Best of Philly

Best Local Band

2023 Best Resurgence

The Hooters

Philly band the Hooters made a big splash in the ’80s with hit songs like “All You Zombies” and by opening the Philly portion of Live Aid. And while they’ve always maintained a very strong following in Europe, they haven’t done a U.S. tour in decades. That all changed this summer with a new U.S. tour in support of their first full album since 2007, Rocking & Swing, which enjoyably has a lot more ska influence from their early days than the title suggests. Their three-night run at Ardmore Music Hall in May sold out well in advance. So get your tickets for their local August dates (in Atlantic City, Quakertown and Cape May) while you can. It’s good to see them back — even though they never really went away. Read More »

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2023 Best Band You've Never Heard Of

Vixen 77

What if you could take the best sounds of the Sunset Strip era, throw in a hefty bit of fun and spunk of the CBGB variety, and filter it all through five talented young women? You would get this local band, precisely. They’ve been playing the Philly club circuit here and there, but you can see them make their big-stage headlining debut at MMRBQ on September 16th. Read More »

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2022 Best Band

Snacktime

What started in the early days of the pandemic as a bunch of horn players and a drummer who would set up shop in Rittenhouse Square and South Philly to bring joy to the neighbors has become the coolest and hardest-to-book band in town. They just dropped their debut album, Sounds from the Street: Live, which is a must for your summer backyard playlist. Find them in September at the XPoNential Festival in Camden. Read More »

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2019 Best Band You’ve Never Heard Of

St. James and the Apostles

This trio of self-described “soul-stirring psychonauts” blends psychedelia and hard rock with an irreverent dose of Southern gospel inspiration and puts on a damn exciting show. Read More »

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2014 Best Band

Northern Arms

The city's most compelling band is a curious amalgam of jazz, gospel and old-time rock-and-roll that WXPN once aptly labeled "dark Americana." Find and download the self-titled debut album on iTunes. Read More »

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2012 Best Band

Man Man

Four studio albums in, this quintet is as gritty, weird and wonderful as the city itself, and their live performances-which fill the Troc and Union Transfer-conjure up a joyful madness that never grows old. Read More »

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2009 Best Local Band

Black Landlord

Funk meets hip-hop meets punk in this Philly octet composed of time-tested veterans of the local music scene, most prominently pimped-out-large-and-in-charge front man Maxx Stoyanoff-Williams, who leads his tight entourage through edgy, fierce horn stacks and beat breakdowns like James Brown on steroids. Buy the band's first full-length album, Addicted to Distraction, which came out earlier this year, or better yet, check out one of its energetic live performances. Read More »

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