When scrolling through the Billboard Hot 100, it’s hard not to notice a theme. It is always the same seemingly endless cycle of the same artists with often formulaic songs beating each other out week after week.
Isn’t it time for a change? Isn’t it time for fresher sounds from newer artists? That’s why this installment of the Underground Roundup is once again focusing on artists with less than one million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Jessica Leigh
Out of Wellington has emerged Jessica Leigh, a self-described pop girl and rising star in New Zealand, already charting at No.17 on the nation’s hot singles charts with her song “missing you.” She has also already reached over 200,000 streams on Spotify for her song “WIRED,” which has also gained quite a bit of traction on TikTok.
Her musical style is heavily influenced by Lorde, Taylor Swift and MUNA, according to her website. This does not come as much of a shock to any listeners. The instrumentals on songs like the aforementioned “WIRED” and her newest release “GIRLFRIENDS” feature the glittery synths and thumping beats that one might have found on Swift’s “1989” and “Midnights” albums, as well as fellow New Zealand native Lorde’s “Melodrama.”
Others, however, are more lyrically driven, such as “17” and “SUMMER ROYALTY.” Both of these serve as odes to the brightness and the colorful nature of being young and in love, calling to mind images of coming-of-age movies and first loves.
Most recommended track: “SUMMER ROYALTY”
Arkells
Arkells is among the more popular artists that have been covered in this series, and for good reason. The band has quite a repertoire, expanding all the way back to 2008. Since then, the group has covered pretty much all of their bases, stylistically speaking. Their older songs are heavier and more rock-oriented, such as “John Lennon” and “Oh, The Boss Is Coming!”
The songs in the middle of their career, when they began to work with artists like k.flay and Aly & AJ, are more chaotic and eccentric, such as “You Can Get It” and “Leather Jacket.”
Recently, the group has been toning down their style for something more personal and traditional, using acoustic guitars and pianos in place of blaring electric guitars and drum beats. Their newest album “Laundry Pile” is chock full of these songs, like the upbeat “Skin” and the pensively loving “Quiet Love.”
Most recommended track: “Skin”
SUNSCREEN
Despite only starting to release music this year, SUNSCREEN is already proving to be someone to watch, already garnering over 5,000 listeners on Spotify during his short time on it.
His music is upbeat, energetic and busy. It uses electric guitars, layered and distorted vocals, blaring drums and synthesizers. While the busyness of all of his tracks might sound like a lot on paper, it works beautifully, especially in songs like “STAND UP” and “LET’S GO.”
As an added bonus, his music is not deceptively upbeat, and his songs’ lyrics are just as happy and bright as the instrumentals, as seen in songs like “SUMMERTIME,” which is all about falling in love and feeling like the weather has warmed up and the sun has come out.
Most recommended track: “SUMMERTIME”
asiris
asiris is another rising artist that has gained quite a bit of attention in recent times. Despite only releasing music on Spotify since 2022, he has already gathered a fanbase of over 250,000 monthly listeners.
And his popularity is for good reason, as his music holds up quite nicely. Songs like “my friend’s toyota” take a bit of a folksy approach, detailing the story of a girl who worries about the cold and a boy who’s madly in love with her and wants to take her to the mountains without letting her get cold.
Others like “ATX” are sadder, but have a thumping beat and soft vocals, detailing the homesickness and unmet expectations of adulthood.
Still others like “PEACH TEA” are brighter and more eccentrically mixed, with heavy distorted vocals and synthesizers alongside more traditional guitars.
Most recommended track: “my friend’s toyota”
