GOING VIRAL: Thomas Jack, Elephante, Saara, Alexandra Stan, Aston Merrygold & more...

L to R: Citybois, Alexandra Stan, Saara

They may not be a thing in the US (yet), but they are currently "going viral" around the world. Here are some tunes to add to your "up and comer" list so you can feel like a cool, I'm-in-the-know kind of hipster. You're welcome.

ASTON MERRYGOLD - "Get Stupid"
In the UK, he's best known as a former member of the X Factor boy band JLS (who, if you recall, announced they were amicably dunzo in 2013). To the US, he's a potential pop/dance runner up to Bruno Mars (complete with the hair). His debut solo single "Get Stupid" dropped this past week and it's utterly infectious. I can't stop playing this.

ELEPHANTE - "I Want You (feat. RUMORS)"
Any artist taking their name from my favorite animal, I'm on board with. (Just kidding, sort of.) Elephante is an American DJ who just hit over 100,000 fans on Facebook. "I Want You" is his latest and it's already topped the charts on the Hype Machine as well as made Spotify's "viral" charts in a variety of countries. The dance jam has a strong keyboard motive that builds to a club-ready climactic breakdown.

JOE STONE - "The Party (This Is How We Do It) (feat. MONTELL JORDAN)"
It's basically a sped-up, ready-for-the-club-in-2015 version of the 90's classic. Nothing wrong with that.

EVA SIMONS - "Policeman (feat. KONSHENS)"
You might remember Eva Simons as that Rihanna-esque popstar from the Netherlands that broke through with killer songs like "Silly Boy" (which so many people thought was Rihanna), "I Don't Like You", and "Take Over Control" with Afrojack. Her latest, "Policeman", is dark, dancehall-esque, and totally strutworthy. It's so far peaked in the Top 10 in Belgium and her native Netherlands, as well as getting major spins across Scandinavia and Germany.

CITYBOIS - "Purple Light"
This Danish duo were competitors on the most recent season of X Factor in Denmark, ultimately placing fourth. "Purple Light" is their latest single, now available worldwide, and came out in June. What a perfect slice of Scandipop meets current funk-pop it is with a super-audible walking bassline.

THOMAS JACK - "Rivers"
I have a weird feeling that this song might just be that next worldwide megasmash. Basically cross Nico & Vinz' "Am I Wrong" with Robin Schulz' "Waves" and put it through a OneRepublic filter. It's so catchy and once it's got its hooks in you, you're a goner.

SAARA - "Ur Cool"
Saara (birth name: Sara Forsberg) snatched her initial fifteen minutes of fame on YouTube last year via her video What Languages Sound Like To Foreigners where she basically mimics different languages and accents (basically in gibberish). Over ten million views later, this Finnish teen has turned her overnight success into a potential pop career, signing with Capitol here in the US and releasing the single brat-pop "Ur Cool" back in April. It's very much in the Cher Lloyd vein of things mixed up with Katy Perry's flair for comedy and not taking herself too seriously. Also, a demo she co-wrote/sang called "You Think" has been re-purposed for Girls' Generation's use as an upcoming single, due out in a few short weeks.

ALEXANDRA STAN & INNA - "We Wanna (feat. DADDY YANKEE)"
Like most people, I lurrrrrve me some "Mr. Saxobeat". Romanian dance artist extraordinaire Alexandra Stan has returned to the pop scene, bringing along fellow Romanian popstar Inna (best known for her killer dance jam "Hot") for the ride with the Euro smash "We Wanna" -- naturally full of jingles, jangles, and saxophone blurps, plus some bonus Daddy Yankee because why not.