Cincinnati isn’t exactly known as a rock and roll hot bed—aside from indie faves Wussy and Afghan Whigs, that is.

This week, two bands from the city famous for producing Pete Rose and Graeter’s ice cream enter HITS’ Vibe-Rater chart of new and developing artists set to break as I.R.S./Capitol rockers Foxy Shazam and indie newcomers Walk the Moon crack the Sweet 16.

Foxy Shazam’s fourth studio album, The Church of Rock and Roll, the first on the revived I.R.S. label, is already preaching to the converted at Active, PoMo and Rock radio with the first single, “I Like It.” The video has garnered more than 200k views on VEVO, and national dates with the Darkness are up next for the band that has been compared to Queen. The Crush-managed band has a full slate of festival appearances on tap, too, including SXSW, Rock on the Range, Edgefest, Buzzfest and 91X’s Beach Club. In 2008, the band, fronted by lead singer Eric Sean Nally, was named one of the “100 Bands You Need to Know” by Alternative Press, and have played both Lollapalooza and the Vans Warped Tour. They released their previous album, 2010’s Foxy Shazam, on Sire Records. See the video here, and check out the Vibe entry here.

Walk the Moon have been praised for their thoughtful songwriting, laced with catchy dance-rock choruses and driving rhythms, demonstrated on their major label debut, the Anna Sun EP and its title track, with its very artful video attracting more than a million online views and its catchy refrain, "This house is falling apart." The group was tapped as one of MTV’s “Bands to Watch” for 2012. Look for tour dates with Young the Giant through 3/2, followed by Kaiser Chiefs ending 3/23 and first-ever mtvU “Woodies” tour in spring after recent stint with Fitz and the Tantrums. The band just appeared on Carson Daly this week, with a Fallon slot scheduled for 4/5. Early adopters in front of late-March impact date include Sirius XM Alt. Nation, with full-length due for a May release. For more, click here.