As the music industry wakes up from its holiday slumber and begins the new year, attention shifts to developing new artists whose careers are beginning to build. Below are forty hand-picked artists of varying genres and current levels of success. Some are completely independent, while others have already topped charts. Regardless, all of them show potential to be even bigger names, particularly in America, in the coming year. Listen to the artists through this SoundCloud playlist, and check back later in the year to see how these predictions turned out. Continue reading “Class Of 2015: 40 promising artists to watch this year”
Bruno Mars
As the industry settles down during the holiday season, the chart continues to be quiet. Martin Luke Brown scores a tenth week at the top with “Nostalgia,” becoming the longest chart leader of the year. The only movement in the top ten comes from Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, whose “Uptown Funk” jumps Jamie Scott’s “Unbreakable” to finally enter the top three, following five weeks at #4, in its seventh week on the chart. Only four songs make their debut this week: The Voice finalist Chris Jamison and Wet each score their first entries, while Nicki Minaj (featuring Jessie Ware) and Madonna both return with new album tracks.
The top three are stagnant this week, but just below, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars slide up three spots to #4 in their second week on the chart with “Uptown Funk,” while One Direction scores their second top-ten placement this album cycle as “Night Changes” vaults from #33 to #8. And while 1D scores several debuts upon the release of new album FOUR, it’s Sinclair who scores the top debut, with “Heaven On Earth” entering at #45 under a big #58-#30 jump for “The World Is Ours.” In addition to One Direction’s five debuts, new entries include chart newcomers Tor Miller and I Know Leopard, as well as new debuts from Sinclair, Lifehouse, and Nick Jonas. Kelly Clarkson also scores the first seasonal song to enter the chart this year, as “Wrapped In Red” debuts at #92. It’s the title track and first song to chart from her 2013 holiday album, since my chart went on hiatus late last year – her last song to chart was “Tie It Up,” which peaked at #35 last fall.
Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars easily score the week’s highest debut, entering at #7 with “Uptown Funk.” One Direction scores another big entry with a #33 debut for new single “Night Changes,” while the rest of the debuts include chart newcomers Six60, Bahamas, Francesco Yates, BØRNS, and CAFUNÉ.