Billboard Hot 100 Festival 2016 Preview

While so much else in music has changed, Billboard Magazine has remained steady. The singles at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 change all the time, but the chart has remained the industry standard. Last year Billboard Hot 100 entered the festival game, and returns this weekend, August 20th & 21st at Nikon Jones Beach Theater on Long Island:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20th

Ariana Grande Music is littered with the child stars heading into adult territory, but Ariana Grande is the rare one to do it well. From getting her break in the Broadway music 13 to Nickelodeon series Victorious and starring in spin-off Sam & Cat, Grande has since graduated to pop stardom with hit records Yours Truly, My Everything, and this year’s Dangerous Woman. This year, she’s been the musical guest and host on Saturday Night Live, named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People’, and now headlines Saturday at Billboard Hot 100 Festival.

Fetty Wap It was just last year that Fetty Wap was launched into fame with hit single “Trap Queen”. Top 10 singles “679” and “My Way” and a number one self-titled debut followed for the rapper. This year has seen him get his own mobile racing game, not to mention starring in VH1’s Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood.

Martin Garrix At just twenty years of age, Amsterdam’s Martin Garrix is already a major up-and-coming-and-already-there DJ.

Cheat Codes Electronic trio Cheat Codes come to Billboard Hot 100 Festival fresh off the international success of hit single “Sex” (which samples Salt-n-Pepa’s 1991 classic “Let’s Talk About Sex”).

Madeon Big house synths, and disco dance grooves with a pop friendly structure is what Madeon uses to describe his music. Barely at drinking age (QRO photos at a festival), this precocious youngster has already played at Coachella, SXSW and many other festivals. Check out his dubstep song, “Finale,” as well as his pop mash-up, “Pop Culture”. Not too shabby for starting off in his garage, right?

Paper Diamond Colorado-based producer Alex B has been exploring his creating & performing side as Paper Diamond (QRO photos at a festival).

Rachel Platten Bringing some blue-eyed soul to Billboard Hot 100 Festival is Rachel Platten (QRO photos), thanks to her hit single “Fight Song” – her live performance of the “Song” on Good Morning America even earned her an Emmy.

Rae Sremmurd Atlanta hip-hop brother duo of Khalif ‘Swae Lee’ & Aaquil ‘Slim Jimmy’ Brown (QRO live review) team up as Rae Sremmurd (QRO photos at a festival).

Sleigh Bells Somewhere between noise and pop lies Brooklyn’s Sleigh Bells (QRO photos at a festival). The duo of Derek E. Miller & Alexis Krauss (QRO photos) all of a sudden became the hottest thing out there with debut Treats – and they’ve kept up the heat (QRO live review) in 2012 with Reign of Terror (QRO review), 2013’s Bitter Rivals, and their bigger-and-bigger headline dates (QRO live review).

Wale Since his discovery by superstar producer Mark Ronson, things have gone very well for D.C. rapper Wale, with mixtapes, collaborations, and even regular ol’ studio albums.

Also: Elephante Eryn Allen Kane Gryffin Hayley Kiyoko Hippie Sabotage JAHKOY Niykee Heaton Prince Fox Skizzy Mars Team Ezy Thomas Jack

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21st

Calvin Harris Scottish big-name DJ Calvin Harris (QRO photos at a festival) Created Disco (QRO review), has been Ready For the Weekend for 18 Months, so get in Motion.

J. Cole North Carolina’s J. Cole (QRO photos at a festival) got notice very quick with his first mixtape, The Come Up, signing to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Two more mixtapes, The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights followed before 2011 debut Cole World: The Sideline Story, which came out at #1 (even if he did lose the Best New Artist Grammy to Bon Iver, prompting the “Who the fuck is ‘Bunny Bear’?” meme…). 2013 saw sophomore release Born Sinner, which debuted at ‘only’ #2, but of course rose to #1, with the following year’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive debuting on top, so catch this top-selling artist.

Audien Progressive electro-trance DJ & producer Audien comes to Billboard Hot 100 Festival.

Desiigner One of the freshest artists at Billboard Hot 100, Desiigner (QRO photos at a festival) burst out big time earlier this year with number one single “Panda”. Later sampled by none other than Kanye West on The Life of Pablo, Desiigner has since signed to West’s GOOD Music.

MOON TAXI MOON TAXI (QRO photos at a festival) cross the dashed lines between indie, jam, progressive, and rock.

Timeflies Exciting indie-pop duo Cal Shapiro & Rob Resnick, a.k.a. Timeflies (QRO photos), come to Billboard Hot 100 Festival off of last year’s Just for Fun.

Jillionaire While probably best known for his work with Diplo in Major Lazer (QRO photos at a festival), Trinidad’s Jillionaire can spin all on his own.

marshmello Inspired by the masked DJ likes of deadmau5 (QRO live review) and Daft Punk (QRO album review), masked DJ marshmello remains a mystery.

NERVO Australian twins Miriam & Olivia Nervo form NERVO. In addition to their music, they also co-wrote David Guetta’s Grammy-winning song with Kelly Rowland, “When Love Takes Over”.

Also: Brooke Eden Cid Coleman Hell Futuristic Galantis Haywyre Josiah & The Bonnevilles Lost Kings Madeintyo Quinn XCII Ryos Seeb William Singe