‘More Than Just Ballads And Rap’: Ticketmaster Names ‘New For 2020’ List

Ticketmaster has announced the ten artists and bands predicted to take the live scene by storm in 2020. Pollstar took a closer look.

 

Ticketmaster’s ‘New for 2020’ list has been hand-picked by the company’s Artist Services team. Much of this year’s list is made up of acts the team has seen packing out grassroots venues over the last year, and who they believe will pull big crowds in 2020.

One of the artists on the list is recent Pollstar Hotstar Scarypoolparty. The “American Idol” runner-up is currently touring the states playing shows on both coasts in venues that include First Avenue in Minneapolis, White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Emo’s Austin, House of Blues San Diego or the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colo., where Scarypoolparty sold out 625 tickets, grossing $14,062 according to Pollstar box office data.

Jonathan Shank, his manager at Red Light Management, told Pollstar: “For my part, I think Scarypoolparty is one of the most talented and unique artists to come on the music scene in a long time. He has incredible versatility as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and his story is really relatable yet singular. I think anyone who recognizes real talent and finds discovering new music and artists thrilling will be excited to find Scarypoolparty. [He] has also carved out a fascinating touring story, selling out shows in the U.K. and U.S. and nailing coveted festival slots before even releasing his debut album.”

Scarypoolparty’s agent at UTA, Sarah Casey, added: “There are very few artists that come along, which are as truly original as Scarypoolparty. Musically, what he is doing is completely unique.  His raw talent is undeniable and his song writing is exceptional. Combine this with his humble nature and effortless stage presence and it’s no wonder his live fanbase is building.  We recently announced two London dates which sold out in an hour and we are now preparing to launch his first European tour. We are aiming for a sold-out tour along with key festivals appearances across Europe next summer.”

Next on Ticketmaster’s list is FLETCHER, a singer, songwriter, actress and NYU graduate, who broke into the industry through her popularity on streaming services, specifically Spotify, after her 2015 breakout song “War Paint” landed on the New Music Friday playlist and became the most-shared song on the app at the time.

Her agent at CAA, Rebecca Nichols, told Pollstar: “FLETCHER deserves to be included in Ticketmaster’s ‘New For 2020’ because she had a fantastic breakthrough year in 2019 and has even more success in the making for next year. In addition to amassing more than 100 million streams globally on ‘Undrunk,’ the lead single from her debut EP you ruined new york city for me,  Fletcher had sell-out performances worldwide in cities including Toronto, LA, New York, London, Amsterdam. In addition to her own shows, FLETCHER was also picked to support Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi on their upcoming arena tour in North America, further cementing her as an artist to expect big moves from in 2020!”

Scottish Indie foursome The Snuts also made the list, after having gained traction over the past year through their sold-out gigs in their home country, coupled with plenty of festival sets. The band’s agent Geoff Meall described them as “Beach Boys on Buckfast” to Pollstar, adding that the band has been “killing it. They’re selling tickets at ridiculous speed North of the border and that’s now being repeated down south.”

Snuts manager Callum Read of Touch Down Management, told Pollstar, “they’re the realest band you’ll find right now – the tunes do all the talking. Their Shazam hits are insane and that says to me their fanbase love them for giving more emphasis to the tunes than anything else. Forget Instagram, all the superficial stuff it’s the tunes that do the talking and speak to people. They are going places for sure… can’t stop, won’t stop.”

Other artists on Ticketmaster’s list include soul-singer Celeste, self-crafted pop princess Bree Runway, and bedroom pop artist Beabadoobee, all from or based in London, Mancunian rapper Aitch, Northern Irish Singer JC Stewart, and lo-fi indie romantics Inhaler from Dublin, Ireland.

Commenting on Ticketmaster’s 2020 selection, the company’s managing director in the U.K. Andrew Parsons, said: “A new year calls for new discoveries and 2020 is no different. Our list is more than just soulful ballads and unpredictable rap – it’s a diverse celebration of artists who’ve been here all along but are only now getting to be heard. We want to continue to be the place where fans come to discover the hottest acts making noise across the industry, and we will always support artists at whatever stage of their career they’re at.”