Deli Nation,

Our Year End Poll for Emerging DC Area Artists was - as usual - a painstaking (and somewhat excruciating) process, but we pulled it of with remarkable flair! Kudos to GEMS (pictured) for winning it!

First, we let the local bands submit their music (for free), and got our Deli editors to pick the nominees. Then we polled a list of 15+ DC Area scene experts (our jury, list at the bottom) and asked them to nominate 3 more bands of their choice each. Then we polled our writers, then we polled our readers. We tried to keep things open for each single genre, from Indie Rock to Roots Music to Hip Hop.

If you are a geek interested in all the subtelties related to how this poll works, you can read its rules here (happy reading!). But if all you care about is the awesome new music the DC Area produced in the year 2013, this list is all you need. Enjoy!

BEST OF 2013 POLL FOR EMERGING DC AREA ARTISTS ******* FINAL RESULTS *******

ARTIST J W R OS TOT   1 GEMS 11   0.009   11.009 2 Margot MacDonald 1 1 1.5 2 5.5 3 Priests 5   0.002   5.002 4 Walk the Plank 3   2   5 5 Young Summer 4   0.068   4.068 6 Drop Electric 3 1 0.006   4.006 7 Joy Buttons 4   0.003   4.003 8 The Last Bison 3   1   4 9 Kindlewood     0.105 3 3.105 10 The Cowards Choir 3   0.052   3.052 11  Elikeh 3   0.021   3.021 12 Widows Watch 3   0.015   3.015 13 Sweet Leda 3   0.01   3.01 14  Drugs Of Faith 3   0.009   3.009 15  Iris Divine 3   0.007   3.007   Young Rapids 3   0.007   3.007 17 Protect U 3   0.004   3.004 18 Diamond Youth 3   0.003   3.003 19 The Walking Sticks 3   0.002   3.002   Pree 3   0.002   3.002 21 Dead Professional 3   0.001   3.001   Highway Cross 3   0.001   3.001 23  The Capital Hearings 3   0   3   The Chance 3   0   3 25  The Sea Life   1 0.004 1.5 2.504 26 Pasadena 2   0.141   2.141 27 Black Clouds 2   0.063   2.063 28 Derek Evry and His Misanthropes 2   0.047   2.047 29 True Head 2   0.011   2.011 30  Honor By August 2   0.005   2.005 31  Redline Graffiti 2   0.004   2.004 32 Cherry Tree Band 2   0.003   2.003   The Mean Season 2   0.003   2.003   The Raised By Wolves 1   0.003 1 2.003 35 Sunwolf 2   0.002   2.002 36 The Grand Candy 2   0.001   2.001   Phil Ade 2   0.001   2.001   PLOY 2   0.001   2.001 39 Old Lines 2   0   2   Primitivity 2   0   2   Technophobia 2   0   2 42 Bumpin' Uglies 1   0.5   1.5 43 Bonnie Rash 1   0.046   1.046 44 Dance For the Dying 1   0.019   1.019   Pleasure Curses     0.019 1 1.019 46 Me and Karen     0.0013 1 1.013 47 Typefighter 1   0.012   1.012 48 The Mellish     0.009 1 1.009 49 Caz & The Day Laborers 1   0.005   1.005   J. Roddy Walston and the Business 1   0.005   1.005 50 Heavy Breathing 1   0.002   1.002   Midnight Eye 1   0.002   1.002   Ravagers 1   0.002   1.002   Smoke Green 1   0.002   1.002 55 Black Checker 1   0.001   1.001 Legend: J = Jurors, W = Deli Writers, R = Deli Readers, OS = Open Submissions

List of Jurors: Jon Meyers (The Vinyl District), Boo Valdez (Rams Head Baltimore), Brandon Linton (Rams Head Baltimore), Kisha Shorter (9:30 Club), Stephanie Williams (DC Music Download), Chris Buresh (DCHeavy Metal.com), Paul Vodra (Hometown Sounds), Neal Becton (Som Records), Christopher Naoum (Listen Local First DC), David Hintz (DC Rock Live), Jennifer Vinson (The Hamilton/DC Setlist), Matty (The Sidebar), Don Zientara (Inner Ear Studios), Dawn Reed (Deli), Renee Schapiro (9:30 Club), Vincent Brown (Freedom Village), Jimmy Rhodes (The Fillmore), Catherine (showlistdc), Ora Nwabueze (The Dunes), Staff (Velvet Lounge).

Hope you'll find some awesome new artists you weren't aware of!

The Deli's Staff

The beautiful voice and loop pedal mastery of DC favorite Margot MacDonald have propelled her to national acclaim in the past year. NPR’s All Songs Considered featured her as one of their favorite discoveries at the 2013 CMJ Music Festival, and she is the current Washington Area Music Association "Artist of the Year." Her new self-released album, Canvas, includes an incredible cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop, which is about the ballsiest thing I’ve heard all year (also “oh that’s what the lyrics are”). Check out the lead single, Speed of Sound, below.

We had an incredible pool of talent submit this year! Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word and give bands a chance to have their music heard by critics all over the country. After tallying the votes for the Open Submissions stage of our DC Year End Poll, it's time to release the results.

Please note that no editor was allowed to vote for bands in their own scene. The editors that voted on the DC scene were: Charise (Deli Austin) and Paolo De Gregorio (Deli NYC, Editor-In-Chief). In the coming weeks we will release the list of nominees chosen by our local "scene expert" jurors and it will be up to you to pick your favorite Emerging DC Area Artist of 2013.

Acts advancing to our Readers/Fans Poll with a ranking above 8:

1. Kindlewood - 9
2. Margot MacDonald - 8.75
3. The Sea Life - 8.5
4. Pleasure Curses - 8.25
5. The Raised By Wolves - 8.25
6. Me and Karen - 8
7. The Mellish - 8

Total submissions from the DC Area: 36

WHAT'S NEXT: These results end the first phase of the poll. In the next few days we'll unveil the artists nominated by our local jurors (mostly venue promoters and other industry people who know the DC/MD/VA scene inside out), and we'll let our readers and writers influence the poll with their vote.

Thanks to all the acts who submitted to us. Our open submissions pool was truly a celebration of the diversity and richness of the DMVs talent. Keep creating, keep supporting and stay tuned for your chance to vote!

-Dawn

Coming in at #2 on our recent round of Open Submissions is DC based pop vocalist Margot MacDonald who’s recent release Canvas showcases her a cappella skills. She’s no stranger to topping lists either as she’s been recognized as NPR Music's Favorite Discoveries after the 2013 CMJ Music Festival. Check out her skills below then see her live at The Dunes on Jan 10.

Alex Vans and the Hideaway are playing an extra special show this Friday at Iota as a Mega Band! The band now features 9 pieces, including a full horn section and backup singers (and will include such talent as Will Rast and Margot Macdonald). Alex says the new setup “really brings the songs to life the way they are on record, plus a few surprises.” For my part, I can’t wait to see 9 pieces on Iota’s stage. Joining Alex and The (now much harder to) Hide Away will be These Animals (a NYC band releasing a new cd), and (playing their farewell show) D.C.’s Kid Architect . Doors at 9. --Natan Press