Musicians know they've really made it when they grace the cover of Rolling Stone. And the legendary music mag is giving one band the chance to skip the preliminaries and cover the August issue in its first ever "Do You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star?" contest.
Rolling Stone editors hand-picked 16 up-and-coming acts to compete in a tournament based on audience vote. Today the mag reveals the top eight groups. At Rollingstone.com, you can check out their sounds and cast a ballot for your fave.
"Since its inception, part of Rolling Stone's central mission has been discovering and featuring new music," the magazine's founder, Jann Wenner, said. "This competition shines a light on the country's top unsigned bands and gives them a chance to grace the cover of the magazine that has launched the careers of some of the most well-known artists in rock history."
Voting for the top four is open until April 11.
The contest culminates in June with the final two acts rocking out in a battle of the bands at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN. The winner will be announced on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and receive a recording contract with Atlantic Records.
