Can you believe four weeks have passed since we unveiled our 10 finalists? We knew they were incredible talents, but we’re honestly overwhelmed by your response. Every week, as we tracked the latest news on each band, your dedication inspired us. So much that we even decided to interview superfans, starting with Yuna fan Nadia Omar.

We know you’ve been dying to know if your efforts helped your favorite band, so now, with only two weeks left, in ALPHABETICAL order, these are the top 5 bands. To be clear, these are the bands with the highest scores so far, but they are not listed according to the number of votes each have received.

Keep in mind that the race is still anyone’s game. Who could have guessed four weeks ago that our top 5, at this point, would contain both Muslim artists (Atif, Yuna), all the Asian bands, and the youngest/newest band (La Vida Boheme) we selected? The countdown clock is ticking at the same pace, but suddenly time begins to fly. Will we see a come-from-behind victory? Will one of these 5 bands break ahead of the pack? Stay tuned…

Atif Aslam

Very early in this program, the streets of New York decided the Pakistani rockstar should be called “Atif Awesome”…and his fans, the Aadeez, could not have agreed more. He recently performed with Slash and ex-members of Guns’n'Roses for a 9/11 benefit and an international project entitled The Dreamer Awakes is in the works.

A search for Atif’s biggest fan resulted in the most passionate and personal comments section we’ve seen in a long time. Each Aadeez feels a personal connection to Atif, and most impressively, his fans aren’t limited by gender and span the widest age spectrum — from teenage boys to young parents to older ladies. Nationality and language don’t pose barriers either, as Biana Pegues Edouard proved:

La Vida Boheme

Now nominated for 2 Latin Grammys, the Venezuelan boys of LVB are grappling with the sudden rush of success…their first album debuted less than six months ago! An instantly likable mix of intellectual curiosity and gleeful abandon, La Vida Boheme draws the creative fan. As the band describes it:

Kids that have something to say, kids that are making art, kids that have no prejudices…Once a kid gave me a shirt he’d painted like a Pollock. It is a shirt 10 times better than the shirts we made…Our rehearsal room is filled with this kinda stuff. It makes all the trouble worth it.

The Latin Grammy award ceremony is on November 10th, the same week we crown the Best New Band in the world.  La Resistance, are you ready?

Skrillex

For so many dubstep fans, Skrillex IS dubstep. The young American known as Sonny Moore is credited with breaking the ominous basslines and low-end wobble of the genre into mainstream consciouness. His fans (“Skrillers” according to our fan poll) encompass just about every kid who wants to get his face melted. He’s on the cover of Spin’s dance music issue, he’s making music with The Doors, he’s touring with dubstep pioneers Skream and Benga, he’s called the “new face of electronic dance music”…but it’s one thing to be at the top in a genre, and another to be the best of the best. Hey Skrillers, will he also be crowned the Best Band in the World? It’s up to you.

Yuna

Underestimate this understated and delicate Malaysian singer/songwriter at your own risk. Her songs may be fragile and deceptively simple-sounding, but we know the law school grad and fashion maven is a powerhouse. So does Pharrell Williams — he’s producing songs for her album. So do the Yunnies…who’ve turned out to vote for her in droves inspired by her voice, lyrics, and quiet self-confidence.

2NE1

The kpop divas inspire fanatical fan loyalty with their fierce looks, stunning videos, and immediately infectious songs. Fashion designer Jeremy Scott worked with the girls and immediately fell in love, urging people over Twitter to vote 2NE1 as the Best New Band in the World. Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas took the band under his wing, and the according to our comment sections the entire nation of the Philippines is voting 2NE1. They’re in the top 5 Blackjacks…