The 40 Best New Bands Of 2021: The Future Sound of Rock

By 2032, they were gone. Their one and only LP is an unfashionable artifact of the era in which it was created; its lack of subtlety and heavy-handedness make it something of a curiosity today. But when The New York Times printed its list [40 BEST NEW BANDs OF 2021] on April 30th, 2021, the idea wasn’t immediately ridiculed by critics and fans alike. In fact, some even believed that this group could be the future of music! They hung on every new release that followed with bated breath, waiting for another chance to pile their worship onto these young musicians who would quickly become known as “the supernova band.” But once the hype died down, they were never heard from again. Their own self-titled album turned out to be their swan song, and they split up by the next year.

Of course I’m talking about Future Islands! Haha just kidding, although it is funny to think about how much of an impact their career trajectory seems to have had on today’s most hyped artists. I’m sorry if you clicked on this article thinking it was going to be about the new wave band from Baltimore that your friends who like tiny fonts and quotes can’t shut up about (in other news… [NEW WAVE BAND FROM BALTIMORE THAT YOUR FRIENDS WHO LIKE TINY FONTS AND QUOTES CAN’T SHUT UP ABOUT]). Instead, let me introduce you to something much more exciting:

The 40 Best New Bands Of 2021

1. The Glowing Lines 1. Unbearable 2. Come Back Down 3. Other Half 4. Ten Thousand Hours 5. Ology 6. Escape To Mars 7. Sucker 8. I’m Fine 9. Parachutes 10. There, They’re Perfect 11. Pretty Pounding 12. Secondhand Smokes 13. Love Me Now 14. Here In This Room 15 . Stargazer 16 . Stargirl 17 . Forgot About Us 18 . Never Enough 19 . Macbeth 20 . Ghost Bath 21 . Pillars 22 . Something Human 23 . Kintsukuroi 24 . 6 Dogs 25 . 6 Million $ Man 26 . Supermassive 27. Heartless 28. Plastic Roses 29. Dreamy Flash 30. Barstow 31. Lazarus 32. Snail’s Pace 33 . Not At All 34 . This Broken Beat 35. Cut To Black 36. Slingshot 37. Summertime 38 . Shadows 39 . Fine Lines 40 . The Last Time

Alright, let’s get down to business! As you can see above, I’ve listed the Top 40 New Bands of 2021 according to me for some reason or another (not sure what it is but it sounds important). In alphabetical order:

The Glowing Lines Unbearable Come Back Down Other Half Ten Thousand Hours Ology Escape To Mars Sucker I’m Fine Parachutes There, They’re Perfect Pretty Pounding Secondhand Smokes Love Me Now Here In This Room Stargazer Stargirl Forgot About Us Never Enough Macbeth Ghost Bath Pillars Something Human Kintsukuroi 6 Dogs 6 Million $ Man Supermassive Heartless Plastic Roses Dreamy Flash Barstow Lazarus Snail’s Pace Not At All This Broken Beat Cut To Black Slingshot Summertime Shadows Fine Lines The Last Time

That’s the list! So many great acts to get to know. Some of them are your friends, others are just people you haven’t met yet. Either way, get stoked for 2021-2022! It’s going to be a wild year.

#1 – The Glowing Lines

The number one New Band of 2021 is called “The Glowing Lines” and they play “post-glowcore,” which sounds very cool. They are from North Carolina, but their sound isn’t informed by beach music or anything like that—and while it’s true that the members of this band have never been to outer space, their songs are all about feelings, moods, and other intangible stuff that people find in space sometimes! Maybe they’ve just never seen the nightly news, who knows. But either way… get ready for The Glowing Lines! I’m sure you’re going to love them. They make me feel alive inside!!! Here is a song called “Nebulas.”

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#2 – Unbearable

Wow. Unbearable is a band from the United Kingdom and they make “neon grunge for now people” according to their bio, which sounds both accurate and weird as hell! They’ve been kicking around since 2014 but the members of this band have never had a drink or a drug together, so consider yourselves lucky! They are perfect!!! Here is a song called “Inertia.” This one is about how you should only care about things that actually matter, I think. Oh god I hope that’s what it’s about… because otherwise it would be very sad!!!!!

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#3 – Come Back Down

I really love this band from Nashville called Come Back Down, who play “rock & roll” according to their music! They have been making some of the finest rock & roll on God’s green earth since they formed in 2016! Their members include a doctor and a scientist but none of them are working together—they’re just good friends who like bands that sound like Led Zeppelin sometimes. So be sure to come back down soon!!! I promise it’s worth your while!!!! Here is a song called “Trigger Warning.” In it, you can hear all sorts of wild stuff going on behind the music. It’s basically perfect—just like everything else on our 2021 countdown.

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#4 – Ten Thousand Hours

Ten Thousand Hours are a band from Iran who play “modern pop punk” sometimes!! They have toured the United States several times and they have played live in front of thousands of people on television! Their members all love Green Day but I think that’s not true because it says it right here in their bio. Also, I don’t see Billie Joe anywhere on this poster! So let’s just say these guys invented an alien life form that looks like him. Perfect. Here is a song called “Artificial Intelligence.”

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#5 – Ology

Ology is a band from South Carolina who blah blah you get it already—they make some really good music!!! Let me tell you, I have never met these people but if I ever do, they are going to feel so special lying in my arms for a long time. This band is the best and everyone should start a petition to make them our Secretary of Transportation! They play “nu-metal” which you may have heard before. Here is a song called “In Between.” It also features some sweet rapping that will blow your mind!!!!!!!!

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#6 – Escape To Mars

This band from Australia plays “post-hardcore” sometimes!!! Their members’ favorite color is green like the Hulk’s does not sound at all like it makes sense but it doesn’t matter because this band rocks!!!!!! For example, here is a song called “Reality Check” and it is about how we should all hold hands and follow the yellow brick road together to a better world where everyone loves each other. Or something like that!!!!

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#7 – The Best Of Us

Ladies and gentlemen, this band from Detroit plays “indie rock gospel” sometimes!!! And also they are not afraid to say that their favorite color is blue because it’s true!!!!!!!!!! Believe me—I would never steer you wrong!!! Here is a song called “After Gold.” It is very good, as I’m sure you agree!!!!!!!!!!

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#8 – Crave The Wave

This band from Hawaii playsexperimental pop.” You’ve probably heard their music before and if you haven’t, what is wrong with your ears???? Crave The Wave has been around since 2013 and they have performed in front of thousands of people at state fairs!!! Here is a song called “Hands Up.” It deals with difficult topics such as love and drugs.

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#9 – Divine Glow

This band from California play “experimental prog rock” sometimes! Some members are really into skateboarding but not all of them are because that’s just impossible!!!!! So it seems like they would be the perfect person to talk about this issue, doesn’t it? Isn’t that right???????? Here is a song called “Illuminate.” They say it’s about how you need to be patient because good things are coming!!!!!!!!

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#10 – Voice Of Addiction

This band from Italy play “post-hardcore” sometimes!!! I’m pretty sure this is true if it says it right here in their bio. Here is a song called “The Stare.” It’s about how everyone on Earth should come together as one big family and share all of our food with each other!!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be so nice, don’t you think? Yes, I agree 100%—yesterday I made that same promise to my garbage disposal. Just kidding! Don’t worry, I never eat anyway!!!!!!