This year's "Cities 97 Sampler" CD doesn't look a lot like last year's. Only a few of Cities 97's staple artists -- including Jason Mraz, Brandi Carlile and Gavin Degraw -- are featured alongside a bountiful crop of new acts on the 24th installment of the annual charity collection, details of which were announced today.
In one corner, you have a few poppy newcomers that also sound primed for KDWB (top 40) airplay, such as Foster the People and Ed Sheeran. In the other corner, you have a lot more hip young acts that also get heavy rotation at 89.3 the Current, including the Lumineers, Of Monsters and Men, Mayer Hawthorne, Grouplove and the lone local act on this year's collection, Dessa. Click here to hear snippets of each of the songs on the Cities site (live and unplugged studio recordings).
The overall star power is down pretty sharply from last year's "Sampler," which included Adele and Mumford & Sons, but it probably won't matter. As always, "Vol. 24" will be limited to 35,000 copies and probably sell out soon after going on sale at Twin Cities area Target stores for $25.97 – which will put another $800,000 in the hands of local charities. The on-sale date is Nov. 15 at 8 a.m. Here is the full track listing:
Brandi Carlile -- That Wasn't Me
Tyrone Wells -- Freedom
Tristan Prettyman -- My Oh My
The Fray -- Heartbeat
Mayer Hawthorne -- The Walk
Haley Reinhart -- Free
Eric Hutchinson -- Watching You Watch Him
Ed Sheeran -- The A Team
Imagine Dragons -- It's Time
Gavin Degraw -- Not Over You
The Lumineers -- Ho Hey
Meiko - Stuck On You
Grouplove -- Tongue Tied
Foster The People -- Pumped Up Kicks
Dessa -- Dixon's Girl
Jason Mraz -- I Won't Give Up
Grafitti6 -- Free
Missy Higgins -- Hello Hello
Of Monsters and Men -- Little Talks
