Photo: Courtesy of Young Turks.
If Spotify's predictions for 2014's big musicians come to fruition, our dancing feet will be taking a much-needed rest. 2013 has been a year of pop star comebacks and heavy amounts of electronic dance music. EDM festivals and their notorious subculture dropped themselves in the middle of the zeitgeist, splashing every inch of the industry with flecks of Day-Glo. Eardrums were blown out and the question of "where has real music gone" rested on the tip of almost everybody's tongues. Spotify, however, has a hopeful vision for the sonic future.
The music streaming service released its annual playlist of artists to watch today with nary an EDM track in earshot. Dance is prevalent, but it's toned down in the form of artists like Betty Who and Gesaffelstein. Together, these artists are bringing a more electronic vibe to the scene rather than the constant (and sometimes irritating) build-drop formula. It's Gesaffelstein's track that marks the playlist's most "dance" moment; the rest is an easy-on-the-ears aural adventure through neo-rap, R&B, and a welcome return of the singer/songwriter genre.
Every high must have a low, and 2014 is shaping up to be the comedown from 2013's manic climax. Spotify's playlist makes the coming year feel like one big Grey's Anatomy episode with the help of Tori Kelly, Dan Croll, FKA Twigs, and Twin Forks. And, hey, that's a pretty cool thing. That show nailed it in the soundtrack department every time. If we've an entire year dedicated to that, well shoot, it's going to be one heck of a year. (Spotify)