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Playing tough, no-nonsense heavy metal with a hard-working Midwestern sensibility, State of Mine first rose to fame by bringing out the louder side of songs popularized by Garth Brooks, Katy Perry, and Rascal Flatts. Their approach is informed by the alternative metal movement of the 1990s, with aggressive rhythms, raw guitar sounds, and occasional hip-hop production elements, though their lyrical sensibility is rooted in the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Their 2016 EP Devil in Disguise showed off the group's dark but anthemic nature, while 2020's Seeing Red was a harder-edged and studio-savvy effort. In 2021, they topped the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart twice, first with a cover of Garth Brooks' "The Thunder Rolls" followed by a cover Blake Shelton's "God's Country."

State of Mine was formed in 2010 in Laingsburg, Michigan, a town northeast of Lansing, the state's capitol. The core members of the group were rhythm guitarist Matt Martin, drummer Mike Martin, and bassist Corey Smith. Soon the band was playing in and around the mid-Michigan area, and in 2015, they issued an eponymous six-song EP. By this time, the group had expanded to include lead guitarist Shawn Willett and vocalist Steven Jodway. In 2016, State of Mine brought out a second EP, Devil in Disguise, a more polished effort produced by B.J. Perry. It included a heavy rock cover of Katy Perry's "Rise," which was accompanied by a video created in tribute to law enforcement officers, which racked up impressive numbers on streaming services and earned commercial airplay in Michigan. (The band also made a video for one of the originals on the release, "Curtain Call.") As word about the band spread, they started headlining bigger clubs and opened shows for such notables as Black Label Society, Powerman 5000, and Saliva. They landed a second streaming hit with another cover, in which they put a metallic spin on Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most." 2020's Seeing Red found the group making some changes; Steven Jodway and Shawn Willett were out of the band, and vocalist Jay Gearhart and lead guitarist Aaron Ruhl joined the lineup. In early 2021, State of Mine once again enjoyed good luck with a cover, as their interpretation of the Garth Brooks hit "The Thunder Rolls," released in early 2021, topped the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart in February of that year. By the end of the year, they had again topped the same chart with another cover, this time pairing with Drew Jacobs for their take on Blake Shelton's "God's Country." ~ Mark Deming

Motor City rockers No Resolve emerged in 2010 with a sound rooted in modern rock with underpinnings of post-grunge. Citing influences like Three Days Grace and Papa Roach, the band comprises vocalist Oscar James Pegorraro, guitarist Jason Hatmaker, keyboardist/guitarist Matty Shea, and drummer Dennis Patterson. Debuting in 2012 with the EP A New Beginning, No Resolve found regional success the following year with the anthemic single "Get Me Out," which was featured prominently during the Detroit Red Wings' playoff run. In 2017 the group issued their first full-length effort, Unity, which included the active rock radio hits "Love Me to Death" and "What You Deserve." After the release of the 2019 EP The Divide, the band inked a multi-album deal with Noise Machine and unveiled the fiery, Billboard-charting single "Never Back Down." More songs followed in 2021 and 2022, including the active radio hits "How Far I'll Go," "Broadway Girls," "Surface Pressure," and a high-octane rendering of Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" with fellow Michiganders State of Mine. ~ James Christopher Monger