Nick Mulvey – “Mountain to Move”  

Genre: Folksy-singer-songwriter-with-a-beard-type-guy.

Verdict: Get a front row spot if you like eating dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon and can’t wait for the reboot of Fraiser.

Caleborate – “4 Willem”

Genre: Late 90s/early 2000s backpacker hip-hop.

Verdict: Check him out if you miss A Tribe Called Quest and Living Legends, or if you enjoyed Kendrick Lamar’s first couple albums.

Bonus: He’s from Berkeley!

Sasha Sloan – “Normal”

Genre: Pop/background music for Hallmark commercials.

Verdict: If you loved jamming out to the store music at Aeropostale circa 2003, you’ll love this!

Olivia O’Brien – “Empty”

Genre: Pop.

Verdict: If you ever wished that Ke$ha and Iggy Azalea were the same person, this is your jam!

Mikky Ekko – “Pull Me Down”

Genre: Indie pop.

Verdict: Check him out if you like pop artists who never quite lived up to their potential.

Lucy Dacus – “Addictions”

Genre: Indie rock.

Verdict: Check her out if you want to see what it would be like if a shy Adele fronted a 90’s alt band.

Dermot Kennedy – “Glory”

Genre: Broadway show tunes with a pop twist/Irish folk-pop.

Verdict: If you like crying at festivals, this is probably the set to be at.

Elohim – “Hallucinating”

Genre: Nine Inch Nails-inspired pop.

Verdict: One of the first really interesting artists that I learned about while putting this together. As unique of a sound as it gets within the pop genre.

Shannon and the Clams –  “The Boy”

Genre: 60’s doo-wop prom band on acid.

Verdict: This Oakland band is something special. They are one of the top spots on my “Must See” list.

Quinn XCII – “Straightjacket”

Genre: Really basic pop with a splash of cringe-worthy reggae.

Verdict: If you eat toast plain with no butter and love fake patois this is your jam.

Lauv – “Paris in the Rain”

Genre: Electro Ed Sheeran.

Verdict: Probably the biggest pop star no one has heard of. Check him out if you are 17 and are in search of a male Demi Lovato.

The Mountain Goats – “This Year”

Genre: Blues Traveler indie folk B-sides.

Verdict: If you own multiple pairs of hiking boots and put kefir in your cocktails, you’ll love ’em!

*Negative points for not actually being mountain goats

Sweet Plot

Genre: Some sort of funk/jam band type thing.

Verdict: Check them out if you’re into a Creedence Clearwater/Sly and the Family Stone hybrid.