Who should win the APMA for Breakthrough Band?
With the inaugural AP Music Awards taking place July 21, 2014 (get your tickets now), at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum at North Coast Harbor, we thought we would use the weeks leading up to the historic event to give you a category-by-category breakdown of the nominees so you can be an informed voter. Read on to learn about the Breakthrough Band nominees, and cast your vote at altpress.com/apmas!
The Color Morale
When things get tough, there is always hope. The Color Morale not only burst into the attention of the masses with their musicianship on 2013’s Know Hope, but also with their positive message. This band give their fans—and everyone who pays witness to their live show—something positive to hold on to. The respect they’ve earned over the past couple years may be proof that we’re all seeking something positive.
Crown The Empire
The feeling that surrounds Crown The Empire can only be described as anticipatory. With merely one full-length under their belt, CTE have hustled hard on tour and social media to accrue a following who can’t wait to see what they do next. What they have done is made people believe in them with only an EP and an album to back up that belief. It takes a special band to do that.
Issues
There was a time not long ago when people may have rolled their eyes and brushed Issues off, but those fools were all promptly shut up when the band dropped single “Hooligans” last year and made them listen. The track was voted among the best singles in our 2013 AP Readers poll next to already established acts like Bring Me The Horizon and All Time Low.
letlive.
In the process of their breakout, we’re surprised no one from letlive. has broken a limb. For many people just discovering ll., it’s the blood and sweat of their live show show that first draws you in. Chase that with The Blackest Beautiful, their 2013 album that delivers sonically just as hard as they do physically, and you’re left with very few excuses not to at least respect this band. And respect people do—especially many of their peers who continue to sing letlive.’s praise from their highly visible platforms.
The Story So Far
We’re not sure if it’s true to say the Story So Far were among the forefathers of the now-booming resurgence of pop-punk, but it sure feels like they jumped from being on our 100 Bands You Need To Know In 2013 cover to dominating the world in one year. From the release of their sophomore album What You Don’t See to stealing away Warped Tour crowds from all stages within their radius to straight up racing past peers for whom they would have opened a year prior in popularity, these guys quickly became the leaders of the pop-punk planet.
twenty one pilots
When we first met twenty one pilots in 2012, the duo had trekked from their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to our offices here in Cleveland to play us clips of what would become their debut album Vessel. We could tell at that moment that these guys had star quality, and over the course of the next couple years, they proved us right as their hustle and captivating, can’t-classify-it energy earned them sold-out shows, a growing dedicated following and an opening slot on Fall Out Boy’s massive arena tour last fall.
Feel educated yet? Good—now go cast your vote at altpress.com/apmas! Tickets for the award show are on sale now.
