THE VPME - One's To Watch 2021

How can music recover in 2021? Well, that depends on our ability to control COVID 19 and then see who and what is left standing. Personally, I’m hoping the artists listed below have every opportunity to develop and thrive creatively as well as expanding their fan base because under normal circumstances I’d expect most of them to make some sort of impact over the next 12 months. We do need to support emerging artists we love more than ever for obvious financial reasons but also lest we get stuck on the eternal merry-go-round of nostalgia. Although as a caveat if a new band emerges who sound like Oasis they can f**k right off. Just as one pandemic is enough for one generation to contend with, one Oasis is also more than enough. I’d contend it’s this fetid miasma of nostalgia that has led to so-called indie and alternative music which was once arguably at the vanguard of innovation, becoming so f**king dull and predictable. Yet many still plough that well-worn cow shit- strewn furrow, because alas it remains baffling popular. And it’s this sort of oak headed mutton fingered lad rock aimed at those who remain suspended in the derivative thrall of the likes of Kasabian, The Arctic Monkeys (insert your favourite here) that has led me to conclude that a large percentage of (UK) indie music has been, over recent years, about as interesting as Gavin Williamson narrating Finnegan’s Wake whilst boiling a sock. There’ll be none of that arrant nonsense here.

Normally at this time of year, I’d be planning who, amongst the artists I’ve tipped, are touring in the coming months. This year that’s been a pretty short process. Now my highlights of the week involve doomscrolling social media, shouting “well that was f**king shit “ at various Netflix shows and perhaps indulging in a cheeky, but necessary socially distanced visit to the “big” Sainsburys up the road.

I wrote a few words about a number of artists listed below for Under The Radar magazine recently as part of their Tips for 2021 including Coach Party, Baby Queen, Bleach Lab and Katie Wood. You can read that HERE and HERE . Thing is I had more recommendations than space – which is why this post exists – to highlight more up and coming music Below is a Spotify playlist followed by links to each artist’s social media and a few videos. Hope you find something that makes life rather more interesting because we have a few more months of social distancing and lockdowns yet I fear. But we can do it.

Here’s the playlist