Top 89 of 2015: Best New Bands
by Leah Garaas
December 29, 2015
We asked, you voted! All December long, you — the music lover — voted for your favorite new artists that emerged in 2015, and the results are in!
We are lucky enough to have had all five (okay, six) best new bands of 2015 stop by The Current studios or hosted events. From in-studio videos and recordings to live performances, these artists proved they're in it for the long haul.
Be sure to tune in to The Current's listener-curated Top 89 countdown on Dec. 31, 2015 starting at 5 p.m. CT with a rebroadcast on New Year's Day starting at 10 a.m. CT.
5. (tie) BORNS
Back in March, before his debut album Dopamine released, The Current welcomed Garrett Borns, aka BORNS, to perform in-studio. He played songs off his Candy EP and recorded a stunning cover of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" that had Looch in awe.
5. (tie) Wolf Alice
Another best new band of 2015 we were lucky to have perform in our studios before even releasing a full-length album: the Mercury Prize-nominated Wolf Alice. On their way to SXSW, Ellie, Joff, Theo and Joel played songs off what would become their debut, My Love Is Cool.
4. Leon Bridges
Before his show at First Avenue that sold out months in advance, host Bill DeVille welcomed Leon Bridges into the studio for a live interview. They two talked about his successful debut album, Coming Home, influenced by artists ranging from Curtis Mayfield to Usher and Otis Redding to Genuwine. After the chat, Leon sat down for a stunning portrait session with The Current's photographer Nate Ryan.
3. Courtney Barnett
Courtney Barnett performed in our studios in 2014 with only a double EP to her name. In 2015, Barnett cemented her place in our hearts with her debut full-length Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit and a fierce set at Rock the Garden. The Current listeners are on to something: Barnett scored a Grammy nod for Best New Artist!
2. Bad Bad Hats
Psychic Reader earned Minneapolis' Bad Bad Hats praise from critics all over the country. The catchy single "Midway" is equal parts honest and accessible, all frontwoman Kerry Alexander could have hoped for as she revealed in Bad Bad Hats' session for The Local Show.
1. Hippo Campus
As soon as Andrea Swensson stumbled across Hippo Campus' Bandcamp in 2014, the host of The Local Show had to spread the word about their music. Three months later they performed in our studios. Three months after that they released their debut EP Bashful Creatures, played The Current's 10th birthday party, toured the planet and poised themselves for worldwide domination.