We have a lot to look forward to in 2013. While things may seem a bit quiet for now, we’ll be laughing at this lull when new bands emerge from seemingly nowhere with much buzzed about South-by-Southwest showcases that makes most insiders head’s spin. But that’s where we can help, or at least provide a guide or a cheat sheet to who we think are gonna be the bands to watch and for them, the future is now. The four bands/singers/rappers listed below are ones we have high hopes for in the upcoming year.

Haim: Yes, the Valley’s version of Sister Act without the gospel, has taken the world (literally) by storm, but if you look past the hubbub, the three sisters are finally ready to prove that they’ve what the hype is about. Their infectious brand of pop, along with some cool vocal harmonies (all three ladies can sing), fun live performances, has the three sisters (ages from 21-25) on the cover of NME with only an EP to their name. With a full-length slated to be released some time this year; don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Joey Bada$$: New York hip-hop seems to have slowly faded from prominence and with the emergence of Kendrick Lamar and his Black Hippy crew, the West Coast seems to be back. But this guy seems to be the real deal. The 18-year-old’s first mixtape, 1999, showcased his a smooth that mixed intricate lyricism along with real life stories. While time may tell whether he can leap to the same as Lamar, Badass sure has a lot of people talking about, and that isn’t a bad thing.

Capital Cities: Thought it can be debated that these two lads kinda blew up in 2012, we’re going to make the argument that Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian haven’t seen their brightest days yet. The Los Angeles duo’s synth-pop driven hit “Safe and Sound” blew up not only in the States, where radio caught on and it hit the top of the SiriusXM AltNation charts, but globally. They’ve played all over the world and with new material to come in 2013, expect to hear them take their blend of alternative, R&B and synth-pop to cities everywhere.

Jenny O: We first got a glimpse of the talented singer/songwriter at the West Coast version of PettyFest in mid-November when she shared the stage with the likes of Pat Carney of the Black Keys, Karen Elson, members of the Strokes, Ke$ha, Alberta Cross and a slew of others (including Doug from The Hangover). While she may be relatively new to some, that doesn’t mean her songs don’t like maturity and a rawness that can’t help but catch your attention due to the way she describes life’s most emotional incidents with the vigor of someone who’s been through it all. Her debut album, Automechanic, will be released in February.