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HOT 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands

Yes, it’s back once again! After skipping last year due to the pandemic, Music Connection’s annual list of unsigned live performers has returned, placing the spotlight on individuals and bands who delivered unique excitement, expert musicianship and intriguing songcraft to stages all over the U.S. during the past year. In addition to MC staffers and freelance writers, the contributors to this list include producers, club bookers, music attorneys, managers, agents and other industry professionals. Currently, MC has reviewers in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit and Nashville. Livestreams have also become part of our offerings. So, to be considered for an aways-free live review, go to musicconnection.com/reviews/get-reviewed.


9 Finger

Rock

Los Angeles, CA

soundcloud.com/9finger

Acoustic Madness

Progressive Americana

Utica, MI

acousticmadness.com 

Ada Marques

Indie Folk

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/adatheband

AJ Smith

Pop

Nashville, TN

ajsmithmusic.com

Almost July

Indie Pop

New York, NY

almostjuly.com

[email protected]

Amber Mark

R&B

New York, CA

ambermarkmusic.com

Andrew Browning and the 9 Pound Hammers

Outlaw Country

Santa Monica, CA

andrewbrowning.net

AnDy Darling

Pop/EDM

Los Angeles, CA

tiktok.com/@iamandydarling

Anissa Lea

Jazz

Livonia, MI

anissalea.com 

Annabel Lee

Indie Alt-Rock

Los Angeles, CA

annabelleemusic.com 

Apostle 

Melodically Charged Blackened Punk 

Marietta, GA

linktr.ee/apostlesucks

Astralux

Rock

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/astraluxmusic

Batfarm 

Rock

Sherman Oaks, CA

batfarmband.com

Bill Grisolia & The New Blues Festival All-Stars

Blues/R&B/Soul

Long Beach, CA

billgrisolia.com

Bobbing for Apples

Rock

Worcester, MA

bobbingforapplesmusic.com 

Bonavega

Rock

Los Angeles, CA

bonavegamusic.com

Bran Movay

Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop

Los Angeles, CA 

branmovay.com
Alt-Pop

Los Angeles, CA

brioglu.com

Cole Supple

Alternative/Singer-Songwriter

Los Angeles, CA

colesupple.com

Courtney Govan

Pop

San Diego, CA

courtneygovan.com

Carolyn Striho
(and Scott Dailey)

Poetic Rock

Farmington Hills/Detroit, MI

carolynstriho.com

Channel Tres

House/Hip-Hop

Los Angeles, CA

channelers.net

Cheekface 

Indie Rock/Talk-Singing/ Folk-Punk

Los Angeles, CA

cheekface.limitedrun.com

Circle The Earth

Pop-Rock

Los Angeles, CA

trupitch.com/circle-the-earth

Cowboy Diplomacy

Country

Austin, TX

cowboydiplomacy.rodeo

Creature Canyon

Indie/Alternative Rock

San Diego, CA

creaturecanyonmusic.com

Damn Tall Buildings

Bluegrass/Americana

New York, NY

damntallbuildings.com

Dave Edwards

Rock/R&B

Detroit, MI

facebook.com/daveedwardsband 

Doe Boi 909

Westcoast Rap

Inland Empire, CA

instagram.com/doeboi909

Doris Anahi

Singer-Songwriter

Los Angeles, CA

linktr.ee/dorisanahi

Elijah the Boy

R&B/HipHop

Brooklyn, NY

instagram.com/elijahtheboy

Empire Springs

Progressive Rock

Birmingham, AL

empirespringsband.com

Five Headed Cobra 

Rock 

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/rnrisdead

Fleece

Queer/Indie-Rock

Montreal, QC

fleecemusic.com

Gaby Montiel   

Singer-songwriter

Ventura, CA

instagram.com/gabymontielmusic

Gods Eyes

Metalcore

New York, NY

linktr.ee/godseyesli

Hana McCartney    

Alternative/Psychedelic/Blues/Rock 

Lakeland, FL 

instagram.com/hanamccartneyofficial

His Eyes Have Fangs

Indie Rock

Los Angeles, CA

hiseyeshavefangs.com

Insect Surfers

Today’s Psychedelic Surf Instrumental Soundtracks

Los Angeles, CA

insectsurfers.com

Itami

Metal

Albuquerque, NM

itami1.bandcamp.com

Jades Goudreault

Alternative Pop

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/itsmejades

 Jason Manns

Americana/Folk

Bowling Green, VA

jasonmanns.com

Jenn Bostic

Pop/Gospel/Country

Nashville, TN

jennbostic.com

J. Ivy

Spoken Word to Music Poetry

Chicago, IL

j-ivy.com

Jesse Lynn Madera

Americana/Alt Country

Nashville, TN

jesselynnmadera.com

Kapono Wong

Instrumental/Hawaiian

Honolulu, HI

Instagram/kapononwmusic

Kid $wami

Hip-Hop

Saint Paul, MN

instagram.com/kidswamifof

Kids Return

Indie-Rock/Electric Pop

Paris, France

instagram.com/kidsreturn

Kids That Fly

Alternative Pop/Rock

New York, NY

kidsthatfly.com

KingQueen

Pop Rock 

Los Angeles, CA 

kingqueenmusic.com

Lauren Mascitti

Country

Nashville, TN

laurenmascittimusic.com

Levi Altar

Trap

Los Angeles, CA

indieadvance.com/featured-artists/levi-altar

Little Fuss

Indie Rock

Boston, MA

instagram.com/littlefussband

Louden Swain

Indie/Alternative Rock

Los Angeles, CA 

loudenswain.com

Love and a .38

Rock

Los Angeles, CA

loveanda38music.com

Lyn Star

Throwback R&B/HipHop

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/stoasta

Mac Saturn

Rock

Detroit, MI

macsaturn.com

Maddox Lim

Indie Pop

San Gabriel, CA

instagram.com/_maddox.lim

MILCK

Alt-indie/Pop

Los Angeles, CA

milckmusic.com

Misfit Soto

Westcoast Rap

Los Angeles, CA

sinisterkingdommusic.com

Movie Club

Indie Rock

Venice Beach, CA

movieclubtheband.com

New Here

Pop-Punk / Alt-Rock / Folk-Punk 

Portland, OR

newherepdx.bandcamp.com

Nine Mile Station

Rock

Los Angeles, CA

ninemilestationmusic.com

Nonbinary Girlfriend

Indie-Pop/Experimental Pop

Portland, OR

nonbinarygirlfriend.bandcamp.com

Orchestra GOLD   

African Psychedelic Rock

Oakland, CA

orchestragold.com

Patrick Luna

Latin/Pop/R&B

Miami, FL

instagram.com/patricklunamusic

Pistols At Dawn

Active Rock

Atlanta, GA 

pistolsatdawnband.com

Possible Oceans

Indie Rock

Los Angeles, CA

possibleoceans.com 

Princess Goes to The Butterfly Museum

Alternative Rock/Electronica

New York, NY

princessgoestothebutterflymuseum.com

Redlight King

Active/Hard Rock

Los Angeles, CA

facebook.com/redlightkingofficial

Remy Reilly

Indie-Pop

Dallas, TX

remyreilly.com

Rickshaw Billie’s
Burger Patrol

Punk-Metal

Austin, TX

rickshawbilliesburgerpatrol.
bandcamp.com

Riotron

Pop/EDM/Dance-Rock/Jazz

Winnipeg, Canada

riotronmusic.com

Sandy Haley Band

Blues/Rock

Los Angeles, CA

sandyhaleymusic.com

Saticoy

Alt-Pop

Los Angeles, CA 

saticoy.co

Sierra Miles

Alternative/Singer-Songwriter

Philadelphia, PA 

soulofsierra.com

Solareyes

Stoner Rock

Los Angeles CA

 solareyes.bandcamp.com

Stormstress

Heavy Metal

Boston, MA

stormstressband.com 

Swifty Blue

Westcoast Rap

Paramount, CA

instagram.com/grimeysuge

Syd Carter West

Blues Rock

Vancouver, BC

sydcarterwest.com

Tarra Layne 

Southern Rock

Los Angeles, Pittsburgh 

tarralayne.com 

The Dryes 

Country

Nashville, TN

thedryes.com

The Mendenhall Experiment

Heavy Metal

Los Angeles, CA

 themendenhallexperiment.com

The Noble Prix

Modern Garage Rock

Burbank, CA

[email protected]

The Santana Project

Tribute Rock

Detroit, MI

facebook.com/thesantanaproject 

The Sixth Chamber

Gothic Doom Rock

Los Angeles, CA

thesixthchamber.com

The Swords of Fatima

Exotic Punk

Los Angeles, CA

theswordsoffatima.com

Tiffany Thompson

Indie Pop

New York, NY

tiffanythompsonmusic.com

 Steve Taylor Three

Americana

Detroit/Orion Township, MI

thestevetaylorthree.com

Syd Carter West

Blues Rock

Vancouver, BC, Canada

sydcarterwest.com

T.F.

Hip-Hop

Los Angeles, CA

instagram.com/im.t.f

Van Go GO

Rock

Detroit, MI

vangogoband.com

Vega Black  

Indie-Rock / R&B

Portland, OR

facebook.com/VBMusicXO

Velvet Chains

Rock

Las Vegas, NV

velvetchains.com

Vision Video

Post-Punk/Goth

Athens, GA

visionvideoband.com

Whitsett

Emo/Post-Hardcore
/Pop-Punk

Nashville, TN

whitsettband.com

Whitney Fenimore

Singer-Songwriter

Nashville, TN

whitneyfenimore.com

William Andrew Reveles

Americana

Los Angeles, CA

willliamandrewreveles.com

Wreckless Strangers

Americana/Soul

San Francisco, CA

wrecklessstrangers.com

Zana Messia 

Swedish-inspired Jazzy Pop 

Los Angeles, CA 

zanamessia.com