2009 summer music preview

Hottest breakout act: Kid Cudi

Even if you haven’t heard Kid Cudi’s name yet, chances are you’ve already heard his song “Day ‘n Night,” which has reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and landed the young Kanye West protégé on everything from BET’s “106 and Park” to “Last Call with Carson Daly.” Up next: the Lady GaGa–sampling “I Poke Her Face,” featuring Kanye and Common; a guest verse on a remix of the Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”; a debut album, tentatively titled “Man on the Moon” and slated for release in August; and a collaboration with Brooklyn electro-rock duo Ratatat. Is this kid covering his bases or what?

Other hot breakout acts:

• For the lovers: Jeremih
• For the hipsters: Chester French
• For the headbangers: Bring Me the Horizon
• For the club kids: LMFAO
• For the indie kids: St. Vincent
• For the folkies: Meiko
• For the weirdoes: Black Moth Super Rainbow