Philly artists you can’t miss at Made in America 2017

Philly artists performing at Made in America 2017. | A. Ricketts for Visit Philly
A. Ricketts for Visit Philly

The Budweiser Made in America music festival returns to Philadelphia for 2017 on Sept. 2 and Sept. 3 for two fun-filled days of music and good times. Headliners this year include festival founder and hip hop legend Jay-Z as well as J. Cole, The Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Migos, Solange and Run the Jewels. Aside from these nationally known acts however, several Philly artists are taking the stage as well. Be sure to make room in your schedule to support local at Made in America 2017.

Beach Slang

This Philly punk band features describes itself as “guitar, bass and drums — played loudly. Fronted by James Alex, the band draws comparisons to The Replacements and while they go hard on songs like “Atom Bomb” their latest music video for “Spin the Dial” music mixes grit with summertime vibes.

Japanese Breakfast

Love experimental pop? You need to add Japanese Breakfast to your musical menu at Made in America 2017. While the woman behind the music, Michelle Zauner, isn’t from Philly originally, she did go to Bryn Mawr college. In July, she released her second album under Japanese Breakfast called “Soft Sounds From Another Planet” as well as a sci-fi inspired video for the song “Machinist.”

Mannequin Pussy

This female-fronted punk band combines shoegaze, death metal, pop and more traditional punk vibes to create a sound all their own. Lead singer and guitarist Marisa Dabice seques from chaotic to playful to vulnerable without missing a beat. Their song “Romantic” even made Rolling Stone’s “Best Songs of 2016.”

Marian Hill

This songwriting duo made up of producer Jeremy Lloyd and vocalist Samantha Gongol initially paired up at Haverford High School. The band name comes from the two main characters in “The Music Man,” Marian Paroo and Harold Hill. You’ve definitely heard Marian Hill before with hits like “One Time” and “Down.”

Mt. Joy

This indie folk band was formed by Matt Quinn (vocals/guitar) and Sam Cooper (guitar) while they were still in high school in the Philadelphia area. They kept making music together in their spare time over the years but after the success of their single, “Astrovan,” Quinn quit grad school and Cooper left his job as a lawyer to focus on music full-time.

PNB Rock

This Philly-based singer, songwriter, producer and actor is best known for songs like “Fleek” and “Selfish,” which hit number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has over 67 million plays on Soundcloud. In 2017, PNB Rock was selected as a part of XXL’s Freshman Class, a huge honor for hip hop stars on the rise.

Queen of Jeans

If you love the goosebump-inducing girl group harmonies of the 60s, you need to check out Queen of Jeans at Made in America 2017. This female-fronted band hails from South Philly and has been making waves both locally and nationally since coming together in 2015. Their super fun tune, “Dance (Get Off Your Ass)” should definitely be on your pre-festival fun times playlist.

(Sandy) Alex G

This  Havertown native started recording music when he was only 13. A multi-instrumentalist, he first grew his fanbase recording DIY bedroom tracks and releasing them on bandcamp. He released four albums before signing with Domino Recording in 2015. Drawing comparisons to Elliott Smith and Sparklehorse, his sixth album, “Rocket,” was released in May. Check out the video for his twangy tune, “Bobby,” below.