It’s going to be okay, you guys.
Yes, everything has been pretty freaking awful for 10 months now, but someday in the near future (hurry up!) this hellish pandemic will be a memory and we’ll be back at concerts, listening to the artists who’ve been dying to perform since March.
If there’s any upside to the live music industry’s lingering paralysis, it’s that acts big and small had so much more time to write new music and release it, with hope of keeping both they and their fans sane through all this.
As I do every year, here’s a round-up of 29 sensational New Jersey bands and artists, with updates on what they pumped out in 2020 and where they’re looking to go this year. I am once again floored by the immensity of talent that consistently rises to the surface in every corner of the state.
Here’s the list of my best finds and artists you simply cannot afford to ignore. Let it kick off your new year in the best way. Happy listening!
P.s. here are the previous lists from 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Adam Melchor, a folk-pop artist from Pequannock. (Courtesy of Warner Records)
Adam Melchor
For 43 weeks now, rising folk-pop star Adam Melchor has sung his fans to sleep ... sort of. Every Sunday since last spring, the Pequannock native has texted thousands of fans — all of whom have signed up for the “Melchor Lullaby Hotline” — an unreleased song from his growing catalog of introspective, dreamy tunes. His songwriting skills are no joke; he’s already written with Charlie Puth, the Chainsmokers and Finneas among others, pumping out a trio of EPs now backed by label monster Warner Records. Later this year, Melchor’s favorites from the lullaby bunch will comprise his “Melchor’s Lullaby Hotline Vol. 1″ project, sure to further an online popularity notching several of his wispy singles into the seven-figure streaming totals.
Listen if you love: Vance Joy, Fleet Foxes
AK, a hip-hop artist from South Brunswick. (Courtesy of ICON Publicity)
AK
I’ve written plenty about Austin Kassabian, better known as AK, the ascendant, impassioned emcee originally from South Brunswick. The rhymer dropped a list of hard-hitting singles in 2020; his blazing track “Top Of The World” even made it to ESPN and was part of a “Counter Strike” gaming tournament overseas. Expect AK’s 2021 plans to boost his blooming career further, with a new project “tapping into a side of myself artistically that I have been fighting against for a while.” Whatever that means, we’ll be waiting for AK’s mainstream breakthrough — he’s always one song away.
Listen if you love: Post Malone, NF
Alexander Simone, a soulful band leader from Asbury Park. (Courtesy of Alexander Simone)
Alexander Simone and WhoDat?
The grandson of legendary R&B singer Nina Simone was a vocal member of Asbury Park’s Black Lives Matter protests last summer, and later established an epic weekly series of invite-only live jams with his soulful band. The Jersey Shore outfit is poised for a big 2021, especially once full-capacity performances get back under way. In the meantime, the band’s incendiary vibe will return with a new EP in the next two months, Simone says.
Listen if you love: The Roots, Dave Matthews Band
Blaise, a pop singer from Asbury Park. (Cory Cutter)
Blaise
For Blaise, Asbury Park’s bombastic electro-pop frontman, 2020′s quarantine (plus a heartbreak) pushed his songwriting into high gear. The result: Two albums, both to be released in 2021. The album “Silver Linings Only” will be released first, with the monster single and short film “Not for Sale” available now. As visuals remain imperative to Blaise’s artistry, expect more music videos, short films, photo shoots and more to accompany this year’s music releases, he says.
Listen if you love: Troye Sivan, Halsey
Bottled Blonde, an indie-pop songwriter from Asbury Park.
Bottled Blonde
After a year of missed stage time, the alluring indie-pop songstress Bottled Blonde was able to find a bit of inspiration in the 2020′s final days, releasing a hypnotic, synth-laden single called “Miami” Dec. 30. For 2021, the shapeshifting singer promises “a bunch of singles that are a bit more experimental, with sounds and feelings that are individual to the songs and not so much in an album format.”
Listen if you love: Beach House, Tame Impala
Brian Erickson, a rock singer-songwriter from The Jersey Shore. (Courtesy of Brian Erickson)
Brian Erickson
Brian’s been busy. The Jersey Shore rock veteran, of terrific outfits The Extensions and Paper Jets, dropped his first solo album — a breezy, retro-tinged effort called “Little Secrets” — in 2020, in between organizing the “Demos for a Difference” compilation project, which featured nearly 200 musicians from around the world and raised thousands of dollars for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Erickson has another solo LP, called “Origami Birds,” coming Feb. 12, plus more tunes with the Extensions.
Listen if you love: Paul McCartney, Real Estate
Cakes Da Killa, a hip-hop artist from Teaneck. (Ebru Yildiz)
Cakes Da Killa
After an appearance on Netflix’s hip-hop reality show “Rhythm and Flow” in 2019, the ferociously fun emcee Cakes Da Killa dropped a well-reviewed EP last year called “MUVALAND,” led by the thumping club single “Don Dada.” The Teaneck native (now in Brooklyn) says to stay tuned for a “Vol. 2″ followup in 2021, plus a debut short film called “VISIBILITY SUCKS,” in which the throttling rapper stars and directs.
Listen if you love: Megan Thee Stallion, Leikeli47
Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band, a rock band from Asbury Park. (Joey Lupo)
Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band
You want some gritty roadhouse rock not unlike the bands Springsteen used to jam with around Asbury Park? Check out Connor Bracken and the Mother Leeds Band, who dropped a very strong LP in 2020′s “Nightbird Motel,” followed by a live version recorded at Asbury Park Brewery. The band is loads of fun and destined to tear up Jersey Shore stages (hopefully later this year). The band aims to return to the studio later this year to record its follow-up album.
Listen if you love: Arctic Monkeys, Thin Lizzy
Cookiee Kawaii, a Jersey club artist and singer from East Orange. (Pierre York)
Cookiee Kawaii
Jersey club music had a huge 2020, popping up all over TikTok in viral dance videos thanks in large part to East Orange’s Cookiee Kawaii and her sexy single “Vibe (If I Back It Up).” The song caught fire on the red-hot social media app, spurring more than 70 million streams on Spotify and earned Cookiee a record deal. She’s since released a pulsing mixtape called “Club Soda Vol. 2″ in August and this year is working on her debut album plus new music videos staying active on social. Could another viral track be on the way?
Listen if you love: Dj Lil Man, Dj Lil Taj
Donna Missal, a pop singer-songwriter from East Brunswick. (Erica Hernandez)
Donna Missal
Simply put, Donna Missal is an obsession. The smoldering alt-pop singer from East Brunswick released in 2020 a supremely good sophomore LP in July called “Lighter,” which showed off the Jersey powerhouse’s explosive vocals and impassioned songwriting style (7 million Spotify streams ain’t too shabby, either). Missal recently performed several album songs live from the iconic Capitol Studios in Hollywood as part of a direct-to-vinyl program called “Capitol Cuts.” She’s also featured on the official soundtrack for the Oscar-buzzy film, “Promising Young Woman.”
Listen if you love: Maggie Rogers, Sheryl Crow
Drew The Recluse, an R&B artist from Jackson. (Courtesy of Drew The Recluse)
Drew the Recluse
Remember this time last year, when I said R&B riser Drew the Recluse had a big 2020 on the way? Well, the pandemic had other plans. “Working on the hospital front lines and contracting COVID-19 myself delayed the release of a project in 2020, so an album will be released in late March, as well as merchandise,” Drew says. “I am also doing pre-production work on a short film inspired on African-American Folklore.” Drew did manage to the towering yet melancholy single “Fade” in November, which should propel the budding star into 2021.
EZRAKH, a soul singer from Newark. (Jennifer Carillo)
EZRAKH
No artist on this list will transport you to another place or state of mind quite like EZRAKH, a chameleonic singer-songwriter from Newark deftly mixing rock, soul and world music to create a sound distinctly his own. His latest LP, October’s “Infinity: Sankopha & 87,” is an exciting and mesmerizing listen across 15 tracks. For 2021, EZRAKH promises the album in limited edition double-LP plus several new singles and a pop-up livestream series.
Listen if you love: Prince, Lenny Kravitz
Feeny, an alt-rock band from New Brunswick. (Liana Wait)
Feeny
For better or worse, New Jersey’s largest contribution to any national music scene over the last 25 years has been in the pop-punk and emo sector — shake a tree in Middlesex County and a dozen sad dudes in denim fall out, all of them singing about the Turnpike. And you know what? I love it. There’s no better place to be pissed off than New Jersey and Feeny clearly understands. The New Brunswick four-piece dropped its killer debut LP, “Between the Bookends,” in May 2020, a fine successor to Saves the Day and The Early November. As for 2021, the band plans on entering the studio to record a follow-up record and promises more “exciting announcements.”
Listen if you love: Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182
The Foes of Fern, a rock band from Asbury Park. (Justin Lube)
The Foes of Fern
For all the eclectic music coming out of Asbury Park, none of the city’s bands sound anything like The Foes of Fern, a symphonic indie-rock outfit that opens a wormhole into an alternative universe where the guys in Queen grew up in Central Jersey going to basement shows and eating too much pizza. The band’s sweeping and addicting LP “Carpe Diem” dropped last year, as did multiple music videos. In 2021, the band will continue to perform live-stream virtual shows and build momentum toward a follow-up in 2022.
Listen if you love: The Front Bottoms, Frank Zappa
Foushee, a pop singer from Bridgewater. (Hao Zeng)
Foushee
After a short run on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2018, Bridgewater native Foushee returned to the national consciousness in 2020 as her wispy single “Deep End” absolutely exploded on TikTok, spurring a cool 200 million listens on Spotify and a contract with vaunted RCA Records in October. With a powerhouse label behind her, expect plenty from Foushee this year like her fun and soulful November release “Single AF.”
Listen if you love: Ari Lennox, SZA
Foxanne, an indie-rock singer from New Brunswick. (Diana Whitcroft)
Foxanne
Ho-lee crap. Foxanne, a wailing and wildly textured indie-rock showstopper from New Brunswick (now living in Brooklyn) unleashed one of the most arresting local albums in recent memory with her December debut LP “It’s Real (I Knew It).” She mourns the death of the Mars rover on “Opportunity,” with titanic vocals and the confidence of a young Patti Smith. Elsewhere, the album is riffy, delightfully melodramatic and punk-inspired with a touch of Gwen Stefani belts. How she remains unsigned is beyond all logic — unless she’s too good for all those middling labels, which very well may be the case. Foxanne says she’ll continue to write new music this year for the next release in 2021 “which could come sooner rather than later, who knows!”
Listen if you love: Mitski, Jenny Lewis
The Happy Fits, an indie-rock band from Clinton. (Courtesy of The Syndicate Publicity)
The Happy Fits
The Happy Fits, a vibrant indie-rock trio from Clinton, were upended by the pandemic: Not only did the band lose its SXSW showcase shows in March, but drove 2,400 miles to Phoenix to begin a two-month tour that was nixed as soon as they got there. The guys rallied and released an exceedingly fun sophomore LP in August called “What Could Be Better,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Alternative Album chart. For 2021, the band has a bunch of festival gigs tentatively booked, including Sea Hear Now in Asbury Park scheduled for September. Fingers crossed.
Listen if you love: Barenaked Ladies, Counting Crows
HOLDN, an alt-pop singer from New Jersey. (Allie Shelly)
HOLDN
After years of alt-rock fury in local favorites In Our Glory, Gina Petro has since 2017 released under her solo moniker HOLDN, a dark-pop persona touting brooding tones and crystalline vocals. After a pair of knockout singles called “Walls” and “Civil War” dropped in 2020, HOLDN plans to continue releasing singles and visuals, plus a few collaborative livestreams/live performance videos. Like most other artists, she’s dying to get back on stage: “I really learned how much I value and rely on in-person live performances to connect with my audience,” Petro says.
Listen if you love: Banks, Halsey
Joy on Fire, a jazz-rock band from New Jersey. (Brian Jenkins)
Joy on Fire
The idiosyncratic mastery of Jersey jazz-punk trio Joy on Fire equates to a something like a member of the Dead Kennedys being dropped into a smoky club, jumping on stage with the house band and making it work. In 2020, the video for “Thunderdome,” debuted on NPR’s All Songs Considered, and their video for “Uh Huh,” was awarded laurels at six film festivals, including Brussels Independent Film Festival, Hollywood Verge Film Awards, Oregon Short Film Festival, and London Rocks Film Festival. Joy on Fire will release two albums in 2021: the mostly instrumental Another Adventure in Red is set for release in early spring; States of America will be released in the summer with new vocalist/lyricist Dan Gutstein.
Listen if you love: King Crimson, Morphine
Little Hag, an indie-rock singer from Asbury Park. (Dana Yurcisin)
Little Hag
In 2020, fearless Jersey Shore singer-songwriter Little Hag signed to Bar/None Records and hunkered down writing and recording a new LP due out later this year. The new songs possess “the same bitchy, confrontational energy that fans have come to expect, she says, with engineering and production by Erik Kase Romero (The Front Bottoms). If it’s a fraction as good as 2020′s impassioned “Whatever Happened to Avery Jane?” LP, it’ll be a huge local hit.
Listen if you love: Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen
Ogbert the Nerd, a punk band from New Brunswick. (Courtesy of Ogbert the Nerd)
Ogbert the Nerd
Christmas came early for New Jersey punk and emo fans last year, as Ogbert the Nerd, the local scene’s buzziest band — A LOT of people advocated for the exhilarating New Brunswick outfit to make this year’s list — dropped their debut LP “I Don’t Hate You” Dec. 11. The four-piece’s album really rips, built for sweaty basements where the guys will surely return later this year. Get outta here, COVID, we need to rage!
Pam Flores, a singer-songwriter from Asbury Park. (Courtesy of Pam Flores)
Pam Flores
Pam Flores spent 2020 migrating from one beach to another: Asbury Park to Hawaii, where she’s currently living and working with local musicians there to build on the R&B/rock hybrid sound she honed at the Jersey Shore. A new single is due out in a few months, she says, but for now you can check out her live EP “What a Wonderful Year 2018″ recorded in Asbury Park and released last year.
Listen if you love: Brittany Howard, Joss Stone
Quality Living, an indie-rock band from New Jersey. (Alice Magdziak)
Quality Living
Timing couldn’t have been worse for the guys in Quality Living. The easy-rockin’ band released its delightfully catchy second LP “Something Softly Caught Me” March 13, just as the world was descending into chaos. No matter, the five-piece still wrote a heap of music while stuck at home. One of those breezy tunes will be released as a single, hopefully by springtime, the band said. Until then, listen to Quality Living on your most stressful days — they will calm you down.
Listen if you love: Modest Mouse, Pavement
Stillhungry, a folk-rock band from Asbury Park. (Ciara Perrone)
Stillhungry
Get off your high horse and listen to Stillhungry, a stunning folk-rock trio that still deserves your attention (especially if you missed out on my gushing over them last year). The band’s sharp songwriting and sweet yet melancholic harmonies beam once more on their 2020 EP “Richmond” — a must-listen if you’ve gone down the rabbit hole with Phoebe Bridgers or Conor Oberst. The Asbury Park-based group is again writing in 2021 and plans to hit the road and tour as soon as it’s safe.
Teenage Halloween, a punk band from Asbury Park. (Sonya Alfano)
Teenage Halloween
Thank the punk gods Teenage Halloween finally released its self-titled debut LP in 2020, after years spent building a reputation as one of the best local rage teams this side of the Turnpike. The 10-track album kicks unspeakable ass, led by lovably throttling singer Luke Henderiks. Here’s what the band has in store: “In 2021 we plan to release a new split and start working on our next record,” the said. “We’ve already written several new songs and are hoping shows return soon so we can play them live for everyone!”
Listen if you love: Get Up Kids, Marked Men
Tima Likes Muisc, a comedic R&B singer from Linden. (Courtesy of Tima Likes Music)
Tima Likes Music
You may know Linden R&B singer Tima from her former band, Switch Mob, and now the daily funny Instagram Reels jingles on the @TimaLikesMusic account that have amassed more than 25 million views since October. Since her success, she’s appeared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and released “The Tima Tape, Vol. 1.” Her new single, “Take Me Out” featuring Ms. Charlotte (Tima’s mother) is scheduled to drop Jan. 22. “The Tima Tape Vol. 2″ is scheduled for February.
Listen if you love: Devin Morrison, Tierra Whack
We Used to Cut the Grass, an experimental rock band from New Jersey. (Courtesy of We Used to Cut the Grass)
We Used to Cut the Grass
A loud, experimental and horn-laden big band with prog-rock influences? Sign me up. Led by virtuosic bassist Cody McCorry (of the highly successful Jersey act Thank You Scientist, touting tens of millions of streams online), We Used to Cut the Grass goes for broke on each of its labyrinthian jams. The band recently released their new EP “Visitors Pomp” and a full-length album is due later this year. If you’re looking to get a little weird in 2021, this is your band.
Listen if you love: Pink Floyd, The Mars Volta
The Vaughns, an indie-rock duo from Springfield. (Benjamin Lieber)
The Vaughns
Perennial members of this list — hey, I’ll stop including them when they stop deserving it — The Vaughns signed with Equal Vision Records in 2020 and spent most of the year writing and recording. Earlier this month, the addicting Springfield duo led by magnetic vocalist Anna Lies released its new single, “Raina,” maybe the indie-rock band’s best track yet. The Vaughns will drop a new EP, “Rom-Coms + Take-Out,” at the end of January and “we are ready and excited to tour as a full band as soon the world allows it!” they said.
Listen if you love: Hop Along, Big Thief
Visenya, a post-hardcore band from New Jersey. (Dieter Unrath)
Visenya
New Jersey was basically the birthplace of post-hardcore punk notoriety with bands like Thursday breaking the mold 20 years ago. Flash forward to awesome bands like punchy four-piece Visenya carrying the banner — 2019′s “Common Place” EP was loads of fun for all of us missing the mosh pits. The band promises new singles to be released throughout 2021. “We know our existing fans will love the music and we hope to reach new audiences and markets with this music as well,” they say.
Listen if you love: Pierce The Veil, Dance Gavin Dance
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Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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