One of my favorite hobbies is making playlists and trying to listen to basically every song ever released. I love broadening my horizons and listening to new things to see if my taste has changed, which I know it has over the past few years. My Spotify is my life's work, and I'd be lost without it. I love when I get in the car with my friends, play one of the new songs I have been listening to, and then see them secretly trying to Shazam the song and add it to their playlist without me noticing. With that being said and with the year still slightly fresh, I decided to list out my top five songs everyone needs to hear in 2021.
"Hollow Life" -- Coast Modern
I discovered this song at the beginning of the summer, and it is still one of my top played songs every single month. It has the perfect upbeat vibe, yet still on an alternative rock melody that sits perfectly right. It my number one song to roll the windows down and let your hair get all in tangled in the wind while belting your heart out to these lyrics. Hollow Life is the ninth track on Coast Modern's self-titled album released in 2017, Coast Modern.
Listen to "Hollow Life" by Coast Modern on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2dq863fgcwToMdBxaPlyyT?si=SZbt6aPbS2WvyGDfxWdUMA
"Why Can't We Be Friends?" -- The Academic
The Academic is a band of four men that grew up outside a small town in Ireland called Mullingar. The four guys met when they were young in grade school and formed what we know today as The Academic. "Why Can't We Be Friends?" is the ninth track on their first and only album out as of right now, Tales from the Backseat. This album has other good tracks that I recommend, such as "Bear Claws". However, "Why Can't We Be Friends" has hints of modern rock in it, but I would consider it upbeat alternative in some ways as well.
Listen to "Why Can't We Be Friends?" by The Academic on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6a1IHmd5OTzjpoyPs9EBWi?si=sg1Tco0jRGafaspjwfIBCQ
"Imaginationcy" -- Goth Babe
Goth Babe has been on my all-time favorite artist list for a few years now. I think I first heard one of his songs about two years ago when I was a senior in high school. "Imaginationcy" was released in 2019, and has another upbeat, indie pop sound with a splash of modern rock in it. Goth Babe has never let me down with anything he has released. I'll give another freebie recommendation: "Velvet Sheets" on his single album Pacific which was released in 2017. This was the first song I ever heard by him, and obviously it got me hooked. If you're ever looking for new music, anything by him is angelic to the ears, so you cannot go wrong if you want to dive deeper into his music.
Listen to "Imaginationcy" by Goth Babe on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3vQYcH9krDAkYqPJILas3J?si=D__QBnWsSiOqkRJgVGFbNQ
"Baby We Were Young" -- The Dirty Guv'nahs
The Dirty Guv'nahs are definitely a new discovery for me, considering "Baby We Were Young" is the first track on their album Youth Is in Our Blood, which was released in 2010. I was riding with one of my friends, and he played this song, and I remember loving it so much, and just like that, one of my new favorite artists was discovered. This band of six men were born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Dirty Guv'nahs are the perfect example of American rock and roll. All of their songs make me want to get up and dance to my heart's content, but it also makes me want to learn how to play the guitar because some of the solos in their songs are just too incredible to not mention. Anything by this band is probably a safe bet to listen to.
Listen to "Baby We Were Young" by The Dirty Guv'nahs on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5R43tpVyoriRvtr7ldB8Zo?si=78kUAl_zSgeSSUxk81f75w
"cowboy in LA" -- LANY
I had to throw in a song by LANY because they are actually one of my top three bands. I know I've said I love a lot of bands, but I'm serious about these guys. I don't think there is one song of theirs that I would skip if it came on shuffle. "cowboy in LA" is a slower beat, but it still makes for a good drive down Hailstate Boulevard at sunset kind of song. It is definitely in the Pop genre, but not at the annoyingly pop level that some songs are on today. "cowboy in LA" is the second track on their third studio album, mama's boy. Their previous album, Malibu Nights, released in 2018 is still one of my top five favorite albums, and it stays there simply because there is not one of the single nine tracks on that album that I would ever skip. Anything by them is also a safe bet. I know I'm being vague and very broad, but literally anything by them is good, so I can't just give the links to every single song of theirs. Just go listen, I promise it is worth it.
Listen to "cowboy in LA" by LANY on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/22ZcJxQkzIL6EU692kAFWY?si=bSljsMVlTZibUfRlSS_7jQ
There are so many other songs that I would love to recommend because I love all of them, but I don't want to go on forever. I hope some people listen to these few songs I have listed and find new artists that they enjoy listening to. Music is one of the purest forms of joy to me, and I hope to spread that joy to everyone with just these few recommendations. Happy (super late) New Year!
