urbano, Latin Dance Pop, Dembow and whatever else is hovering at about 120 BPM. This is the music that the kids are sweating to from coast to coast.
Artists include: Yandel, Enrique Iglesias, Juan Magan, Pitbull
Give your brain some breathing room with Study Break Comedy. Featuring tracks by hilarious favorites like Aziz Ansari, John Mulaney, Wyatt Cenac and Amy Schumer, you’ll be able to return to your homework refreshed and ready to work—if you can stop laughing!
