Right now in New York City it’s the calm before the storm. Next week the CMJ Music Marathon will blow through with its hundreds of bands, industry panels & presentations, and nightly showcases, and it will be nothing short of pure intensity. Aside from the cheap booze and sometimes free events, the music is the festival’s main focus and best part because for nearly one week seemingly all the best new and established acts from various genres will descend upon this city and show us their stuff. I’ll be covering it for The Music Ninja so expect reviews in the coming weeks. Until then though, here are 20 CMJ 2012 Must See Acts (in no particular order). We’ve got a scattering of indie rock, electronica, hip-hop, electro, synth pop and more. Some are popular, some rising; some you’ve seen on this site, and some you haven’t, so keep a lookout:

’Doe Paoro – Born Whole’

’The Stepkids – Shadows On Behalf’

’Hook N Sling feat Evermore – Surrender’

’MØ – Pilgrim’

’Flosstradamus – Rollup (Baauer Remix)’

’Cities Aviv – G A L L E R Y G U R L Z (prod. by Star Slinger)’

’Chad Valley – Tell All Your Friends’

’Daughter – Home (Taken from The Wild Youth EP)’

’You Wont – Three Car Garage’

’Cruiser – Souvenir’

’Foxygen – Make It Known’

’Blonds – Time’

’Flume – Holdin On’

’Indians – Magic Kids’

’She Keeps Bees – See Me’

’Goldroom – Angeles’

’MS MR – Hurricane’

’Santah – Indigo’

’Conner Youngblood – A Summer Song’

’Indian Rebound – Bowery Brats’

For more information on CMJ, including how to purchase a badge, click here.

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