Top Up-And-Coming Philadelphia Bands To Check Out In 2016

Philadelphia has an excellent music scene, and some of the best such as Hall and Oates, Dr. Dog and Kurt Vile have called Philadelphia home and honed their music chops at some of the many amazing venues in the city. Every year, new bands and old bands finally catch a break and find themselves soaring up the music charts, and many of those bands can be found right here in Philadelphia. Check out as some of these awesome bands take the world by storm.

Man Man
www.manmanbandband.com

Although the Man Man band has been around since 2004, it seems that only recently they are being recognized for their mighty talent in the music industry. The Philadelphia band went through a major rebirth while creating their fifth full-length album, "On Oni Pond." Pitchfork praised the band for their "rich and resonant piano pop that values populism over provocation." The experimental band has a multi-instrumental style that is lead by the lyricist and lead singer Honus Honus' piano skills. Other instruments played by the band include a clavinet, Moog Little Phatty, flute, bass clarinet, drum set, euphonium, sousaphone, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, Fender Jazz Bass, Danelectro baritone guitar, xylophone, marimba, melodica and various percussive instruments, as well as a few unconventional instruments such as pots and pans.

Work Drugs
www.workdrugs.com

The chillwave band from Philadelphia consists of founders Thomas Crystal on guitar and vocals and Benjamin Louisiana on vocals and keys. Other members include Mr. Kansas City on bass, Jonas Ohh on drums and Katie Nicks on vocals and percussion. Work Drugs claims to make music for boating, sexting, dancing, yachting and living, but chances are if you are a fan of dream pop, shoegaze alternative sounds, then this is the band for you. The band's latest album, "Louisa," released in August of 2015, is a hit among indie pop enthusiasts. The album touches on an '80's vibe, but don't expect the single "My Billie Jean" to be reminiscent of the Michael Jackson hit. The band took a more romantic pop-take on their original song with a similar name.

The Districts
www.thedistrictsband.com

The band, comprised of singer/guitarist Robbie Grote, 19; guitarist Pat Cassidy, 20; bassist Connor Jacobus, 20; and drummer Braden Lawrence, 19 are on the fast ride to success at a very young age. Only five years ago, the band hooked up in Lititz, PA when they were young teens. The Districts released the album A Flourish and a Spoil last February, and it has been non-stop since. They have already performed at such festivals as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Fest, Bonnaroo, Hangout Fest and the Governor's Ball. Their sound has been compared to the Strokes and Philly-rooted band, The Walkmen. They serve up hints of '90's post-punk with a big helping of indie rock.

Marian Hill
www.marianhillmusic.com

Marian Hill first met when they were in middle school, and now they are one of the most recognized musical duos from Philadelphia. 2015 has been an awesome year for both Samantha Gongol and Jeremy Lloyd. The duo released their EP "Play," in April of 2015. Marian Hill signed with Universal Music Group in early 2015 and everything has been progressing for the band ever since. Their first EP "Sway" had people swooning to their unique pop synth sound. They have already played at many of the most popular music festivals, including Philly's own Made in America.

Hop Along
www.facebook.com/hopalongtheband

Although Hop Along has been in existence since 2004, a few transitions have the band making quite the statement in 2015. The band was originally created by Philadelphia native Frances Quinlan in his senior year of High School. The band slowly grew to add drummer and brother Mark Quinlan, bassist Tyler Long and Joe Reinhart on guitar. On October 14, 2014, the band signed with the indie rock label Saddle Creek Records. On May 4, 2015, Hop Along released their first full-length album under their new label, called "Painted Shut." The album has received many positive accolades from the indie music industry.

Related: Top Karaoke Bars In Philadelphia

Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/