CMJ Music Marathon 2012: 10 Emerging Acts We’re Excited To See

Carl Williott | October 12, 2012 5:30 am

The CMJ Music Marathon is exactly what it sounds like: a five-day free-for-all of live music. From October 16-20, hundreds of acts — some established, but most looking to make their big breakout — will descend upon New York City for the CMJ Music Marathon 2012. The event has a very solid track record — prior buzz-mongers include Santigold in 2007, Lady Gaga in 2008, Mumford & Sons in 2009 and Kendrick Lamar in 2011 — so the career-making potential isn’t just a ploy to sell tickets badges.

With so many showcases and bands to keep track of, it’s impossible to sample everything. And it’s also impossible to fully prepare for the mad rush. But it helps if you know what to watch for, so we’ve scoured the lineups and plucked out our favorite up-and-comers. We know it’s a marathon, but here are 10 emerging pop acts we’ll be sprinting to see.