Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the world’s music charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes ska-core that’s big in Japan, a Christian act who’s looking to Marilyn Manson for inspiration, some monks, someone who calls himself Mr. Halle Berry, Canadian road warriors, blue-collar bluesmen, and some Wombats who aren’t from Cleveland. MORE »
POSTS FROM "next little things" CATEGORY
next little things
Twangy Tweens, History-Making Axe Grinders, Chicken Fried Songwriters, Solitary Power Metal, Arcade-Fired Bleeps, And Lyrics That Use The Word “MySpace” As A Verb
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the world’s music charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes a trio of country-singing sisters from California, Europe’s self-proclaimed “Hottest Guitar Player,” some unlikely beneficiaries of Jay-Z’s press, Viking metal from the Indiana tundra, a mysterious London 8-bit musician, and an Arizona outfit that actually wants to be known as “Internet famous.” MORE »
next little things
Honky-Tonk Laments, Horror Rap, Robotic Princes, Universal Haters, Hawaiian Brothers, And Some Positive Soul
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the world’s music charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes some not-very-speedy Dutch “house/house/house,” a band that named itself Rehab way before the celebrity-rehab trend hit, some Vincent Price-influenced Juggalo rap, world-hating Poughkeepsie residents, and a Philly outfit who wants to stop the violence with the power of their music. MORE »
next little things
Chainsaw-Wielding MCs, Kool-Aid Stealers, Speed Racers, Coloring Time, Fire-Breathing Folkies, And Even More Ringtone Rap
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the world’s music charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes a pal of the Insane Clown Posse, a Montana duo who want to drink your Kool-Aid, a guy with the savvy to name his ringtone-rap track “Ringtone,” and some Kölsch-singing Germans who have been around for more than 30 years. MORE »
next little things
New Sounds Emerge From Loch Ness And The Mormon Tabernacle
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes Loch Ness-inspired folkies, accordion-assisted cantina polkas, a Brooklyn MC who needs a rhyming dictionary, some internationally known Detroit rockers, jumpy Christian teenpop, and a 161-year-old Mormon institution. MORE »
next little things
Angry Salad Fixings, Emo-With-Synth Wimps, Devilish Delusions, And A Good Amount Of Cardio
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes a reggae tribute to Barack Obama, a chess-playing jazzman, and some screamo guys who think they’re collectively the devil. MORE »
next little things
Norwegian Crotch-Grabbers, Hungarian Gangsters, Pony Pop, Nerdy Rap, And A Delicious Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world beyond the Billboard 200, where he’ll look for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers includes a bleep-happy Norwegian rapper, the self-proclaimed godfather of Hungarian gangsta music, a grouchy Californian MC, and a band that has already branched into food-related merchandising. MORE »
next little things
Beelzebub Beaters, Healthy Hip-Hop, Ignition Starters, Familiar Faces, Canadian Country, And Some Not-Yet-Extinct Dodos
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up-and-coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world of Billboard’s Heatseekers and Hot Shots, looking for diamonds in the MySpace rough. This week, his roster of up-and-comers tattoo-inspiring Christian metal, a song that may or may not be viral marketing for Chevrolet, and a remake of the Dream Academy’s “Life In A Northern Town.” MORE »
next little things
Greezy Balls, Lonesome Thugs, Orlando Christians, Timid Midwestern Roots Schlock, And “Scotland’s Only Tank Regiment”
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up and coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some of them may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world of Billboard’s Heatseekers and Hot Shots, looking for diamonds in the MySpace rough. In this installment he tracks a Miami rapper with a questionable crotch, religious goth-rockers scheduled to play a Salvation Army (possibly near you!), a military pipe and drum band that now shares a label with Slim Shady, a chubby reggae quartet, and many more: MORE »
next little things
Rappers Without Glasses, Ero-Tec Germans, Austin Electro-Emos, Cross-Eyed Codgers, And Middle-Aged Thrash Metallers
Each week, dozens of songs and albums from up and coming (or just plain unknown) bands debut on the pop charts. Some of these bands will never be heard from again; some of them may become the next little thing. That’s why every two weeks Chuck Eddy will be exploring the world of Billboard’s Heatseekers and Hot Shots, looking for diamonds in the MySpace rough. For the initial installment, we’ll let the man himself explain his methodology:
So the concept here, this week and every fortnight hence, is a scorecard for artists new to the charts–generally ones nobody never heard of before, though somebody must be buying their music. The means of selection will be simple: Go for acts with the goofiest names, which in a best-case scenario will correspond with entertaining stuff on MySpace pages and in YouTube videos. If true artistry is stumbled on in the meantime, I’ll admit it.
A disclosure, before I start: The charts I’m using, inevitably, come from Billboard–a publication where, until recently, I toiled as a senior editor, and where I occasionally still do freelance editing work, though I promise that fact will not sway my choices.
Ready, set, go! MORE »
