The Arctic Monkeys won the Mercury Prize in 2006 for their album, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" and have continued to rise in popularity ever since.

Drawing inspiration from their hometowns in central and northern Alberta, Canada, The Rural Alberta Advantage reflect their upbringing not only in their name and album title but in their music as well. The three-piece layer vocal haromies over intricate drumming and driving guitar to reflect the landscape and culture of Alberta and growing up in it.

Johannesburg, South Africa's BLK JKS (pronounced Black Jacks) began five years ago as a group of friends jamming. Influenced by jazz and rock, they also pull from Zulu, Xhosa, and other traditional South African cultures.

Brandi Carlile made her stage debut at the age of performing Rosanne Cash's "Tennessee Flat-Top Box" at the Northwest's version of the Grand Ole Opry.

Sondre Lerche recorded his debut album "Faces Down" in 2000, which received praise in both Europe and America.

For the past five years James Buckley has been at the forefront of the Twin Cities music community, from his early days playing bass with the experimental Poor Line Condition to his recent work with The Pines, some say Buckley is prolific.

Minneapolis' Dan Wilson is experimenting with touring "staycation" style. He's playing a string of dates in the Twin Cities under the philosophy of "low milage, small rooms, one guy."

On their debut album "Album," San Francisco band Girls deliver a messy, spectacular collision of singer-songwriter sensibilities and noisy, bratty indie rock.

Success hasn't diluted Brother Ali's message but on his new release, "Us", he stops short of drawing a line in the sand.

Never have three songwriters who sing come together for such a project in such a diplomatic way, even to the point of taking it on tour.