Xmas Letter To You All

Each and every year, right about this time as I’m makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice, I’m reminded of how extraordinarily lucky I’ve been to spend my life entwined with the music YOU make.  I’m eternally grateful for every moment, and I could never, ever, thank you all enough for the honor and privilege that I genuinely consider it to be.  You’ve put up with my endless rants and sarcastic comments, you’ve read scores of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions spilled out onto these pages of ours, and for more than a decade since the start of sleepingbagstudios, you’ve all continued to support the independent music scene and its artists & bands in ways that have absolutely inspired me day after day after day.

And so here we are, at the end of another remarkable year filled with astounding independent music.  I’ve been loving every moment of struggling to narrow down my yearly shortlist of what’s impressed me most into one impossibly concise list of ten as we head towards declaring our Best New Sound of 2023.  It’s a ridiculously hard ritual, but an important one to me…I think that we all know just how hard the entire scene works at their craft and keeping us entertained, and what little thanks/recognition they tend to get in return.  These amazing artists and bands of the independent music scene we share are my heroes…YOU are my heroes…and if this is the way that I can personally express my own gratitude to you all, then I’m more than happy to take the time to do it.  Why?  Because of the very same reasons I got into this in the first place – your music deserves it.  Without you, life would be excruciatingly bland.

While there are ALWAYS more incredible bands and artists that I listen to in a year than will ever fit into a small top ten, please know that if I had the opportunity to hear your music, that I am thankful for that.  This year, we crown our tenth winner of our annual Best New Sound, and I’m freakin’ EXCITED about it!  I consider it to be a massive privilege to be a voice that has been able to help introduce people all over the globe to amazing music that is the heartbeat connecting us all.  I know I’m stoked about every artist & band that has ever made our annual lists, but I assure you, that remains completely true about 2023 – these spellbinding, daring, skillful, and adventurous names are truly among the best in our scene today.

It’s been another spin around the sun that has been filled with audible joys in every style and sound you can think of, and I’m continually glad that we kept the doors open to every genre from day one, because you have all taught me so very much.  You’ve cultured me.  You’ve bettered me.  You’ve illuminated our collective pathway forward through your insightful art and authenticity, and you’ve given us the best soundtrack we could ever hope to listen to as we head into the unknown of the future ahead, together.  I sincerely look forward to sharing every minute we’ve got along the way with each & every one of you.

Please join me in congratulating those that have made this year’s list for our Best New Sound as we roll out our top ten over these next ten days, and declare our ultimate winner this New Year’s Eve, 2023.

Many cheers & many thanks to you all, for everything.

Happiest of holidays.

Your ally in all-things-music,

• Jer @ SBS