Category Archives: spotify

Indie Darlings: November 2024

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We conclude our November rollout of The Playlists with the one that brings us closest to our true Underground roots.

Indie Darlings consists of the cuts that are ambient, experimental, and don’t quite fit into any one genre box. You’ll hear shades of pop, rock, and folk here — often at the same time — as you get lost in a diverse sea of sounds.

We phoned a friend for this one, too. Our friends at Circle Back Entertainment Group contributed roughly half of the selections here, because we believe in the power of teamwork! (Also, adding this playlist to the mix was actually their idea…)

Track listing
BoyWithUke – Ghost
Julia Kahn – Badlands
Accidental Friend – Empty Love
almost a.m. – Stand Still
Nico Son – Let This Go
Hunter West – Don’t Cry
Hugs ft. Parking Lot Funeral and Karaoke Bar – hummin
Post Meridiem – Love
Chasing Tonya – Why
Pierce Alexander – Doll Parts
Sierra Carson – skeletons
Davis Evanoff – Cranberries (2024)
rakey – Everything Is Summer
Adam Lamah – Even If
Common Man – Vermont
The Stremes – Got Myself Together
Max Blansjaar – Burning In Our Name
Unbelievable Truth – Roadside No. 2
Shawn Andrew – Valley of Hope
book NOT brooke ft. Zina – Everything I Wanna Know

Poppin’ Off!: November 2024

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What better way to head into the weekend, than with the playlist that promises — and delivers — big sounds and even bigger hooks!

The boundaries of pop music have once again become blurred. Independent pop artists from all over the world are innovating, combining catchy melodies and slick production with subtle nuances that will excite even the most seasoned listener. Our debut edition of Poppin’ Off! captures many such moments, leaving you with an hour’s worth of musical memories, sure to stick in your mind long past the weekend.

Track listing
CMAGIC5 – Rock Paper Scissors
Alis Vibe – Body as a Vessel
Sid Seth – Wave
Emma Driver – Try Hard
znels – future now
Daniel Arci – In My Dreams
Allison Leah – Meet Me in the Garden
Harris Hills – HATE
Alew – Loophole
Brooke Martin – bad guy
Lawrence D. – Runaway
(virtues) – U.
The Silent Room – Veins
Mary Jennings ft. Fame & Fiction – Take a Number
Streamers The Band – Don’t Look Back, Love
Lo Fi Ho Hum – Boundaries
Charity Bliss – joy algorithm
TEHYA – trap door
JULEZ – Hey There
Linn Holmes – Baby Blue

From the Soul: November 2024

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The best music comes straight From the Soul. And, while all of The Playlists carry a special essence, there’s something extra tasty about this one.

There’s soul, funk, blues, R&B, and even a little bit of reggae awaiting you within this 20-track collection. It’s plenty to keep you feeling alive, feeling in love, and even (sometimes) feeling the burn. The passion behind every expressive note and thoughtful lyric is palpable!

Track listing
Miller and the Other Sinners – Better Times, Better Days
Cliff Beach – The Work
Mobley – Y’r Ghost
The Wood – Let it Loose
Groove Merchants – Real Estate
Natasha Blaine – Medicine
Beth White – Pretty Baby
Marcus King – F*ck My Life Up Again
The Late Arrivals Club – When a Lover Says Goodbye
I Nu – GLOOMY BAR
The Dip – Love Direction
Kelly Finnigan – Count Me Out
Luke Jenison – Heartbreaker
Watermelon Funk – AFRODESIAC
Fox Jackson – Like That
Chasing Daylight – One of These Days
Lyrick Musiq – Winter Rainfall
Shawney Rainne – Cry Me A River
mister pablo – Enough
Miranda Powell & Ryan Prewett – HIGH SCHOOL

Rock On!: November 2024

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We’ve said it before, we’ve said it again, and we’ll always say it: contrary to what you may have heard, rock is alive and well.

We’ve seen and heard this simple truth through the years, as artists near and far have made clear through their art. And, for as diverse as our musical world has become, there’s still nothing quite as organic as a bunch of friends bringing their instruments into a room to make some noise.

This playlist is a result of that raw energy and spirit, 20 times over. If you’ve been wondering where all the guitars are on the modern music landscape, look no further. They’re right here for you.

Track listing
The Mad Sugars – New York Girls
Bobby Mahoney – Empty Passenger Seats
Leah Burns – WUT R U WAITING 4
Brother People – Total Vibe
The Trampoline Delay – Little Lucy
Theos Wall – COSMONAUT CASTAWAY
Hot4Robot – Your Chemical (Unplugged Live)
Lonely Little Kitsch – Vices
Harley Olivia – You’re Not Ready
Fortunate Losers – Taste
Lips Speak Louder – Dog Days of Summer
Feral Minks – My Escapade
General Mojo’s ft. Marshall Law Band – change will come
f1oater. – Half-Life
Doc. Henry – Babyface
The Manic Boys and Girls Club – Last Train
horsebread – ontherun
The Hollow Party – Medicine
KJ Wild – Red Hot Magazine Girl
ROM COM ft. Eliza Harrison Smith – Call You Mine

Beats & Verses: November 2024

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So many incredible hip hop and R&B artists have graced our pages and stages over the years, and the story continues today, with the unveiling of our first-ever Beats & Verses playlist!

We have fresh cuts from artists we’ve recently discovered, as well as a few favorites from those we’ve known for a while. One thing that is for certain: we’ve got an excellent sample of the versatility taking place across the hip hop and R&B landscape — and it keeps getting better!

How do we know? For one thing, UMC Spotlight Artist Da’ Healerz are set to release their debut record, Heal Talk, next week. So, you can count on that making its way onto the December edition of Beats & Verses. We’ve also got old friends Heru Heru — another Foundation Mecca project — dropping Heruglyphics later this month.

As we give you all of that to look forward to, let’s enjoy the present. Beats & Verses is here to stay!

Track listing
Brett Will – Dominoes
Lord Goldie – On da Line
KNEX, Foundation Mecca, and Black Cash – Amazing
E.T. ft. Therese – You’re A Star
Emory Jaymz – Sonshine
Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Symbasyd ft. Kelly2face & Adonis – Heyyy
Big Fav ft. Cupid – My Luv
Ah-Deli ft. THC – Good Time
Spence Brown – Indecisive
Numoon – I Hate The Sun
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
BEZ – Lie Detector
Intellect ft. Dave East – Too Many Losses
Usual Suspektz ft. Asun Eastwood – Tower
pher, – moon
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Ekelle ft. Ervin Mitchell – Games
2Four – Freak This
Gr3ys0n – Won The Game

All-Americana: November 2024

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We’re one playlist in, and already, we can tell this is going to be a blast!

Let’s kick things off with All-Americana. Straight from the heartland, this playlist features the best emerging country, roots, blues, folk, and bluegrass, and will be updated reliably on the first Monday of every month going forward.

As it turns out, Americana itself paints from a vast and varied sonic palette. You’ll hear anything here from radio-ready country, to ambient folk, to stomp-along roots music — and there’s even more where that came from, including even a little bit of folk-punk!

Start The Playlists’ party with us, and stick around all week long for the rest of the musical spectrum!

Track listing
Dylan Gerard – Need a Little Downtime
David Tucker – Fighting Over Sheets
The Rebel Eves – Shake the Ground
Mikki Zip – Somethin’ To Write About
Brittany Bishop – Welcome Home
Meghan VK – Deal with the Devil
Chelsey Stallings – Give Him the Reins
Andi Jane ft. Billy Contreras – Charlotte’s Web
Jacob Shipley – Death of Me
Matthew Ryan Jacobs – Where Are You Now?
falllift – Questions I Can’t Ask
Ryan Thomas Smelle – Sad Song
Max McNown – Hotel Bible
Bjorn – You Got the Power In You
Regan Ashton – 6 1/2 Billion Hearts
Cox County Clappers ft. Lightning Jenny – Government Man
Dave Robertson & The Kiss List – The Green Light
Jaden Wright – East Kentucky Lady
Gray Hector – Waitin’ Around To Go Viral
William Harries Graham – Philadelphia

The Playlists Release Week: What You Need to Know

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This Monday, we’ll begin to roll out The Playlists, a series of UMC-curated compilations on Spotify. The Playlists will feature independent artists across a variety of genre subsets, and we’ve even recently added a sixth one, in collaboration with our friends at Circle Back Entertainment Group!

Below, you’ll find information about each playlist’s release date. Please note that these playlists will be updated on a monthly basis, in the order in which they were originally released.

(For example, our All-Americana playlist is coming your way on Monday, November 4, and will be updated on the first Monday of every month going forward.)

Anyway, here’s the full release schedule:

Monday, 11/4: All-Americana: Straight from the heartland, this playlist features the best emerging country, roots, blues, folk, and bluegrass
Tuesday, 11/5: Beats and Verses: Our best discoveries from the world of hip hop and R&B.
Wednesday, 11/6: Rock On: A compilation for all things rock & roll — indie, alternative, hard rock, and more!
Thursday, 11/7: From the Soul: Soul, funk, jazz, and R&B to make us sing, dance, and feel all the feelings.
Friday, 11/8: Poppin’ Off: Fresh pop finds, full of big sounds and even bigger hooks.
Saturday, 11/9: Indie Darlings: Selections that are so eclectic, experimental, and quirky that they don’t quite fit anywhere else!

There’s still time to submit, for these and future editions of The Playlists. Click the button to show us what you’ve got!

SUBMIT NOW

A New Playlist for You ‘Indie Darlings’

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Last week, we told you about The Playlists, a series of UMC-curated Spotify playlists covering a variety of genre subsets.

What we didn’t tell you is that we forgot to include one in the initial announcement. So… let’s fix that!

We’re teaming up with our friends at Circle Back Entertainment Group to bring you Indie Darlings, a playlist highlighting shades of indie rock, pop, folk, and more. The exciting thing about this playlist is the variety you’ll find — because these are selections that are so eclectic, experimental, and quirky that they don’t quite fit anywhere else!

In addition to Indie Darlings, the other five playlists we’ll begin to roll out on Monday, November 4 are…

  • Rock On!: A compilation for all things rock & roll — indie, alternative, hard rock, and more!
  • Poppin’ Off!: Fresh pop finds, full of big sounds and even bigger hooks.
  • All-Americana: Straight from the heartland, this playlist features the best emerging country, roots, blues, folk, and bluegrass
  • Beats & Verses: The best discoveries from the world of hip hop and R&B.
  • From the Soul: Soul, funk, jazz, and R&B to make us sing, dance, and feel all the feelings.

Want to submit? There’s still time! Hit the button below…

SUBMIT NOW

SUBMISSIONS OPEN: The Playlists Debut from UMC on Nov. 4

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You need a place to listen to your favorite independent and emerging artists, and we’re happy to oblige.

On November 4, we will reveal The Playlists, a series of UMC-curated compilations on Spotify. This time, we’re doing things a little differently, by creating unique playlists for a variety of genre subsets.

No matter your musical flavor, we’ll have a place for you! The Playlists will include…

  • Rock On!: A compilation for all things rock & roll — indie, alternative, hard rock, and more!
  • Poppin’ Off!: Fresh pop finds, full of big sounds and even bigger hooks.
  • All-Americana: Straight from the heartland, this playlist features the best emerging country, roots, blues, folk, and bluegrass
  • Beats & Verses: The best discoveries from the world of hip hop and R&B.
  • From the Soul: Soul, funk, jazz, and R&B to make us sing, dance, and feel all the feelings.

Once released, The Playlists will be updated with fresh tracks on the first Monday of every month. To submit your music for consideration, click the button below!

SUBMIT NOW

Songs You Should Hear: The Return

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It’s been a little while since we’ve done one of these, hasn’t it?

Yet, with excellence all around us, it’s clear that many of the submissions we’re receiving deserve a deeper dive. And so, today marks the triumphant return of Songs You Should Hear!

Get started with these, and be ready for more on the way, every Friday at UMC!

Artist: JT Loux
Song: look into my eyes
Genre: Indie Rock/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: The course of true love never runs smooth — and it can be made even more complicated when you’re loving from a distance. Underneath this tune’s prevailing warmth is a clear and present longing, inspired by the reality of “loving someone, but they are 2,000 miles away.”

Artist: Rex & The Rhythm
Song: Umbrella
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: Who’s ready for some April showers? This tune’s breezy sonic landscape juxtaposes well with its lyrical content, artfully illustrating the conflicting emotions experienced after a breakup.

“‘Umbrella’ is about a relationship abruptly ending, even though the forecast appeared to show clear skies and warm weather,” Rex said.

Fun fact: Rex has had the opportunity to open for artists including Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti, and Lauryn Hill — and, after opening up this “Umbrella,” it’s easy to understand why!

Artist: Spence Brown
Song: By My Lonely
Genre: Hip Hop
Why You Should Hear It: If you’ve ever dealt with haters, this one is for you. Brown has proclaimed this fiery new track the “anti-hater anthem”; and with how hard this one goes, it might just provide the push you need to overcome doubt.

Brown says, “As an artist, it’s always hard to deal with haters, but if you can remind yourself that what you do is good at the end of the day, you can just laugh it off. Personally, I’ve always had a hard time dealing with haters, so I made this song to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what other people think. I can get this done without their opinions!”

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

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