Common Saints impresses with “Idol Eyes” single

You may not be too familiar with rising sensation Common Saints of the UK, yet the name Charlie J. Perry should ring a few bells. The accredited producer out of South London has worked with the likes of BTS, Jorja Smith and Maverick Sabre (among several other big names), recording his own works here and there […]

Aloha Radio is on “Island Time”

Let’s face it — if any year was on ‘island time’, it’s 2020. With a slow rollout, abrupt change of pace and virtually no agenda (pun intended), what better way to commemorate this forced downtime than with kicking back and making the most out of life on pause? Orange County indie rock band Aloha Radio […]

Top Shelf Music gets to know The Vibe

All three members of San Diego alt-funk band The Vibe sit down with Top Shelf Music journalist Kristy Rose! With COVID-19 restrictions for musicians, The Vibe talks about what they had to do to adapt during the forced quarantine, how this downtime has been a blessing and what’s ahead on the horizon. After recently changing […]

Riot Fest drops massive 2021 Phase One lineup

Without the thrill of monthly festivals and concert getaways, 2020 has been, well, the biggest drag of all time musically. Great pieces of art have surfaced along the way, sure, yet only an extremely limited amount of events are being experienced in-person due to social distancing. Damn COVID. In summary, festivals need a do-over. Up […]

WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Sunny State “Human”

We are honored to host the world video premiere of “Human”, a single by California reggae band Sunny State. Focusing on big picture philosophies set to ukulele, Sunny State asks if we are being the best people we can be, considering we’re all in COVID-19 together — “have I treated you the way you deserved […]

John Legend marks Juneteenth with ‘Bigger Love’ LP

A second after the stroke of midnight on Juneteenth (aka, June 19th, a day commemorating the final emancipation of black slaves in 1865), John Legend unleashed his highly anticipated full-length album Bigger Love to the public. Four years have lapsed since Legend’s last Darkness and Light LP heightened the soulful superstar’s career ever-higher and, let […]

SYNRGY to release “Here I Am” E.N Young Remix

SYNRGY is a soulful, sweet San Diego reggae rock band, one that has consistently brought blessings and positive vibes to the scene. From local shows to large weekend festivals, SYNRGY has made a name for themselves since their formation in 2007. Now, with three full-length albums and two EPs under their belts, SYNRGY continues their […]

Natural High x Wayne Marshall x Kabaka Pyramid x Jesse Royal in “Cane Fields” video

Powerful testaments across the globe have surfaced as the Black Lives Matter movement grows, yet none so powerful as this new music video featuring the combined talents of Natural High, Wayne Marshall, Kabaka Pyramid and Jesse Royal! This Jamaican reggae revival super team, under the independent Delicious Vinyl Island label, has produced a single so […]

Run The Jewels answers BLM call in ‘RTJ4’

What to say about Run The Jewels… what to say about vigilante justice? For that is exactly what rappers El-P and Killer Mike are — lyrical vigilantes. Exposing the world for what it is one track at a time, this renegade hip hop duo bluntly states what’s been on everyone’s mind this past year and […]

LA’s upcoming One Love Peace Protest combines Reggae & BLM

Reggae, especially American reggae, is under fire right now. These artists are the ones that have been preaching peace, love and unity for black citizens since the inception of its genre. Now that Black Lives Matter and the fight for equality has hit a critical high in this country (and around the world), believers in […]

Fyah Roiall explodes in “Energy” single

Up-and-coming Jamaican artist Fyah Roiall defies classification, mashing UK grime with American trap and dancehall into something new, dubbed ‘grimehall’. Grimehall — or traphall, depending on preference — is a rising trend for JA artists, taking modern twists from other parts of the world to mix with traditional Caribbean music, rendering edgy rap-reggae paired to […]

Pastor Ayu pledges 365 original songs in 365 days

Washington D.C. has been thrust full-throttle into the front lines of the Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the nation and rightly so, considering that is where country leaders reside! This fight is long overdue to be resolved and fed up citizens are taking to the streets to voice their anguish for the atrocious death of […]

Galactic updates 1996 classic & shares video for “Something’s Wrong With This Picture”

New Orleans jazz-funk group Galactic has updated their 1996 hit “Something’s Wrong With This Picture”, a single describing the egregious injustice and inequality faced daily by African Americans, complete with a brand new music video! Considering the current state of this divided nation, Galactic players felt compelled to re-release the inspiring track off the band’s […]

Iya Terra stands with Black Lives Matter in “Streets Run Red” single

A country on the verge of civil war is nothing compared to the insurmountable injustice that has paved the way here. America, through systemic racism imposed by the government and social encouragement in the home, has always been divided, despite the strides in the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements. For every time a […]