In the spirit of all things festive, Pandora hosted its second annual Holiday Live event at New York City’s Pier 36 on Tuesday night. A close cousin to the streaming site’s well-known Discovery Den, Holiday Live celebrates artists and their careers (past, present, and yet to come–like a hauntingly beautiful Christmas Carol). With heavy-hitters like Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, and G-Eazy in last year’s lineup, it was no surprise that this year’s lineup fell nothing short of expectations–hosting British phenomena The 1975, BASTILLE, and Bishop Briggs. As a collective, these artists have amassed over a hundred million listeners on Pandora and rank among the most prominent musicians on today’s Alternative/Pop station streams. On November 22nd Pandora paid homage to the respective trio, as well as a slew of other artists, with a mixtape that weaves a masterful story and reviews the past year in music almost seamlessly. As a whole, the evening showcased the success and utter domination of the music industry at its finest.

Bishop Briggs kicked off the evening with sheer fury and force. Opening with her prominent hit “Wild Horses” and closing with equally renowned single “River”. Bishop wowed with an impressive array of moves and an electrifying set of lyrics and beats. A tough act to follow, BASTILLE didn’t seem to mind the challenge–giving an equally inspiring performance. Hot off the release of their sophomore album Wild World (Universal, 2016), BASTILLE took the stage and audience by storm with new hits like “Warmth” and “Good Grief”. Their energy as a group is surreal, but lead singer Dan Smith took things to an entirely new level when he performed a few lyrics intertwined with the crowd in the main house. The 1975 took the evening to a close with a cool and collected passion (one that was shared with adoring fans and newcomers alike). The group, who also played hits off their sophomore album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (Interscope, 2016), charm in a traditional way that boy bands often do but seduce with a true grit that rock and roll idols do. 

The night, in all its glory, was a warm and welcome start to the holiday season and a perfectly cathartic end to a stellar year in music. Be sure to follow Pandora on Twitter for the latest updates, and check out Pandora.com for all your streaming pleasure.