Cory Graves
This Week, Leon Bridges Was A Wild And Crazy Guy.
Each week, we take a survey of the local music scene and try to determine which acts in town are really putting in work and seeing it pay off. Which bands have the most intriguing shows coming up? Which bands are getting the most press around town? Which bands have accomplished the most notable feats of late? Based off these criteria, our music writers submit a list to be weighted and compiled into a master list revealed each week in this here space. We like to think it's fairly revealing. Check out our previous Buzz Rankings here.
It's probably not a huge surprise, but for the second week in a row and for the pack-leading 15th time over all, Leon Bridges tops our weekly, local music power rankings. After headlining a sold-out show at The Majestic last weekend, Bridges hit the ground running, announcing he'll be appearing on an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live, as well as this weekend's Jennifer Lopez-hosted American Music Awards. Somehow, he also had time to perform alongside Willie Nelson and Neil Young as Nelson was receiving his Gershwin Prize.
He's in a league of his own these days.
Just like she was last week, Erykah Badu — who, we should point out, holds the second-most Buzz Rankings No. 1s — finds herself in the No. 2 hole thanks to the continually building hype leading up to the release of her much-anticipated new mixtape next week. Similarly, new releases helped The Outfit, TX, Bobby Sessions, The O's, The Riverboat Gamblers and VIDEO earn their respective spots on this week's list, too.
Meanwhile, Northern National played the first-ever show at Reunion Tower, while Two Knights and a handful of others on this week's list played Macaroni Island's last-ever show. Because when one door closes, another one always opens.
Then, of course, there was Midlake, which found itself caught in the middle of aasilly little squable between four-time Chipmunks movie star Jason Lee, Denton comedian Ron Lechler and, well, ourselves.
Elsewhere: The Dixie Chicks announced a new tour; Reverend Horton Heat headlined its namesake tattoo festival; G.U.N. and a handful of others were tapped for SXSW 2016; and La Energia Nortena was nominated for a Latin Grammy.
(Also receiving votes this week: -topic, Jonathan Tyler, Northern National, Daniel Markham, Daniel Hart, Troy Cartwright, Power Trip, Parquet Courts, Nervous Curtains, Dust Congress, Hell Texas, Oil Boom, New Science Projects, Reinventing Jude, Lou Charle$, Skagg Philips, Colton Carlyle, Cory Patrick Coleman, Felix, Ill Smiths, Bukkake Moms, Yung Ursa Minor, Clint Niosi, Dorrough, Sealion, Vincent Neil Emerson, Madison King, Neon Indian.)
