When you think of Arkansas, your first thought probably isn’t about music. Although one wouldn’t think that this state has a great music scene, it is surprisingly strong, and this is largely due to the many local bands and artists who are from here - and the hometown shows are always a night to remember. The following five artists make me proud to live in the natural state and are definitely worth a listen!
JOAN:
Joan is an alt-pop duo made up of Arkansas locals Alan Thomas and Steven Rutherford. Joan's music has been described as having '80s pop and '90s R&B influences that make their music unique in today’s music scene. In January 2017, the duo released their debut single "take me on." Since then, Joan has released numerous singles leading up to the release of their first EP “portra,” which consists of 6 songs. They most recently released a single titled "drive all night" and it makes me want to grab my favorite person and drive with the windows down; it is the perfect song for summer nights.
JOSEPH TILLEY:
Joseph Tilley made his debut into the music world in April 2017 with his first single, "Feelings." This song did not disappoint one bit and was a great introduction for what was soon to follow. Most recently, Joseph released "Wish I Didn't" and it is no doubt my favorite release of his so far. With vaguely hip hop type beats in the background and wavy synths on top, Joseph creates a cool blend of sounds that’s super characteristic of dream pop. If you’re a fan of LANY, you’ll definitely enjoy Joseph’s music.
TYLER SELLERS:
Tyler released “Better” back in October of 2018 and trust me, you need to give this song a listen. From the catchy chorus to the incredible music behind it, this song is all round enjoyable. On the day of its release, “Better” earned its well deserved spot on Spotify’s New Music Playlist. Fans of pop and R&B are sure to love Tyler Sellers; this is an artist that you do not want to miss.
KNOX HAMILTON:
Knox Hamilton consists of brothers Boots and Cobo Copeland, Drew Buffington, and, though he isn’t officially in the band, Marcus Rutherford - that is, the brother of Steven Rutherford of Joan - plays with them on tour and at shows. Knox Hamilton creates music that I would describe as chill summery beach pop, and I would totally recommend their music to anyone looking for new music to blast on their speakers. One of my favorite songs by them, “The Heights,” actually references an area in Little Rock literally called The Heights. The music video for “Video Sunshine,” a song off of their Beach Boy EP, was filmed there, partially in a popular local coffee shop called Mylo Coffee Co. Knox Hamilton is perfect for Little Rock natives who enjoy these little references to their hometown and can appreciate a good hometown show every once in a while.
EMILEE:
Emilee released her debut single, “High Hopes,” on March 1st of this year. Overall, this song is very dreamy. The mix of pure vocals and melodious tunes work really well together to create a clean song that you would hear playing in a local shop. This is an artist that you need to get behind and I personally can not wait to see what the future holds for Emilee!
Written by Gracey and edited by Monica!
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