Mikayla Leskey | Arts & Entertainment Editor
A few days ago I sent my brother a song from my ‘Daylist’ on Spotify. For those of you who don’t know the ‘Daylist’ is an algorithm that Spotify put together for what you tend to listen to during that day of the week, or the time of day, it refreshes every few hours to give you a new personalized soundtrack.
Usually, I don’t really pay attention to the artists that come across my Daylist, at most I’ll put their song in one of my playlists, at worst I tend to just block out the music, letting it be my background music for the day. Until I sent my brother a song by “Tonight’s Sunshine”, and he pointed out how they have under 1000 monthly listeners, and their top song only has about 11k plays. He was amazed (and jealous) that my Daylist gave me artists under 1000 listens, as his Daylist usually only gives him big-named artists.
Saying that here’s a list of some of my favourite bands with under a thousand plays on Spotify that deserve more recognition.
Tonight’s Sunshine
Based in Tucson, Arizona this is the band that started this whole article, with under 200 monthly listeners, and their top song, Song for a Savers Parking Lot reached just over 11k plays. Their main genre is pop-rock but often have multiple influences throughout all their songs. With their use of blending ukulele with electric guitar and the lead singer, Anastasia, or Firekid, amazing vocals, they’re a band like no other you’ve heard before.
Paperback Romance
Put together by five friends in Orlando, Florida, “Paperback Romance” explores Indie Rock and Dreampop like no other has before. With only 100 monthly listeners on Spotify, Paperback Romance is making their way through Florida playing at different pubs, festivals, events, and underground venues garnering everyone’s attention with their unique sounds and knowledge of music. Paperback Romance isn’t a band you’ll tire of anytime soon.
Hazmat
With just over 500 monthly listeners, Hazmat is bringing back the Riot Grrrl genre. Based in St. Louis Missouri, Hazmazt quickly acquired an audience through TikTok and the different venues they appeared at. They’re an all-time feminist band that feels like they time-traveled from the 90s to the 2020s with their feminist-punk music and attitude. Brought together by their shared love of music and hatred for the patriarchy, these six girls found themselves fame. They’re bringing back an old era of music rejuvenating it, and making it their own.
NERiMA
If you like “Paramore” or “Green Day” then you’ll fall in love with NERiMA. With 300 monthly listers and based in Toronto, Canada, NERiMA produces alternative indie music. Compared with powerful vocals and upbeat instrumentals, NERiMA is a band that will never get old. The three members of NERiMA, Lexi, Vee, and AJ all come from different musical backgrounds which makes NERiMA, NERiMA. With all of their lifelong passion for music and their interest in music's role in today’s society, NERiMA is challenging the status quo of music, and making sure it never goes out of style.