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”

With another week of the top ten resting fairly stagnant, the week’s big movers are from newcomers charging toward the chart’s upper reaches. I Know Leopard makes a big jump from #87 to #21 in their second week on the chart with “Perfect Picture,” while Sinclair, One Direction, and Tor Miller all make double-digit jumps in the top fifty. The week’s new entries include a new track from Montaigne, whose first hit “I’m A Fantastic Wreck” also returns after peaking at #12 in July; a re-recorded version of Paramore’s self-titled album track “Hate To See Your Heart Break” featuring Joy Williams (formerly of The Civil Wars) also enters at #70. In addition, the chart gains new singles from Labrinth, The Neighbourhood featuring French Montana, and Olly Murs featuring Travie McCoy, along with newcomers Brayton Bowman and The Avener.

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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.

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