5 Can’t-Miss Artists at Made in America 2015

By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) –

Now in its fourth year, Made in America (created by Jay-Z in partnership with Budweiser) has its lineup locked down. Start with a genre-defining superstar, and cascade from there into a collection of heroes from indie rock to hip-hop to EDM.  While still a relative newcomer to the festival landscape, Made in America’s ability to curate talent is especially unique. Hit-makers share the spotlight with tastemakers, telling a comprehensive story of the state of modern music. With that said, here’s the 5 artists who best tell that story in 2015.

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Beyonce
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Let’s get things straight here: headlines about this year’s festival should NOT read “Jay Z’s wife headlines his festival”. They should read “World’s greatest entertainer graces festival with her presence”. In Pop music, in R&B, in soul, there simply is nobody else who owns the stage more thoroughly, more passionately, more hungrily than Beyonce Knowles.  While her profile has been a tad lower than total in 2015, a new album cannot be far behind. Get as close  to the main stage as you can and watch the Queen conquer.

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J. Cole
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Hip-hop is in a weird place right now. There are as many pointless beefs (Drake and Meek Mill: I’m looking at YOU) as there are endless collaborations. And while North Carolina’s J. Cole has his feet planted in both circles, his latest album Forest Hills Drive proves he’s purely interested in making some of the best music the genre has to offer.

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Bassnectar
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Straight up: there is no better a live dubstep act than Bassnectar. Producer/composer extraordinaire Lorin Ashton’s love for metal and punk are obvious in his hard-hitting back catalog, and it all comes to life in vicious fashion during Bassnectar’s live sets. Whether you’re a staunch anti-dubstep type, or have just never given this name a second thought at other festivals, now’s your chance to see what you’re missing.

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Waxahatchee
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A collective of musicians from Alabama, Waxahatchee (so named after a creek in their home town) is lead by singer Allison Crutchfield. The band’s upbeat take on indie folk has found them supporting Tegan & Sara on tour, not to mention amassing their own die-hard following worldwide.

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Flatbush Zombies
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Along with contemporaries like Danny Brown and Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies are proof positive of how imaginative, relevant and straight up weird hip hop can get.