The Best Bands You've Never Heard Of

How do you begin to sort through a roster of nearly 200 emerging bands?

Mar 21, 2026

∙ Paid

This year’s New Colossus festival is all wrapped up, but the music discovery is only just beginning. Good news for anyone feeling some FOMO after Tuesday’s post.

It’s only slightly less overwhelming to flip through a 200-band rolodex now that you’re not working on a deadline. Luckily for you, Indie Scientist, Jeff Van Dreason and I are back with a quick weekend bonus post and a curated selection of some of our favorites from the 2026 New Colossus Lineup to take all the stress off.

If this newsletter ever turned you on to a band you wouldn’t have found otherwise, please consider a paid subscription. Support your friendly local (human!) music curator, and help keep the playlists bountiful across all platforms

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