Music Odds: New Artists Destined for Superstardom

2016 is the year that needed to be over, like, a year ago. It has been one of the most depressing 12 months when it comes to how many musical legends took the big tour bus to the jam session in the sky.

But from death comes rebirth, and the large footprints left by the likes of David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and Prince have given young up-and-coming musicians a roadmap to artistic success.

This year has also seen many new artists break through to commercial and critical acclaim. Some spent years trying to perfect the sound that would get them noticed, while others struck gold on their very first try. Whatever the case, their voices and musical abilities have caught the ears of many and their journeys have just begun.

Recently Spotify released their top breakout artists of 2016, so that inspired me to create a list of some of the best new sounds that have lifted our spirits over the last 12 months, distracting us from a year that has been more about negativity and despair than hope and optimism. (Political undertones, you say? I don’t know what you’re talking about.) Of course, this wouldn’t be SportsBettingDime if we didn’t have some predictive fun with things. Next to each breakout artist, I set the odds that they’ll reach full superstardom by winning a Grammy in the next five years. (Yeah, the Grammys are overrated, but it’s hard to come up with a better metric.)

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if these artists get hardware or not. They each bring a great new and exciting sound to their individual genres. So have a listen and add the following artists to your playlist to get 2017 started off right!

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Odds on 2016’s best new artists winning a Grammy (next five years)

Rock/Metal/Alternative

LOLO – In Loving Memory of When I Gave a S**t: 3/1

SHVPES – Pain. Joy. Ecstasy. Despair: 4/1

Hinds – Leave me Alone: 4/1

All Tvvins – IIVV: 5/1

Desert Mountain Tribe – Either That or The Moon: 8/1

Lewis Del Mar – Lewis Del Mar: 10/1

Astronoid – Air: 10/1

Matthew Logan Vasquez – Solicitor Returns: 15/1

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Electro/EDM/Experimental

Steve Angello – Wild Youth: 2/1

DJ Kaytranada – 99.9%: 3/1

Marshmello – Joytime: 3/1

Rezz – Something Wrong Here: 5/1

Katie Gately – Color: 10/1

Let’s Eat Grandma – I, Gemini: 15/1

Public Memory – Wuthering Drum: 20/1

2814 – Rain Temple: 25/1

Ash Koosha – I AKA I: 50/1

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Country

Maren Morris – Hero: 2/1

Cam – Untamed: 2/1

Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter: 5/1

Muddy Magnolias – Broken People: 5/1

April Kry – Fireflies: 10/1

Brothers Osborne – Pawn Shop: 15/1

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R&B/Soul/Reggae

Gallant – Ology: 2/1

Louisa Johnson – TBA : 4/1

Moxie Raia – 931: 4/1

Mal Devisa – Kiid: 10/1

ABRA – Princess: 10/1

Moses Sumney – Lamentations: 15/1

The Frightnrs – Nothing More to Say: 25/1

Serpentwithfeet – Blisters: 50/1

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Rap

Anderson .Paak – Yes Lawd: 3/1

Post Malone – Stoney: 3/1

D.R.A.M. – Big Baby D.R.A.M.: 5/1

Rob $tone – I’m Almost Ready: 5/1

MadeinTYO – Thank You, Mr. Tokyo: 6/1

Noname – Telefone: 10/1

Kodak Black – Lil B.I.G. Pac: 15/1

Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto: 15/1

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POP

Zayn Malik – Mind of Mine: 3/2

Anne-Marie – Breathing Fire (working title): 2/1

Maty Noyes – TBA: 5/1

Frenship – Truce: 5/1

Terror Jr – Bop City: 10/1

Hey Violet – Brand New Moves: 10/1

Kiiara – Low Kii Savage: 15/1

Jessy Lanza – Oh No: 15/1

Blackpink – Square Two: 15/1

Luna Shadows – Summertime: 20/1

Wet – Don’t You: 20/1

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Back to Work (Old but New Again)

Frank Ocean – Blonde: 3/2

Solange Knowles – A Seat at the Table: 2/1

Childish Gambino – Awaken, My Love!: 2/1

Band of Horses – Why Are You OK: 2/1

M.I.A. – AIM: 3/1

The Pixies – Head Carrier: 4/1

Empire of the Sun – Two Vines: 10/1

James Blake – The Colour in Anything: 10/1

Kate Bush – Before the Dawn: 15/1

Hayes Carll – Lovers and Leavers: 20/1

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Feature Photo Credit: Foto: Stefan Brending / , via Wikimedia Commons