Who Was the Best Emerging Indie Rock/Pop Artist of 2016?

Our Best of Nashville 2017 poll began last week with the Indie Rock/Pop category and after you-the-people cast your vote, we have the results to share with you!

Overall Poll winner (Jurors vote + Readers’ vote): Sun Seeker

Readers’ Poll Winner (Readers’ Vote only): Mom and Dad

Both of these artists offer a unique brand of indie rock. Mom and Dad concieve fuzzy rock n’ roll songs that are catchy enough to linger in your head long after you think you’re done with them. They fill a lo-fi, experimental sonic niche reminiscint of artists like Ty Segall, but structure their tunes in a way that emulates 60s pyscedelic pop hit makers like (ironically) The Mamas and The Papas. Both the heavy, garage rock fans and indie radio pop listeners have a friend in Mom and Dad, who don’t have any qualms with a catchy synth line or cutesie pop vocal hook, but love to create heavy sonic scapes with distorted guitars. They’re master dabblers who love swim in and out of different genre pools. 

Sun Seeker is a collective of local boys who give Nashville its much needed dose of alt-country rock. With simple beats, acoustic rhythm guitars and long, soaring pedal steel lines, they fill a somehow vacant space in the indie scene. Influeced by classics like Fleetwood Mac and Wilco, the songs are mature in their minimalism. Despite the band’s young age, they have enourmous talent in crafting beautiful, simple work that feels classic on the first listen. 

Honorable mentions go to Keeps (third in the overall chart) and The Pills (second in the Readers’ poll). The full list of nominees can be found under the streaming tracks.

Here is the list of all the finalists in the Nashville indie rock/pop category and their readers’ poll results: 

 ElEl
  4%   3 votes
 Keeps
  5%   4 votes
 Lylas
  1%   1 vote
 Mom and Dad
  76%   53 votes
 The Pills
  8%   6 votes
 Sun Seeker
  2%   2 votes