If You’re in a Listening Slump, Read This Article
A listening slump happens to us all. One moment you’re grooving along to your favorite artists, and the next you’re scrolling listlessly through your music library, trying to find something that excites. What’s a music lover to do when auditory ennui strikes? Read Off the Record, of course. Here’s a curated list of up-and-coming artists to listen to based on what sound you’re a fan of and similar musicians that are likely already in your listening rotation. Find the full playlist at the end.
If you’re a fan of larger-than-life, theatrical art-rock with a dash of humor like David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, Bryan Scary, and Jack Black’s Tenacious D . . . then listen to Starfox and the Fleet.
Grab your popcorn, because you’re in for a show. Starfox and the Fleet have traveled across time and space to launch their ultra-glam, more-is-more music in NYC. The emotional poignancy of their songs is matched with absurdist humor and winking innuendo. Starfox and the Fleet are known for their electrifying, theatrical live shows that include sequin-drenched storylines of alien hive minds, time travel, and robots. Starfox and the Fleet are more than a performance; they’re an experience. Their upcoming album is produced by Bryan Scary himself, and it promises to be the event of the millennium.
If you’re hypnotized by avant-garde, experimental pop musicians like Björk, Kate Bush, and AURORA . . . then listen to Maddie Ashman.
Maddie Ashman makes pop like you’ve never heard it before. Her experimental, genre-fluid sound mixes classical orchestral elements with unexpected microtonal melodies and synth. Maddie Ashman’s shredding on guitar (and cello!) is the epitome of playful music theory in action. Her innovative music has garnered praise from Caroline Polachek, BBC Music, and NME, and she supported King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard on their 2025 European tour. The London-based musician, producer, and composer released her debut EP, Her Side, at the beginning of 2026, and she’s currently making her way through Europe on her first-ever headlining tour.
If you’re a yearner who expresses emotion through synth like Charli xcx, Hemlocke Springs, and Caroline Polachek . . . then listen to lene 3000.
While the Norwegian artist only has a handful of tracks released onto streaming (though she has a larger discography on Soundcloud), she’s made waves with her textured and hazy Eurogaze. lene 3000 was born on Valentine’s Day, and there’s an undeniable ethereal, abstracted romanticism in her sound. Tightly layered rhythms and sparkly vocals are drenched in plenty of reverb. Forget an ideal summer of sunny days, blue water, and the smell of sunscreen. A lene 3000 summer consists of foggy mornings, stormy seas, whispering secrets in the dark, and long nights with an unsettling edge.
If you like edgy Americana that exposes the dark underbelly of girlhood like Ethel Cain, Lana del Rey, and Tori Amos’ cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. . . then listen to Willa Mae.
Willa Mae’s shoegaze rock with a Southern Gothic flair feels like taking flash photography in a midcentury wood-paneled basement. She describes her ideal audience as “critters and creatures,” and in June she graced the Rocknite x Outeroo stage at Bonnaroo. The Tennessean musician draws inspiration from Southern living and the tension of loving the South while not completely fitting into its expectations. Willa Mae’s saccharine vocals paired with lived-in grunge sonics is perfect for staying out too late in the local grocery store’s empty parking lot.
If you’re a cowpoke at heart who loves moody, atmospheric Western ballads à la Orville Peck, Luvcat, and Nancy Sinatra . . . then listen to Valley James.
Valley James’s sound and artistic vision carry so much mystique it feels like she was destined to be a musician; she even pawned off her wedding ring to buy her first guitar. With imagery of twisted tales of doomed love, nerves of steel, horizons that never end, and hair billowing behind you as your horse races as fast as it can go, Valley James’s cinematic crooning will transport you to a different time and place (or take you back home). Her 2025 debut Americana album, Star (named after her hometown of Star, Idaho), is a masterclass in atmospheric vocals and melancholic storytelling.
If you like classic rock that gives a middle finger to authority like Geese, the Rolling Stones, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young . . . then listen to Certain Death.
Certain Death revels in retro rock with a devil-may-care attitude towards the status quo. The Brooklyn-based band strutted onto the scene with their 2024 debut album, Strange Garden, and their tracks can hold their own alongside tried-and-true classic rock songs that have been mainstays on playlists and the radio for decades. Their sonic signature is slick riffs and propulsive rhythms that are juxtaposed with edgy lyrics delivered in a soaring tenor.
If you’re a polyglot who revels in dramatic songs by international artists like Måneskin, Mylène Farmer, and Rosalia . . . then listen to João Borsch.
You might not be able to understand the lyrics, but dancing is universal! (And if you do want to understand the lyrics, Google translate is a click away . . . or Duolingo, if you’re really ambitious). João Borsch’s music is just as good in the club as it is when you’re dancing alone in your bedroom. They aren’t afraid to flit from genre to genre: vaudeville, metal, ballad, pop-rock, EDM, Portuguese fado. Both of their albums, É Só Harakiri, Baby (2023) and Uma Noite Romântica com João Borsch (2021) are a blend of influences grounded by Borsch’s stunningly theatrical voice.
If you’re drawn to dreamy Irish vocalists like Delores O’Riordan, Sinead O’Connor, and Enya . . . then listen to THEATRE.
THEATRE released their debut EP, Incarnate, in June, and it’s a stunning curtain raise on the band. The Irish five-piece hails from Limerick, which is fitting given their tight songwriting. Maeve O’Shea’s diaphanous vocals float above a grungy, folky, shoegaze foundation. Their gritty sound roughs up the religious references in Incarnate, such as in “Gaudete,” which draws its inspiration from a Latin chorale. THEATRE is on tour in the UK this summer, including shows where they’re supporting Shame and Lewis Capaldi.
