Wilco, Chance the Rapper, Sleater-Kinney, and More to Perform at Pitchfork Music Festival 2015
The Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Chicago this year, taking place at Union Park from July 17-19. Just as in past years, the 2015 lineup includes established favorites as well as emerging artists. Check out our detailed list of who’s performing, and let us know in the comment section below which artists you’re most excited to see at the 2015 Pitchfork Music Festival.
2015 Lineup
Wilco
Wilco formed from the remaining members of the alt country band Uncle Tupelo after the group’s disbandment in 1994. Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Jeff Tweedy, Wilco released their debut album “A.M.,” a collection of country-rock songs remniscent of the music of Uncle Tupelo, in 1995. From then on, the band’s sound took on more of an experimental edge. Their new, more eclectic sound earned them plenty of critical acclaim, particularly for their 2002 effort “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” which topped several year-end lists and was designated one of the best albums of the 2000s by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and many more. Wilco’s latest album, “The Whole Love,” arrived in 2011.
Chance the Rapper
Chicago’s Chancelor Bennett, aka Chance the Rapper, made his breakthrough with the release of his 2013 mixtape “Acid Rap.” The mixtape featured the likes of Childish Gambino, Ab-Soul, and Action Bronson, and received high praise from major critics from Rolling Stone, Spin, Pitchfork, NPR, and others. The 21-year-old rapper’s only releases thus far have been a few mixtapes, yet he has earned a high enough profile to be a headliner at this year’s Pitchfork Festival. We’re expecting big things from this young talent in years to come.
Sleater-Kinney
One of the great indie rock bands of the ’90s, Sleater-Kinney is back after being broken up since 2006, and just released a new album in January. The band features Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein (whom you may also know from the popular series “Portlandia”), and Janet Weiss. Before their disbandment, Sleater-Kinney released seven studio albums, all of which received substantial critical acclaim, so it’s no wonder that the media paid great attention to their latest release. The new record, titled “No Cities to Love,” is the band’s first release in a decade, and was met as favorably as all of their other records, if not even more so.
Future Islands
Future Islands is a Baltimore-based band comprised of vocalist Samuel T. Herring, guitarist and bassist William Cashion, and keyboardist Gerrit Welmers. In 2014, they signed with indie label 4AD and released their new album “Singles.” The album contains their hit single “Seasons (Waiting on You),” which both Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound deemed the #1 song of 2014. The band’s performance of the song on David Letterman unexpectedly went viral and earned them even more attention.
CHVRCHES
Glasgow-based synthpop trio Chvrches mercifully stylizes their name with a V in order to make it easier to search for them on the internet. The group formed in 2011 and is comprised of vocalist Lauren Mayberry along with keyboardists Iain Cook and Martin Doherty. In 2012, the band’s songs “The Mother We Share” and “Lies” earned them internet buzz and the chance to open shows for Passion Pit on their U.K. tour. Chvrches later finished fifth in BBC’s prestigious Sound of 2013 poll, and that same year released their acclaimed debut album, “The Bones of What You Believe.”
The New Pornographers
In some ways, The New Pornographers can be considered a “supergroup,” with indie rock heavyweights like Carl Newman, Dan Bejar, and Neko Case as members. Formed in Vancouver in the late 1990s, the group has released six albums to date and their music has been the subject of much critical acclaim for the last 15 years. Their latest release, “Brill Bruisers,” was released in 2014 via the band’s longtime label, Matador Records.
Run the Jewels
What started as a one-off collaboration between noted rappers El-P and Killer Mike evolved into the hip hop superduo Run the Jewels. Shortly after a successful self-titled debut album, they released their sophomore album titled “Run the Jewels 2.” Both albums were met with huge success, and Killer Mike has stated that the duo is set to start working on “Run the Jewels 3” this year.
Caribou
Dan Snaith, aka Caribou, is a Canadian composer, musician, and recording artist. Formerly known as Manitoba, Snaith changed his moniker to Caribou due to the threat of a trademark violation lawsuit from Dictators frontman Handsome Dick Manitoba, and rereleased his two already existing works under his new name. Caribou released his most recent studio album titled “Our Love” in 2014.
Panda Bear
Panda Bear is the alias of Noah Lennox, experimental musician and co-founder of the popular band Animal Collective. Lennox has been releasing music under the name Panda Bear since the late 1990s, and most recently released his fifth studio album, “Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper,” in 2015. In his solo career, he has collaborated with several big artists, most notably appearing on Daft Punk’s 2013 single “Doin’ It Right.”
Todd Terje & The Olsens
Todd Terje, born Terje Olsen, is a Norwegian DJ and producer. He started his career in 2004, and soon became a prominent figure in the Scandinavian dance music scene. His success led to critical praise, festival appearances, and a number of collaborations, most notably his contribution as co-producer on two tracks from Franz Ferdinand’s latest album “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action.”
Mac Demarco
Mac Demarco emerged from obscurity a few years ago as an indie sensation when in 2012 he released his EP “Rock and Roll Night Club,” shortly followed by his album “2.” The Canadian singer/guitarist, with his quirky, lilting voice and jangly guitar chords, gained the attention and respect of many music critics, and his work received the “Best New Music” designation by the indie music bible Pitchfork. In 2014, Demarco released his second album “Salad Days,” which was met with just as much critical favor as his earlier work.
Kurt Vile and the Violators
Philadelphia-based musician Kurt Vile rose to prominence as a former member of the indie rock band The War on Drugs. After the band released their debut album in 2008, Vile left the group to focus on a solo career, wasting no time to issue his first solo record within that same year. He released another album after that and soon signed with the distinguished indie label Matador Records, which released his three latest albums. Vile has stated that he is currently in the recording process for his sixth album, and in the meantime continues to tour with his backing band The Violators.
Parquet Courts
Parquet Courts, also known as Parkay Quarts, is a rock band based in New York City. Formed in 2011 in the indie rock breeding ground of Brooklyn, the band consists of vocalist/guitarist Andrew Savage, guitarist Austin Brown, bassist Sean Yeaton, and drummer Max Savage. Their debut album, “Light Up Gold,” was a critical success and made them indie rock media darlings. The band’s third studio album, “Sunbathing Animal,” garnered them some mainstream success as it reached #55 on the Billboard Albums Chart. They followed that up with their most recent album, “Constant Nausea,” which came out in 2014.
Jamie xx
Jamie xx is the stage name of Jamie Smith, English solo musician, producer, remix artist, and member of the London-based group the xx. His work with his band the xx brought him into the spotlight, and he eventually became a much sought-after remix artist, remixing songs by artists like Adele, Florence + The Machine, and Radiohead. After recently releasing a new album with the xx and touring in support of it, Jamie is back to focusing on his solo career, and released new music in 2014.
ILoveMakonnen
Makonnen Sheran, aka iLoveMakonnen, is a hip hop artist from Atlanta, Georgia. He entered the spotlight in 2014 when superstar rapper Drake remixed his song “Tuesday” from his self-titled EP. The track now has almost 10 million plays on SoundCloud and over 60 million views on YouTube. iLoveMakonnen recently signed with Drake’s label OVO Sound.
Courtney Barnett
Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett first entered the spotlight with her self-released EP “I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris.” She began to catch attention in her country of Australia, and eventually the influential website Pitchfork named her song “Avant Gardener” as one of the Best New Tracks of summer 2013. She released her second EP later that year and began touring in the U.S. and Europe. In 2014 she signed with Mom + Pop Records and released a double EP reissue. Barnett’s latest album, “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit,” just came out this month.
Madlib & Freddie Gibbs
Rapper Freddie Gibbs and DJ/producer/rapper Madlib collaborated for an EP in 2011 called “Thuggin’.” The duo is working together again, with a full-length album released in 2014 titled “Pinata.” The album was entirely produced by Madlib and released under his record label “Madlib Invazion,” and includes appearances by notable hip hop artists such as Raekwon, Earl Sweatshirt, Scarface, Ab-Soul, Mac Miller, and others.
A$AP Ferg
Darold Ferguson, Jr., aka A$AP Ferg, is a rapper from Harlem and a founding member of the neighborhood’s hip hop collective, A$AP Mob. He released his debut studio album, “Trap Lord,” in 2013, and later that year was named Rookie of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards. 2014 saw the release of his well-received mixtape, “Ferg Forever.” He has since collaborated with artists like G-Eazy, Ariana Grande, and Haim.
Ariel Pink
Los Angeles-based eccentric musician Ariel Pink got his big break when his music made its way into the hands of indie duo Animal Collective, who went on to release his recordings on their Paw Tracks label. He began recording music with a band and called the project Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, the name under which he released every album up until his latest effort. Ariel Pink’s most recent record, “pom pom,” is his first without the Haunted Graffiti, and was released under just his own name.
Ex Hex
Ex Hex are relative newcomers on the punk rock scene. Formed in 2013 in Washington, D.C., the band is a trio made up of Mary Timony, Laura Harris, and Betsy Wright, who came together to form the all-female punk band this generation has been waiting for. Last year, they released their debut album “Rips,” a fast-paced, no-frills rock record upon which Pitchfork bestowed the accolade of Best New Music.
Future Brown
Future Brown is a production group consisting of Asma Maroof and Daniel Pineda (together known as the LA-based duo Nguzunguzu) along with Fatima Al-Qadiri and J-Cush. In 2013, the group released their first single, “Wanna Party,” which features rapper Tink. They signed with Warp Records in 2014 and issued a four-song EP as their label debut. Earlier this year, Future Brown released their eponymous debut album.
Waxahatchee
Singer/songwriter Katie Crutchfield makes music as Waxahatchee, adopting the name of a lake where her parents have a house in her native Alabama. She released her debut album, the bedroom-recorded “American Weekend,” in 2012, to much critical acclaim. From there, she began performing in the Philadelphia area, where she put together a full band for her live appearances, and released her sophomore album, “Cerulean Salt,” in 2013. Now, Waxahatchee is signed to Merge Records, with a third record titled “Ivy Tripp” coming out in April.
Iceage
Danish punk rock band Iceage formed in 2008 in Copenhagen while its members were all still mere teenagers. They released a few albums before signing with indie label Matador Records in 2013. In October 2014, the band released their most recent album called “Plowing Into the Field of Love.”
Ought
Ought is vocalist/guitarist Tim Beeler, bassist Ben Stidworthy, keyboardist Matt May, and drummer/violinist Tim Keen. The Canadian quartet formed in 2011 in Montreal while the band members all lived together in a communal practice space. They self-released their debut EP, “New Calm,” in 2012, and eventually signed with independent label Constellation Records. Now a signed band, Ought released their debut full-length, “More Than Any Other Day,” in 2014, followed by the EP “Once More With Feeling” later that same year.
Vic Mensa
Formerly a member of the hip hop group Kids These Days, Chicago-based rapper Vic Mensa made his solo debut in 2013 on Chance the Rapper’s mixtape Acid Rap. In that same year, he released his own mixtape called “Innanetape.” The success of “Innanetape” led to a growing fan base and critical praise, and also brought him the opportunity to tour with J. Cole and Wale a year later.
Clark
Chris Clark, known by the singular name Clark, is an electronic musician from England. He released his debut record, “Clarence Park,” on Warp Records back in 2001. Clark has since released seven more albums, all still on Warp Records. His latest effort is a self-titled record that came out in 2014.
Perfume Genius
Perfume Genius is the stage name of Mark Hadreas, a Seattle-based solo musician. Hadreas began making music when he moved from New York to Everett, Washington, and started to release recordings via Myspace in 2008. His work eventually caught the attention of the band Los Campesinos!, who helped him score a deal with their record label, Turnstile. Soon after, he signed with indie label Matador Records and has released three successful albums since.
The Julie Ruin
The Julie Ruin is a punk rock band based in New York City. The group formed in 2010 and consists of Kathleen Hanna (of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre), Kathi Wilcox, Kenny Mellman, Carmine Covelli, and Sara Landeau. They released their first single, “Oh Come On,” in the summer of 2013, followed by their debut full-length, “Run Fast,” in September of that year.
Vince Staples
Rapper Vince Staples surfaced in 2010 with appearances on albums from members of the renowned hip hop collective Odd Future. In October 2014, he released his debut EP, tiled “Hell Can Wait,” via Def Jam Recordings, and is set to release his first full-length record this summer.
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Vancouver-based singer/songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. got his start when he passed along his demos to former Girls bassist JR White. Soon, he was recording with White and earned a record deal with True Panther. His debut album, “Goon,” came out in early 2015, and features production credits from JR White, the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney and Ariel Rechtshaid.
How To Dress Well
How To Dress Well is the solo project of Tom Krell, who makes ambient R&B music. He released his debut album, “Love Remains,” in 2010. The record garnered critical praise from tastemaking blogs like Pitchfork, Spin, and Stereogum among others. His sophomore effort, “Total Loss,” came in 2012 and was met with equal acclaim from critics. In June of 2014, Krell released the third How To Dress Well album, titled “What Is This Heart?”
Sophie
Not much is known about the London-based electronic music producer Sophie. This elusive, anonymous artist has become a fascination of media outlets like Billboard, Pitchfork, and BBC 1, what with all the secrecy and mystery surrounding his identity combined with his unique and critically acclaimed music.
Shamir
Shamir Bailey, better known as just Shamir, is an artist from Las Vegas whose music evokes ’90s-style house, pop, and R&B. Shamir released his debut EP, “Northtown,” last year, and he is set to release his first full-length record, titled “Ratchet,” in May.
A.G. Cook
A.G. cook is a London-based producer as well as the head of the record label PC Music. His work with PC Music has earned him a lot of attention and critical acclaim. Recently, his track “Beautiful” was named #30 on Pitchfork’s 100 Best Tracks of 2014 list.
Jessica Pratt
Jessica Pratt is a singer-songwriter based out of Los Angeles. She released her self-titled debut album in 2011, and her folksy, Joni Mitchell-esque sound garnered attention from music websites like Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, and PopMatters. She followed her successful debut with her sophomore record, “On Your Own Love Again,” which was released in January 2015.
Mr Twin Sister
Mr Twin Sister, formerly known as just Twin Sister, is a indie pop band from Long Island, NY. The group consists of vocalist Andrea Estella, bassist Gabe D’Amico, drummer Bryan Ujueta, keyboardist Dev Gupta, and guitarist/vocalist Eric Cardona, who formed Twin Sister back in 2008 and self-released their first EP, “Vampires With Dreaming Kids,” that year. The band signed with Domino Records in 2011 and the label released their debut full-length, “In Heaven.” After a departure from Domino and several other big changes for them, the band opted for a fresh start, renaming themselves Mr Twin Sister and putting out a darker, self-titled second album in 2014.
Protomartyr
Detroit-based rock band Protomartyr formed in 2008 and features vocalist Joe Casey, guitarist Greg Ahee, bassist Scott Davidson, and drummer Alex Leonard. They released their debut album, “No Passion All Technique,” in 2012, followed by their sophomore record, “Under Color of Official Right,” in 2014.
Steve Gunn
Brooklyn-based guitarist and singer/songwriter Steve Gunn has been the subject of praise for both his solo and ensemble work throughout his career. He has worked with a variety of artists, including touring with Kurt Vile as a member of his backing band The Violators. Gunn has released a number of solo albums, most recently his 2014 record “Way Out Weather,” which earned him high praise for his vocal ability and song crafting skill.
Viet Cong
Viet Cong formed in 2012 and consists of singer/bassist Matt Flegel, guitarists Scott Munro and Daniel Christiansen, and drummer Mike Wallace. In January of this year, the Calgary-based band released their self-titled EP. Recorded in a barn that was converted into a studio, the EP contains seven songs that embody their art-rock/post-punk sound.
Ryley Walker
Ryley Walker is a singer, songwriter, and skilled guitarist from Chicago. He released his debut album, “All Kinds of You,” in April of 2014. He is set to release his next record, “Primrose Green,” on March 30.
Bitchin Bajas
Chicago’s Bitchin Bajas is the project of Cooper Crain, who takes his inspiration from 20th century minimalist composers, particularly Terry Riley, to make music that incorporates atmospheric drones and minimalist composition. Bitchin Bajas released their debut album, “Bitchitronics,” in 2013, followed by their self-titled sophomore album a year later.
Mourn
Barcelona-based quartet Mourn is comprised of four members, all of whom are still in their teens. The group consists of frontwoman Jazz Rodriguez Bueno, guitarist/vocalist Carla Perez Vas, drummer Antonio Postius Echeverria, and Leia Bueno. They released their self-titled debut in February of this year on the Brooklyn-based label Captured Tracks.
Natalie Prass
Virginia native Natalie Prass began her career in Nashville, working as a songwriter and playing in backup bands before going solo in 2009. In between writing and recording her own album with high school friend and noted artist Matthew E. White, she joined Jenny Lewis on the road as her touring keyboardist. After three years in the making, Prass’ self-titled debut album finally saw release in early 2015.
Single Mothers
Single Mothers is a Canadian punk rock band from London, Ontario. The band has had an ever-changing lineup, with the only consistent member being frontman Drew Thomson. Single Mothers released their debut album, “Negative Qualities,” in 2014.
Bully
Nashville-based band Bully is the project of singer/songwriter Alicia Bognanno. The full band is made up of Bognanno, Stewart Copeland, Clayton Parker, and Reece Lazarus. Bully released a self-titled debut EP in 2014.
Jimmy Whispers
Chicago’s Jimmy Whispers derives his stage name from a childhood nickname he received for being a soft-spoken kid. He got his start when his demos attracted the attention of like-minded artist Ariel Pink, who invited him to open a few of his shows. Whispers has just released his debut solo album, a collection of lo-fi, bedroom-recorded pop songs titled “Summer in Pain.”
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