B.o.B- After releasing his commercially successful but critically disappointing debut The Adventures of Bobby Ray in 2010, the Georgia rapper B.o.B has kept himself on mainstream radio with pop hit “Airplanes” while working hard to maintain his “underground” credibility with two mixtapes focused on his abilities as a rapper. On Strange Clouds, his sophomore album set to release in March, he hopes to bring the two worlds together, stating he wants to “combine the way [he] approached a mixtape and an album.” Whether the album ends up as a savior to mainstream hip-hop or another critical dud remains to be seen, but 2012 should be a big year for Bobby Ray either way.
Best Coast- In 2010, every hipster in America had an opinion on Best Coast and their brand of simplistically sunny indie rock after the release of their debut album Crazy for You. While garnering praise for their lo-fi yet summery sound, many listeners derided frontwoman and lead songwriter Bethany Cosentino for her simple lyrics and cat-loving persona. However, the band has been in the studio with Kanye West collaborator Jon Brion who has helped the band “enhance the way [they] work.” They have stated the new album is more “grown-up” than Crazy for You, yet still maintains their sunny beach aesthetic. While their sound has always been attractive, more mature lyrics may go a long way to gaining this band an even larger following.
Frank Ocean- After the initial wave of controversy regarding rap group Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All had died down, soft-spoken member and R&B singer Frank Ocean rose to mainstream prominence. With several guest hooks on the joint Kanye West/Jay-Z album Watch the Throne, Top 40 DJs took notice and single “Novacane” began to get serious radio airtime. Now it’s looking as if Ocean may be “the next big thing” for commercial radio, and if he can manage his hype, 2012 could be the year Frank Ocean becomes a mainstream fixture.
Lana Del Ray- After an under-the-radar debut in 2010, pop singer-songwriter Lizzy Grant captured the attention of both the Internet and the mainstream with “Video Games” her devastatingly beautiful single. The song finds Grant finding her way as her alter-ego Lana Del Ray creating an incredibly moody and ultimately heartbreaking tune. We’ll find out soon enough if this sound can carry an entire album as Del Ray’s Born to Die comes out at the end of January, and we may witness the birth of a new pop star.
Skrillex- After dubstep raged through the United States in 2011, it will be interesting to see how it holds onto its fleeting mainstream relevance in the new year. One of the biggest fixtures in the American dubstep scene, Skrillex, is slated to release his debut album in 2012. After a slew of enjoyably loud and aggressive singles, Skrillex has a serious chance to bring his own brand of the techno off-shoot genre into the attention of more listeners if he can find ways to keep his sound interesting throughout the course of an entire LP.
