The Definitive List of the Best New Artists of 2013
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP – The Definitive Best New Artist List
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
#7 Holograms
#6 Autre Ne Veult
#5 Hookworms
#4 Blood Orange
#3 Dustin Tebbutt
#2 London Grammar
#1 Bill Ryder-Jones
Record of the year and our #4 Best New Band of 2013
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #4: Blood Orange
Devonté Hynes deserves the Hummingbird for his tenacity and perseverance. He just kept recording in bands like Test Icicles or as Lightspeed Champion, and year after year he just kept collaborating with big names. His eye for taste put him right next to Jay-Z’s Rocawear. When you collaborate with the likes of Britney, Skye and our fave bands Foals you tend to get left behind, but his songwriting could not be denied. He shuttered Lightspeed, stitched his toe back on after an on stage accident with Test Icicles and brought his Blood Orange talents to the studio in 2011 to record Coastal Grooves with Solange. That EP brought him some mild success but it wasn’t until he released Cupid Deluxe that the world turned for him. It wasn’t until mid-2013 when the buzz started around Blood Orange’s track “You’re Not Good Enough” that we all turned our heads and asked who the hell this was. He’s on everyone’s top everything list this year, because he does one thing really really well. He blends Chillwave and hip-hop smoothly together. He brings Prince style vocals to a minimalist Radiohead/XX background sound. This is the album that will start and end many relationships. It’s sexy as hell and I can’t stop listening to it.
Founded: 20?? as Blood Orange 2011
Hometown: New York and LA
Members: Devonté Hynes
Sonic Soulmates™: Prince, The Weeknd,
Trackables™: The album released in 2013Cupid Deluxe
Listen to “Time Will Tell” & “It Is What It Is” & “You’re Not Good Enough”
Follow Blood Orange:
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Tumblr
Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
#7 Holograms
#6 Autre Ne Veult
#5 Hookworms
#4 Blood Orange
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
The Toy of 2013! We love the vocals and the pure psych rock of Hookworms
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #6: Hookworms
We loved Toy last year, we named the #1 new band of 2012. WE loved Tame Impala in 2011, but damn every band out of England right now is hovering around the Psychadellia rock scene. I think we get the credibility of having been there for the past three years, but much like the female led electro-clash scene we mentioned yesterday, Psych rock is the shit right now and it’s hard to pick through them all. What wasn’t hard, was finding our favorite and the band that should rival the top echelon of the space. Toy’s new record in 2013 still makes them the scene leader, but Hookworms is right there. These bands come from a decades worth of bands like early Verve, Adorable and the Blur. Truly it was founded by this year’s comeback band of the year, My Bloody Valentine or the earlier Pink Floyd rock years. All in all Hookworms deserve this Hummingbird and we believe they will be bigger than Temples. Yes we heard their new record already and we still support Hookworms! THE YEAR OF THE PARASITIC ROCK BANDS!
Founded: 2010
Hometown: Leeds, England
Members: Initials only MB MJ JN SS JW
Sonic Soulmates™: Toy, Temples, Dirty Beaches, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Verve, Blur, My Bloody Valentine
Trackables™: The album released in 2012Pearl Mystic
Listen to “In Our Time” & “Preservation”
Follow Hookworms:
Facebook
Bandcamp
Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
#7 Holograms
#6 Autre Ne Veult
#5 Hookworms
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
#6 Home stretch Hummingbird Autre Ne Veut. Lovely electro-clash record
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #6: Autre Ne Veut
On Christmas we cracked open a bottle of brandy and debated the fine art of electro-clash on today’s music scene. It’s been here since the early 2000’s, when we were introduced to Moving Units, Bloc Party, etc, but I think we all generally agreed that 2013 was the year where it went from being a club remix to the mainstream. Some artist’s perfected it our #6 Best New Band of 2013, Autre Ne Veut. This wasn’t his first record, crap he’s been around for awhile, 2010 as a band. I liken this record and band to some of of our recent faves like Ariel Pink with a sprinkle of Yeasayer enthusiasm. Autre Ne Veut is french for “I think of no other” and we can’t think of another band that has self expression nailed to a tee like they do in 2013.
Don’t be surprised if Autre Ne Veut busts through with a Katy Perry track…not joking.
Founded: 2010
Hometown: New York
Members: Arthur Ashin
Sonic Soulmates™: Prince, Ariel Pink, Yeasayer, Divine Fits & Drake (yep Drake)
Trackables™: Anxiety
Listen to “Counting” & “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”
Follow Autre Ne Veult:
Facebook
Website
Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
#7 Holograms
#6 Autre Ne Veult
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
Stockholm mates bring social unrest anthems to your Hummingbird ears. PHOTO BY: Juliette Henrioud
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #7: Holograms
It’s Christmas Eve, so we thought it would be appropriate to give you our rock/punk band of 2013. Holograms burst onto the scene in 2012, with their solidly produced self titled effort that reminded us of the Dead Kennedys if they’d had some solid studio time and better musicians. When I hear Holograms, I hear that same anger that we heard from Bono’s Irish unrest that was delivered in the early 80’s with War and Boy. Their moment is now and I feel a few of their tracks have been captured as anthemic molotovs shower unexpected crowd. Their music is an anthem for social unrest and their timing on the scene is perfect!
Founded: 2010
Hometown: Stockholm, Germany
Members:
Andreas Lagerström, Anton Strandberg, Anton Spetze, Filip Spetze
Sonic Soulmates™: U2 (the early years), Dead Kennedys, Joy Division (but better), Misfits, Savages
Trackables™: Forever is a classic mid-80’s mod-punk classic
Listen to “Flesh and Bone” & “Lay Us Down”
Follow Holograms:
Facebook
Haerts Captured Tracks to purchase Forever on LP Website
Website
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
Nothing reminds me more of KROQ, Richard Blade and The Poorman like Haerts.
They first burst onto the scene in 2012 when KEXP put their track “Wings” on the national public airwaves. Since that date, the track has been everywhere and so has the band. Touring with The 1975, MS MR, Shout Out Louds and Washed Out. I think I even heard the song on Parenthood. That might actually disqualify them from a Hummingbird. :^) They will take over the world in 2014! Nini’s voice and the production of the song remind me of what made 1980 Cure records so amazing. The Cure guitar riffs on the track “Secrets” remind me so much of what’s great about Haerts, clean bass lines and top string eeriness. Most of today’s indie electro clash concert goers have never heard a Cure record, but Haerts gives them a little dose of those glory years sans the horrific mascara and hair spray of Robert Smith. Put classic leather and lace Stevie Nicks in the front of a great Cure track and you have Haerts! Hell Nini is a better Roxette, maybe when they recast Pretty Woman, they’ll pull Haerts on the soundtracks.
Founded: 2010
Hometown: Germany, England and of course Brooklyn, NY
Members:
Current members include Nini Fabi (vocals), Ben Gebert (keyboard), Garrett Ienner (guitar), Derek McWilliams (bass), and Jonathan Schmidt (drums)
Sonic Soulmates™: Chairlift, Class Actress, Stevie Nicks meets The Cure, St. Vincent, Roxette, Tears for Fears, The Cure
Trackables™: “Wings”
New EP Hemiplegia
Follow Haearts:
Facebook
Haerts Website
Haerts Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
Psychadelic Purrrrrrrs, what a record from Diane Coffee, Shaun Fleming of Foxygen
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #9: Diane Coffee
I fell for Foxygen the first time I heard them on the MP3 that the label sent me. I did. I thought it might be a sound that would go beyond the gimmick, but then it just got bombastic. Similar to their near murderous dressing room drama. You had to guess that there was pure talent in the band from the DNA of their sound but who would have guessed it was their drummer. Shaun Fleming took a childhood sickness, a boredom and instead of turning to his XBOX, he recorded Phil Spector quality doo wop that might just be the dark horse record of 2013. I love Shaun and will forever be a fan of Foxygen’s drumming and every solo project from him. Diane Coffee might be my Girls obsession of 2013.
Founded: 2013
Hometown: Agoura Hills, CA & New York
Members:
Shaun Fleming
(LIVE BAND) Jared Walker, Emily Panic, Joey Lefitz, Steve Okonski
Sonic Soulmates™: Girls, Phil Spectorian productions
Trackables™: Listen to the whole record, My Friend Fish but PLEASE LISTEN TO
“Tale of a Dead Dog”
Follow Diane Coffee:
Facebook
Diane Coffee Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
Quite possibly the best record of the year. Mutual Benefit is why I love giving Hummingbird Awards
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #10: Mutual Benefit
Jordan Lee’s story reminds me a lot of the Justin Vernon move to a cabin in the Wisconsin woods to record For Emma, Forever Ago. Jordan Lee’s Mutual Benefit is a band collective formed on one emotion, traveling sadness. Darkness is the only emotion that seemed to be rattling in Jordan’s head over his 7 track Love’s Crushing Diamond. Tracks like “That Light That’s Blinding” with the plucking piano keys, choral voices and sad strumming violin remind me so much of For Emma, that I am waiting for Justin’s falsetto to shower over me. The XX/XY duet, bring out Jordan’s unique tone, and the experimental rolling band mates make this album quite possibly one of the best of 2013. Mutual Benefit could be this year’s Bon Iver, only if he bookends this record with an upbeat Broken Social Scene backwoods cultish ensemble record.
Founded: 2009
Hometown: Austin, Boston & St. Louis
Members: The lead Jordan Lee
Violin / Jake Falby
Bass / George Folickman
Electric Guitar / Marc Merza
Singing / Virginia de la Pozas + Cory Siegler + Julie Byrne
Drums / Cameron Potter
Hand Drums + Percussion / Dillon Zahner
Sound Hunting / Ali Carter
Cacophony / Chico Jones + Austin Kalman
Inspirational Electronics / Stefan Grabowski
Sonic Soulmates™: Sufjan Stevens, Bon Iver and possibly the experimental side of Broken Social Scene
Trackables™: Listen to the whole record, but PLEASE LISTEN TO
“Let’s Play/Statue of a Man”
Follow Mutual Benefit:
Facebook
Mutual Benefit Band Camp
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
Hummingbird Best New Artist of 2013 #11 Holy Milk
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #11: Holy Milk
When I say ambient female led London bands you say what? Imogen Heap, Goldfrapp or this year’s yet again darling Bat for Lashes. That’s fine, none of those three bands shifted the universe with their music, but they made a name for themselves. Holy Milk isn’t your typical ambient artist looking to make a name for themselves with that one poppy track that will show up with an oozing iPhone 5C, they’re dark and eerie, potentially haunting my daydreams. I fall in love with voices, but not easily. Lucinda John-Durante is soothing and she’s a siren that could lure me to do very dangerous things. I’m looking forward to a big 2014 from Holy Milk. No one has ever punished us for rewarding potential.
Founded: 2013
Hometown: New Cross, England
Members: Lucinda John-Duarte
Joss Ifan Brightwell
Calum James Duncan
Will Renel
Sonic Soulmates™: Imogen Heap, Goldfrapp, Bat for Lashes (but better)
Trackables™:
“Born and Die”
Follow Holy Milk:
Facebook
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
#12 Best New Band of 2013 – SWIM DEEP
Ahhh more lovely boys from Birmingham. Swim Deep is what Oasis wish they captured, FUN. They enjoy themselves, they have a Stone Rose’s wound up and bottled for perfect 2013 perfect. The open clean guitars, the boppy beats and the vocals are dead on. The keyboards are a nice touch. The band went through their wave of drummers and it forced them to be a three piece and it paid off. Their sounds is captivating and if we could build a better bridge for these lovely bands of London, America would have much better music. Thank you Swim Deep and congrats.
Founded: 2011
Hometown: West Midlands, Birmingham, England
Members: Cavan McCarthy, Tom Higgins, Zachary Robinson, Austin Williams
Sonic Soulmates™: Stone Roses, Vaccines, Wavves, Lighter version of Yuck
Trackables™:
The entire album Where the Heaven Are We
Follow Swim Deep:
Facebook
Their Tumblr
Twitter
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
#13 Best New Band of 2013 – MS MR Photo: TYLER KOHLOFF https://www.facebook.com/TylerAKohlhoff
Best New Bands of 2013 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD #13: MS MR
Chillwave my arse. MS MR is more upbeat than their shadowy aura. Doesn’t matter because they’ve crested, MS MR will be everything you hear on the radio, because you’ve seen them on Leno, Letterman and anywhere else. It wasn’t like we didn’t tell you last year. It’s my favorite part of music today. It’s finding that perfect 80’s bluewave song you loved by Kate Bush and then hear it again with the perfection of todays studio and danceable tracks. Lizzy and Max personify 2013’s best new sound and I hope you play Fantasy on repeat over and over and over again.
Founded: 2012
Hometown: New York
Members: Lizzy Plapinger, Max Hershenow
Sonic Soulmates™: GroupLove, Polica, Class Actress
Trackables™:
“Hurricane” – The single that broke them
“Fantasy” – The song that will make them bigger than New.Band.Day. Hell they’ve already been on Letterman
Follow MS MR:
Facebook
Their Website
Twitter
You’re next AZTURK
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP
#13 MS MR
Hummingbird Awards 2012
Hummingbird Awards 2011
Hummingbird Awards 2010
The 4th Annual Hummingbirds – Best New Band of 2013
It’s been 12 months since we last spoke. Since the Hummingbird graced our presence and honored our 12 2012 BEST NEW BANDS. What are the Hummingbird Awards you ask? Well they are the DEFINITIVE AWARDS for the BEST NEW BAND OF THE YEAR. We’re on year four and we’re loving. Who are we? We are two passionate dudes who love their music, kids, wives and lives. We do this for fun, but we still buy vinyl, CDs and magazines. Why? Because we care about the music and the bands that create. Music is the subtext to life and when I think back on my life’s greatest moments I have visions of happiness, sadness and whatever, but it’a all accompanied with a soundtrack. We know you have it too or you wouldn’t be here to read our blog.
So who have launched? In 2010 it was Best Coast and Tennis, In 2011 it was Other Lives and I Heart Sharks, In 2012 it was Haim and Alt-J. We might be way toooo early on a band like in 2010 Phantogram or way too late on Lana Del Rey or just in time for Foals. All in all it doesn’t matter. If you’ve kept up with us then you’ve been blessed with great music.
Here we go for the 4th Annual Hummingbird Awards!
*******UPDATED 12.31.13*************
Hummingbird Awards 2013 RECAP – The Definitive Best New Artist List
#13 MS MR
#12 Swim Deep
#11 Holy Milk
#10 Mutual Benefit
#9 Diane Coffee
#8 Haerts
#7 Holograms
#6 Autre Ne Veult
#5 Hookworms
#4 Blood Orange
#3 Dustin Tebbutt
#2 London Grammar
#1 Bill Ryder-Jones
______________________________________________________________
RECAPS FROM YEARS PAST 2012, 2011 and 2010:
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The final 12!!!!!
Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
#11 Fear of Men
#10 The Weeknd
#9 Nude Beach
#8 Class Actress
#7 Johnathon Boulet
#6 DIIV
#5 Hey Sholay
>#4 Alt-J (∆)
#3 Jessie Ware
#2 Grimes
#1 Toy
Editor Picks Best of 2012: RE’s 2012 Picks
Staff Picks Best of 2012: Arizona Turk’s Incredible List for 2012
Read the 2011 Hummingbirds
Did you know we predicted James Vincent McMorrow, Other Lives, La Sera and Widowspeak!
Playlist:
Read the 2010 Hummingbirds
Did you know we predicted Best Coast, Sleigh Bells, Perfume Genius, Lord Huron & Tennis!
Playlist:
Where will she land? Tell us your favorite 2012 New Band and we will add them to our list!
He is a menace to us all. The Arizona Turk’s 2012 Best of List
The Arizona Turk is one the primary contributors to New.Band.Day. He’s been a fixture since 2010 and his picks are ahhhhmazing. They may seem confusingly unfamiliar, but that’s why we love him. His picks sound odd today, but if you look back over the past several years, you’ll notice that those bands are just now breaking. The dude is a new band savant.
The Turk’s Favorites for 2012:
Bands:
1. Savages – London she punks
2. TOY – His #2, Hummingbird #1
3. Palma Violets – Closet garage rockers from Lambeth outside of London
4. Merchandise – Tampa’s leather greasers are 2013 darlings…calling it now!!!
5. Wild Moth – Post Punk dudes from SF.
6. DIIV– His #6, Hummingbird #6
7. Dads – New Brunswick, NJ emo dudes. See them Uncorked in Jan. WOW!!!!
8. POLIÇA – We liked Grimes better this year, but POLIÇA was on the top of the Turk’s mind…
9. Stumbleine – 1 of 3 dubsteppers from Swarm, now solo Londoner
10. Fidlar – LA based dudes who bring surf punk back!
11. Boys – Denver Rock Chick
Songs:
1. “Husbands” – Savages
2. “Motoring” – TOY
3. “Mid Air” – Paul Buchanan
4. “Lay Your Cards Out” – Polica
5. “Best Of Friends” – Palma Violets
6. “Mourning Glow” – Wild Moth
7. “Heavy To The Touch (think about tonight, forget about tomorrow)” – Dads
8. “Tomorrow” Niki and the Dove
9. “No Waves” – Fidlar
10. “If You Want Me To Stay (For A While)” – Shark Week
TWO BONUS B-SIDES THAT YOU SHOULD FIND AND BUY FOR YOUR COLLECTION
“Hard to Pretend” – The Donkeys b-side to “Won’t Let You Down” 7″
“Bright White Shimmering Sun” – TOY b-side to “Lose My Way” 7″
Hear them here
Albums:
1. Merchandise – Children Of Desire
2. TOY – TOY
3. Polica – Give You The Ghost
4. DIIV – Oshin
5. π – You In Colour
6. Dads – American Radass
7. Wild Moth – s/t (10″)
8. Pallbearer– Sorrow and Extinction
9. Wild Moth – Mourning Glow EP
ALBUMS YOU AND YOUR MOTHER’S SHOULD OWN BY NOW…IF NOT PLEASE SUPPORT AND BUYS THESE GEMS FROM THIS YEAR.
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
The Chromatics – Kill For Love
Tame Impala – Lonerism
Best Reissue:
Ride – Going Blank Again with Live at Brixton DVD
Hummingbird Awards – ALL YOUR BEST NEW BANDS FROM 2010, 2011 and 2012:
Hummingbird Awards 2012
#12 Rose Elinor Dougall
#11 Fear of Men
#10 The Weeknd
#9 Nude Beach
#8 Class Actress
#7 Johnathon Boulet
#6 DIIV
#5 Hey Sholay
#4 Alt-J (∆)
#3 Jessie Ware
#2 Grimes
#1 Toy
Staff Picks Best of 2012: Arizona Turk’s Incredible List for 2012
NewBandDay 