Best of 2017: Newly-Discovered Music

I used my music data to look up my favorite artists that I discovered in 2017. These are the ones that are the memorable favorites, beyond the statistical favorites.

Pional

This one is a surprise but a good reminder that small obsessions can make a big difference in overall statistics. I have The Burning Ear to thank for this discovery, and Spotify for entertaining it. Song recommendation: Casualty.

R.Lum.R

I discovered this artist because they’re touring as the headliner with Gibbz, who I was already familiar with. The groovy vibe of this artist took those tickets from a probable insta-purchase to an actual insta-purchase. Song recommendation: Love Less.

Jason Gaffner

A discovery thanks to The Burning Ear, I discovered Jason Gaffner’s nu-disco grooves around the same time that I got obsessed with some songs by Gibbz (who I must’ve discovered in 2016). I bought this song soon after and am keeping an eye out for new releases. Song recommendation: Murder in the First Degree.

Alex Cruz

I heard Alex Cruz for the first time when I was in Greece, listening to a set that my friend started playing. It took me three tries to figure out who she was talking about, and then I discovered a few of his sets that he puts out as the Deep and Sexy Podcast. Song recommendation: Deep Sexy Podcast 29 Alive Afrikaburn.

Perfume Genius

I can’t remember if I started listening to Perfume Genius because of Discover Weekly or the Song Exploder podcast, but damn they’re good. My only regret is that I discovered them too late to get tickets to their sold out show. Song recommendation: Song Exploder episode.

Super Duper

I don’t remember how I discovered this artist. I think it was an autoplay on SoundCloud after listening to some tracks The Burning Ear had posted? Either way, I fell in love with this remix. Song recommendation: Bon Iver - Over Soon Super Duper Remix.

Shallou

I came across this band on The Burning Ear too. I think they’ll be around for Noise Pop next year so I’ll have to decide if I want to go see them. I’m mostly in love with this song. Song recommendation: Slow.

Sampha

He opened for the xx, so I checked out his Spotify page after I found out he was opening for them. Sweet, sweet grooves. Song recommendation on YouTube.

James Barrett

This guy showed up in my Discover Weekly playlist. I really like this song, but didn’t get as into the rest of his songs. Still a damn good song tho. Song recommendation: College.

Ella Vos

I enjoyed her song Little Brother so much that I got tickets to see her next year. I’ll be keeping an eye out for new releases from her as well. Song recommendation: Little Brother.

Less notable discoveries

Jane

I came across this band on SoundCloud through The Burning Ear again. This song was an easy purchase because it’s so catchy. Song recommendation: We Don’t Wanna Dance.

Bjéar

This artist showed up on my Discover Weekly playlist. Great for fans of Bon Iver. Song recommendation: Going to the Sun.

Imad Royal

This was another The Burning Ear discovery, and an easy purchase! Song recommendation: https://soundcloud.com/imadroyal/smile

The Full List:

The full list of 35 artists that had more than 10 listens each, first listened to in 2017:

Artist Listens Tracks
Pional 42 A New Dawn
As Time Was Passing By
Casualty
In Another Room
Invisible / Amenaza
It’s All Over
It’s All Over - John Talabot’s Stripped Refix
Of My Mind
The Way That You Like
Alex Vargas 41 7 Sins
Ashes
Follow You
Giving Up The Ghost
Higher Love
Inclosure
Indivisible
Oh Love, How You Break Me Up
Renegade
Shackled Up
Solid Ground
Sweet Abandon
Warnings
Wear Your Demons Out
Jason Gaffner 34 Feel Something
Feel Something (Garruda Remix)
Losing My Mind
Losing My Mind (3 Monkeyzz Remix)
Murder In The First Degree
Murder In The First Degree (Aristo G Remix)
Phantom
Phantom (Keljet Remix)
When The Sun Goes Down
Sampha 30 (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano
Beneath The Tree
Blood On Me
Happens
Incomplete Kisses
Kora Sings
Plastic 100°C
Reverse Faults
Take Me Inside
Timmy’s Prayer
Too Much
Under
What Shouldn’t I Be?
Kyko 28 Animals
Dive In
Drive
Headlights
Hideaway
Horizon
Mexico
Native
Nature
Pull Me Up
R.Lum.R 25 Be Honest
Be Honest (Attom Remix)
Bleed Into The Water
Close Enough
Frustrated
Frustrated - Russ Macklin Remix
Learn
Love Less
Nothing New
Show Me
Suddenly
Tell Me
Utah 25 02:12
Hail the Underdog
In Slow Motion
Lights Out
Mirrors
No Coast
On the Mountain by the Sea
One Million
People of the Future
SFSG
Still Good
Watercolor
When People Come Together
Young Summer 25 Alright
Alright (Karl Kling Remix)
Blood Love
Echo
Fallout
Old Chunk of Coal
Sons Of Lightning (Super Duper Remix)
Taken
Waves That Rolled You Under (backstroke. Remix)
Ralph 23 Busy Man
Cold to the Touch
Cold to the Touch - Nicolaas Remix
Screenplay
Something More
Tease
This Is Funky
Alex Cruz 21 Haunting - Original Mix
Haunting - Radio Edit
Haunting - Sebastien Radio Edit
Haunting - Sebastien Remix
Haunting [ANR063] - Sebastien Remix
Rubberband - Radio Edit
Shoreline - Extended Mix
Sweet Child
Sweet Child - Club Mix
Sweet Child - Extended
Sweet Child - Original Mix
National Parks 21 Backwards Centaur
Five Hour Winnipeg
Julia
Long Winter
The Plural of Moose Is Moose
Bien 20 Confetti
Crowd Goes Wild
Electric Dream
Flashback
Last Man Standing
Must Be Dreaming
Spinning on Blue
Stars Across the Sky
The Best Part
Perfume Genius 20 Body’s In Trouble - Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC
Choir
Die 4 You
Every Night
Go Ahead
Just Like Love
Otherside
Sides
Slip Away
Slip Away - Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC
Valley
Wreath
Wreath (Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith Remix)
Super Duper 20 Angela
Angela [Thissongissick.com Premiere]
Don’t Worry
Finale (feat. Ruelle)
Finale Ft. Ruelle
Hollow (feat. Quinn Lewis)
Innocence (feat. REMMI)
Innocence (feat. REMMI) (LUCA LUSH Remix) [NEST HQ Premiere]
Innocence (feat. REMMI) (Madeaux Remix) [NEST HQ Premiere]
Innocence Ft. Remmi
Makes The Wind Ft. Remmi & Jung Youth
Makes the Wind (feat. REMMI & Yung Youth)
Never Gets Old (feat. Remmi)
Revival
Second Chances (feat. Louis Johnson)
Undercover Ft. Patrick Baker
Emerson Jay 18 Fake It Slow
Feel Like Gold
LZY Me
Light Out
Move
Perspective
Secret City
Smok
Take Take Take
Tru
War
When It’s Night
Ruby Empress 17 Danseuse De Delphes
Deluca
Escapism Deluxe
Kimono House
Lovelight (JV-30)
Strung Out
The Empress
Ella Vos 16 00000 Million - Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC
Little Brother
White Noise
Majik 16 27
Closer
High
How It Is
It’s Alright
Paralysed
Real - Skeleton Mix
Save Me
Talk to Me
à la mer 16 Abroad ~ Say That You Want It
Abroad ~ Time
Imad Royal 15 Bad 4 U
Bad 4 U - Light House Remix
Down For Whatever (feat. Pell)
Losing It All
Smile
Troubles
Mr Sanka 15 Be Easy
Flight Mode
Flight Mode (Jengi Beats Remix)
Flight Mode (Lauer Remix)
Forever and a Day
Gallon
Gallon (Cassian Remix)
Midnight Air
Midnight Air (JAQ Remix)
Midnight Air - JAQ Remix
Crooked Colours 14 Another Way
Capricious (Benson Remix)
Capricious (Paces Remix)
Come Down
Come Down [Alison Wonderland Remix]
Flow
Flow - Extended Re-Rub
In Your Bones
In Your Bones (Chiefs Remix)
Step
Rex Orange County 14 A Song About Being Sad
BEST FRIEND
Corduroy Dreams
Edition
Green Eyes, Pt. II
Loving Is Easy
Paradise
Uno
Shallou 14 . . . Love
Begin (feat. Wales)
Begin - Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC
Fictions
Friends - Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC
Heights
Heights - Extended Mix
Motion Picture Soundtrack
Slow
You and Me
James Barrett 13 College
Marrow
Rodger
The Metamorphosis
You Used to Remind Me of the Sky
Klyne 13 Break Away (FaltyDL Remix)
Closer
Don’t Stop
Don’t Stop - Boston Bun Remix
Entropy
Lend Me Another Name
Sure Thing - Lxury Remix
Waiting
Wit U
Liv Dawson 13 Hush
Last Time - Live At RAK
Open Your Eyes
Painkiller
Painkiller - Acoustic
Reflection
Searching
Still
Tapestry
bjéar 13 Big Sky
Cold
Firefall
Firefall - Radio Edit
Going to the Sun
Hymn
Nell
Nevada
Tuolumne
Jane 12 Sister
We Don’t Wanna Dance
Sean McVerry 12 Kerosene
Marcy and the Apparition
Motion Picture Films
Natalie
Strangers
Tiger Lily
Charles Fauna 11 Abandon
Hypnosis
Hypnosis - Brothertiger Remix
Liaison
Myth
Restless Child
Ed Tullett 11 Faux
In Cure
Kadabre
Malignant
Posturer
Silver Dive
Maggie Rogers 11 Alaska
Alaska - Sofi Tukker Remix
Alaska - Toby Green Remix
Dog Years
On + Off
Polish Club 11 Able
Beeping
Did Somebody Tell Me
Don’t Fuck Me Over
My House
Shy Girls 11 Arrest Me (Noah Breakfast Remix) [feat. Tei Shi]
Out of Touch (feat. Rome Fortune)
Say You Will
Time After Time
Trivial Motion
Watercolor Dreams
Why I Love