It’s been a tumultuous couple of years for Yours Truly. Marriage, a new house, a new job, having existential crises about my job path… the last thing might or might not be tongue in cheek. But one thing is certain. Every year, I have to do a Bands to Watch list for Ohio. This year it is “Artists we are watching” because, yikes, its already May. A bit past the time to look forth into the new year, don’t you think? The list is a bit shorter than usual because… well, life has been busy and I gotta start prepping for the 2026 list.

Enjoy discovering something new! Don’t take it too seriously. This is meant to be fun and a conversation starter. Let’s go!

ACCESSTOGOD – Faith based industrial music with a punk ethos? Shut up and take my money. ACCESSTOGOD made our year end list with one of our favorite tracks of the year in 2024. These tunes are pissed off and groovy all at once, and might make your mom’s ears bleed.

Ben Stalets – Ben Stalets is a folky artist based in Toledo. Not to be confused with the folky band called Toledo (who is also good). This music has a down to earth quality to it, and Ben seems like the type that has a scrappy, easygoing personality. He’s been taking his brand of storytelling on the road around the midwest and Ohioans should keep an eye out for him.

The Crimson Armada – This is an older name that is reemerging. My first recollection of TCA was hearing them on the “RadioU Hardcore” hour of 88.7FM in Columbus, OH on a Friday night. I wondered how anyone could like music like that. And as Michael Scott would say, “My, my how the turntables.” With Saud Ahmed reprising his vocal role and with recording maestro Jakob Mooney lending a bevy of talents, I’m excited for this band’s 2025.

The Dead Pirate Disco – Anonymous electronic musicians. If I told you why you should pay attention to these two (clues might be found in past Ohio Bands to Watch articles) it would spoil the fun. Time to party.

Dre Peace – Dre has been active for many years, but it’s overdue that he got some coverage on our site. For the past several months, I’ve been following his story online, as he’s cheated death again, again, and again. The guy has had a storied career, and earlier this year he moved a whole venue to tears with his voice and storytelling, mere days after a hospital stay. This is one of those people you just can’t help but root for, and I have a feeling his story is going to bring his artistry before a whole new audience. His blend of jazz, hip hop, and soul has a pureness to it that’s hard to describe. I recall seeing a YouTube video of him performing at Easton Town Center in Columbus and the vibes had a quality about them I can only describe as “floating.” There is a GoFundMe to help with medical costs for the musician, who needs a kidney donor (learn more here).

Forever Unfolds – High energy pop rock inspired by twenty one pilots and NF. You’ve probably heard this sound before, but we would not share this with you if we didn’t think it was good! This is the latest project from singer/songwriter Noah Reineke, who is one of the most driven independent artists in the state, from what I can tell.

Gardener – Sunny indie rock done really well. They’re playing Nelsonville Festival, North Fest in Columbus, and supporting CAAMP on the road later this year. What’s not to like?

J Rosa – We’ve been following the person behind this artist for years (anyone reading this remember The Original Soundtrack?) but now she’s stepping out into her own with her own brand of catchy, socially conscious hip hop. J Rosa wants you to think but have fun while doing so.

Jinari Kemet – This artist fuses hip hop with a vibey pop/funk sound that makes you want to zone out. But, you should be afraid to zone out – his rapid flow is FOMO inducing. The artist is hitting the fest circuit this year for sure; he appeared at the Cleveland Brite Winter event already, and will appear at the Everwild Festival, sharing billing with Slightly Stoopid, and Stephen and Damian Marley.

Joseph and His Ghost – It’s tough to explain, but Joseph and His Ghost sounds like its place of origin in more out in the sticks. But the sound is perfect for the big city as well. Frontman Joey Crabtree Tuned Up first got to know as the drummer for alt act The Wind and the Sea (subject of our first ever local write up!). Here, Crabtree is the voice of this trio. And, I’m not sure if it’s just the algorithm doing its thing, but I’ve seen this band pop up more and more recently.

Lo V – I saw this artist on the flyer for Central Ohio folk fest, and then listened to their performance at the Music Columbus Unheard showcase from last September. This artist is undoubtedly hip hop inspired but also carries a pop sensibility with a light, airy energy that permeates several of her songs. I’m not aware of any music on streaming services yet, but hopefully that changes soon!

Lucky Shot – A year or two ago I had someone tell me that I featured too many hardcore bands in this feature. I just listen to a band like Lucky Shot and laugh at that notion.

Moe Reen – This country-folk songwriter’s sound is like Adrienne Lenker with a little extra twang. With all the momentum Moe already has, I’m wondering where I’ve been. You can catch Moe on Nelsonville Music Festival this summer, and they will be releasing their debut LP on June 6th.

Mudhouse – My initial impression of this act is that they’re in a sweet spot between Wilder Mind era Mumford and Sons and CAAMP. Fans of Needtobreathe and Wilder Woods will find things to love about this act too. They are appearing at Alive Festival this summer and I suspect we’ll see them a lot more places soon.

My Ticket Home – You might remember this act from the MySpace-core scene kid days. They went dormant for the better part of a decade. In fact, Tuned Up’s only interaction with them was at the very first Beartooth show in 2013. What I remember today was the friendly nature of the band, more than anything. However… they recently played a pop up show at Dirty Dungaree’s, and even more recently, they supported Church Tongue on their EP release show in Columbus. Could friendly pissed off rock be making a comeback this year?

Nodes – If you ever wondered what “Post-Prog” sounded like, here you go. The closest comparison that comes to mind listening is an obscure mathy-post punk percussion band called Square Peg Round Hole. Nodes is psychedelic and fun. I haven’t experienced them live yet, but I’m betting they have a very interesting live show. A livestream of theirs depicts many interesting uses of unlikely noisemakers in their sets. Think Superorganism in their NPR Tiny Desk show but without the pop hooks and a lot louder.

PAL – I have no idea what “skronky” punk is supposed to be, but this band is it and its really fun. PAL sounds little like egg punk mixed with jangle pop. They’re also playing Nelsonville Festival, one of the best indie festivals in the US (arguably). And they appeared at SXSW this year. Nice.

Sink – Honestly, it would be easy to just write up “countrygaze” as a descriptor; but its more compelling than it sounds. On paper, I feel like I’ve heard this sound many times before. But Sink adds just enough personality to a familiar sound to make it sound fresh. And that is a very good place to be, only 3 songs into their career.

Softstone Hearts – This Cincinnati based outfit makes sunny pop punk meant to uplift both the solitary listener and room full of moshing fans. And they accomplish it all as a duo. They’ve also gone from virtually unknown to all over our socials in the content game. Which counts for something, don’t you think? But seriously, they’re good at crafting anthemic earworms and I expect to see them on the festival circuit in 2026.

Sower – This alt-rock project from Cincinnati is making waves in an unlikely place. KingdomCore, a page known for their promotion of all things heavy in Christian music, has become one of the biggest fans of this artist, who makes “biblical indie rock.” If it sounds like Sower has been doing it for years, it’s because they have. Sower is the alter-ego of a certain Eric Tuffendsam, who has been active in the scene for years. He worked on Tuned Up favorite PUBLIC’s single “Make You Mine,” which gained the pop-rock act a mainstream pop hit!

Space Kid – This garage rock group has a throwback feel that lands somewhere between post punk and sing-along choruses that seemingly plucked out of the 60s. The Super Sport records endorsed group. They are rising quickly in the Columbus indie rock scene and if I were fresh out of college, I’d probably tie them to the iconic Old North venue circuit.

Surrender the Ghost – Sometimes you just want to hear emo-infused alt-rock done well. Surrender the Ghost is here to scratch that itch. They had the opportunity to open for Wheatus near the height of the recent virality of “Teenage Dirtbag.”

Wondelone – This central Ohio act calls their own genre “novel prog-rock.” I suppose “novel” could mean new, but in this case it means literary. Their debut full length Treadle & Loom (which just released May 1st), is inspired by the Moby Dick series. Admittedly prog-rock can be a tough genre to sit down with for Yours Truly, but Wondelone does a good job at being accessible without watering anything down.

Yeshayuh – This rapper comes from small town Ohio, but delivers big beats and a big message. He is unashamedly Christian and listening to any one of his songs feels like going to church. Even if you aren’t a believer, the joy therein will uplift you.

Zaylen – This hip hop artist likes to keep it clean and real; both in his flow and in his lyricism. Most importantly though, his songs carry a mandate for fun while you listen. You can catch Zaylen at Alive Festival this summer in the Canton area.