On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed the Music Modernization Act, a landmark copyright reform that musicians in Nashville, TN, have been advocating for many years.
President Trump with multiple politicians and celebrities after the signing of the Music Modernization Act; photo from pitchfork.com
What the act does for musicians and businesses is that it will create a new organization that will be in charge of the rising digital mechanical licensing of a song. This new organization will be run by producers and songwriters and will determine who the copyright owners are. The organization will also be in charge of paying the copyright owners their royalties when their songs are played through Apple, Spotify, etc.
Previously, this was up to the streaming companies and at some points, these companies would fail to properly license a song, which led to lawsuits in the millions and expensive settlements.
The new law will also create a new standard in the music industry by setting a digital royalty rate for songwriters and publishers, which will allow them to get paid more. This will allow for a more favorable free market value standard.
This law will close the loophole that allowed digital radio companies not to pay artists and their record labels royalties for songs recorded prior to 1972.
Mitch Glazier, the president of the Recording Industry Association of America, said to USA Today, “The Music Modernization Act is now the law of the land, and thousands of songwriters and artists are better for it.”
Most people hate to deal with adverts in their videos, especially on YouTube. Well, life isn’t getting any easier for those who get their music addiction from YouTube.
According to the Youtube’s global head of music, Lyor Cohen, YouTube is planning on adding more adverts on the site. Those adverts are mainly targeted at music videos and lyrics that people listen to for free. YouTube is launching a music streaming service by the end of the month and Cohen and YouTube’s goal is to “frustrate” people enough that they purchase one.
Cohen said in an interview, “You’re not going to be happy after you are jamming Stairway to Heaven and you are going to get an ad afterwards.”
It is thought that the ads will be targeting people who listen to music on YouTube for long periods of time.
Music production companies over the years have been upset at YouTube’s lack of effort when it came to allowing free music. Last year, YouTube and Universal Music Group signed a multi-year deal that will provide musicians in the label more flexibility and pay. YouTube is also strengthening their commitment to managing music rights.
YouTube also made a deal with Warner Music Group in 2016.
Cohen has stated that YouTube trying to “frustrate” their users is too candid. YouTube’s goal is to give users a great experience and that includes making sure their users don’t come across tons of adverts.
We all know that listening to music while showering is one of the best things ever. If you don’t already do it, you should start now. With that being said, here are 10 slow songs you should listen to the next time you hop in to get clean.
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri
I am not just putting this on the list because it was in the last Twilight movie. This song’s beautiful words make you fall in love with anyone, even your imaginary boyfriend. No judgment here.
“Gravity” by John Mayer
John Mayer can make any song sound good. Heck, he could be singing the ABC’s and I’d still be attracted to him. It’s like he’s right there with you. Maybe wait until you’ve got a towel wrapped around you first.
“Tenerife Sea” by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is another beautiful soul that would sound good singing anything. All of his songs make me feel like he is singing to me. This song is full of beautiful compliments and no girl can pass up a good compliment. He makes me feel like he’d do anything for me. But I don’t know him, so…
“Over My Head (Cable Car)” by The Fray
“Here are 10 slow songs you should listen to the next time you hop in to get clean.” Photo from: http://az616578.vo.msecnd.net
This song is one of those songs that every decent person has listened to at some time during their sad, lonely existence.
“You Are Your Mother’s Child” by Conor Oberst
This song is a diamond in the rough. The best songs are always the ones you have to search for. This song is acoustic, but it is hard to completely decipher the words. However, it has a unique melody that anyone can tap their foot to. Just don’t tap too much and fall in the shower.
“The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” by The Script
This is a great song with a great melody. I don’t mind a good drummer either.
“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane
Besides the fact that the song was in “Winnie the Pooh,” it gives off a very positive vibe that can change my mood from sad to happy.
“Look After You” by The Fray
This is another song that is really popular, but it deserves to be. It’s more of a romantic song that is meant to be shared between two people.
“Hoppipolla” by Sigur Ros
As you can probably tell by the name and artist, this song is not in English. Although I don’t understand the words, my vivid imagination does. I envision two people searching for each other, and at the end of the song, they finally find one another.
“In My Veins” by Andrew Belle
This is another diamond in the rough with a great melody to back up the slow tempo. Every small part contributes to the overall sound of this beautiful piece.
In a bad mood or just need a boost? Here is a list of songs that will put you in a good mood and make you want to dance!
“Shout” by The Isley Brothers
Get up and shout with this classic throwback! With only one word you really need to know, this song is fun to sing and even more fun to dance to!
“Hula Hoop” by OMI
This song will go around and around in your head! Once you hear it, you can’t help but get up and dance, and you may even get the urge to hula hoop!
“Hold My Hand” by Jess Glynne
One part poppy, three parts upbeat, and two parts funky, this song is the perfect recipe for, well, anything!
“Hakuna Matata” by Nathan Lane
No worries for the rest of my days? Sign me up! This Disney classic will definitely take you back to your worry-free days when all you had to fret about was what color crayon to use. Who wouldn’t that make happy?
“Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffet
“Here is a list of songs that will put you in a good mood and make you want to dance!” Photo from: http://www.awdnews.com/images/14382691961.jpg
Because who doesn’t like Jimmy Buffet?
“Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani
This throwback will definitely make you feel like you can take on anything! Gwen Stefani’s catchy and true lyrics make us channel our inner girl power with this upbeat powerhouse song.
“Respect” by Aretha Franklin
This sassy classic will make anyone feel powerful! With old school horns and powerful vocals, singing along with Franklin will definitely earn you some respect.
“All Star” by Smashmouth
I cannot be the only person who thinks of the movie “Shrek” when I hear this song! The combination of catchy lyrics and memories of the hilarious movie make this the perfect song to bop out to with your friends in the car.
“ABC” by The Jackson 5
It’s as easy as one, two, three to get this song stuck in your head. This is another classic that is irresistible to sing along with, and the Jackson 5 will help you get back whoever you lost.
“Single Ladies” by Beyoncé
I couldn’t create this list without putting a song by Beyoncé on it. This song will make anyone put their hands up and declare their singleness boldly.
“Music is about the only thing that keeps me sane. Things like video games are fun to do, but you can’t zone out when you do it. When I play music, I can lose myself.”
“I play guitar and violin. I played violin in the orchestra when I was younger. I haven’t played violin in about a year though ‘cause it’s at home and I’m here. But I have my guitar. If you don’t play an instrument, listen to music when you’re stressed and that will help you out. It’s different when you play music and listen to it though. It’s like if you work behind the scenes for a TV show, when you watch that show on TV, it’s going to be totally different, ‘cause you know how it’s made and what goes into making it.”
How beautiful and amazing is it that we are always able to express ourselves in many ways, whether it be dancing, singing, playing an instrument, acting, painting, and any other forms of art. We never have to hold back what we are truly feeling, and our God-given talents and gifts can always be used, appreciated, and can draw in a few people or a crowd of people. We never have to hold back, and that is the beauty of expressing one’s self. After all, who really wants to hold back what they are feeling inside?
This past month I went to the Fall Dance Fest at Radford University. I used to dance competitively and I love to dance still, so when I was watching the performance, I wanted to be up there with the rest of the dancers. Dancing, in my opinion, through any particular song, can be another way of trying to let go of any obstacles we may face throughout our lives. So being able to express ourselves through a song and movement, I find, is very powerful in many different ways.
Dance from Radford University’s Fall Dance Fest: “Waltz of the Flowers”. Photo Credit: Robert Simmons
One dance I particularly enjoyed was the jazz dance. Out of all the dances, the jazz piece was one of my favorites. The black long-sleeved shirts and red leggings were a great touch to the music and atmosphere during the piece. The music had a great beat, and the beat was different because of how calm it was. It’s like the music and dancers got their point across with the subtle beat here and there, more so than they would have if they had played a louder beat throughout the piece.
I’ve always found that one reason I love dance is because of how vividly it is always expressed. Whether someone is getting their hair pulled (as the dancers did portray in one piece) or someone is depressed and showing this through their movement, it is all very beautiful. I know the dancers touched many people who attended their show, and I myself look forward to coming to more performances in the future.
According toEveryday Hearing, “the most common cause of hearing loss is noise-induced hearing loss.” A common misconception about noise-induced hearing loss is that it takes a lifetime of going to concerts to cause any damage, but that’s incorrect. You can damage your hearing with just one concert or one event. In fact, 26 million Americans have noise-induced hearing loss that could have been prevented.
Normal, everyday conversations reach up to 65 decibels loud. Concert music, however, can extend up to 100 to 120 decibels loud. Hearing loss can begin at a level of 110 decibels and would only take two minutes to set in.
Concerts can be very loud. It’s good to be prepared. Graphic from Alf Img
Like anything damaging, the longer you’re exposed to it, the more damaging it will be. If you plan on attending a two hour concert, your risk of hearing loss is significant. Now imagine going to an all-day festival. Your hearing could potentially be gone all together. Extremely loud music at concerts can cause serious permanent hearing loss or tinnitus, which is is ringing or buzzing in the ears.
Not only can loud music cause hearing loss, but the hearing loss itself can cause a major decline in your overall quality of life. Hearing loss can lead to lower cognitive function, depression, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of falling.
With all of these terrible side effects considered, you should most definitely wear earplugs to concerts in order to protect your hearing. However, in order for the earplugs to correctly protect your hearing, you need to find the right ones.
If you’re going to a concert, it obviously important that you find earplugs that allow you to hear the music with good quality, and don’t sacrifice the clear quality of the music you’re there to enjoy in the first place. Choosing the generic foam earplugs will lower the music quality, making it softer and muffled. Leave the drug store earplugs for sleeping.
If you’re attending a concert, you’re best option is to choose high fidelity earplugs. These allow you to hear the music clearly while also lower the sound making it safer to listen to. You can also get some custom made if you’d like but, naturally, they would be more expensive.
Musicians today are even wearing earplugs around their own music because they understand the effects loud music can have on their ears. If the musicians are wearing the earplugs, the fans should too.
Beside the usual YouTube covers which are often recorded very poorly, there are a lot of covers by professional artist who put a mellow twist to some of our favorite songs. Here are a few of your favorite songs with a bit of chill injected into them.
1. Chet Faker- No Diggity by Blackstreet
Faker’s cover to this classic song brings a sensual and mellowed out version of the song, which was featured in “Pitch Perfect.” The song by the original artist, Blackstreet, is pretty chill by itself, but Faker uses a bluesy sound to class the song up. This creates a bad-ass but relaxing feel to the listener. It’s definitely one of my favorite covers I’ve heard.
Settle down with some Beyonce. Graphic from Wikipedia
2. Ane Brun & Linnea Olsson- Halo by Beyonce
The song, originally by Beyonce, has always had a very angelic feel. However, the soft vocals of this cover truly bring that dreamy feeling to life. While Beyonce’s vocals are very strong and heavy, the vocals of the cover are very soft and accompanied by soft harp and other string music. This takes the urge to belt out the lyrics as loudly as possible away and replaces a soft, sleepy version which is great for a night by the window watching the rain fall. The song was featured in one of my favorite movies, “If I Stay.”
3. Jack Savoretti- Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash
Savoretti takes this Johnny Cash classic, which is typically very upbeat, and uses soft acoustics and hums to give a sexy, smooth feel to the song. A version similar to this was used in a scene of ABC Family’s show, “Greek” during a scene in which the main character is reunited with her former lover as they lay together.
4. Justyn Dow- Power by Kanye West
This Yeezy classic is given a bluesy and 90’s R&B twist with this cover by Justyn Dow, who uses looping to keep the sound authentic. The reason I love this song is that it gives this very bad-ass, empowering feel. The slowed down rapping also brings the lyrics to life. Dow uses beat-boxing, an electric and acoustic guitar and clapping on his looping system to create the many layers of the song. This is a great song for background noise to a chill poker night with your friends.
5. Lilly Alhberg- Roses by The Chainsmokers feat. ROZES
I’ve been jamming to this song for the past month or so as it’s gained radio popularity. While the original version of the song can never be replaced, Lilly Alhberg, a YouTuber, does an amazing job with her acoustic cover of this song. She has a very Indy feel to her voice which stays true to the original vocals, while also pairing well with her acoustic guitar. Alhberg also does a great job in recording the song, although she used her video camera.
Almost every genre can be turned into a mellowed-out version of itself. While some may think it blasphemous to warp an artists original work, there are a lot of talked artists out there who do these popular songs justice, if not simply improving and highlighting some of the details of the music.
Kesha lost her case onFriday against her producer, Dr. Luke, after accusing him of raping her in 2006 and then continuing to abuse her, mentally and physiologically. Kesha went to court in order to ask for a break of contract with the record company, Sony, so she could make music without Dr. Luke. Thecontractstated that Kesha must stay and make six more albums with Sony as well as Dr. Luke. The judge did not issue for her contract to be cancelled, which forces Kesha to work alongside her rapist and abuser for six more albums, that is, if she can mentally handle making more music with him.
Kesha after losing her case against Dr. Luke. Photo from nydailynews.com
What kind of world do we live in where an artist, a woman, has to work with her rapist, has to be legally bound to a man who has ruined her life for the last ten years, because the law says so? Because there wasn’t enough “evidence” to prove Kesha’s story?
What kind of society holds money and power as more important than the wellbeing of a person, of a woman whose dream was to make music for a living and was taken advantage because of it? What kind of professional establishment, a record company, would force its employee to work with a man who raped her, simply because he makes the most money for the label? How does this happen to somehow who has done nothing but good and respectable things for this world? Where is the justice?
Sony claims to have offered Kesha a new producer, someone who can help her make her music that isn’t Dr. Luke; however, what they failed to mention is that if she did choose to changer her producer, the label would refuse to promote the album, which in turn, would make switching producers counterproductive and make it impossible for Kesha to make music in a safe atmosphere.
The legal and justice system has some updating to do. It’s ridiculous that she was denied her break of contract considering the circumstances, and the man who raped her is left off, his left barely affected at all. Kesha and all of the female artists out there who have been through the same situation deserve better than to be put below money and power on the importance totem pole. When it comes down to it, money will be worthless and power will be subjective. People are what matter and the owners of Sony and Dr. Luke need to be reminded of that.
Beyoncé’s new song and music video Formation has caused some extreme controversy in the political atmosphere. Formation talks about the authenticity of what it means to be a black person in today’s society. It touches on subjects such as Hurricane Katrina, police brutality, and all the different ways black people can be misrepresented. As usual, white people are angry about it. They’re going as far as calling Beyoncé racist because she didn’t have any white back up dancers, which obviously proves the point that white people are stupid and clearly missed the point of the entire song and music video.
Beyoncé is queen and I will gladly get in Formation. Photo from People
People in the political world, specifically white people, are confused as to why Beyoncé felt the need to use the super bowl as a platform to talk about race and“attack police officers.” It amazes me how ignorant and misinformed people can be. Beyoncé has not nor will ever attack police officers.
She simply brought attention to the nationwide police brutality that has occurred over the last couple of years, mainly against black people. They wonder why she felt the need to use the Super Bowl to talk about race. Well, I think the answer is obvious. Racism has been a huge issue in this country, coming to a head with the recent murders of black teens. The Super Bowl obtains a huge audience and what better way to get the message out than to perform a song during the halftime show? I don’t see the problem with it nor do I care for how a couple of rich white guys felt uncomfortable that their racist behavior was being exploited.
The amount of criticism and racism that Beyoncé received after her performance proves that racism and sexism still occurs today as well as the justification of why she performed the song in the first place. It sickens me, the way people reacted to her performance.
If anything, people should be shocked by the immense racism that occurs in this country today, and should stand up with and be proud of Beyoncé for being proud of who she is and of the race she was born with. Bottom line, entitled white people are annoying and need to grow up and realize that they are not supreme nor better than anyone else. Come together to fight racism and be on the right side of history.
Watchthis video of Jessica Williams explaining why Beyoncé is justified and why white people are confused
How do you deal with wanting to be creative but not having any idea on how to bring your thoughts to life? You know when you have these great ideas for a song, a story, a drawing, or anything in between but you have no clue as to how to write them down or draw them out? Those are the kinds of struggles I deal with on a regular basis. Creativity is what drives my soul, my thoughts, my passion for life. Creating things from scratch, putting your own mark on something that you make is one of the create joys in this world. But what do you do when you’re stuck, when you don’t know how to create?
Never give up. Who knows what will happen. Graphic from tumblr.com
When it comes to creating anything, you can’t be a perfectionist. My main issues when creating is hating almost everything I make, throwing it away, and then becoming frustrated with myself to the point where I just give up. That’s the exact opposite of what you want to do. In my situation, when I write, I hate it. I stop writing for weeks at a time because I become discouraged. However, the way to become better is to never give up, to keep writing and never throw anything you create away. Someone once told me that when you write something to never get rid of it because in a month or two from now, you’ll come back to it and maybe you’ll realize it isn’t as bad as you thought and you could, potentially, build on it and use it, resulting in something amazing.
When you create something, it’s never going to be easy and that’s the part I struggle with the most. I think that it should be easy, that I should be able to do this instantaneously and be able to whip out some song in the matter of minutes, but that just isn’t realistic. I don’t think any singer, writer, producer, director, artist, or anyone is field of arts has ever had it easy, has never been frustrated or mad at themselves. But, from what I know, the outcome is worth the pain and frustration you go through. You should never give up. I should never give up because what can happen with a little determination is incredible.
While the ancient Greeks were among the first to perceive that the Earth is spherical, there were still individuals who thought that couldn’t be possible, the Earth had to be flat. Because the ground is level and clearly flat.
In this depiction of what a flat Earth would look like, Antarctica is represented as a layer of ice surrounding a disc-shaped Earth. Image from LiveScience.
A Twitter dispute among astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and rapper-singer Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (known as B.o.B), raised the debate of the flat Earth theory, and it inevitably transformed into a full-out rap battle.
B.o.B initiated things on Monday when he began tweeting about how he truly knows the Earth is flat. He tweeted additionally regarding why he knows NASA is concealing the reality about the edge of the world. Also, he shared several futile charts about Earth including one about flight routes.
The rapper posted more than 50 tweets, including “I’m going up against the greatest liars in history … you’ve been tremendously deceived”.
On Monday night, B.o.B threw together a song, about the why the Earth is flat, called “Flatline”. In the track, B.o.B yells, “Aye, Neil Tyson need to loosen up his vest / They’ll probably write that man one hell of a check,” and even plants part of a discussion by Tyson in which he states, “So it’s not actually a sphere, it’s an … it’s oblate, it’s officially an oblate spheroid.”
Tuesday evening, Tyson’s nephew released his own track, called “Flat To Fact,” composed and rapped by his nephew, Stephen Tyson. He tweeted: “As an astrophysicist I don’t rap, but I know people who do. This one has my back.” Here’s the song:
“Very important that I clear this up / You say that Neil’s vest is what he needs to loosen up? / The ignorance you’re spinning helps to keep people enslaved, I mean mentally.”
I strongly encourage everyone to listen to both the tracks in full, and even check out B.o.B’s and Neil deGrasse Tyson’s twitter accounts.
Twitter has become a favorite platform for celebrities to air out their beef with other celebrities. One of 2015’s favorite Twitter arguments was between rappers Drake and Meek Mill. Drake, whose albums “What a Time to be Alive” and “Views From the 6” have been endlessly chart-topping, was called out by Meek Mill for allegedly using ghostwriters. This social media drama resulted in both of the rappers producing “diss tracks” aimed at one another. Meek Mill’s track ultimately flopped, while both of Drake’s tracks gained huge popularity, especially Drake’s track titled, “Back to Back” which called out Meek Mill for his Twitter insults.
Although Meek Mill’s track was a failure, the beef generated hilarious memes featuring the two rappers. Drake even used aslideshow of some of the memes on a giant screen at the beginning of a concert.
While small Twitter cat-fights between Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift drew some attention, the newest Twitter beef that’s generating hilarious Tweets, Memes and Vines (oh my!) is between Wiz Khalifa and Kanye West. Kanye Tweeted a series of comments about Wiz, saying Wiz had disrespected him and that he was his “OG” and should be treated as such. Kanye even went as far as to imply that if he hadn’t ended his previous relationship with Amber Rose, the mother of Wiz’s child and his ex-wife, that he wouldn’t have his son. Kanye went as far as to say, “I own your child.”
Kanye eventually deleted the series of Tweets and told his followers that he was trying to focus on “positive vibes.” But these Tweets were only deleted when Amber Rose stepped in to call out Kanye for what could be considered odd sexual favors that he had once received from her. Twitter exploded with praise and, of course, insults directed at Amber Rose. However, a series of memes has begun to rise from the ashes of the Kanye vs. Wiz beef.
While Amber Rose’s methods of silencing Kanye are especially hilarious, the person really taking a loss on Twitter and with his music as of late is none other than rapper “B.o.b.”. B.o.b. took to Twitter saying that the Earth is flat, and he can prove it. The “Airplanes” rapper stated that if the Earth was round, you would be able to tell by looking at the Horizon. He even posted photos of himself with a sunset as a backdrop, stating that because the Horizon is flat from our view of it, that the Earth must also be flat.
B.o.b. even took his theory so far as to put it into a diss track aimed at astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson. The track stated that it was only “common sense” that the Earth is flat. B.o.b. goes on in the track to say that there is some sort of conspiracy and that globalists don’t want us to know that after all this time, the Earth has been flat. The song’s lyrics get even more inaccurate when B.o.b. asks, “Why’s NASA part of the Department of Defense?”
The song calls out Tyson with B.o.b. saying he needs to “loosen his vest.” Tyson’s nephew, Stephen Tyson replied in the most hilarious way by releasing a diss track of his own titled,“Flat to Fact.” The song is modeled after Drake’s “Back to Back” diss track, following similar rhyme patterns. In the lyrics, Tyson calls out B.o.b. for believing he is a “free thinker,” when really the idea that the Earth is flat is so old and so ignorant, the logic behind it is truly enslaving.
So who really took the biggest Twitter loss in the last year? In my opinion, B.o.B. definitely took the biggest “L” with his ancient and idiotic ideas of a flat Earth. Meek Mill can relax, as it seems the fingers are going to pointing at B.o.B. for the time being.
As soon as November first rolls around, you start to hear it. It starts off playing in drug stores and maybe the occasional Walmart, but as Thanksgiving gets closer, it becomes nearly impossible to so much as turn on a car radio without having the cheery Christmas hits fill your vehicle.
The verdict is split. Some people wish Christmas music would be kept safely in the confines of the week leading up to the big holiday, while others want to get their “Jingle Bell Rock” on the moment the leaves start to turn color. Those annoyed by the Christmas hits usually have the same complaint- it’s not that they dislike the music but it’s simply overplayed. They get annoyed by Christmas music the same way you groan every time you can’t escape Adele’s “Hello”, no matter how many times you change the radio station.
While I myself turn on the “all Christmas, all the time” radio station the second it starts up each year, I understand why those who find themselves cringing every time they walk into a department store in the November- December time period feel the way they do.
After all, Christmas music is essentially the same handful of songs on repeat just performed in different ways by different artists. Seriously, if you have one Christmas album, you have them all. Sure there are some original songs that are always enjoyable, but most of the time you can bet on hearing “Winter Wonderland” or “Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer” several times in one sitting.
For those of you who still can’t understand the plight of these tortured souls, imagine hearing today’s hits, “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, “Same Old Love” by Selena Gomez, or “Hello” by Adele played on an infinite, cheery loop, each recording played by a different artist who tries to change vocal inflections here or there but really never strays from the original track. Pretty gruesome sounding, right?
If you, like me, love Christmas so much that even Alvin and the Chipmunks’ versions of the classic songs don’t bother you, then great, but if you know people who are annoyed by the holiday music, maybe change up your playlist just a tad when you invite them over.
Bieber Fever was a term that was used while I was still in high school. I loved Justin Bieber when I was 16 and then, slowly, as I grew up he wrote and released less and less music. Everyone thought because of his voice change he was going to eventually stop making music all together and his only time to shine was his youth.
Little did they all know he was working on something huge all of those years. He was writing, and training, and putting in the hours of work and dedication it takes to release such a great and inspirational album like the one he just released. It may seem silly to some when you talk about being in college and liking Justin Bieber still but if you really think about it, it’s not all that weird. He is 21, after all, which is the age of some college students, and his songs range from upbeat to mellow and heartfelt.
I didn’t know he was releasing a whole new album but that same day someone mentioned it to me and when I went and listened to it I fell in love the second time. From his near perfect album to his beautiful live performances, Justin Bieber does a great job delivering to his fans and he makes it clear that his fans mean the world to him.
Having Bieber Fever in college seems childish and silly to some, but for people who think that they definitely have not listened to his new album. He really put dedication and commitment into the album and really loves and appreciates his fans. I am a junior in college and I’m begging my parents for tickets to his next concert closest to me. I’m not ashamed to say that I am 21 and I have Bieber Fever and I most likely always will.
With so much music in the world, it’s hard to have been graced by every single fantastic song. To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of some awesome tracks that will make your life and hopefully introduce you to some bands you may not have heard otherwise.
“I recommend downloading Spotify.”
1) “Welcome Home” by Radical Face
I’m way too in love with this song. Having heard it for the first time about a week ago in Starbucks, I’ve been playing it on an endless loop ever since. It seems as if I’m not the only one obsessed as the song as been featured on multiple TV shows such as the hit show, “The Blacklist”.
2) “Waiting For An Invitation” by Benji Hughes
Benji Hughes’ voice is perfect for easy listening and his lyrics are always very raw and heartfelt. This particular song, I find so heartbreakingly beautiful, I could put it on repeat for days. It was featured on an episode of “How I Met Your Mother”, but that’s the only time I’ve ever heard it outside of my Spotify library.
3) “Lovely Bloodflow” by Baths
Baths is an extremely weird artist to get your head around. His lyrics are hard to understand sort of like Bon Iver, but his music is deeply entrancing. “Lovely Bloodflow” is the kind of song that you accidently stumble upon, but then can’t get out of your head for days. I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for music to write or read to.
4) “Paradise Circus” by Massive Attack
I find it hard to classify the band as one specific genre, but their music is fantastic and I have the worst time finding people who know their work. “Paradise Circus” has worked its way up to at least my top 20 favorite songs. It’s very dramatic and haunting.
5) “Ride” by Cary Brothers
This is the only song by the Cary Brothers that I’m familiar with and it’s the only song I feel the need to be familiar with. The song is so pretty and just sounds like the sound track to every romance movie ever, but I’m okay with that.
6) “Bloodstream” by Stateless
I’ve loved this song for years and I’m still trying to find the time to learn how to play it on the piano. From the melody to the lyrics there is nothing about this song that isn’t fantastic.
7) “Thousand Mile Wish” by Finger Eleven
An oldie, but goodie. Finger Eleven is best known for their club anthem, “Paralyzer,” but “Thousand Mile Wish” is my absolute favorite song of theirs.
Check out these songs and more! I recommend downloading Spotify if you don’t already have it. It’s a great resource for discovering new songs and bands to obsess over.
Adele is releasing her first album in 4 years on November 20th. She’s given the world an amazing preview with her song, “Hello.” The song has taken over the radio, YouTube, and even vine with funny, short parodies of the song. The song pulls at the heart strings as Adele sings of a past lover. A running internet joke is that “Adele has the kind of music that makes you miss a stranger you saw on public transportation 7 years ago.”
While I love Adele and routinely belt out her heart-felt ballads in the shower, I’m a little bit tired of sad love songs. If you’re anything like me and need songs that celebrate your independent, badass side I would highly recommend the following feminine tunes:
1.) Ex’s and Oh’s- Elle King
This fun Indy-rocker song is perfect for dancing around your room using a brush as a microphone or even for singing in the shower. The song is different from other lady-ballads because it’s from the perspective of a girl who knows she’s powerful and even a little promiscuous, in a good way. This is one of my favorite songs to jam out to in the car and it makes me want to wear 6-inch heels and do my best catwalk down the street.
“There are definitely some feminist undertones in her music.”
2.) High By the Beach- Lana Del Rey
Pretty much every song by Lana Del Rey is a feminine dream come true. Although Lana doesn’t like to associate herself with feminism and often plays off the idea of the damsel in distress, many of her songs are really empowering. High By the Beach strongly embraces independence from a lover. In the song she sings about not needing her lovers money to get what she wants. I feel that many modern girls can relate to this because we’re expected, based on traditional gender roles, to depend on a husband to be the bread-winner.
Although Lana doesn’t want to be associated with this new wave of feminism, there are definitely some feminist undertones in her music.
3. Here- Alessia Cara
This jazzy song is a great mixture of new and old. The jazz-ish instrumentals mixed with lyrics very raw likeTove Lo‘s music make for a classy but badass feeling. This song is perfect for the anti-social independent girl. Talking about the drag that can be the club scene, Alessia Cara sings of her annoyance with being hit on at the club and her desire for a more intimate kick-back with her friends. She describes the crowded club with loud, trashy music and her negative attitude for those things.
This song is great for any girl who has ever found herself at a crowded party saying, “why didn’t I stay home?”
4. Gasoline- Halsey
This song is perfect for the badass babe who needs to explore the darker corners of her mind. Halsey reminds me of a darker Taylor Swift who’s very in touch with her crazy. While T-Swift’s girly songs may be fun, her over-optimism in her songs can get old for the girl who is no delicate flower. Halsey explores the dark side of society in this song while using dubstep-style instrumentals.
5. Gods and Monsters- Lana Del Rey
As I said before, Lana doesn’t like to associate herself with feminism, but this song is very sexually empowering. Lana seems to describe herself as this innocent doe-eyed girl exploring her sexuality. This song follows her dreamy-style melodies while exploring a darker side of herself. In my opinion, Lana is describing herself as someone who is seen as an “angel” in a crowd of demons and chooses to dance with both the outer demons and her own inner demons. Jessica Lange, who is the epitome of all that is feminine grace as an older woman, covered this song for an episode of American Horror Story. Both versions are beautiful in their own way but Lange definitely brought out the ruggedness and desire of the lyrics.
Feminine power-ballads are few and far between in my opinion. Although there are plenty of female artists out there, there are few whose music reaches into the innermost depths of my soul. I hope after listening to these songs, you’ll feel some type of relief if you, too, needed some music to strengthen your inner goddess.
