Boston is gearing up to claim its spot as a music hub, with these rising stars leading the way. From pop-punk and emo to hip-hop and indie, these acts aren't just dropping innovative tracks; they have the stage presence and energy to hit the road and represent our rockin' city. Catch them at a local venue and support live music here in Boston.
photo credit: Bermuda Search party facebook
Energetic and uplifting, Bermuda Search Party is a band that gets the crowd moving and brightens up any stage. After forming at Berklee and cutting their teeth on Boston's music scene, they released their debut album Melancholy Flowers in 2022. Since then, they've racked up Boston Music Awards nominations and played hundreds of shows, including festivals like Boston Calling, Levitate and SXSW.
Photo Credit: Alison Harbaugh
Matt Lorenz, the creative force behind The Suitcase Junket, brings a distinct "doom folk" sound to the stage with this project. His stage name reflects his busking roots, where he used suitcases as drums during his travels. That DIY approach remains central to the music today, with unconventional instruments that he builds himself featured in his live shows.
Photo Credit: Weakened Friends Facebook
Weakened Friends mixes the fun of Veruca Salt with the brought low of The Breeders for a loud, grungy, and memorable sound. Their music makes you want to loosen your tie and join in on their quirky and catchy tunes. The trio band of indie-rockers formed in 2015 to charm you with hooky guitars and vocals with a driving backbeat. Weakened Friends is a force to be reckoned with, appealing to your inner teenager with relatable lyrics.
Photo Credit: Latrell James Facebook
Latrell James has been making waves in the Boston hip-hop scene. The Dorchester native gained major recognition in 2017 as the voice behind Cheerios’ ‘Good Goes Around’ national campaign. However, Latrell’s journey started much before that. As early as 12 he was rapping at home and making beats. A self-starter by nature, he started teaching himself production and began quietly building his brand. Catch him at Boston Calling on May 23rd.
Palehound photo Courtesy of Polyvinyl
Perhaps the most important emotive songwriter to come from Boston in many years, Palehound's Ellen Kempner is a preternatural superstar. She speaks somewhat softly but directly to young fans with touching songs about loss, love and toasters. Highly recommended for fans of Elliott Smith, Waxahatchee, and The Coathangers for reference.
PVRIS Photo Credit Brandon Taelor Aviram
These Lowell-based rockers have seen some lineup changes over the years, but frontwoman Lynn Gunn continues to pull in listeners with their dreamlike sound. With energy that sweeps you away, PVRIS is perfect for fans of Thirty Seconds To Mars and Paramore. Catch them supporting Linkin Park on August 1st at TD Garden.
photo credit: Paula Champagne
Indie-folk singer Kaiti Jones has been honing her craft for over a decade. Her deeply emotional lyrics feel like personal letters or diary entries, as she writes to make sense of the world. Her songs explore themes of existential angst and lost love, growing into rich stories that take months or years to fully evolve.
Photo Credit: Cousin Stizz Facebook Page
Dorchester native Cousin Stizz is opening doors for a new wave of rappers from our city. Stizz made his mark with the 2015 release of his mixtape Suffolk County. When Drake blasted Stizz’s track “Shoutout” at his birthday party, Stizz’s success became undeniable. Since then, he's signed to RCA Records, released four albums, played Boston Calling and toured nationally. We’re excited to see what Stizz has cooking this year.
Photo Credit: Ballroom Thieves Instagram
This harmony-heavy, self-proclaimed “rock band in a folk suit” formed at Stonehill College in 2010. After raking in awards at the 2016 Boston Music Awards, including Folk Artist of the Year, Americana Artist of the Year, and Live Artist of the Year, Ballroom Thieves aren't stopping any time soon.
Photo by CDAmedia.us
The Boston-based funk/pop band Ripe is making crowds shake and get funky by infusing the musical influence of funk and psychedelic music into their sound while still pushing forward and innovating. The members met at Berklee College of Music and graduated in 2015 and 2016. Ripe has been rocking Boston clubs and getting people dancing for years, but the rest of the world seems to be taking notice and we’re seeing the band hitting bigger and better stages by the day.
photo credit: red shaydez Instagram
Red Shaydez is a Boston-native rapper, educator and incubator of extraordinary talent. She is a Recording Academy voting member (GRAMMYs) and a Boston Music Award-winning hip-hop artist, celebrated for her powerhouse presence. Over the past decade, she's headlined festivals like A3C in Atlanta and BAMS Fest in Boston.
As you can see, it's hard to define a "Boston Sound" these days. Our music scene is diverse, sounding just as quiet as it is loud, and emotional as it is raucous. Boston is a breeding ground for talent that's ready to break out, so support these acts now because they won't stay local for long. Grab a ticket, hit a local venue and be part of the musical landscape of our city.
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