by ANDREW COGLIANO
2013 has seen many new artists burst onto the music scene, bringing a sound entirely unique and sometimes remarkably uncategorizable. Take the pop/rock sensation Lorde, for example. Since she first debuted her EP The Love Club on March 8, 2013, Lorde achieved international recognition once her hit track Royals hit the radio. Soon after this monumental success, the New Zealand native dropped her first album Pure Heroine on September 27, 2013, which was quickly gobbled up by eager fans. As of October 28, Pure Heroine is the number three most popular album on the iTunes charts, while Royals is song number four.
Another band worthy of recognition, is the American duo known as The Pierces. This is the band that sings the theme to the hit television drama Pretty Little Liars. Their most famous song to date, entitled Secret, is from their third album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge, which debuted March 20, 2007. The group is comprised of sisters Allison and Catherine Pierce (hence the name The Pierces), who specialize in the genre of psychedelic rock/pop. With an overall eerie theme to their music, clearly visible in songs like Turn on Billie and Kill! Kill! Kill!, The Pierces have maintained a loyal fanbase even before PLL recognized their talents. The Thirteen Tales album also topped charts in the US and France in only two weeks after its debut.
If edgy pop doesn’t suit your tastes, many artists are seeking to stand out among the many Lady Gaga’s and Katy Perry’s. The genre of house music has seen many promising DJ’s emerge in recent years, and Oscar Wylde is no exception. Wylde is a DJ who gained fame on the social network Vine, where he would post videos of his new music and links to his Soundcloud account. Like many DJs, Wylde makes remixes of popular songs, similar to Calvin Harris and his remix of Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey. He has even formed his own brand, known as CakedUp, and has made many remixes in the genre known as trap music, which focuses on a blend of techno and hip hop that originated in the early 2000’s. His Vine account has featured artists such as the previously mentioned Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga, and Wylde also makes some original tracks, which are available for download free of charge on his Soundcloud.
The music industry in 2013 has certainly taken a sharp turn from the predictable pop of earlier years. Social media now makes it possible for Wylde to show his remixes and promote his brand all over the world. Advanced searching technologies like the Shazam app enable listeners to trace the PLL theme back to the Pierce sisters. iTunes radio has resulted in Pure Heroine being heard by thousands of people. Artists and musicians worldwide are taking advantage of the new technology available to them, and the industry itself is getting a facelift for the new generation.
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