If you’ve heard of Governors Ball, you’ll know that it’s famous for its incredible artist lineup and New York City festival vibes. The Governors Ball Music Festival in 2022 is no exception, with an eclectic mix of chart-topping artists and lesser-known gems whose fan bases are growing by the minute.
From indie-pop to surf rock to rap to blues, the Governors Ball lineup for 2022 is full of talented artists, and the particular mix of different genres and backgrounds is anticipated to be one of the best lineups in the festival’s history.
We’ve picked ten artists out of the lineup that we think are a must-see for Governors Ball 2022 and a must-stream in the meantime.
COIN
A funky alternative pop group, COIN has been making alt gems since 2012. Formed in the heart of the music industry, Nashville, Tennessee, this band consists of Chase Lawrence on lead vocals, Ryan Winnen on the drums, and Joe Memmel as lead guitarist and backing vocals. Their single “Talk Too Much” reached RIAA Gold status in 2016, and if you listen to it, you’ll understand why.
With funky pop-rock melodies and catchy lyrics, COIN knows how to get a song stuck in your head, and they’re not stopping anytime soon. They will likely be performing some of their classic hits as well as their newest album, Uncanny Valley, at the Governors Ball this year.
One of their most recent songs, “Brad Pitt” has a futuristic-dystopian video accompaniment to a boppy, indie-pop tune, with trippy lyrics like “you’re like lightning out a bottle, chocolate turned wildflower.” Their music is sure to turn heads and ears, and that’s why they’ve earned a spot in our Top 10 to Watch.
Halsey
You’ve heard of her, whether you listen to her or not, and for good reason. In 2020, Halsey became the first female artist to have not one, not two, but three songs with over 1 billion streams on Spotify. Halsey has dabbled in multiple genres from pop to rock to folky, acoustic vibes, as demonstrated in her latest album “If I Can’t Have Love I Want Power.”
She has throwback hits like “New Americana” from 2015, as well as extremely successful features, such as “Closer,” her song with The Chainsmokers that garnered over 2.2 billion streams on Spotify.
Lately, she has been teasing new music, posting a controversial TikTok stating that her label won’t let her release a particular song that she wants to release unless she can “fake a viral moment on TikTok”. With the Governors Ball Festival coming up in a couple of weeks, is it possible that she will debut this new song to fans live, even if her label won’t let her make an official release? We shall see.
Glass Animals
Another band that has earned a spot on our Top 10 Governor’s Ball Artists to Watch, Glass Animals is an indie British band consisting of four childhood friends who make really, really catchy tunes. The prime example of this is “Heat Waves,” which landed the #1 spot on Spotify’s Global Top 50 chart in January of 2022 and currently has over 1.6 billion streams on Spotify alone.
This song made Glass Animals the very first British band to reach the top spot of the chart, elevating the band to new heights. What launched this particular song into viral popularity (besides the fact that it’s a banger) was TikTok, where the song was used in over 1.6 million videos. Many of these videos referred to lost loved ones, pets, or even just people who are far away and are being missed.
The trend opened up a lot of opportunities for Glass Animals, including being one of the bands to perform at Governors Ball (and being in our Top 10). Their latest song, “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” has the familiar synth-pop-rock vibes that “Heat Waves” has, making for another smash hit.
Surf Curse
Surf Curse embodies everything that you want to listen to when on a trip to the beach in the heat of the summer. This indie surf-rock band has good vibes on every track, bringing a beachy, chill aura to their music. A classic example of a garage band turned legit, this Reno-formed band has several albums with both surf rock and punk attributes. With three albums, a couple EPs, and several singles, Surf Curse has what it takes to be a huge success.
Their single “Freaks” earned a #67 spot on the UK Singles Chart long after it had been released, and also reached spot #15 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay Chart. Their latest single “Sugar” has relatable lyrics like “I look like sh*t, but I feel even worse” set to a sugary-sweet tune (pun intended). They’re definitely a band to watch, and we expect that they’ll be making a lot of new fans at the Governors Ball 2022.
Ashnikko
If you have TikTok, you’ve heard Ashnikko’s music. With several songs going viral on TikTok, her music has blown up over the past couple of years. Known for her feminist and strong female attributes, she doesn’t care who doesn’t like her and will be singing about exactly what she wants to sing about.
Her song “STUPID” with Baby Tate featuring lyrics like “Stupid boy think that I need him, I go cold like changing seasons” is a perfect example of the carefree, give-zero-you-know-whats attitude that was a big part of her claim to fame. “STUPID” garnered over 183 million streams on Spotify, superseded only by Slumber Party at over 209 million and Daisy at over 366 million.
Her latest album, DEMIDEVIL, features titles like “Little Boy” with biting lyrics like “there’s not a man on earth that I’ll trust”. She’s not subtle about the fact that she’s not here to play, and is definitely not taking any opinions from men into account.
The Brummies
Independent classic rock group The Brummies have indie rock and classic rock influences down to a science. Formed in Birmingham, Alabama, their sound is a nod to the rock music of the 60’s with modern influences tucked in, making for a unique sound that’s both nostalgic and new. Their most popular song on Spotify with over 5.4 million streams, “Drive Away” features country-pop artist Kacey Musgraves, a big name in the industry.
The fact that The Brummies are an independent band speaks to the amount of talent they possess and perform, reaching artists’ ears that are successful in the industry without a label to back up their music. Their latest single “Cosmic Space Girl” is an evocative psychedelic rock ballad dedicated to a cosmic wonder girl. With lyrics like “we’ll float away, just you and I, we’ll find a place, up in the sky” this song is for the dreamers.
The overall mod vibe of the band combined with the nod to the classics and the psych-rock era makes for a uniquely successful sound that keeps your attention and leaves you wanting more. They’re definitely worth a listen, and we can’t wait to see what they do at the Governors Ball 2022.
Aly & AJ
This former Disney duo has recently rebranded their sound to be that of a more mature pop-rock vibe, and we love that for them. Aly & AJ, also known as Alyson and Amanda Joy Michalka, are a pair of sisters that have been in the industry as musicians since 2004 when they signed with Hollywood Records, and also acted in Disney Channel Original Movies like Cow Belles.
Garnering a lot of excitement when they recently re-released an explicit, revamped synth-pop version of their throwback hit “Potential Breakup Song” in 2020, Aly & AJ are back on the music scene in a big way. Now, they’re after a more refined and edgy sound, recently re-releasing another one of their smash hits, “Like Whoa,” under their own creative direction, releasing it as the “A&A Version.”
These classic songs from many 90’s and 2000’s kids’ childhoods have been reworked to retain the nostalgia but enter a fresh era of musicality, something that has proven to be a successful rebrand for the pair of sisters. This new era of music for them could be the start of something great, and we’re excited to see where they take this new sound.
Roddy Ricch
One of the best rappers in the lineup, Roddy Ricch has been rapping since the ripe age of 8. Growing up in Compton, California, Roddy Ricch is fairly new on the official music scene, releasing his first mixtape in 2017. It didn’t take long for him to find success, though, as his single “Die Young” released in 2018 blew up in a big way, reaching spot 98 on Billboard’s Top 100.
But his rise to fame doesn’t stop there; his other singles have also gained huge success, like “Down Below” with over 322 million views on Youtube and his feature “… Ballin’” with artist Mustard garnering over 630 million Spotify streams.
When looking at the trajectory of his career so far, it’s clear to see that Roddy Ricch has earned himself a permanent fixture in the industry, cultivating a fan base that consistently streams his music. This is only the beginning for Roddy Ricch, as evidenced by the many impressive features on his latest album “LIVE LIFE FAST.”
The album features major artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Future, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Jamie Foxx, and other prominent artists in the industry. Safe to say, Roddy Ricch is going places and has earned his spot in our Top 10 Governor’s Ball 2022 Artists to Watch.
Becky G
Also a California native, Becky G has been in the music industry long enough to know what works and what doesn’t work, and it shows in her music and her performances. With a Latin-pop style and impressive vocals, Becky G is a powerhouse performer who knows her strengths and plays to them well.
She has performed in a variety of genres, from EDM-pop hits like “GIANTS” with True Damage to Her earliest hit was a bubble-gum-pop single called “Shower,” which delivered over 592 Spotify streams and was a feel-good pop melody for a younger generation. Now, she focuses more on Latin pop and a more mature audience, with her latest album “Esquemas” earning the singer several multi-million stream tracks.
One of these, “FULANITO,” featuring El Alfa is a perfect example of the merengue dance-style music that Becky G has earned a reputation for producing. “FULANITO” has over 158 million streams on Spotify, surpassed by “MAMIII” at 275 million streams on the same album. Needless to say, Becky has garnered a lot of success for herself, and we’re stoked to see the trajectory of her career.
The Teskey Brothers
This pair of brothers comprise a blues-rock band that originated in Melbourne, Australia. With a classic blues-rock sound and an ode to previous eras of rock, jazz, blues, and soul, this band’s music evokes a sense of the past with the quality of the modern music era. With something of an easy jazz-blues-rock vibe, this is the kind of music you want to slow dance to with someone.
The smooth lead vocals from Josh Teskey accompanied by talented lead guitarist Sam Teskey make for a family affair worth listening to. With an awful lot of soul influence incorporated into their tracks, The Teskey Brothers add a certain flair of the classics to any lineup, which is why we’re excited to see them round out the sound at Governor’s Ball.
One of their most-streamed songs at over 26 million Spotify streams, “Pain and Misery” is reminiscent of R&B legends and the tracks that pioneered the sound that The Teskey Brothers now embody. If you haven’t heard their live version of “Hold Me” accompanied by Orchestra Victoria, run, don’t walk, to listen to it. Like, now.
When Is Governors Ball 2022?
The festival takes place from Friday, June 10th, to Sunday, June 12th, and is chock-full of over 70 acts that are guaranteed to deliver incredible performances.
Are You Ready For The Ball?
We cannot wait to see all of these artists’ performances at The Governors Ball 2022. We anticipate that the mix of artists is going to be one of the best collections of performers that this music festival has seen, and we know that these artists will gain entire new fanbases based on their talent displayed at this festival. If you can’t make it physically to The Governors Ball 2022, make sure to check out these talented artists on streaming platforms; we promise they’re worth the listen.