Today’s rock music comes in different styles, each with its own scene and set of fans. Yet, despite these genre boundaries, rhythm and melody have a way of bringing listeners together.
This new rock music roundup is all about that: a selection of indie/alt rock songs where melodies, rhythms and emotion converge to create a beautiful listening experience. The twelve picks include songs by Kilo Tango, Cook Allender and 7last (a full Spotify playlist can be found down at the bottom).
shinyhunt – “city of no one”
In the streaming era where millions of songs are uploaded every month, it feels refreshing when you first discover a band through their live performance. I’m not saying I travelled to Denmark to see shinyhunt play, but watching their SPOT Festival performance of “city of no none” on YouTube was just so captivating, especially considering how amazing the song sounds live. “city of no one” is one of the tracks on the Copenhagen-based outfit’s 2024 album, sea-salt ice cream. It’s a grungy, melody-driven indie rock track that showcases shinyhunt’s shoegaze-influenced sound. Careful! This song may get you to rethink who your favourite indie band are.
Follow shinyhunt: Instagram
The Dead Century – “Hey Chicago”
Siblings Nick and JP Check joined forces with their friends Austin Peterson and Rob Muehlbauer to form The Dead Century. The result is a band whose music is just as catchy as it is energetic. You just need to listen to their latest single, “Hey Chicago”. The uptempo, guitar-driven track was produced in Minneapolis by Andy Thompson. A song about the feeling of hope and uncertainty that follows a breakup, “Hey Chicago” has a euphoric feel to it. The song is The Dead Century’s third single since returning last year.
Follow The Dead Century: Instagram
Elle Fray – “Land of Dreams”
Belgian singer-songwriter Elle Fray‘s music feels raw and authentic. With her latest single “Land of Dreams”, the artist crafted a pop rock song that balances strength and vulnerability. She paired the song with an amazing music video. “Land of Dreams” is second single from the singer this year. Prior to that, Elle had delivered an impressive EP named Break The Ice in 2024.
Follow Elle Fray: Instagram
Cook Allender – “Climb”
Music Your Parents Hate is the newly-released debut album by Nashville-based New Orleans native Cook Allender. Out via VibraHive Records, it features music that loud yet melodious. The album was preceded by the single “Climb”, a motivational rock anthem. Cook urges us to step out of our comfort zones and do whatever we’ve got to do. And, like most of his songs, “Climb” features amazing guitar riffs that provide for an easy-yet-engaged listening experience.
Follow Cook Allender: Instagram
Jay Lapp + Josh Kanusky – “Goodbye Los Angeles”
From America’s Eastern Pennsylvania region comes songwriters Jay Lapp and Josh Kanusky, who make music together as Jay Lapp + Josh Kanusky. They have just unveiled their debut single, “Goodbye Los Angeles”. Out on White House Records, the song features bright instrumentation and smooth vocals. Musically, the style is eclectic, pointing to the different musical backgrounds of Jay and Josh. The two are, however, connected by friendship and a deep appreciation for good music.
Follow Jay Lapp + Josh Kanusky: Instagram
Tory Silver – “Your God”
Pittsburgh singer and guitarist Tory Silver finally released the album In Through the Front with Lasers on 29th May via Michi Tapes. My attention was first brought to this project when I heard the penultimate single, “Your God”. About the song, I’d describe it as a moody yet fun song that showcases Silver’s garage rock-leaning sound. Tory Silver is usually accompanied by her band, which consists of Christian Anderson (bass), Kyle Murphy (percussion) and Dan Kramer (guitar), as well as a handful of rotating members.
Follow Tory Silver: Instagram
Kilo Tango – “Sweet Tooth”
I just love this new song by Kilo Tango, the musical project of Los Angeles-based singer & guitarist Katie Mitchell. “Sweet Tooth” was released alongside a music video that perfectly complements its smooth, lo-fi sound–the track blends elements of shoegaze and indie rock. Penned two years ago, Katie’s lyrics capture the moment when she reckoned that she had to put an end to her self-destructive tendencies. “Sweet Tooth” isn’t just powerful, it’s beautiful musically too.
Follow Kilo Tango: Instagram
Ivan Nicolas – “Moving On”
Emerging Irish singer-songwriter Ivan Nicolas is set to drop his debut album this coming October. He’s already served up a couple of singles, the latest being “Moving On”. I love the emotion-driven indie rock song. The driving drums propel the song forward with focused urgency. Ivan’s delivery is equally powerful. “Moving On” hooks you from the first note.
Follow Ivan Nicolas: Instagram
Belle Blue – “Wash”
For a 16-year-old, Belle Blue writes with such a heightened sense of specificity. The writing on her latest single, “Wash”, takes that same vivid approach, creating a song with some seriously memorable lyrics. “Wash” is also quite captivating musically. It shows a poppier side to Belle’s sound. The production is bouncy yet dreamy, making the song quite refreshing.
Follow Belle Blue: Instagram
Huaico – “Lean On You”
From the first melody hummed to the final recording, Hamburg-based newcomers Huaico take their music very seriously. And, with songs as catchy as their latest single “Lean on You”, it’s just a matter of time before the German band is constantly performing in front of thousands. “Lean on You” sounds unique yet quite familiar. The track is vibrant and melodious: a song you’ll likely play over and over again.
Follow Huaico: Instagram
7last – “General Hardly”
Admittedly, ‘Stay Resilient’ is a personal mantra of mine, but it’s also the name of the first album from Luxembourgish band 7last. With the album, the newcomers provided listeners with a full serving of their hard rock style. “General Hardly” is the first song on the LP, which is 11 tracks long. Written from the perspective of an army leader burdened by the weight of his decisions, it carries anti-war sentiments. Musically, “General Hardly” is characterized by heavy guitars, dynamic vocals and a really explosive chorus.
Follow 7last: Spotify
Carbon City Lights – “In My Head”
Carbon City Lights is an emerging band from California that I discovered not so long ago. We wrote about the outfit when they released their single “These Little Things” — personally, I love their blend of indie rock and indie folk. Carbon City Lights’ most recent single, “In My Head”, is an earworm of a song. Filled with contagious melodies and a feel-good vibe, “In My Head” captures a moment of newfound clarity and the energy that comes with it.
Follow Carbon City Lights: Instagram
Here is our Indie Rock Earworms playlist, with all these songs added.
FInd our previous indie rock music roundup here.
