A new year brings forth the birth of an opportunity. The opportunity to land on your sonar. 2013 is merely days old and I wanted to forecast my predictions for, which lesser known artists will break out and therefore make it to your database of good music. Also those making a comeback. I will try to prognosticate in 5 different genres of music: Soca, Reggae, Hip-Hop, RNB, and Rock.
SOCA: 2013 will start like most years do, build to fever pitch in the Caribbean just before Carnival season in February, most islands in the West Indies have their yearly festival just before the begging of Lent, 40 days before Easter. In my humble opinion, the artist that will break out will be Erphaan Alves, a groovy soca artist (slower soca) that seems to be combining elements of RNB and the West Indies to follow the Gyptian hit “Hold Yuh” formula. Check out one of his new tracks and let me know if you can image hearing this on Toronto’s G98.7 FM, . Machel Montano, KES the band and Benjai should also have stellar years, again!
REGGAE: As usual dancehall will be the top of the charts for this year in my view. I think another break out dancehall sensation will tear up the charts similar to Popcaan in 2012 and his name is Tommy Lee. Here is one of his new tracks, could be a dancehall hit for 2013. Similar to Vybz Kartel when he just came out! I also have high hopes that Beres Hammond could have a second career in North America has his notoriety outside of the Caribbean is growing to reach younger and newer audiences abroad.
Hip-Hop: Oddly enough I think 2013 will be the year of comebacks and some new upstarts. I think Trinidad James will have his time in the sun but time could tell for how popular he becomes outside of the U.S. (predominantly blowing up in the Dirty South right now but picking up steam up North as well). Check this out for some proof of his impending interaction with your unknowing ear drums, may not be for everyone. I also expect that due to some of the big cameos the made, the veterans of the rap game could be making huge splashes in 2013, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, WU-BLOCK, more music from GOOD MUSIC and Jay-z as well.
RNB: My heart wants Emelie Sande to blow up even bigger in 2013 but she is already known. Same goes for homegrown talent, The Weeknd but he is established as well. I want to hear big things from Miguel and Frank Ocean whom are ridiculously talented and both came out hard with great debut albums. I would love to see big things from Josh Krajcik, former runner up from X-Factor’s first season. I also think Chris Rene, from season one X-Factor fame may have a big year in 2013. I suspect the usual culprits will be tops again but these underdogs have the talent to snatch up the headlines this year. Check out this heartfelt performance and see what I mean.
ROCK: Always in a state of flux. Rock for the last 20 years, has changed its identity more than any of these other genres. Whether it was the grunge movement of the 1990′s that died with the end of Nirvana following Kurt Cobain’s suicide in 1994. The alternative movement with Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots or Sound Garden or the rap metal popularized by acts such as Limp Bizkit, Rage Against The Machine or Linkin Park. Not to mention the reemergence of punk (Green Day), hard rock (KISS) and metal (AC/DC). Great blues revival sounds like The Black Keys are also spell binding. A new group from the U.K. could be the next big thing as Indie Rock bands are the soup de jour in rock for the current audio menu. Foals, are pretty awesome, check them out.
I will re-evaluate this list at the end of this year to see how I did and let me know if this list is anywhere near yours, stay listening my friends, Mark.
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