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Music

Music Genres to Watch in 2015

From grumps, crims and punks, this is what to look out for in the next twelve months.

A collaboration between hip-hop’s biggest name and the guy from Wings is going to be hard to top but with new Kanye, Skepta, Sleater Kinney and Tame Impala records on the horizon, 2015 is looking big.

In a year when revenue from streaming will continue to surpass CD sales in the US, Katey Perry plays the Superbowl half time show and the Dalai Lama headlines Glastonbury, things are shaping up to pretty colourful. Unfortunately Ed Sheeran will continue to be the biggest solo male pop act/nice guy act in the world.

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Rather than break it all down album-by-album here are some genres that we think will rise in 2015.

Grumpy Old Men

2014 was a breakout year for old guys with guitars and chips on their shoulders. Led by noted curmudgeon Michael Gira, Swans released To Be Kind an album that with the exception of Practical Parenting made every publication’s best of year lists. Then there was Sun Kil Moon aka Mark Kozelek's one-way feud with the War on Drugs which made him seem like that crotchety old neighbor in a dressing gown. The good news is that Sun Kil Moon will be releasing a new 10” in 2015 with a track titled "Cry Me a River Williamsburg Sleeve Tattoo Blues" that will no doubt win the moaning asshole many more new fans. On February 3, the king of angry man in dressing gown music Bob Dylan, is releasing Shadows In the Night, an album of Frank Sinatra tracks. Upcoming releases from Ryan Adams, Sir Richard Bishop and Steve Earle and the Dukes round out a top year off ‘get off my lawn’ rock.

New York Chanson

Chanson, also known as blatnaya pesnya (“criminals’ song”), is Russian prison music. Based on themes of the Russian urban underclass and criminal underworld it’s been popular in Eastern Europe since the beginning of the 20th century. With the incarceration of Bobby Shmurda, a variant of it could soon be big in New York City too. Shmurda (born Ackquille Jean Pollard), and best known for his track "Hot Nigga" is currently being held at Rikers Island after being indicted of reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon, conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree and criminally using drug paraphernalia.
His bail is set at $2 million and if convicted Shmurda could face up to 25 years in prison and join the likes of Tru Life, Max B and G Dep bumping some upstate Chanson.

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Blue Chip Hip Hop

The US President’s daughter may rep Joey Badass' bright young Brooklyn crew Pro Era and everyone else is putting up beats on Soundcloud but 2015 will also be the year that hip hop hauls out the heavyweights with releases expected from Kanye, Lil Wayne and the Toronto Raptors global ambassador Drake who is currently finishing his fourth album.
Lil Wayne has spent the last 15 years busying himself being the Greatest Rapper on Earth but he’s going out in 2015 with Tha Carter V, his long delayed eleventh studio album which will also be his last. Kanye has said that the follow up to Yeezus will be his Born in the USA and with rumoured collaborators including Rick Rubin, Q-Tip, Pusha T, Theophilus London, Mike Dean, and Travi$ Scott the album will be so big I’m tipping it could possibly single-handedly defeat global terrorism. Also look out for new records from Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar and Lupe Fiasco who will also show the young blood how it’s done.

New York Hardcore 2.0

The resurgence of New York hardcore punk continues with the third instalment of the New York’s Alright festival slated for April and bands such as Hank Wood and the Hammerheads, Warthog, Ajax, L.O.T.I.O.N, Vanity and Anasazi and labels such as Toxic State keeping the tradition of aggressive and quality New York hardcore alive. Of the current bands look out for new band NYC Headhunters (pictured) who have a killer new demo out on Straight and Alert records for free download.

1993

The Bodyguard soundtrack may have been the top selling album but 1993 was still a year of big year with Radiohead, Bjork, Frank Black and Tool debuting albums, PJ Harvey releasing Rid of Me and the Smashing Pumpkins dropping Siamese Dream. All of these bands will be releasing new material in 2015 inlcuding Bjork who is collaborating with British producer and Tri Angle artist Bobby Krlic, otherwise known as the Haxan Cloak. As well as upcoming releases from Madonna, Faith No More and Juliana Hatfield, 2015 could wel; remind you of the Clinton era or the death of River Phoenix.