9 ARTISTS KEEPING GUITAR MUSIC ALIVE
by Marvin Music Team
To quote Alex Turner’s infamous 2014 BRIT Award speech, “That rock and roll, eh?” Guitar music never really disappears, but rather evolves into a new form, finding new voices to carry its urgency forward. Here are 10 bands who are carving their own path yet keeping that spirit alive, channeling raw energy in sharp songwriting and refusing to let that sound fade into the background.
By: MARVIN Music team, Alexandra Giffney and Taylor Barefoot
DOVE ELLIS From: Galway, Ireland Dove Ellis serves as the stagename of singer-songwriter Thomas O’Donoghue whose songs feel both intimate and unsteady. His music, mainly his debut LP Blizzard, feels carefully composed yet unbound. His writing leans into sharp, image-heavy lyricism, while the music floats between distorted guitar, drifting wind tones, and blurred piano lines, leaving a feeling of longing in the air.
Key Track: ‘When You Tie Your Hair Up’
WESTSIDE COWBOY From: Manchester, UK Comprised of vocalist and guitarist Reuben Haycocks, guitarist James “Jimmy” Bradbury, bassist Aoife O’Connell, and drummer Paddy Murphy, Westside Cowboy is inspired by American roots while living in the British DIY garage-rock scene. Blending 90s alt-rock guitar tones with subtle folk inflections, they channel an unpolished, nostalgic energy that feels lived-in yet immediate, capturing a sound firmly rooted in the present moment.
Key Track: ‘Can’t See’
FOLK BITCH TRIO From: Melbourne, AUS Folk Bitch Trio consists of three best friends, Gracie Sinclair, Jeanie Pilkington, and Heide Peverelle, each one crafting haunting harmonies and poetic lyricism in every song. Their sound sits between folk tradition and contemporary indie experimentation, balancing intimacy with a sharp, understated edge and a delicate yet piercing emotional charge.
Key Track: ‘Shivers’
FLORENCE ROAD From: Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland Florence Road are an emerging band from Wicklow, Ireland, they bring a raw, angst-driven energy with a delicate, polished form. They balance softness with an underlying tension, carrying a youthful but wise beyond their years feel. Their music is intimate yet expansive, capturing emotional depth with striking clarity and restraint.
Key Track: ‘Miss’
Hank From: London, UK Serving as the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Lola Stephen, Hank is an ever-changing quartet with Stephen at the core, creating a blend of fierce, moody rock, shoegaze and post-punk sound. With piercing guitar riffs, pounding drums and soft yet haunting vocals as heard on songs like ‘Stand On Yr Star’ and ‘Spiralic’, Hank crafts a fun and nostalgic sound that feels hypnotic and immersive.
Key Track: ‘DYLM’
Bar Italia From: London, UK Named after Soho’s iconic café, Bar Italia is the ever-evolving project of Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi, and Sam Fenton. Blending wiry riffs, deadpan vocals, and lo-fi intimacy, their sound drifts between post-punk, and indie rock. Crafting songs that feel detached yet magnetic, gritty yet hypnotic. Proving that guitar music still thrives with their icy mystique, tension, and mood.
Key Track: ‘Rooster’
Native Sun From: New York, NY Shaped by New York’s restless energy, Native Sun is led by vocalist and guitarist Danny Gomez alongside guitarist Jack Hitablide, bassist Justin Barry and drummer Nico Espinosa. The band’s sound fuses punchy rock with a sharp punk edge, pairing driving guitars with direct, emotionally charged lyrics. Their songs explore themes of grief, disillusionment, and modern alienation, channeling an unfiltered intensity that gives a voice to outsiders.
Key Track: ‘I Need Nothing’
Victoryland From: Brooklyn, NY Victoryland is the Brooklyn-based project of Julian McCamman (formerly of Blood), in collaboration with producer Dan Howard. Blending a polished yet off-kilter DIY sound, their music explores complex emotional terrain through lo-fi indie rock and pop structures. The latest release, My Heart Is a Room With No Cameras in It, layers fragmented memories with wailing guitars, tracing longing and connection in an emotionally depleted world.
Key Track: ‘No Cameras’
MX Lonely From: Brooklyn, NY Fronted by Rae Haas and Jake Harms, MX Lonely draws from ‘90s alt-rock, punk, and shoegaze, reworking those influences into a grunge-gaze hybrid that feels modern while draped in nostalgia. Intense, disoriented guitars underpin vocals that cut sharply through the distortion, creating a sound defined by intensity, haunting energy, and emotional weight.
Key Track: ‘Anesthetic’
