Check Out These Up-and-Coming Indie Bands

by Irina Knezevic

We mainly hear the same pop artists on the radio who rake in millions of monthly listeners, leaving the efforts of smaller artists to remain undiscovered. While their wildly catchy melodies are a fun listen, you might appreciate venturing into new genres and expanding your taste in music. Fortunately, indie rock is gaining more traction, with its unique sounds, fit for multitudes of environments. Here are some phenomenal underrated bands you can check out!

First, we have Flipturn. Based in Florida, the bands' more recent and popular hits include "August" from their 2018 album and "Chicago" from their 2017 album. The lead singer, Dillon Basse, contributes to Flipturn’s unique, instantly identifiable sound. The aura coming off of the tracks sounds like the audible manifestation of a daydream. Monotony is not in their vocabulary, with every song giving off a sense of refinement and depth. Frankly, I would recommend checking out their complete discography.

Next up is Sir Chloe, who is possibly the most recognized out of this list. They have over 2.7 million monthly listeners. Their hit, "Michelle," went viral on a popular social media app, Tiktok, and the song has upwards of 60 million streams on Spotify. It is easy to see how they gather many listeners, with some angstier songs perfectly suited for shouting the lyrics out loud during a night drive. While they are alt-rock leaning, they are still a great listen for many people.

Then we have The Backseat Lovers- a young indie band from Utah who is slowly but surely gaining more popularity. In 2020, they released their latest single, but their most noted songs are from “When We Were Friends", their 2019 album. Many of their songs are almost poetic, as if you were reminiscing about a beautifully tragic breakup. Even with sentimental lyrics, their sounds are spectacularly dynamic and full of life. If you are searching for a band with songs fit for pouring your heart out during the verses, your search is over.

Finally, we have The Buttertones, who is another band with a lot of variation in their albums. Fans received an "adventurous" new album in 2020, though their 2014 album is still greatly admired by their listeners. Their work has a pleasant eccentricity to it as well as a feeling of young nostalgia. If you want funky indie songs to play wherever you are, this is the band for you.

Even by simply searching for bands similar to these, you can greatly supplement your playlists. If you decide to seek out these recommendations, then happy listening!