This South Carolina born singer/songwriter has a style all his own. Acoustic guitar rock that’s influenced by everything from Bob Marley to Bob Dylan makes this 20 year old an artist to watch for in 2008. His song "Other Ways" appears on the soundtrack to Shrek the Third and his debut major label album is due out on Geffen Records during the first part of this year.

Listen- "Other Ways"

Recently signed to Jeff Hanson’s (Creed, Paramore) Silent Majority record label, Vayden is another find in Arizona. According to the band’s bio, their main influences are good and evil in no particular order, and it shows in their music. They’re aggressive on songs like "Karma is a Professional Wrestler" and "Anthem of the Used", and then they’ve got songs that are melodic and gentle like "Zoe’s Song." They’ve worked with producer Ryan Greene (NOFX, Authority Zero, Dishwalla) and he captured their talents perfectly on their debut album "Children of Our Mistakes." Front man Curtis Casey howls like Curt Cobain on the record, and all of the music blasts through the speakers. Vayden’s album "Children of Our Mistakes" is available on iTunes and through the band’s website Vaydenband.com. Expect a release from Vayden in 2008, either a re-release on Silent Majority or some fresh tracks.

Listen- "Karma is a Professional Wrestler"
 

The band had some success on Alternative Addiction in 2007. Their song "The Way She Feels" did well on the top 20 singles chart. This Orlando band formed in 2005, and is barely into their twenties. Their debut album "The Story and the Song" did well for the quintet out of Florida and earned them a strong following in online communities. It’s not clear what the band will be releasing in 2008, but expect a release on Universal Motown records.

Listen- "The Way She Feels"
 

If you’re from Australia you’ve heard of Airbourne, if you’ve played Madden 2008- then at the very least you’ve heard Airbourne. These Melbourne rockers have an edge to their retro-rock- we’re not talking about Jet’s take on The Rolling Stones mixed with Elton John. Think more along the lines of Twisted Sister being thrown together with AC/DC, quite simply these guys rock. They’ll be making their U.S. debut this year on Roadrunner Records.

Listen- "Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast"
 

Bowling for Soup perfected novelty rock… until these guys came along.. They’ll be making their major label debut "…And Other Distractions" in February on Virgin Records. Their song "Hail to the Geek" is catchy throughout and should catch on after a release judging from the bands popularity on MySpace, (the band’s profile views are sitting comfortably over 2 million.)

Listen- "Hail To the Geek"


 

It takes a lot of brass to move to another state to further your music career; it takes even more brass to move to another country. That’s what this band did. They moved from Leeds, UK to New York after their lead singer- Coyle Girelli visited NYC to "see some friends and play some shows" he realized that there was a big opportunity here in the U.S.A. Coyle set up residence in NYC, the rest of the band visited once for a couple of weeks and then packed up and moved to America. Since moving here they’ve gotten their major-label deal- they’re signed to Universal/Republic Records. Your Vegas will be opening up for The Bravery this month and next.

Listen- "In My Head"
 

It’s pretty amazing that pop-punk continues to be a large part of music. It’s a lot like reality television, every year you think it’s going to die and every year it continues to go strong. From St. Louis, MO Ludo has a pop-punk sound, but it’s not your typical pop-punk sound; there’s a bit of a shoop shoop vibe to it and the lyrics are darker than you’d expect. Ludo will be making their major label debut February 26^th with "You’re Awful, I Love You" on Island Records.

Listen- "Please"
 

Out of all the bands that are listed on this article Safetysuit has the most potential to be a major act for a long time. Out of Nasheville, TN- Safetysuit is mainstream-rock through and through. Their sound is different enough to make them stand-out, but basically these guys are the next evolution of the bands that have dominated the rock genre this decade- 3 Doors Down, Three Days Grace, and Nickelback evolved = Safetysuit. These guys are going to be big, an excellent signing by Universal Motown. Expect big things from Safetysuit in 2008.

Listen- "Annie"
 

At the very least, these guys can be pegged to have at least some success in 2008. Maybe they get a single to peak in the thirties, or maybe a single hangs out in the top 10 for a couple of months- it could go either way with Forever the Sickest Kids. These guys have been playing some shows with Powerspace, and that’s actually a great reference to these guys- they’re Powerspace with more of an edge. They’ll be playing a ton of dates this year being a part of the Alternative Press tour. Their new album comes out April 29^th on Universal Motown.

Listen- "Believe Me I'm Lying"

 

Jared Weeks can sing, and that is and should be the focal point of Saving Abel. His tone and his range are similar to Patrick Stump- and we all know what that type of talent has done for him. Expect big things from Saving Abel this year when they make their debut on Virgin records, how big just depends on what single is released. My best guess is "New Tattoo" comes out as the first single, and it should do well for them. But if "Goodbye, So Long" is released as a first or second single these guys will have a hit on their hands and Virgin will have a major league play in the rock market in 2008.

Listen- "Addicted"
 

If you’re looking for something that’s completely new, then look no further than Charlotte Sometimes. In a way she’s completely her own entity; something that’s never been done before, and in another way she’s Amy Winehouse singing Maroon 5 songs. Her infusion of pop-punk and jazz makes her music noticeable and her lyrics make her music likable. On Geffen Records Charlotte will be making her label debut this year.

Listen- "How Could I Just Kill A Man"


 

They’ve been making music for awhile, and this isn’t their first release or their first major label release, but Idiot Pilot isn’t exactly a group that everyone has heard of. Idiot Pilot music can best be described as Electronica with heavy pop roots. In a lot of ways they’re very similar to a modern-day Depeche Mode with one exception… they incorporate some Screamo in choruses and random parts of songs. Call it fire on the water, peaceful rage, a calm explosion, just don’t call it boring. Idiot Pilot’s "Retina and the Sky" appeared on the soundtrack to "Transformers" last year. Their album "Wolves" has been pushed back some, but expect a release Pilot from Reprise Records to hit on February 12^th.

Listen- "Retina and the Sky"
 

Another import from the U.K, Switches comes at you with pretty straight-forward Britpop, except they’re doing it better than most Britpop bands. Originally called Matt Rock and The Others, these guys have been around since 2002 and have toured with a ton of major U.K. acts including Graham Coxon, Hard-Fi, and Loui XIV. They’re signed to Atlantic Records in the U.K. and their album "Heart Tuned to D.E.A.D." has done fairly well for them. They’ll be making their debut here in the U.S. on Interscope Records this March.

Listen- "Drama Queen"
 

Out of all of the bands featured in this feature- none has more of an established buzz than I-Nine. Also from South Carolina the band’s sound is unique in a number of ways. They used to be a little more experimental than they are now; but they’ve tightened things up considerably to make themselves more radio friendly. Lead singer Carmen Keigans fronts this band with a rare gift. She sings like Avril Lavigne, but she’s got a strong band behind her and together they push out an alternative style that’s also equipped to tackle pop radio. I Nine’s single "Seven Days of Lonely" is performing well in its early stages and they’re debut album "Heavy Weighs the King" will appear this year on J Records.

Listen- "Seven Days of Lonely"
 

Danny is one of two independent artists to make this list and he makes it on talent alone. When you listen through Danny’s EP that he put out last year it’s apparent that this guy is a major league talent. His songs are classically written pop songs that are strong in structure. Listen through the five song EP and you’ll have trouble finding a problem with Danny’s music. What else is cool about Danny, (other than his music career is just getting started)? By day he’s a staffer for a New York Senator, and by night he plays New York clubs. If politics don’t steer him elsewhere, major things are in store for Danny Ross in the world of music.

Listen- "Against The Wall"
 

Gillmor is the other independent act in this article. This California band just came together as a full-fledged band even though singer/front-man Ryan Gilmor has been actively pursuing his musical career for the past few years, even going as far as to follow the Warped Tour around the country from stop to stop selling copies of his EP. Things have really picked up for these guys over the past year or so, they’ve gotten radio play on KWOD in Sacramento. Their song "Hey!" was chosen to be the theme song for a new Fox comedy called "Unhitched" premiering in March. They’re getting ready to embark on the Digital Donation tour across California and they’re getting some label attention from a few majors. Expect big things from Gillmor.

Listen- "Hey!"
 

Paramore made a huge impact on music in 2007 and Automatic Loveletter is set to do the same in 2008. They have a similar make-up. Like Paramore, Automatic Loveletter has a female lead singer that can flat-out wail, a set that’s extremely tight, lyrics that are catered more towards teenage girls, and an excellent sound that can be enjoyed by all. They’ve got a five song EP out now that’s great and they’ll be making their major label debut on Epic Records in 2008.

Listen- "The Answer"
 

Reprise Records puts out a certain type of music, that’s been established. A large portion is punk with an edge like My Chemical Romance and The Used (the most notable bands on their roster.) The Josephine Collective is the latest band with that type of sound to join the Reprise roster and they could be the next band to gain success using that sound. While nothing is a sure thing, just by checking out the band’s MySpace you can hear that these guys have as good of a chance as any to make it big in 2008.

Listen- "Living"
 

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