Snoop Dogg: While he's toned down his interactions with the law in recent years, no rapper with such a violent and illicit past has made as much of himself as Snoop Dogg. Snoop became one of the idols of West Coast rap in the early 90s, mixing a sultry smooth voice with hard and cutthroat lyrics. Since his debut in 1993, Snoop has been steadily recording albums every couple of years and performs on tour dates that are still attended by huge crowds. His latest album, Doggumentary, is a sequel to his first album, Doggystyle, and a prime example of how Snoop hasn't forgotten his roots after all these years. To promote the album, Snoop Dogg is currently playing sold-out concert dates, with plenty of tour dates in 2011 left to go.

During his youth, Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr., began singing in the choir at the local baptist church, eventually starting to rap in the sixth grade. Snoop attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School and was a member of the Rollin' 20 Crips. In his free time, Snoop began recording freestyle sessions with his friend Warren G and his cousin Nate Dogg. Snoop Dogg's freestyle over En Vogue's "Hold On" was heard by Dr. Dre at a party and Snoop was invited to the studio for an audition. Snoop began his commercial career with appearances on Dr. Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic, and on the single "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". Hype for Snoop's debut 1993 album was increased by the success of Dr. Dre's solo album and Snoop Dogg's own murder charges; Doggystyle ended up going four times platinum after just a year and sold more copies than The Chronic.

Snoog Dogg's newfound status as a rap star led to a series of tour dates and further spread the word about the LBC rapper. Snoop Dogg's follow-up album, The Doggfather, was released in 1996, shortly after Dr. Dre left Death Row Records. The album was produced largely by DJ Pooh and Daz Dillinger, and featured a slower, softer sound than Snoop's previous G-funk sound. Growing tired of Suge Knight and Death Row, Snoop opted to sign with Master P's label, No Limit Records, in 1998 and released his next three albums with the label. Snoop's music radically evolved in 2002 with Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss, which showed the dissolution of his gangsta image and sound and the birth of his pimp image and smoother sound. This era also saw Snoop Dogg playing concert dates to stadiums full of people, further cementing his status as a mainstream icon.

The Big Pink: An English electro-rock duo comprising multi-instrumentalists Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell. The duo signed to the 4AD label in 2009, and won the prestigious NME Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act. To date, they have released five singles, with their debut album A Brief History of Love released in September 2009.

Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell started making music as The Big Pink in 2007, taking their name from the debut album by The Band.[3] Furze used to play guitar for Alec Empire and run the record label Hate Channel with Cordell. Cordell (son of Denny Cordell and brother of Tarka Cordell) had also been releasing records through his own label Merok Records, which featured early noise rock releases by Klaxons, Titus Andronicus, and Crystal Castles.[4] After joining forces in mid-2007, the band issued their first single "Too Young to Love" on 7" vinyl in October 2008 on the House Anxiety label.[5] The single was limited to 500 copies worldwide,[5] and features a homoerotic photograph by Dennis Cooper as its cover. Similarly, a limited edition 12" single for "Too Young to Love" released only in Japan features more of Cooper's photography as its cover.

The Big Pink signed with British record label 4AD in February 2009. On 25 February 2009, The Big Pink won the prestigious Philip Hall Radar Award for best new act at the NME Shockwave Awards. The duo were presented the award by James Allan and Caroline McKay of Glasvegas, who had won the award in 2008. In April, 4AD issued the duo's first single for the label, "Velvet," which Pitchfork Media described as "undeniably immense, but it's a tribute to the Big Pink's skill and maturity that it still manages to sound intimate", and awarded the track a 7 out of 10 rating. The single was again produced by the band and mixed by Alan Moulder. A 7-minute remix of "Velvet" by Gang Gang Dance followed as an online-streaming single. The Big Pink provided a cover of "Lovesong" for The Cure tribute album Pictures of You: A Tribute to Godlike Geniuses The Cure, which was made available with the 25 February 2009 issue of NME. Following the releases, the duo opened for TV on the Radio in Europe before embarking on their first headlining UK tour. A second single on 4AD, the non-album track "Stop the World", was released as a limited edition 7" single on 29 June 2009. It was co-produced with Paul Epworth.

A Brief History Of Love The Big Pink's debut album A Brief History of Love was released on 14 September 2009, the fourth single "Dominos" having been released a week before. The band produced the album themselves at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and it was mixed by Rich Costey. Cordell told BBC 6 Music that the album encompasses "every different aspect of love... The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting, the dreams, the nightmares, the whole thing." Nationwide tours of Europe, Japan, and the United States occurred August through the end of 2009, with dates in Australia and a second North American tour set for spring 2010. They also supported Muse on their UK arena tour in November, and in turn, provided a remix of Muse's song "Undisclosed Desires," which was made available on the single released on 16 November 2009. On 24 February 2010, "Dominos" won Best Track at the NME Awards. The Big Pink appeared at the 2010 Coachella Festival in April and once again opened for Muse at London's Wembley Stadium on 10 September 2010.

Future This In an interview with NME, Robbie Furze noted a strong hip-hop influence for the recording of the band's second album. However, he later retracted this statement regarding the band's musical direction in a further NME interview in October 2011 in which he wishes he hadn't made such a claim. He also stated that the band has approached Nick Launay and Dave Fridmann as possible producers, and added "I think we've got our heart set on Alan Moulder to mix it." The band's second album Future This is due for release on 13 January 2012. The first single from the album was also announced as "Stay Gold" which was released on 11 October.

City and Colour: "I'm no king, I wear no crown. but desperate times seem over now. yet still i weaken somehow and it tears me apart." my name is dallas. i cant sleep. i play music. finish strong.

The Polish Ambassador: Half diplomat, half groove generator, all asexual cyborg, the Polish Ambassador is doing his part to set the Polish community forward. The offspring of two adjoining universes, The Polish Ambassador was sent to earth to quell all of the modern world's problems. Synthesizers and a pure spirit are his primary weapons. Join his army and help him annihilate treacherous beats marring earth with shame and disgrace. I'm counting on you.

Cold War Kids: Southern California indie rockers, Cold War Kids, burst into the mainstream with their debut album, Robbers & Cowards, in 2006. Since that time, their albums and concert schedules have become incredibly popular around the world, sparking international tour dates in 2011. Known for their narrative lyrics and lambasted by lines that can be misconstrued as religious, Cold War Kids' latest album, Mine Is Yours, features a more personal touch. Fans that enjoyed the album will go nuts over Cold War Kids' tour dates in 2011, which will cover Europe and the US.

Cold War Kids formed in 2004 and soon had two popular EPs released. Their debut album, Robbers & Cowards, broke into the top 5 of the Billboard Heatseekers chart and featured the hit singles "Hang Me Up to Dry" and "Hospital Beds." Cold War Kids played nearly two years worth of tour dates before the successful release of Loyalty to Loyalty, which was well received by magazines like Rolling Stone. The publicity allowed Cold War Kids to tour in support of Death Cab for Cutie.

Cold War Kids' latest album, Mine Is Yours has been praised as an evolution of the band's sound is undoubtedly their most ambitious release to date. Cold War Kids' increase in popularity has led to numerous tour dates in 2011, which are in Europe as of July. On August 3, Cold War Kids will take their concert schedule to the US, which includes festival appearances at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. To see a full list of Cold War Kids' tour dates in 2011, check their concert schedule on Eventful.

Matisyahu: When audiences first heard of a Hasidic Jewish reggae musician with a talent for beat boxing, many people thought it was merely a novelty. However, Matisyahu's talent at combining hip hop and reggae is undeniable, and his tour dates and albums are some of the most talked about in the world of reggae. Matisyahu's faith and reggae music share similar spiritual aspects, which has led to music that not only has people jumping in the clubs, but also thinking. As one of the hottest reggae musicians in the US, Matisyahu is currently performing 2011 tour dates in some of the most popular venues in the country.

Born Matthew Miller, Matisyahu grew up as a practicing Jew, but spent much of his teen years immersed in the music of Phish. When he converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2001, he began experimenting with rap and reggae music, eventually catching the attention of Jewish record label JDub Records. While it took a while for audiences to notice his debut album, Shake Off the Dust…Arise, his passionate performances on tour dates and powerful message eventually caught on after the release of the gold live album, Live at Stubb's. Matisyahu's next studio album, Youth, became a breakout hit and featured the popular single, "King without a Crown."

Matisyahu's latest album, Light, has received even greater acclaim, dominating the top spot on the reggae charts and proving that the best of this rapper is yet to come. In addition to the anticipation of a new album eventually, fans are also excite about Matisyahu's many tour dates in 2011, where he'll be supported by Trevor Hall and Tea Leaf Green. Matisyahu's performances end on September 7, so be sure to buy your tickets on Eventful soon.

Girl Talk: Greg Gillis, better known professionally as Girl Talk, has become one of the premier mash-up artists in the US. He has played tour dates to capacity crowds around the world, and his albums have sold…well, nobody really knows. Due to Girl Talk's extensive use of sampling from other artists, Gillis sells all his albums digitally on the donation-based online record label, Illegal Art. That hasn't stopped Girl Talk from becoming more popular than many artists signed to major labels, or from playing 2011 tour dates at some of the summer's biggest music festivals.

Gillis began making music while in high school, eventually recording under the name Girl Talk in college while studying biomedical engineering. Early on, Gillis realized he could legally use samples from other artists by citing the fair use exception in copyright law that says he can use samples on albums and tour dates if they're short enough. While Girl Talk has been releasing albums since 2002, he broke onto the mainstream with his 2006 album, Night Ripper. The 2008 album, Feed the Animals, was nearly universally acclaimed and was prominently featured on many magazines' Best of lists for the year.

Girl Talk's 2010 album, All Day, has been the best received yet, even receiving an "A" from traditional critic Robert Christgau. Consequently, fans are showing up in droves for Girl Talk's tour dates in 2011, which began at the beginning of July. Highlights from the tour will include appearances at Wanderlust, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, and the Blackwater Music Festival. Girl Talk's 2011 tour dates end on October 29 at the Voodoo Experience Music Festival, so buy your tickets soon!

Matt and Kim: The main difference between Matt and Kim and most hugely talented and popular music groups is simple: The down-to-earth duo are people that you'd probably want to hang out with. Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino embody the friends you've had that started playing tour dates in someone's garage; except that the duo is becoming a bigger success with each new album and expanding concert schedule. Matt and Kim's latest success, the album Sidewalks, has lead to a full concert schedule lately, and the Brooklyn dance party continues with the onset of 2011 tour dates for the Sidewalks Tour. The Sidewalks Tour will feature The Thermals and DJ Autobot and begins on May 31 in Philadelphia. The tour will wind across the United States, with a stop at Bonnaroo on June 10, before ending in Boston on June 30.The tour won't be the only tour dates on the concert schedule in 2011, as Matt and Kim are keeping busy with multiple tours this summer.

Matt and Kim met at Pratt Institute in New York in the early 2000s, and much of their musical origins is shrouded in mystery. Before Matt learned to play the keyboard and Kim learned to play the drums, they were coerced into playing their first show in 2004. The spark created by their performance fueled a number of DIY shows in Brooklyn, as well as their first EP, titled To/From which was burned on a laptop on the way to performances. Tale of Matt and Kim spread throughout New York City and they released their debut self-titled album in 2006. The album was a hit with both fans and critics, spurring a number of tour dates at music festivals like Lollapalooza in 2007.

Shortly after their breakout success, Matt and Kim released their album, Grand, in early 2009. Matt and Kim hit the big time with this one, with the album's lead single "Daylight" appearing in numerous television shows, commercials, and movies. Hits turned to sensations with the premier of the music video for the single "Lessons Learned," which saw Matt and Kim streaking through Times Square. The video won an MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video and showed the world (along with a lot of skin) that Matt and Kim weren't one-trick ponies. In a demonstration of their humility and good nature, the duo began donating proceeds of their concert schedule to various charities.

Matt and Kim continue their meteoric rise to fame with their latest album, Sidewalks, which was released in November of 2010. The album's single, "Cameras," has become a huge success and led to a plethora of tour dates in 2011. With an ongoing concert schedule, Matt and Kim have even more high energy tour dates lined up in 2011. Matt and Kim have three European tour dates in 2011, including stops in Paris, Huntington, and at the Melt! Festival in Berlin. Matt and Kim's busy concert schedule continues in September 2011, where Matt and Kim will play tour dates to much larger arena crowds on the Honda Civic Tour. Matt and Kim's 2011 tour dates culminate in a show at the Hollywood Bowl on October 8, effectively ending their concert schedule for the year. Fans of music, Matt & Kim, and dancing better not miss one of the Sidewalks Tour's tour dates in 2011; because Matt & Kim know that it's not always great to be caught with your pants down.

Dirty Heads: While Rome Ramirez might have revitalized Sublime by replacing Bradley Nowell, his collaboration with SoCal reggae/hip hop/ska/punk band The Dirty Heads has gained almost equal attention. The Dirty Heads have garnered hush whispers concerning them filling the gap left by Sublime as Southern California's premier punk inspired reggae band. With just one album out, The Dirty Heads can be found on countless California radio stations and television, as well as a number of widely attended tour dates. Unlike Sublime, The Dirty Heads infuse more hip hop style (characterized by Dirty J's Eminem-like voice) into their music, adding a rap rock element to their music. While many people still may not have heard of the group, that's likely to change at the end of their current 2011 tour dates.

The origins of The Dirty Heads can be traced back to 1996, when Jared Watson (Dirty J) and Dustin Bushnell (Duddy B) met at a high school party. Duddy B was already in a punk band and handing out rap demos, inspiring Dirty J to ask Duddy to collaborate. While stealing beer, the two were called "little dirty heads" and began writing hip hop songs under that name. They soon decided they needed a full band for concert dates and recruited drummer Matt Ochoa, bassist David Foral, and percussionist Jon Olazabal.

The Dirty Heads' rise to fame would include help from a slew of famous musicians and producers. Not long after the band started playing, mainstream punk producer Rob Cavallo signed them to Warner Bros. In the middle of recording, the band decided to leave the label but was able to keep the masters. The Dirty Heads soon met Sugar Ray drummer Stan Frazier, who agreed to produce the remainder of the album. Any Port in a Storm was finally released in 2008 and featured contributions from Slash and Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows on "Check the Level", Rome on the track "Lay Me Down", and "Fifth Beatle" Billy Preston, Alex Acuna, and Tippa Ire throughout the rest of the album.

The album's success is slowly spreading the word about The Dirty Heads. Since early March, The Dirty Heads have been playing concert dates across the US, with recently added tour dates in 2011. The group will spend April playing tour dates down the east coast to New Orleans, and in May will finish the rest of their concert dates on the west coast. The Dirty Heads will then head to Hawaii in June for a series of tour dates before returning to the west coast. After playing a concert date at Boonstock on July 2, scheduled tour dates in 2011 jump around the country before ending at the Sunset Music Festival on August 20. Fans who hope to catch The Dirty Heads should check the remaining 2011 tour dates on Eventful to keep from missing out.