The Hot List

THE 12 ESSENTIAL NEW ROCK TRACKS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH AND THE BANDS TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR

In a new regular feature 12 essential new rock tracks you need to hear and the artists to have on your radar. This month they include Royal Republic, Piston, SKAM, Foxy Shazam, Dangereens, The Jaded Hearts Club and more…

Here’s the thing: rock’n’roll is in brilliant shape. Seriously, there’s a ton of scorching new stuff across the many, varied layers of rock, and it’s constantly being refreshed. If you’re reading this magazine, chances are you’re well aware of this.

So it’s hard to know whether to laugh, sigh or cry when naysayers moan that there isn’t anything new and good out there. Whatever your specific taste – your preferred shades of music that rocks – it’s simply not true. You just need to know where to look. Which is where we hope The Hot List can help.

We might not be going to many (or indeed any) gigs for the rest of this year, but that certainly doesn’t mean people have stopped making music. They really haven’t. In particular, rock’s newest guys and girls have recorded and put out loads of tracks that have remained on our playlists, and stuck in our heads like beer-sticky boots to the Borderline/Deaf Institute/Rock City/insert-favourite-venue floor.

Over the next few pages we’ll be flagging up a selection of killer tracks from new faces, rising stars and under-the-radar acts that we think deserve your attention. If you like what you find, check out more from the artists responsible. Order some music. Buy one of their T-shirts or other merch. Whatever turns you on.

For more recommendations (and also to vote for your favourite track) head to loudersound.com every Monday for Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week.