As summer comes to a close and the first semester of our freshman year is about to start, it has become time to let go of our summer pop playlists and find new artists to obsess over for the fall. As an avid music lover, I feel like I might just be qualified to give you all some new recommendations for your Spotify playlists.
1. Bastille
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Bastille is a London-based, indie-pop band who you all are probably very familiar with because of their hit song, “Pompeii.” What most people don’t know is that Bastille has an album, All This Bad Blood, with even more well-written songs like “Things We Lost in the Fire” and “Weight of Living Pt. 2.” The Grammy-nominated band writes songs that make listeners think hard about the words, but still lets them get lost in the rhythm and beat if they want. One favorite of mine on the album is “Icarus,” a song about a person who seems to be traveling down the wrong path because they haven’t found themselves, and eventually they realize that who they are becoming is going to get them killed. Bastille’s new album Wild World releases Sept. 9, and I’m looking forward to the brilliance they will produce.
If you like: The Cab, Imagine Dragons
2. Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter is a rising Disney star. Not only is she one of the main actresses of the very popular Girl Meets World TV show, she has also released an album titled, “Eyes Wide Open.” The bright 17-year-old’s music fits into the acoustic pop genre, but every song is slightly different. “Can’t Blame A Girl For Trying” (co-written with Meghan Trainor) falls into the “smiley pop,” makes-you-cheer-up songs category, while “Middle of Starting Over” sings like an inspirational anthem like Taylor Swift’s “Change.” Sabrina Carpenter has powerful vocals and is one of the singers who are even better to listen to live.
If you like: Taylor Swift, Sara Bareilles
3. Panic! At the Disco
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Panic! At the Disco is one of my favorite bands ever. The amazing thing about Panic! At the Disco is that every single album has a slightly different sound. PATD became popular due to their hit song “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” from their first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. This album featured a Fall Out Boy-esque theme, with excessively long song titles, like that of my personal favorite on the album, “Lying is the Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off.” Another favorite of mine is “This is Gospel” off the Vices & Virtues album, a heart-wrenching song about dealing with addiction and how sometimes you can’t help someone even when you want to. Another great thing about Panic! At the Disco is the amount of work and storytelling they put into the music videos they make. The videos for “Lying is the Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” and “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” are beautiful and both of them will have you taking in the lyrics to try to interpret what Brendon Urie is saying.
If you like: All Time Low, Hey Monday
4. Betty Who
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If you have not yet seen the adorable Home Depot Marriage Proposal, I have linked it above for your viewing pleasure. Now, the wonderful woman who was singing the song that was being danced to during this video is Betty Who, and the song is called “Somebody Loves You.” The song was also covered by Darren Criss and Cris Colfer in the show Glee. Betty Who is an Australian-born musician who went to the Berklee College of Music. Who plays the cello, guitar, and piano. Betty Who’s dreamy vocals and synth-pop/indie-pop sound make every song a blast. My personal favorites are “You're In Love” and “High Society.” I’ve just begun listening to this artist, and I would definitely recommend that everyone listen to her. Who’s songs make you fall into a happy sort of dream state while you listen.
If you like: Halsey, Troye Sivan
