20 Los Angeles-based alternative bands we're calling must-sees for 2023.

The Los Angeles music scene has always been a breeding ground for artists and bands who aspire to be recognized far and wide. It’s a place that lends itself to raw talent, experimental approaches, and the fostering of community among creatives.

For many artists, 2022 was a year of re-emergence, with projects started over the pandemic being released as records, busy touring schedules, and lots of live performances. Our prediction? 2023 is bound to take this lively spirit even further.

From Los Angeles hard rock bands to pop groups, all the way to punk, here are 20 new acts you need to know this year.

Skip To:

• The best new indie bands from Los Angeles
• The best new pop acts from Los Angeles
• The best new rock bands from Los Angeles
• The best new funk, soul & groove bands from Los Angeles
• The best new punk bands from Los Angeles
• The best new folk bands from Los Angeles
• The best new jazz bands from Los Angeles

Indie

Photo by Aristotle Galanopoulos

Rio Kosta

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Indie Rock

Rio Kosta's music is ideal for lounging under a cabana, riding in a convertible, wearing sunglasses at any time of day, or preparing supper. The L.A. duo are delivering tunes that groove hard while tapping into the sensitive intricacies of the heart.

Rumour has it that these two have been hitting recording studios in Los Angeles, so be on the lookout for a full album in the spring.

Rio Kosta | Spotify

Jacklen Ro

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Indie Rock

Jacklen Ro is a very fun new band highlighting their knack for vocal harmony and catchy melodies. Their engaging presence on social media has helped garner a keen fanbase already.

Check out their latest record 'Sunshine, I’m Counting On You!' which was released in November ‘22.

Jacklen Ro | Spotify

Fime

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Indie Rock

One of our favorite Los Angeles indie bands, Fime taps into the early 90s feeling, but in an innovative way.

They rock a little harder than your typical indie rock band, with a unique aesthetic and range of intensities. It's no surprise that they're quickly picking up a following.

Fime | Bandcamp

Fell Runner

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Indie Rock

Fell Runner isn't exactly a new band, but their status in the L.A. community seems to constantly be evolving. Since the release of their exciting new album 'What I Am' in late ‘22, their fanbase continues to grow and their impact on the local scene is stronger than ever.

Vocalist/guitarist Steven Van Betten is a co-founder and organizer of School Of Song – a songwriting workshop featuring instructors such as Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes.

Fell Runner | Bandcamp

Pop

Temme Scott

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Indie Rock/Pop

Temme released 'A Total Shame!' in May ‘22, a 7-track album that displays her ability to craft a well-produced body of songs that drip with sincere emotion and intriguing instrumental arrangements.

More recently, Temme released a video for 'One Foot In' – beautifully shot from in front of a bicycle as Temme rides around town singing and staring into the camera.

Temme Scott | Spotify

Hello Forever

FROM: Topanga

GENRE: Art Pop

Hello Forever is delivering the lushest of harmony-rich jams with an exciting flare that is fitting for their Topanga place of residence.

The band is comprised of seven friends who are dedicated to self-producing top quality tracks. They also collaborate on creating innovative music videos.

Hello Forever | Spotify

Photo by @madskrieger

Luke Wild

FROM: Hollywood

GENRE: Pop/Rock

Luke Wild, along with his local band in Los Angeles, has proven to be a force among the L.A. scene, performing high-intensity sets around the city and on tour.

His studio work is proof that his dedication to his craft runs deep. The new record 'CRUSH', released in December, is composed of 6 tracks that ring nostalgic with a melancholic yet rockin’ sensibility.

Luke Wild | Spotify

Revenge Wife

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Disco/New Pop

Revenge Wife is creating original music that exists somewhere between new-age disco pop and indie rock with a flare of emo.

The aesthetic that this artist achieves is one of pop nostalgia with a modern twist. Don’t sleep on Revenge Wife, or else.

Revenge Wife | Spotify

Photo by @dbspace

Harmony Index

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Indie Dream Pop

This group pulls inspiration from a range of musical decades and genres including 80s new wave, 70s R&B, and 90s dance music.

With sounds of synthesizers, drum machine samples, and deep cutting bass lines serving as the foundation of their music, Harmony Index is bringing a truly unique sound to stages around Los Angeles that is capturing hearts and minds.

Harmony Index | Bandcamp

Twnflme

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Emo/Pop

Twnflme is sure to set fire to 2023 with their attention to aesthetic choice and songs that dig deep.

Their new single 'Out4Blood' was released in early 2023, and sets the tone for what this duo is prepared to deliver this year.

Twnflme | YouTube

Sam Austins

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Pop/Hip-Hop/Rock

Sam Austins is a burgeoning visionary in the realm of what it means to be a creative artist.

The music is smooth and lives in harmony with a fierceness that comes out in Sam’s writing and singing. With his band behind him, Sam Austins has been entering the scene with a felt presence.

Sam Austins | Spotify

Rock

Lip Candy

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Rock

The Los Angeles three-piece band Lip Candy is on a mission to bring live rock music back to the forefront of live entertainment.

Focussed on delivering a full rock and roll package, Lip Candy are a band worth catching in the flesh this year.

Lip Candy | Spotify

Nitefire

FROM: Hollywood

GENRE: Rock

Four-piece Los Angeles rock band Nitefire have spent the last year stirring up talk in their hometown with an incendiary live set. In September the group released their debut EP, '[redacted]'.

Nitefire | Spotify

Photo by Chris R Photo

Kid Sistr

FROM: Los Angeles

GENRE: Rock

Often found at Pirate's music rehearsal studio in Los Angeles, Kid Sistr is an electric new trio. Having had the opportunity to tour with Willow Smith, their live show has been getting people talking in 2022.

The group has demonstrated what a perfect concoction of bubblegum pop, 80s new wave, and singer-songwriter sensibility can feel like, though there are seemingly no limits to what the trio is able to convey through their music. It’s inevitable that we’ll be hearing more from them in 2023.

Kid Sistr | Spotify

Photo by @fifty.shades.of.grain

Hair

FROM: Glassell Park

GENRE: Psyche Rock

Hair is the kind of band you’d hope to encounter on a night out where you’re in the mood for a good ol’ fashioned rocking out.

Dedicated to furthering their story, Hair is always whipping up something new and is gaining a fan base by performing consistently at L.A. venues like Harvard and Stone.

Hair | Spotify

Funk, Soul & Groove

Great Vacation!

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Funk n’ Groove

Great Vacation! is a new band founded by Los Angeles artist/producer Riley Geare.

Great Vacation! transports you to a place where the sun is shining and the champagne is flowing. Their music is ideal for a drive up the coast or your next house party.

Follow Great Vacation! on Instagram to be amongst the first to hear the new material they've been teasing for 2023.

Clark Sims

FROM: Hollywood

GENRE: Funk/Soul

Clark Sims’ music is sure to make feet stomp and hearts melt.

Reminiscent of greats like Prince and D’Angelo, Clark is building something great in Los Angeles, and he's ready to take his music around the world.

Get into his new single 'Like That' which came out earlier this year, and be on the lookout for a new EP in March ‘23.

Clark Sims | Spotify

Punk

Buckets

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Indie Punk

Buckets is a new breed of indie band that’s sure to leave you wanting more.

With vocals that are outspoken and drenched in raw emotion, performances by Buckets are putting the band in a league of their own, with little to compare them with.

Buckets | Spotify

Folk

Spencer Hoffman

FROM: East L.A.

GENRE: Folk Rock

Spencer Hoffman is a songwriter whose way with words, and friendly and sincere demeanor, gets the listener to a place of calm introspection.

Just listening to Spencer’s new album, 'Apple Core', is a masterclass in how to compose a song. Released last October, the record follows his debut EP 'A Flower From Behind', and he’s got serious plans to keep pumping out the heartfelt tunes that fans have come to expect.

Spencer Hoffman | Bandcamp

Jazz

Photo by Mor Katzmann

Tali Rubinstein

FROM: Hollywood

GENRE: Jazz/World

Tali is a world-class recorder player, singer and composer.

Along with her band, Rubinstein's music transports listeners to places around the globe, inspiring notions of love, loss, togetherness, joys, and sorrows.

Tali Rubinstein | Listen

A quick browse of the lineup at any of the hundreds of gig venues in Los Angeles will tell you that there are as many rock, pop, indie, metal and ska bands in Los Angeles as there ever have been – a sure sign that the greater music scene in L.A. has made a strong recovery after a long pandemic.

Cover bands in Los Angeles and artists pushing their own sound all come to the city for the same reasons – it's one of the most creative places on Earth and is rich with diversity and opportunity.

This selection of 20 Los Angeles bands that are making waves right now is indicative of a bright future in the city. From the sunset strip to Hollywood, north to The Valley and Highland Park to the east, there exists vibrant communities, pockets of artists, who are creating new trends and setting the tone.

Whether it's Los Angeles metal bands or Latin bands in Los Angeles that you're looking for, check out the artists on this list and you're bound to discover something special, even if it's not what you expect.