TOP FIVE PREDICTIONS FOR 2024
1. Thrown will be the next "it" band in hardcore.
They’re already on the verge, but in 2024 they’ll hit peak Trapped Under Ice/Knocked Loose/Turnstile levels. Instead of every newjack with an Expire beanie, it’ll be a Thrown windbreaker—and that’s good for the scene.
2. Metalcore will continue its ascendancy.
Metalcore has had two past major peaks in relevance in its short life, and it’s experiencing a third. This time, however, it will continue elbowing its way into the mainstream, spearheading a general explosion in alternative music it feels like everyone is ready for.
3. A new sound will sweep through and revitalize rap.
Speaking of things it feels like people are ready for, in my conversations with rap fans, it seems like the current sound everyone’s chasing is becoming exhausted and the market over-saturated, as is always the case following a sonic paradigm shift (see: grunge in the 90s, Risecore metalcore, etc). I have no idea what the sound will be or who the artist will be, but I am willing to wager it will come seemingly out of left-field. Since I don’t know, I’ll simply shout out my favorite song in “MODERN JAM” from what I think was 2023’s best rap release in Travis Scott’s UTOPIA. Having said all I’ve said above, this record still felt fresh and had a lot of interesting moments on it. Clearly there’s still some oxygen in the current landscape, but 1) we’re forecasting here, and 2) most other rappers aren’t on this level nor do they have his vision.
4. The rap-metalcore crossover trend will continue and only grow, yielding more interesting and high-end collaborations.
Maybe this is precisely where the paradigm shift will come from, although my instinct is that this will be concurrent with something originating from within rap and not as a hybrid.
5. Electric Callboy will win Eurovision 2024.
Loreen, representing Sweden, has won the contest twice, most recently this year. Cascada’s 2013 entry was accused of plagiarizing Loreen’s 2012 contest-winning track "Euphoria." Electric Callboy has both submitted a track to represent Germany and covered Cascada. Using this convoluted logic, I am calling Electric Callboy to win the contest, notching Germany’s first victory since 2010. This will be the cherry on top of metalcore’s global takeover.
Bonus. There’s a good chance I’ll be dead wrong about everything.
Such is life.
