The music world is moving faster than ever, and one of the most exciting ways to find fresh talent today is through short-form content on social media. Platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts are giving emerging artists the stage they deserveâoften in under 60 seconds. These platforms are no longer just spaces for entertainment; theyâre the new grassroots venues where the next wave of musicians are first discovered.
Thatâs where our new feature comes in. Spotlight Sessions is a series dedicated to promoting short, engaging introductions to new music artists who are making noise online. Instead of long biographies or heavy discographies, weâll bring you the quick hits: a glimpse of their sound, their influences, and what makes them stand out.
Why short pieces? Because thatâs how fans are connecting with artists now. A 30-second clip of a bedroom demo on TikTok can spark millions of plays overnight. An acoustic performance on Instagram can turn casual listeners into loyal followers. By focusing on these short-form moments, weâll highlight the energy, authenticity, and raw creativity that social media platforms make possible.
Each week, weâll feature a handful of artists discovered through viral clips, trending sounds, and curated playlists. Whether itâs an indie band experimenting with synths, a singer-songwriter sharing a snippet of their latest ballad, or a rapper freestyling from their kitchen, youâll get a quick introduction and a reason to keep them on your radar.
We believe music discovery should be fast, fun, and accessible. With Spotlight Sessions, weâre curating the best of social mediaâs rising stars so you can spend less time scrolling and more time listening.
Sam Way â New Live release â Alchemy
Love for the written word and a desire to tell powerful stories has always been at the heart of Samâs work as an artist. As a teenager, he filled notebooks with plays, poetry, and short stories, while also composing his first songs on the out-of-tune upright piano his mum once played.
Music quickly became his passion. Weekends were spent exploring new artists, pouring over the âStaff Picksâ section at HMV, and spending every bit of pocket money on records. Creativity offered him a refugeâa source of catharsis that would ultimately shape his life.
After moving from a small rural town in southwest England to the capital, Sam released his debut music in 2013 through a small independent label. He threw himself into songwriting, collaboration, sonic experimentation, and touring. However, feeling limited by label bureaucracy, he broke away to independently fund his own music and studio time.
Early Releases and Milestones
Samâs live performances quickly gained attention, with highlights including a cross-country UK tour, 14 dates alongside fellow songwriter Anna Pancaldi, a festival appearance at Somersault in Somerset, and a main stage performance at Bristol Summer Ball.
His self-funded debut EP, Architect, featured five original songs he both wrote and co-produced. A strategic social media campaign helped spread the word, propelling Architect into the top 15 of the UK Singer-Songwriter iTunes Charts.
Between 2015 and 2019, Sam released 10 singles, three official music videos, and performed internationally in LA and NYC at Sofar Sounds shows and the iconic Rockwood Music Hall. He also featured in Mahogany Sessionsâ coveted Covers project with an intimate live rendition of âWithout Me.â
Samâs breakout moment came with Interlude, a piano composition that gained traction across classical, neo-classical, and instrumental playlists. From 2019 onward, he has been steadily building towards his forthcoming album while releasing 10 more singles, publishing his first poetry volume, and collaborating with pop producer Rob Late on the track Closer.
Notable appearances include live performances and interviews on BBC London, with his single Give Me Something receiving airplay on BBC Introducing in Devon.
Today, Samâs catalogue has surpassed 1 million streams on Spotify and he has amassed over 3,200 followers on the platform. His work continues to be championed by press outlets and supported through numerous PR campaigns, cementing his place as a multi-faceted artist with a gift for storytelling.
Polish pop-punk staples CF98 are back with their latest single, âHate My Life,â and itâs a burst of nostalgia, angst, and unfiltered honesty. Packed with shout-along choruses, raw lyrics, and early 2000s energy, this track perfectly captures the chaos of growing up, wrestling with anxiety, and questioning everythingâwithout pretending to have it all figured out.
âHate My Lifeâ is nostalgic, fun, angry, and weirdly comfortingâthe kind of track for anyone who grew up on Paramore and Sum 41, or still finds themselves screaming along to teenage anthems in the car.
If you still get goosebumps from teenage anthems, need a soundtrack for your quarter-life (or mid-life) crisis, and love the idea of screaming into the void while keeping it catchy, âHate My Lifeâ is exactly what you need.
âHate My Lifeâ is the fourth single from CF98âs upcoming album, Stupid Punk, set to drop on October 24, 2025 via SBĂM Records and Double Helix Records.
Elementary Chaos have returned with a brand-new album titled Dancing on a Wire, and its opening track, âLet Go,â sets the tone perfectly for whatâs to come. The song immediately draws listeners into the duoâs world of layered instrumentation, heartfelt delivery, and atmospheric soundscapes.
For those unfamiliar, Elementary Chaos is the creative partnership of Ed Hubregtse and Addy de Hond. Both are passionate multi-instrumentalists who seamlessly switch between vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboards. What makes their music even more compelling is the fact that itâs completely self-producedâthe recording, mixing, and mastering are all done in-house, giving each track an intimate and authentic feel.
Their performances are often found in the theater setting, where their sound can unfold with cinematic weight and emotional depth. With over two decades of collaboration behind them, the duo has built a catalogue of albums and singles that showcase their evolution while staying true to their artistic core.
Musically, Elementary Chaos draw inspiration from New Wave, Rock, and Indie, with echoes of legendary acts such as U2, Simple Minds, and Editors shaping their sonic palette. This influence is clear in the soaring guitars, driving rhythms, and rich vocal textures that run throughout Dancing on a Wire.
âLet Go,â as the albumâs first track, feels both like a statement and an invitationâone that pulls listeners into an atmospheric journey blending nostalgia with modern indie edge. Itâs a powerful reminder of why Elementary Chaos have remained a creative force for more than twenty years.
Want to see a full article? Read it on the New Music Review website
Nashville-based heavy duo Friendship Commanders are gearing up for the release of their new album BEAR, arriving October 10 via Magnetic Eye Records.
The record was co-produced by band members Buick Audra (guitars, vocals) and Jerry Roe (drums, bass), alongside their longtime collaborator Kurt Ballou, who also tracked the instrumentals and mixed the album. At its core, BEARexplores the elusive concept of belongingâwhere it exists, and where it doesnât.
Today, the band unveils their second dual single, âX / MIDHEAVEN,â paired with a brand-new music video for âX,â directed and edited by Jerry Roe and shot by Jarad Clement. The premiere launched via Everything Is Noise, and both tracks are now streaming across all major platforms.
Just like their earlier dual single âKEEPING SCORE / MELT,â these new tracks represent opposite ends of BEARâs sonic spectrumâone leaning heavier, the other more spacious and melodicâeach tackling themes of identity and influence.
Written in June 2024, just weeks after the passing of Steve Albini, Buick Audra reflects:
âI was grieving, but I was also watching a generation grieve in ways Iâd observed my whole lifeâstoically, strongly, sentimentally, and somewhat individually. This song is a loving send-up to that lost generation. We wanted the track and visuals to honor some of the artists who raised us creatively, including Steve. The camera Iâm holding in the second verse was his. Very moving to have and include it here. He was a young Boomer, but the absolute King of Gen X. Missed and loved.â
Audra continues:
ââMIDHEAVENâ goes wider; it gets into this idea of being born under a certain set of stars, and whether or not that has anything to do with who we are. As a person who feels like a lifelong misfit with a nature I canât seem to change, Iâm curious about where that starts. Is it written from the start? Iâm willing to believe anything at this point. Some days, itâs tempting to blame it all on the sky.â
Drummer/bassist Jerry Roe also weighed in on the creative process:
âI wanted the video for âXâ to have the vibe and look of those by our favorite bands from the Gen X/Grunge era while still being its own thing. Everyone wanted to appear tough and cool while also not seeming to take what they were doing too seriously. Thereâs such a particular mood of the era that no one has captured since. It was the best time for the medium of music videos, honestly, and it was a lot of fun to try and channel it. I find it moving to watch in a way that surprises me.â
ââMIDHEAVENâ stands out in our discography for being so instrumentally driven. The vocals and melody are just as integral a part of the song as any in our repertoire, but large portions of this track are just the two of us ripping at each otherâand itâs an absolute blast to listen to and play.â
With BEAR on the horizon and a growing catalog of dual singles, Friendship Commanders are shaping a body of work thatâs as emotionally raw as it is sonically powerful. Stay tuned for more ahead of the albumâs October 10 release.
Kittenhead is a five-piece powerhouse of veteran musicians, based across Los Angeles, Orange County, and Oakland, California. Using modern tech to collaborate remotely, the band fuses their ideas before coming together in person to add that unmistakable secret sauceâcreating music thatâs poignant, inclusive, and undeniably fun.
Over time, Kittenhead has sharpened their edge, crafting a darker and bigger sound filled with gender-bending swagger, hip-gyrating grooves, driving rhythms, and hooks that stick. Their lyrics cut straight to the core, blending rebellion with raw emotion.
The bandâs lineup is stacked with experience, featuring members who have played in notable acts like Green Jelly, The Generators, Butt Trumpet, The White Trash Debutantes, Blackjack Betty, The Dirty, and Lisafer. Some members have even been playing together since junior high, giving Kittenhead a rare chemistry that shines through their music.
Kivi â Lead vocals, cowbell
dd â Guitar, backing vocals
Erin â Bass, backing vocals
Mike â Guitar, attitude
O-Face â Drums, more cowbell
Kittenhead has built a reputation as a high-energy live act, with standout performances on the main stage at Oakland Pride and Folsom Street Fair, as well as roller derby events nationwide. Their hit single âDerby Girlâ has become a roller derby anthem, still blasted during team warmups.
Their music has reached international radio audiences, earning spins on Rodney on the ROQ, 93.1 Random Radio SF, XXXX Brooklyn Radio, and more. Beyond the stage, Kittenhead has never shied away from giving back. Theyâve headlined Renoâs Marianarchy Festival, a charity event raising funds for medical expenses, and their philanthropy has earned them support from both a Colorado radio producer and an Orange County nonprofit.
What sets Kittenhead apart is their focus on authenticity. This isnât a band chasing image or glamâitâs about raw rock and roll energy, rebellion, and inclusivity.
With their fourth release, #Authentic on the horizon, Kittenhead is gearing up for another bold chapter. You can stream their music on all major platforms, but to really experience Kittenhead, catch them live and see why theyâre one of the most dynamic underground rock bands today.
With pulsing beats, untamed vocals, and raw intensity, âLive Long, Fen Tigerâ drops on streaming platforms today, capturing the fierce independence of the legendary Fen Tigers â a people who stood their ground, lived off the land, and made themselves heard against all odds.
This isnât just a song. Itâs a celebration of survival and wildness â not only in nature but in spirit. An unorthodox anthem for anyone whoâs ever felt the need to reclaim their voice in a world that tries to silence it. Channel your inner primal spirit â this track wants you to roar.
Following the release of their powerful single âGloriousâ back in May, the band is turning up the heat in 2025. âLive Long, Fen Tigerâ arrives August 22nd, marking a pivotal moment in their journey.
To celebrate, the band will play their first-ever headline show on the same day, featuring a double-sided release:
The fierce new single âLive Long, Fen Tigerâ
Their bold reimagining of The Troggsâ classic âWild Thingâ
Fresh from storming revered East Anglian venues such as The Portland Arms, Louis Marchesi, and St Stephenâs Church, the band has also earned spins on Radio X and Louder Than War Radio.
The energy is undeniable. The Eels! Eels! Eels! wave is only just beginning.
EELS! EELS! EELS! are a rock ânâ roll/heavy blues band delivering raw, riff-driven songs steeped in East Anglian folklore, the beauty of wild landscapes, and the thunderous urgency of climate change.
Their sound fuses primal energy with storytelling â mixing lust-fuelled swagger, earworm hooks, and a shimmer of nostalgia. The result? A powerful cocktail that defines the essence of EELS! EELS! EELS!.
Aug 21, 2025 | Blog
Virtual Artist Alexis Barotelli Debuts Emotional Ballad âSecond Chanceâ
Songwriter Craig Raybould has stepped out from the shadowsâbut not into the spotlight himself. Instead, heâs introduced Alexis Barotelli, a virtual vocalist designed to perform his deeply personal, human-written songs.
The debut single, âSecond Chance,â is a soulful pop ballad about love finding its way back after heartbreak. Fragile, emotive vocals float over cinematic instrumentation, creating a sound that blends the intimacy of artists like Freya Ridings and Birdy with the intrigue of a voice that doesnât technically exist, yet feels strikingly real.
âSecond Chanceâ is part of Alexisâs debut album, The Moon Fell Down, now available on all major streaming platforms. While Alexis may be virtual, the emotions woven into her songs are undeniably and deeply human.
A Quick Look at My Yamaha SG1500 (1982, Cherry Finish) đž In this video, I take a closer look at my classic Yamaha SG1500 electric guitar from around 1982. I originally bought this beauty brand new from Woodroffes Music Store in Birmingham, UK, and itâs still in fantastic condition today.
This SG1500 features: Stunning Cherry finish with an Ebony fretboard Push-release coil taps Twin humbuckers for that powerful Yamaha tone All-original hardware, plus the original case and receipts The Yamaha SG series is legendary for its build quality and tone, and the SG1500 is a true vintage gem for collectors and players alike.
Keep an eye out for my next video, where Iâll be featuring the Yamaha SG3000S in Gold!
