Never Stop Discovering New Bands

Hearing new music has always been a special kind of excitement for me. When I was a kid, I was happy listening to whatever my parents liked. Sometimes it was country, sometimes it was hard rock classics from the 70s and 80s.
 
But when I started getting older, I was curious about other styles of music. The pop rock hits on the radio intrigued me, and I wanted to hear more of that. Between 2002 and 2004 is when I first started really getting into music. Some of the first albums I picked out were from bands like Garbage, Stroke 9, The Starting Line, and Tonic. Then I discovered Avril Lavigne, Evanescence, Hoobastank, Maroon 5. And soon after it was Green Day, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and The All-American Rejects.
 
And all of these shaped my musical tastes. Most of those artists are still among my favorites. Maybe you’ve heard this, and I think it’s true: Whatever you listen to when you’re 14 is the music that is going to stick with you for life. It’s no wonder 2003-2005 were the most important years for me, musically. I just really love the pop rock style that was popular then.
 
While I still love those mid-2000s albums, I also have an unquenchable thirst for more new music. I always buy the newest albums from my favorite bands and singers that I’ve loved for the last decade. But sometimes, I want something even more different.
 
It usually happens once or twice a year. I just suddenly get bored with the artists I have, and I NEED to find new bands, new singers that I’ve never really listened to before. Just artists with a totally different sound and vibe.
 
In 2008, I turned to Muse, Paramore, Jack’s Mannequin, and OK Go. In 2011, I had my big pop phase and listened to a lot of Enrique Iglesias, Fun., Foster The People, Ellie Goulding, and Goyte.

 

And now, for the last 8 months or so, I’ve been interested in these new (or new to me) artists:

1. Ghost – I LOVE this band. My boyfriend introduced me to their music. I first heard them in June 2013, but that was just after my dad died. I was so depressed and trapped in mourning. I couldn’t fully appreciate them until early this year. That’s when they started mesmerizing me with their unique musical style. They have classic rock and metal elements, but combined with something more magical and sinister. They have amazing soaring vocals mixed with low growling, and some of the lyrics are just enchanting. I’m an atheist, so I’m not bothered by their Satanic vibe. I don’t take it too seriously, really. I just LOVE the music.

2. Periphery – My boyfriend actually took me to their concert last fall. I liked them, and started getting really into a song called “Scarlet.” But it was their Clear EP that really won me over and took me to a new level of fandom. These guys have some great, heavy djent guitars, but also have soaring vocals. My boyfriend often says they sound a bit like Fall Out Boy, at least in their poppier moments. I love their high energy and slightly progressive style.

3. BANKS – I discovered her when I was working in Brooklyn at a fine company called Zumic last summer. I was an intern writing music news articles, and it introduced me to a lot of cool artists I hadn’t heard of before. “Waiting Game” was my introduction to BANKS – it was just so fragile and heavy. It was mesmerizing. I got her EP, and now her full debut album is just around corner – I can’t wait to hear the whole thing.

4. Cults – Another band I discovered through Zumic. I first heard “I Can Hardly Make You Mine,” and I just fell in love with the whole sound. Upbeat and poppy, with girly vocals. It was addictive. So I decided to get the whole album – their sophomore release. (Now I need to go back and get their first record.) The album continues the fun, peppy sound from the first song.

5. St. Vincent – I kept hearing about her earlier this year thanks to friends on Facebook. It piqued my interest, and finally two months ago I decided to look her up. I watched the video for “Digital Witness” – at first I didn’t like it, but it was interesting. For some reason I wanted to listen to it again, and each time I heard it I liked it more. I’m now fully addicted to this song, and bought the album without knowing one other song. I’m glad I did.

6. Temples – As with BANKS and Cults, I found Temples thanks to Zumic. Their song “Keep In The Dark” was insane – so late 60s/early 70s psychedelic rock! I love the vintage sound and look these guys have, and the whole album really keeps up the whole feel. It’s especially impressive that it’s only their first album!

These are just some of the most recent artists I’ve been getting into. I always love discovering new music and hearing different styles than what I’m used to. I guess I’m just an insatiable omnivore when it comes to music. I think it’s important to always expand your musical horizons and not get stuck in a rut. It makes music that much more interesting.

Amanda

I earned my master's degree in Music Business from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, and have since worked in a variety of areas within the music industry. Music is my life, and I'm excited to be part of the future of Hidden Jams.

Amanda has 80 posts and counting. See all posts by Amanda

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