#and i’m still in awe that you used a lyric from my favorite fleetwood mac song as the title

[clovermunson]

remember when i said i love your billy and that he’s my favorite of all the billys out there??

this fic is a testament to that exact statement. (also as a fellow thunderstorm-fearing girl, i get it. thank you for representing us)

i love that you can make billy a grumpy little shit, yet also the most loving, gentle person ever. shit hits me right in my feels, man.

He blushes. Goddamnit, Billy thinks

just shoot me. fucking shoot me. billy blushing?? goddamnit.

“You can ride anytime you want, baby.”

ha there’s the little shit we know and love

“Mhm. There’s one I like. He’s pretty but super grumpy.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep.”

“I think trivia might be better since you’re just going to bully me.”

this is so fucking cute my god—

when it's rainin'

billy hargrove x gn!reader

word count: 2,666 ;)

warnings: swearing, reader has a fear of thunderstorms, kinda newly established relationship, a few sexual innuendos, fluff

a/n: hi! this was very self-indulgent for me and i am decidedly dedicating this fic to all of my fellow thunderstorm fearers. i see you. i am you. i hope this isn't too bad. i revised it too many times and i'm still feeling a little fretful over it. also, the title is a fleetwood mac lyric. bite me. anyways, please let me know what you think! mwah mwah i love you <333

————

“Billy, I gotta get going.”

You squeeze the fat of his thigh where it’s draped over both of your legs. He takes hold of your wrist; his grip gentle, if not a little teasing. 

He turns to look at you, head lolling against the back of the couch. His hair is pushed up messily behind him on the cushion. You know that if he were to sit up, it’d be matted in the way that it gets when he lays on it for too long. 

Billy knows the cogs in your brain are at work. The beginnings of a cocky smirk play at the corners of his mouth. He furrows his brow, faux concern written all across his face, as if something’s wrong. 

“But it’s rainin’, baby.” He gives his head a little shake, like he can’t believe you’d leave in weather like this.

His smirk is in full bloom when he laces his fingers with yours and lifts your hand up to his mouth. You turn to look out the window and feel him press a kiss to your knuckles. 

He’s buttering you up and you know it. 

“It’s just rain, Hargrove. And I do know how to drive.”

As soon as the words leave your mouth, the rain picks up, enough so that you can hear it pounding against the roof. 

Billy laughs, low and sweet. You glare at him.

“Fine. I’ll wait it out.”

“Mhm,” he grunts, peeling his leg off of yours and repositioning himself on the couch. He leans up against the arm, and holds his own out to you. You know what he’s doing, so you oblige. 

Billy loves to watch storms, and holding you this way makes for a better view out the window. You lean into him, back pressed to his chest. He wraps his arms around your shoulders and buries his face in your neck. 

There’s a crack of lightning and the rumble of thunder that follows seems to shake the earth itself. Your stomach drops. This is exactly what you hadn’t wanted to happen, and now you’re stuck here, with Billy, internally panicking over a thunderstorm. Admittedly, you do feel a bit safer than you would alone in your bedroom, but this fear isn’t exactly something you share with others. 

“You can’t drive home in that,” he argues. 

You grab hold of Billy’s forearms, his skin warm under your palms. “I said I’d wait it out,” you mumble. 

He kisses the side of your throat, and it’s the kind of kiss you might feel lingering there for the rest of the day. Like his lips have left a searing brand against your skin. 

“You could just stay,” he drawls. 

“Billy.”

He lets out a breath of a laugh and moves his face back from you. “Yeah, I know. You don’t love me.”

You let yourself slide further down the couch until your head rests on Billy’s tummy. He doesn’t let go of you though, hands rubbing over your collarbones. “That’s not fair.”

It thunders then, at a volume you couldn’t have expected. It rattles both you and the windows, making you jump. 

“You okay?” Billy’s tone is sincere. 

You sit back up a little bit, and he uses the leverage to pull you into him. He wraps his arms around you completely, enveloping you in warmth and the scent of his body wash. The gesture is protective. He can see the way you glance out the window, and he thinks you might be looking for that flash, that queue for another rumble. 

“‘M fine. Scared me is all.”

Your grip on Billy’s knee says otherwise. He thinks he understands.

“I’ve never been with you during a storm before. You don’t like ‘em?”

You glance back at him. The concern on his face is genuine this time, but you can still see that underlying tendency to tease, like he’s ready to use it when he feels necessary. 

“Rain is fine,” you start. “I love it, actually. It’s just when it gets like this, when you can’t see down the driveway anymore and it’s windy. I really don’t like the wind.”

It is pretty damn windy. Billy hadn’t noticed it until you pointed it out. It makes him glad he parked under the carport today, knowing this is the kind of storm that leaves a mess behind. 

You’re starting to panic, not only because you’ve just told Billy about your childish fear, but also because you don’t know what kind of weather they’re calling for. You live in Indiana, for fucks sake. You don’t like that all of this is out of your control, that there’s nothing you can do but wait it out. 

“Hey, look at me.” Billy says, voice low and enticing. It pulls you from your spiraling thoughts. Your fingers are cold where they press into his legs. You twist around to face him and his hands meet your cheeks. His eyes are boring into yours. 

He kisses you. It’s slow, measured. The kind of kiss that steals your breath and demands your full attention. 

You realize too late that it’s a distraction. You don’t jump when it thunders this time. 

Billy pulls away, pleased with the blissed out look on your face. With the fact that he’s seemingly calmed you down for the moment. 

“That sweatshirt you like is on my bed. Why don’t you go get it, huh?”

You nod and he steadies you when you climb off of him and the couch. Billy wants to look at the weather, but he also wants to take care of you. He’s not letting you drive home tonight. 

You slip down the hall and Billy uses the time to flip the channel, assuming the weather will be on. 

You find his sweatshirt where he told you it’d be and stop at the foot of his bed, pulling it on over your head. It smells like him. Not like his cologne or cigarettes, but like the Billy who took a shower and got cold, who fell asleep earlier than usual and slept in more clothes than he ever has—this sweatshirt included. 

You see the lightning this time and are able to brace yourself for the thunderclap that follows. You still scramble back to the living room, seeking refuge in Billy. 

Your footsteps are quiet despite your panic, and Billy only notices you’ve entered the room because he’d sat up firmly against the back of the couch. You’re chewing on your lip, staring at the warnings flying across the screen. “What’d it say?” 

Billy turns the tv off. “Nothing bad baby, promise.” He holds out his hands and scoots to the edge of his seat, pulling you to stand in between his legs. He closes them against your own, gently trapping you there. “Just that it was gonna be stormy the rest of the night.”

Your brow furrows. “It’s not gonna let up?”

“Doesn’t look like it.” This time you catch the way the corner of his mouth quirks up. Clearly he’s happy with himself and the weather. 

Billy’s always loved these kinds of storms, and he hates that you don’t, but if he can get rain and his baby to spend the night all in one go? He’ll be pretty damn content. 

You realize that you should’ve watched the weather report this morning, but it seems that when you know you’ll be spending time with Billy, he’s the only thing that occupies your brain. 

“Dammit,” you say. 

Billy squeezes at your hips, and it makes you look down at him. There’s a pout on his face: the crease between his brows deepening, his bottom lip jutting out just that little bit. He squeezes harder now that he’s got your attention. 

“Something wrong with staying here? You really wanna go home that bad?” 

Billy’s teasing and you know it. You know that he’d let you go if you actually wanted to, that he’d worry until you got home and called him to say you were okay. You also know that he wants you to stay, and you’ve known that since you got to his place and saw the relief on his face. Hell, he hasn’t stopped touching you since then either. He’s plenty needy today. 

You cup his face with your hands, swipe your thumb over the smattering of freckles under his eye. His fingers have made their way under the hem of your (his) shirt and are pressing into your skin. 

“I didn’t say that. I just told my parents that I wouldn’t be home too late.”

“So call and say you’re staying the night, that you don’t want to drive home in this weather.”

You decide then that maybe you don’t need to overthink this so much. That maybe you shouldn’t let your brain ruin what could be a nice night. 

“Okay.”

Billy blinks up at you.

You move away from him and then you’re picking up the phone from its place on the wall, punching in your home number. 

Billy can’t believe that worked. You never listen to him. And clearly you recognize this given that you’re hiding a grin with the back of your hand as you talk. The phone call is over quickly, and when you walk back over to him, Billy pulls you down into his lap. Your fingers find their way into his hair before you can even think about it. 

“Have I behaved better than I thought?” Billy asks, tentatively rubbing up and down your thighs. 

You grin at him and place a kiss on his cheek. It’s warmer than it should be, because somehow you’ve managed to fluster him. 

“You keep giving me your pitiful little looks, Billy.”

He scoffs. “No, I don’t.”

“Don’t lie to me, pretty boy.”

He blushes. Goddamnit, Billy thinks. You can read him much too easily now. He’s really fucked. 

Billy exhales. “I’ve wanted you to stay the night for weeks. But you always had to be home or somethin’. And the storm seems to be working in my favor tonight, y’know?” He gives you this look then, his eyes traveling across your face, down your neck and back up. He bats his lashes at you and you slap him on the shoulder. 

He acts as though he’s appalled, grabbing you by the waist and maneuvering you off of him and onto the couch. Billy braces himself against the cushions and hovers over top of you. “Now that was just rude.”

“You deserved it,” you bite back, leaning up to swipe the tip of your tongue across the end of his nose. “Hate it when you flirt with me.”

Billy rolls his eyes and lets his weight drop down on top of you, causing you to voice an audible oof. 

He props himself up on his elbows, face inches from yours. “Mhm. Hate it when your boyfriend flirts with you. I believe it.”

You start to say something, something he knows will be a smartass remark, so Billy presses his lips to yours, stealing the breath from your lungs. You make a noise of surprise and Billy starts to laugh against your mouth, a low chuckle that makes you want to both keep kissing him and shove him on the floor. 

Billy pulls away to press kisses to both of your cheeks and the center of your throat. You’re lost in his affection when it thunders again, making you jolt underneath him. He brings a hand up to cradle your cheek. “Hey. S’okay.”

You start to nod when the lights flicker, and you swear your heart falls out of your ass. Please don’t let the power go out, you think. He can read the panic on your face. 

“Okay,” Billy grunts, pushing himself to stand. “New plan.”

You sit up, and Billy quickly hooks one arm around your back, the other under your thighs. He hoists you up and over his shoulder, making you squeal with how swift the action is. But you don’t protest, and only hope that he won’t drop you on the way to his next destination.

Billy sets you down on his bed.

“Thanks for the ride,” you say, running your hands down your face. You realize too quickly the opening you’ve given him.

He leans in to kiss your forehead, though he pulls away and lets his mouth linger over the shell of your ear. 

“You can ride anytime you want, baby.”

You fall back onto his mattress. “Billy, please.”

“Don’t gotta beg, honey. Whatever it is, I’ll give it to you.”

You hold back a groan at his antics. “I really should’ve gone home.” 

Billy laughs and lands a playful smack to the side of your thigh before moving towards his dresser. 

You push up on your elbows to watch him sort through his clothes. He grabs a couple things and brings them to you before pulling his own shirt off over his head. 

“Why are you stripping?” You question, looking over the shirt and shorts he’d handed you. 

“If you think that’s stripping, clearly I haven’t been good enough to you,” Billy snorts.

You grin up at him. “Are these for me?” you ask, holding onto the bundle of fabric in your hands. 

“Mhm. For you to sleep in.”

You nod hesitantly, having just seen a flash outside of Billy’s window. This time the rumble is just that, not a clap, not enough to rattle the windows in their frames. 

Billy moves towards his door, with the promise of getting more blankets, allowing you a moment to change. He comes back with water for you, too.

He kicks the door closed behind him, internally melting at the sight of you in his clothes. You’re so pretty, it physically hurts him. He’s never felt that way in his life. 

Billy gets you to drink some for him before you’re scooting further into his bed and he’s kicking off his sweats. 

You watch him move around the room, the way the muscles of his back move as he’s shutting blinds and pulling makeshift curtains closed. He turns off the overhead light, leaving only that coming from the lamps he has. 

You’re in awe of how easy it is for him to take care of you. How he didn’t pester you for being afraid of the storm but instead has comforted you and seems dedicated to keeping you safe. 

Billy finally slips into bed beside you. “What are we doing?” you ask, eyeing his torso while he settles in. He pretends not to notice. 

“I’m protecting you from the big bad storm, baby.” He kisses your hairline. 

You smile at him, one of pure joy that starts slow and grows brilliantly. The both of you are bundled up like it’s some big sleepover, or like you’ve stayed up hiding a book beneath the sheets. 

“Well, I’m not sleepy. So what’d you wanna do? Tell secrets?” 

Billy props his head up, palm cradling the base of his skull, elbow squishing his pillow. He laughs and squeezes at your hip. 

“Trivia? Talk about boys?” you continue. 

He shakes his head, his smile matching yours and making his eyes crinkle at the corners. Sometimes he can’t believe he landed you. “You got a boy you wanna talk about?”

You snort. “Mhm. There’s one I like. He’s pretty but super grumpy.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep.”

“I think trivia might be better since you’re just going to bully me.” 

Billy flops down on his back. You push up so you can hover over him. 

“Whatever you want, baby.” 

Billy rolls his eyes but kisses you again, pulling your face down to meet his, mouth warm against yours. The next round of thunder is louder than the last and your heart rate picks up, but with him here it feels okay.

It’s hard not to feel safe when he takes such good care of you, when he’s warm enough that everything feels protected, like you could weather any storm with him and his smart ass mouth.

————

please let me know if you liked this! feedback is always appreciated!! comments and reblogs mean more than you know. <33

tagging: @clovermunson (for being such a gem and helping me)

[mxrstar]

[ID: the image appears to be a sunset, but there are clouds and mountains fading in and out on both side of the horizon. on the left of the setting sun, it says: "tomorrow comes anyway" / end ID]

TOMORROW COMES ANYWAY

[a playlist for rainy days, with described day-dreams for each song under the cut]

Smile — Mikko Ekko

you are in a bar, or a bedroom, or a field, or maybe a car.

your best friends are there, and you are tired. your night is supposed to be over. this song comes up on the radio, and after the first lines, someone looks up. slowly, you all start singing. ‘the worst is yet to come’ you scream, from the top of your lungs, and though it may not be true, part of you believes it. ‘the future is forever, so smile,” you say, and you believe that, too.

your friends smile back.

A Complete List of Fears Ages 5-28 (aprox) — The Yellow Dress

you have just finished reading your favorite book for the first time, and- you know that weird, soft burst of energy that hits when words line up your life in such a way that the keyhole of the worst door in your heart lines up with the sky? and you think that perhaps this time you can open it and let light in? that’s what you are feeling right now.

the song says there’s gonna be another day, and maybe, if you weren't feeling like this. you'd object, say: are you sure? does it matter?

right now, you leave it at that. for once, it feels like it's enough.

Don’t Stop — Fleetwood Mac

you are on a couch, about to fall asleep. someone is holding you, or maybe you are holding someone. it’s been a bad night, but not the worst you have had.

at some point, your friend starts moving their thumb up and down, caressing your skin. maybe their hand is on your cheek, maybe it’s on your arm, maybe on your leg. you won’t remember in the morning, but you will often think back to how warm it felt. when people ask you "if you could go back to a peaceful memory, where would you go?" you always answer with this.

Float On — Modest Mouse

you are alone in a park, laying on the grass. it’s spring, and you can feel it in the air. there are children laughing, and people talking, but not so many that it’s annoying.

you feel safe. you sing along to the words, eyes shut, hands closed into fists. nothing bad will happen to me today, you think, and nothing will. you write about it in your diary when you come home at night, even though there’s not much to say. you circle the date and the month, and draw a lopsided heart right beside it. you add the name of the song, Float On, to make sure you'll remember why.

World Spins Madly On — The Weepies

something bad happened. you are in a waiting room, or in a bedroom, or maybe in a bus. a person you love sits beside you, and they are listening to music. they hand you one of their headphones, as if to say ‘want to listen along for a while?’

you do. this song is playing. the person you love sings it quietly, and they have a beautiful voice.

it’s comforting. it doesn’t solve anything, but you are not looking for solutions.

'thank you,' you say, and they take your hand into theirs.

Can’t Go Back Now — The Weepies

you are at a party with a lot of people from your past. some of them you have forgotten, or your affection for them has faded, but none of them is a bad person. none of them truly hurt you.

at some point, during a quiet moment, this song plays in the background. there’s only two people who know the lyrics: you, and a friend that you used to care about tremendously. you haven’t talked to them in ages, but you lock eyes as you sing along, and it feels meaningful. it feels true.

you hope they are okay. you don’t know if you’ll have the courage to ask them, but even if you don’t, you think that this is enough. you both love each other, even after all those years.

Almost Made It — Racoon

something important and yet forgettable in the sum of your life went wrong. you lost a good job opportunity, but you have not-terrible alternatives. you came fourth place to a contest that has prices for the first three. you were turned down by someone you hoped would like you back. you failed a difficult exam. anything on that note.

someone brings you home, and this song comes on the radio. they know the lyrics, you don’t. when the songs start, it’s so on the nose that you both end up laughing. but then the person with you gets so fucking into it, and starts performing it like it’s a concert or something. it’s funny. sincerely so.

you ask them “can you stay with me? at least for this afternoon” and they say yes. of course.

Epitaph For My Heart — The Magnetic Fields

you just broke up with someone you love, or lost a friend, and you are with a good stranger.

you met them in a pub, or maybe online, or in class or at work. you don’t know them well, but they are attractive, and they make you feel comfortable, and they respect all your boundaries.

wherever you are, this song comes on. “oh, this is one of my favorites,” they tell you.

if you like dancing, then you are dancing with them when this happens. if you don’t, you are sitting somewhere, and they sway in place, mouthing along to the words.

what matters is: they are very charismatic. you start moving/dancing/singing, too, and discover that you can be charismatic, too.

you like the music. at some point, you forget what the words say.

I Have Made Mistakes — Oh Hellos

you are about to fall asleep, and faint music is playing from your phone. you are having trouble calming yourself down, but then this song plays.

it has been a very, very tiring day. for the first time since you woke up, you let yourself acknowledge it. you feel like you should be proud of yourself, and you are right to think so.

before the song is over, you fall asleep. you won't have nightmares, and you'll dream of butterflies.

Never Quite Free — Mountain Goats

you are on a train, or maybe on a bus. perhaps you are walking, or looking outside the window of a plane.

you are going home, but it’s a new kind of home. something that you are just starting to build, that still feels like a discovery every time you step into it.

sometimes it’s hard to remember that healing isn’t linear, and so part of you wonders if it will still be home, when you wake up sweating in the middle of the night, thinking that you don’t belong, that there’s some price you must pay to exist wherever you are.

but this song is here to tell you: yeah. yeah, it still is home. it doesn’t have to feel like that all the time, but it’ll wait for you, patiently, with open arms, when you are ready to call it refuge again.

This Too Shall Pass — Danny Schmidt

you hear this song live. it’s a group of people singing it on the side of a street. there’s four of them, and they all—they all believe this. they all believe in what the song says. you don’t know why you can tell, but you can.

it feels magical. people stop beside you, and—god, you think you all believe this, too.

and so you are standing there, in a place that you know well, with people you don’t recognise, and you feel life moving around you, and know, deep inside your heart, that this too, whatever this is, shall pass.

Ghost Of Corporate Future — Regina Spektor

you are washing the dishes after dinner, or doing something equally as tedious, and put music on to distract yourself. this song is what plays last, when you are almost done.

it’s a Saturday, and it has been a hard day cause you never feel like you have enough energy to do something you enjoy. as the song plays, though, you remember about a movie you have been wanting to watch for ages, and, for some reason, you feel suddenly excited. you want to see it, and you know you have people to talk about it with. slowly, you realise that you can’t wait to.

your smile grows as the song ends, and you rush to your room to get your computer and watch the movie.

(turns out, it’s very good. a new favorite. you live-blog it to your friends, and your jokes make them laugh)

Not The End Of The World (Even as We Know It) — Faded Paper Figures

the people you love most sit in front of you on a table. some of them are cooking, and those that are cooking put on this song to sing it.

it’s the only one they all know the words to.

they perform it like they are in a theater and you and your other friends are the audience. they make quite a mess, screaming the lyrics in each other’s faces with everything fragile still held loosely in their hands.

you look at them in awe.

eventually, you get up to hug them. one of them kisses your cheek, and hugs you so tightly they raise your feet from the ground, or maybe they shake your shoulders playfully. do something, anything that makes you feel alive.

you have a whole night ahead of you. you know it'll be beautiful.

No Brakes — Pigeon Pit

two people who are in love with each other are arguing about music. one of them says you have to listen to this song, okay? it’s so good. the other keeps arguing that they just don’t like the genre, okay?

it goes on for a while, and it’s endearing. eventually, the first person puts on this song. the other tries so bad to hate it, but when the music comes to an end, and the singer says I’m going to wake up tomorrow, whatever it takes they smile. it's a wide smile, open and sunny, and it's one that simply can't go unnoticed.

their partner screams in victory, then rushes to hug them. see!!! they say, i knew you’d like it!!!

then they turn towards you. what did i say? they go, i told you this was gonna be a success!

and you know what? they did. they did tell you, and you are happy for them. you high-five them, and their partner laughs.

This Year — The Mountain Goats

it’s new year’s eve. not a particularly good one, but not a terrible one, either.

you remember how everyone talks about this song, you remember the singer saying that around new year’s, much more people seem to listen to it. you wonder: who else is blasting it in their apartment right now? even if they are alone, and maybe especially if they are?

there must be more than you can visualise, sitting on their couch with their tv on mute and their phone opened on this one song.

some of them must be good people. you are not in this together, not really, cause you can’t reach them, but you are not in this entirely alone, either. not in a way that matters. not in a way that counts.

we are all going to make it through this year, you think. we have to.

I Know The End — Phoebe Bridgers

it’s today, or tomorrow, or ten years from now, and you are scared, but not in a way that hurts.

you are scared as background noise, cause you can’t tell, can’t know what will happen now.

and maybe the end is here, maybe something is about to fall, and there’s not much you can do about it.

you listen to this song, though, wherever you are now or will be in the future, and you think you like the music. you like that someone sat down and wrote it.

it’s not enough, but you make it be. just for now. just for a while.

[stagandsteer]

Have you listened to Froy's songs? What do you think of them? A couple of gossip sites think they're cringe and maybe I'm the only adult who likes them. I liked Crash and Fix Me's lyrics are relatable. Just discovered Soldier in Distress from youtube today and I think that's his best so far, unfortunately, was never released. I don't think my taste in music is awful; I mean I love Bowie, Queen, Green Day, and Lorde too, and they're considered good artists. I'm impressed he write his own songs.

ok anon, first of all, your taste in music is of course not awful! music is very emotional and subjective - all kinds of music speak to different people for different reasons. I love Bowie, Queen, Green Day and Lorde too, and Elton John and Harry Styles and Troye Sivan and Fleetwood Mac and loads of other things. Ok, let’s talk about Froy...

I found the songs I thought I hadn’t heard but it turns out I totally watched the youtube videos before and had blocked them out. 😬 

I guess I’ll try to go in some order...it’s very hard to tell what I like about the two live songs Friend for the Weekend and We Make Art. I wish the fans were 50% less enthusiastic so I could actually hear him. I think I like them, especially We Make Art. I like the chorus and the sing-songability of it and it sounds like the lyrics are clever. Friend for the Weekend sounds like a Justin Bieber song, which I don’t love but it’s a cute little song about hooking up, so sure, it’s fine. I like both of them better than Sideswipe. 

Sideswipe used to be my least favorite but now I like Sideswipe better than Soldier in Distress, sorry. I can barely get through the song--I know he thinks of these songs as all “character studies” or something cerebral like that but Soldier has even worse production tricks than Sideswipe (more on that later) and has the absolute Number One Thing I Cannot Tolerate in a Song which is that gun cocking sound effect. No, no, absolutely not. I want to start a campaign to get music producers to stop using this ever. There is an older Troye Sivan song with that in there and it just fills me with rage every time I hear it [bitch you are from a country with nearly ZERO gun violence, you’ve probably never even seen a gun, why is this in here?!?!] [additional rant about America and gun culture goes here and yes I know Froy is making reference to that anxiety in some of his music but for me it’s a big no.]

Ok so Sideswipe, I am not a fan of the production. There are just too many tricks going on, that loop of his little brother saying awesome (it’s cute! I know it’s cute. it’s his little brother, I’m a monster ok), the water dripping...ok I haven’t listened to it in a while but I’m listening now and it’s not that bad. oh god what has he done to me.

Next I probably put When It’s Midnight? it’s another one that is overproduced for me. there’s just so many mechanized sounds (and more autotune, ugh) in there that maybe don’t need to be? especially for a dreamy moody song about anxiety late at night. I do like the lyrics, and I have cried listening to it a non-zero number of times.

Ok, Crash. I don’t like the autotune effect at the very beginning, but then when it gets going, ohhh this has vibes. He has some really nice vocal runs in this and I love the rhythm of a good driving song. This song probably is the most convincing to me that he has a good voice in there. He definitely needs some training and vocal coaching but he has a sweet voice and he can hit his notes. I like it.

And finally, we have Fix Me. I just...this is like a glimpse for me of how good his music could be with the right producers and guidance. It’s still all very electronic and produced, but it’s engineered so well for the feel of the song, and the lyrics are....like brilliant? I relate to this song way more than I’d like to admit. I have listened to it hundreds of times in quarantine. it’s so relatable...it’s so mature but also so universal, like I look at the comments on youtube about it and there are like, kids from all over the world talking about how much they relate to it, and me, sitting here, I am not a kid even remotely. I’m a grownup with anxiety that I’ve had a long fucking time, and he like, made this beautiful, perfect little song that really spoke to me, with all his 20 years of life wisdom. it’s his masterpiece, I love it, fight me.

[shes-outta-sight]

music facts

thank you for tagging me @satingrass-maidensfair @woman-ina-dream 🌻💛 this was so fun and hard for my indecisive self! loved reading all of your responses!

your favorite song // ten years gone and babe i’m gonna leave you by led zeppelin, gypsy by fleetwood mac, flower power by greta van fleet... i’ll stop there

your least favorite song // hmmm there is probably a lot but thank you next by ariana grande lol, or anything on the radio hits usually

a song that makes you happy // valerie by amy winehouse

a song that makes you sad // born and raised by john mayer

a song that reminds you of someone // maggie may by rod stewart

a song that reminds you of somewhere // rocky mountain high by john denver

a song that reminds you of a certain event // free fallin by tom petty

a song you know all the words to // flower power by greta van fleet

a song you can dance to // tongue tied by grouplove

a song you can fall asleep to // love me tender by elvis presley

a song by your favorite band // how does one pick? age of man by greta van fleet

a song by a band you hate // ... dr.feelgood by motley crue (i don’t hateee them that much but...)

a song that reminds you of someone you’d rather forget // slow dancing in a burning room by john mayer

a song that no one would expect you to love // bonfire by childish gambino

a song that describes you // hmm how to not pick a sad song... wildflowers by tom petty

a song that you used to love but now hate // ...

a song that you would like to hear on the radio // greta songs!! i still have yet to hear them on the radio, but then again i don’t listen to the radio.

a song from your favorite album // thank you by led zeppelin

a song you listen to when you’re angry // not ready to make nice by dixie chicks

a song you listen to when you’re sad // it’s called: freefall by RKS

a song you want to be played at your wedding // harvest moon by neil young

a song you want to be played at your funeral // i don’t want a funeral

a song that makes you laugh // i’m gonna be (500 miles) by the proclaimers

a song with a great music video // everlong by foo fighters

a song that relaxes you // this feeling by alabama shakes

a song from your childhood // our song by taylor swift

favorite song that you discovered recently // baby be mine by ida mae (thank you megan!)

a song you would sing at karaoke night // dreams by fleetwood mac

your favorite love song // your song by elton john

a song you never get sick of hearing // tuesday’s gone by lynyrd skynyrd

a song you find annoying // yummy by justin bieber (that song is awful)

your favorite rap song // tough... crazy rap by afroman LMAO

most listened song your ituens/spotify // i just switched to spotify (:

a song you would perform in front of people // rhiannon by fleetwood mac

fave song from the 70s // wtf these are getting hard, all of them

fave song from the 80s // jessie’s girl by rick springfield

fave song from the 90s // fuckkk, no rain by blind melon or mr jones by counting crows

fave song from the 2000s //  y’all i cannot pick one song for a decade... i think it’s been established that old tswift has my heart forever though

a song you’re not very fond of but listen to anyway // ...

a song that revokes good memories // drops of jupiter by train

a song that revokes bad memories // empty by olivia o’brien

a song from your favorite movie // that’s the way by led zeppelin

a song you wouldn’t sing at karaoke night // lol i would sing anything... i guess something that is super high pitched? idk

best female vocals // stevie nicks

best male vocals // robert plant, and josh kiszka ofc

best party song // dancing queen by abba

best duet song // really wanna steal bek’s answer (picture by kid rock and sheryl crow lol) but i’ll give another: girl from the north country by johnny cash and bob dylan

a song that reminds me of school days // school’s out by alice cooper lol

a song you sing in the shower // whatever is in my head... also dreams by fleetwood mac again 

a song that is currently stuck in your head // honey hi by fleetwood mac (geez how many more fleetwood mac songs will i name)

a song with a good beat // the chain by fleetwood mac (stealing this again!)

a song from a band you know no one has heard of // oh yikes, i would really have to dig through my music

a song that gives you a rush // come on eileen 

a song you can relate to // vienna by billy joel

a song with lyrics you don’t understand // ...

a song with no words // moby dick was a great answer... i’ll go classical with moonlight sonata

tagging: @cantbehandled-ever @mountainofthesunn @moonchildwildheart @silver--storms @kissthesun @shesdigging @junkyardheart @whoisshewhatisshedoing

[dinomight]

all the stars in all the skies: a playlist for Home and a Half by @echodrops

the chain - fleetwood mac // sorrow - the national // nothing’s gonna hurt you baby - cigarettes after sex // child i will hurt you - crystal castles // constant craving - the cat and owl // run boy run - woodkid // female robbery - the neighbourhood // sleepsong - bastille // small things - ben howard // iron - woodkid // greens of june - neko case // mars - sleeping at last // iscariot - walk the moon // human - daughter // body - mother mother // i come with knives - iamx // all these things that i’ve done - the killers // an angry blade - iron & wine // all the stars - the wailin’ jennys // i’ll be good - jaymes young // slow wake up sunday morning - mountain man // someone to stay - vancouver sleep clinic // it’s alright - mother mother // this is home - cavetown

Song explanations under the cut!

First I’d like to clarify: I’m not insane. I’m just a huge ass dork for this fic. (For a lot of things, really, but irrelevant.) HaaH is one of my favorite written works ever, fanfiction or not, so I really, truly should not have been surprised that this playlist ended up being so much longer than I meant for it to be, and it probably could’ve been even longer if I’d let myself keep going. In my defense, I can’t art, so this is one of my only ways to show my appreciation.

Anyways, I’m not gonna wax poetics about how much I love this story because we would be here all day and this post is too long as it is, so down to business: this playlist is very loosely structured. It’s hard to give the songs a significant order when only a few correspond to specific moments or lines; most of them I chose to focus more on bigger picture themes and concepts from the story. So the order isn’t that important, I just organized them so they’d transition relatively smoothly sound-wise and tried to keep similar concepts together. Additionally, I did use both quotes from the fic and the songs in some of my explanations, so fic quotes are bolded and song lyrics are in italics. Some of these are short, some are a bit longer, some are just the quotes because I didn’t feel the need to explain further, but hopefully all of them give a good idea of why I chose the song. I thought about just posting the playlist by itself, but I felt weird not explaining the thinking behind it, so uh, here it is I guess? 

1) The Chain - Fleetwood Mac: The best song in existence. Objectively speaking, of course. The first time I heard this while thinking of HaaH though, it just fit so well, and I haven’t really been able to un-associate the two since. (Not that I want to lol) It just has such a desert vibe to it that matches with the story, and I think it represents Keith’s desperation to avoid rejection from the team so well. It’s like...if I were to picture a trailer for HaaH, this is the song I would hear in the background, y’know? 

2) Sorrow - The National: This one’s a bit of a weird one because I can’t quite put into words why this is on here. Like, I added it back when I was just throwing some songs together for background atmosphere while reading HaaH, but when I was working to make this into something more thought out, I couldn’t bring myself to take this song off. So here it is, I guess. 

3) Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby - Cigarettes After Sex: This one is here more for its sound and atmosphere, not really the lyrics. It just sounds like...nostalgia, I guess. Like it’s supposed to be reminiscing about something comforting, but it’s not quite there because the pain of the present is keeping you rooted. The way I hear it, it’s like Keith is thinking about his mom and her love and comfort, but it’s tainted by the loss of all of that. (I might be slightly insane. I’ve come to terms with that.) 

4) Child I Will Hurt You - Crystal Castles: I don’t know how else to phrase this so I’m just gonna say it: this song gives me the heebie jeebies, just like Keith’s flashbacks to his earlier times with the Garrison. I swear, every time he says replacement mother or father it gives me chills. Or makes me want to cry a bit. It just feels so wrong, and that’s why I picked this song, ‘cause it gives me the same feeling. The music is so soft, like it was supposed to be a lullaby, but the lyrics and the feeling underneath is...disturbing. Plus, “Hide all that you could / Done for the greater good / It’s later understood” reminds me all too well of the Garrison scientists and what they did to Keith. 

5) Constant Craving - The Cat and Owl: So while I was searching for songs to add, it suddenly occurred to me that despite the fact that one of Keith’s major problems is that he can’t put his thoughts and feelings into words properly, every single song I’d added did exactly that. And so began my search for some instrumental songs that unfortunately only turned up this one, mostly because I realized this playlist was getting far too long lol. Though now that I’ve thought about it, an all instrumental HaaH playlist would be an interesting challenge. Hm. I already knew I wanted to add Constant Craving as a sort of representation for Keith’s own craving for love, acceptance, and family, but when I heard this version I knew it was right. Keith knows he desperately needs all these things, but he can’t put it into words, can’t communicate it right. It’s made even better by how well known the original song is, because you can feel the familiarity in it, feel what’s missing and what should be there, but it’s different at the same time, like that absence has created something strange, something off-kilter from what it should have been. Plus it’s sorta a lullaby version, which I like since Keith’s childhood is an often reoccurring topic. 

6) Run Boy Run - Woodkid: Seems to me like there’s a lot of shit Keith’s been running from. (also...running makes me think of “escaped from the Garrison”. Escaped. Escaped. ESCAPED.)

7) Female Robbery - The Neighbourhood: There’s some really fucked up stuff in Keith’s past in addition to the whole Galra thing, and he really does not want the team to find out any of it. This song makes me think a lot about that. 

8) Sleepsong - Bastille: “You go to sleep on your own / And you wake each day with your thoughts / And it scares you being alone, it's a last resort” & “All you want is someone onto whom you can cling / Your mother warned of strangers and the dangers they may bring / Your dreams and memories are blurring into one / The scenes which hold the waking world slowly come undone.” ...yeah.

9) Small Things - Ben Howard: Another song that’s on here more for the sound than the lyrics, though the lyrics could possibly fit. I just love the dreamy, suspended feeling that this song exudes and how well it fits with the feeling that Keith’s flashbacks and memories give me. 

10) Iron - Woodkid: “But Keith was gone—every reflex retuned for battle, every nerve sparking under his skin, and all there was fight, win, refuse to be killed.“ - “I'm waiting for the call, the hand on the chest / I'm ready for the fight, and fate” So the lyrics don’t *exactly* match up, but the underlying themes are there, I think, and the atmosphere of this one was more important to me anyways. The intensity of it just screams fighting and death and red to me. 

11) Greens of June - Neko Case, k.d. lang, Laura Veirs: “Just in the moment / Everything's changed / My dark disposition / Has been rearranged” The arrival of the kids is certainly not a very happy time considering the circumstances, but it brought a change that Keith desperately needed, one that will hopefully help him actually be happy. (My other reason for choosing this song is, for whatever reason, it also gives me desert vibes.) 

12) Mars - Sleeping at Last: “We let the end goal blind us to the means. We’ll have to re-evaluate before we take on any more missions. If violence is our go-to method of beating the enemy, we’re no better than the empire ourselves.” -  "Lay your weapons down! / They're calling off the war / On account of losing track / Of what we're fighting for." The team has taken up an immense and necessary duty to protect the universe, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get caught up in the grey areas of war, and it doesn’t mean they get to come home without scars. 

13) Iscariot - WALK THE MOON: Broganes, anyone? For real though, this song is about betrayal between two people who are essentially brothers (specifically Jesus and Judas but I didn’t pick it for the religious references). While I don’t think Shiro is gonna see Keith being Galra and hiding it as a personal betrayal, Keith clearly does. “How long did he have left before…Before Lance said he’d known all along there was something wrong with Keith, before Pidge threw his hypocrisy back in his face: no secrets between paladins, huh? Before Allura turned her back on him. Before Shiro couldn’t, and Keith had to meet his eyes, watch betrayal dawn white-star bright and burning.” Ah. That sweet, terrible angst.

14) Human - Daughter: “Underneath the skin there's a human / Buried deep within there's a human / And despite everything I'm still human / But I think I'm dying here.” I think this song works on two levels. One, you can take “human” to be quite literal and interpret it as Keith’s desperation to hide his Galra heritage and keep pretending that he’s entirely human, even though it clearly has awful emotional repercussions for him. Two, you can look at “human” with a metaphorical lens to talk about how even though Keith seems like a cold tough guy on the surface, underneath that is a complicated mess of emotions and trauma, and not being able to properly deal with all of that is killing him. 

15) Body - Mother Mother: One of the things about HaaH that I find most interesting is Keith’s relationship with his body. Between the whole Galra form vs human form, the fact that his human form is not how he was born, and everything that the Garrison did to him...it’s a goddamn mess. Hence, this song. can I please give this boy a hug 

16) I Come With Knives - IAMX: First and foremost, I had to include this song for the irony, because Keith did, in fact, come with a knife. However, I also included it because I really like how on the surface, it can be written off as just another angsty emo song, but if you take the time to really listen to it, it’s filled with genuine emotion and hurt. (Almost like a certain knife-wielding alien boy I know...)

17) All These Things That I’ve Done - The Killers: I have a few different reasons for why this song is here, but the main one is pretty much “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier”. I mean...yeah. That screams Keith to me. He’s driven and angry and passionate and willing to fight so hard to protect the people he loves, but...that doesn’t mean he’s emotionally okay with being a soldier, even if the rest of the team seems to think otherwise.

18) An Angry Blade - Iron & Wine: Another one that immediately earned points for Keith irony in the title. Seriously though, I love the tone of this song for Keith. It’s got desert vibes to it, and maybe it’s just because my hearing isn’t fantastic, but I like that the lyrics are a bit hard to make out. You really have to listen. (Again, almost like...hmm...) Plus: “You’re an angry blade and you’re brave / But you’re all alone”

19) All the Stars - The Wailin’ Jennys: I swear I didn’t just pick this for the title. It was a little bit for the title though, sue me. Nope, it was more for “So open wide your wounded heart / Feel yourself be blown apart” because for the love of god, Keith, please open up a bit more to the people around you. On a more serious note, I was also struck by “You don’t know me / You know one side of a story” because it’s true for both Keith and his mother. The Keith part is obvious--the team, with the exception of Shiro, only really sees the Keith that’s on the surface. But it’s kinda true for Keith and his mom too, right? He’s missing so much information because of his spotty memories. Up until the kids arrived, it seems like he didn’t even consider the idea that she might be, y’know, not evil. So...yeah. Also “All the stars in the sky / Say goodbye say goodbye” because I didn’t need my heart, it’s fine, it’s okay, I’m not crying over a fictional character and the death of his alien mother, there’s just dirt in my eyes--

20) I’ll Be Good - Jaymes Young: “But if there was a way to stop the blood flowing down his glove, the sound a sword made when it struck bone, the way her breath came in pieces between the shocks her sobs, then he definitely would have... “ - “I've been cold, I've been merciless / But the blood on my hands scares me to death / Maybe I'm waking up today”

21) Slow Wake Up Sunday Morning - Mountain Man: “It's lucid dreaming; he knew it wasn't real, not anymore, but still he couldn't focus his eyes, couldn't see past the fall of her hair in the pale morning light...” - “The light / It moves / Across this room / Like it could reach us, honey” & “We are already there, it seems / (I know I can't stay in this place)” I don’t quite know how to explain why I connected this song with this moment beyond the whole early morning thing but...this moment was an especially emotional one for me. It felt like something Keith wanted to hold on to, wanted to go back to, but just like the sun continues rising, the world keeps moving, regardless of whether we want it to or not. 

22) Someone to Stay - Vancouver Sleep Clinic: “You were alone left out in the cold / Clinging to the ruin of your broken home / Too lost and hurting to carry your load / We all need someone to hold” I just...yeah. There’s not much I need to say about this one. Just Keith and the kids, man. 

23) It’s Alright - Mother Mother: Whenever I listen to this song, I feel like I’m getting a hug. Since I cannot project myself into fictional stories and hug the characters myself, I instead gift this song to Keith. Please, someone give this boy more hugs. Please.

24) This is Home - Cavetown: “Get a load of this monster / He doesn't know how to communicate / His mind is in a different place / Will everybody please give him a little bit of space / Get a load of this trainwreck / His hair's a mess and he doesn't know who he is yet / But little do we know the stars welcome him with open arms / Oh / Time is / Slowly / Tracing his face / But strangely he feels at home in this place.” <3

This got way too long, so to anyone who actually made it through all of that, I sincerely apologize. >.<

[waywardrose13]

Rose’s 500 Follower Song Challenge!

Rose’s Masterlist

Hey, y’all! I’ve gained another 100 followers since I first posted this. That’s amazing! I also wanted to repost this because I’ve decided to move the date. The new date is posted down in the rules. I’m also tagging a few new people. There are still lots of songs to choose from so I really hope you participate. Love y’all!

I have officially made it to 500 followers! I’m still in awe, that’s freaking amazing. Thank you guys so, so much for reading and supporting my writing. I love all of you!

To celebrate this milestone, I’ve decided to host a fic challenge. Fic challenges seem to be kinda popular and I think they’re pretty cool so I wanted to host my own! The song challenges are my personal favorite so I wanted to do one.

The rules are pretty simple and I hope y’all participate!

RULES:

1. Must be Supernatural based. Characters/Actors are both acceptable as long as they relate to SPN. 2. Send an ASK to participate and include your top two song choices (incase the first is already taken). I’ll answer publicly so y’all know which songs are taken. Each song can be claimed ONLY ONCE! 3. It can be fluff, angst, anything BUT smut. I try to keep my blog PG-13. 4. It must be a reader insert fic. 5. Must be a stand alone. No SERIES’! 6. Tag me in the A/N and use #Rose500challenge. 7. If the fic is over 1000 words, use the Keep Reading option. 8. Warn accordingly. 9. Fics must be posted by JUNE 1st! The Masterlist will be posted by June fifth so any fic posted after June 1st will NOT be added. 10. Fics will be reblogged as they are posted. 11. You can use any number of lyrics in the writing or just base the fic off the context of the song. Either option is fine. 12. Add song name in description so we know which song you’ve based your fic off of.

If you follow all the rules, you’re golden and will be reblogged/added to the masterlist. If not, you won’t. I really hope you guys participate and have fun with this!

Songs are under the cut! I’ll also be tagging a few people I think will want to participate. If you don’t want to, just ignore it then. Love y’all and happy writing!

1. Believer- Imagine Dragons @frejahertziswritingthistime 2.Take Me Down- The Pretty Reckless 3. Hero of The Day- Metallica 4. Back in Black- AC/DC 5. Highway to Hell- AC/DC 6.Stairway to Heaven- Led Zeppelin 7. Going Under- Evanescence 8. Simple Man- Lynyrd Skynyrd 9. Carry on My Wayward Son- Kansas 10. Going to Hell- The Pretty Reckless 11. Screaming in the Night- Krokus 12. The Story In Your Eyes- The Moody Blues 13. Hooked on a Feeling- Blue Swede @fk12b 14. Fooled Around and Fell in Love- Elvin Bishop 15. Zombie- The Cranberries 16. Wanted Dead or Alive- Bon Jovi @just-a-supernatural-sister 17. Water’s Edge- Seven Mary Three 18. Tuesday’s Gone- Lynyrd Skynyrd @keepcalmimthecupcake 19. Prison Grove- Warren Zevon 20. Thunderstruck- AC/DC 21. Dreams- The Cranberries 22. Eye of the Tiger- Survivor 23. Don’t Stop Believin”- Journey 24. Heat of the Moment- Asia @fk12b 25. You Shook Me All Night Long- AC/DC 26. Iris- The Goo Goo Dolls 27. The Impression That I Get- The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 28. Here Without You- 3 Doors Down @waywardbaby 29. Kryptonite- 3 Doors Down 30. Enter Sandman- Metallica 31. Blurry- Puddle of Mud 32. Outside- Staind 33. The Change- Evanescence 34. Let Go- Frou Frou 35. Heathens- Twenty One Pilots 36. Demons- Imagine Dragons @hahahahahangst  37. Control- Halsey 38. Gasoline- Halsey 39. Crystal- Stevie Nicks 40. Landslide- Fleetwood Mac 41. Numb- Linkin Park @waywardnerd67 42. Nothing Else Matters- Metallica 43. Don’t like my taste in music? Send me an ask with your choice and maybe we could work something out:) - Bad at Love- Halsey @lifelovelaughangell123 -Right Here- Ashes Remain @sherlockstolemyname

Tagging: @carryonmywaywardcaptain @anotherwaywardsister @supernatural-jackles @thebikiniinspector @jennalyncarrigan1230 @ain-t-bovvered @fk12b @squirrel-moose-winchester 

[azlyrics85]

Dylan, Springsteen, Joni, Petty, More And Their Best Song Lyrics And The Greatest Rock Song Lyrics Of All Time

How do you pay attention song? Do you hear tune or lyrics first? both are vital glaringly for a amazing track. but for plenty humans, there is some thing about a notable line, approximately that lyric that speaks to them. AZlyrics

For me, who studied literature and writing in school, it is always been lyrics first. And others absolutely sense the same as the sector is filled with fanatics who tattoo their favourite song lyrics. Hell, I posted the question of preferred tune lyric on social media and got 60 something responses at last remember. but what is the best music lyric ever? That perfect line that dazzles, makes you cry or swoon or shake your head in disbelief? all the proper giants of songwriting have at least one signature line and in the case of the top of songwriters selecting best one line is an not possible project. As a person who studied phrases and who has interviewed tremendous songwriters from Paul Simon, Pete Townshend and Jackson Browne to Patti Smith and Dolly Parton, I decided to address the Herculean challenge of selecting the best strains from the best songwriters as well as the best lyric and best lyricsal tune of all time. For this listing I caught solely to the rock genre and sure, there are a number of notable songwriters omitted. I recognise, but I stand via this list of songs from 21 brilliant songwriters. And for a laugh I threw in some of the solutions from different people. study on for the excellent strains and the fine lyric and the greatest lyrical tune of all time. Joseph Arthur, "within the sun"(best line) Sunday verbal exchange: Alice Cooper is going back To His Detroit Roots On New Album Sunday verbal exchange: Stevie Nicks On Why Her New single turned into A Premonition, John Lennon And extra Neil Patrick Harris On His Partnership With Baileys Deliciously mild, ‘It’s A Sin’ And incredible Powers "I realize i would make an apology if I ought to see your eyes/purpose, you understand, whilst you showed me myself, I have become someone else" The exceptional relationships — whether friends, romantic, running or even that fleeting one night hold — trade us, make us better, make us develop. And in two lines Arthur summed up that as profoundly as Shakespeare himself may want to have. "while you confirmed me myself, I have become a person else." in case you were studying that line in a book or a poem you'll forestall lifeless to your tracks in awe. right here it is part of a perfect tune, a tune so properly, Michael Stipe, on my own, and with Chris Martin, and Peter Gabriel have blanketed it. "within the solar," which i'd also argue no longer simplest has the first-rate lyric, but is arguably the best rock music of the twenty-first century, rings a bell in my memory a notable deal of Lou Reed's "best Day" and Reed and the Velvet Underground's "faded Blue Eyes." similar to the ones  masterpieces do, "within the solar" tells a vivid tale that feels as just like a short film as it does a song. in the course of the track they delivery you into any other global.  If you could sum up the whole of human life in a couplet it makes for the finest tune lyric of all time. Tom Waits, "Take It With Me" "it is were given to be greater than flesh and bone/All that you've loved is all that you own" My preference for the best music from the finest songwriter, "Take It With Me" is, like Arthur's "within the solar," a tune so effective it basically sums up all of human life in 5 mins. This meditation on existence is so entire it could be played at both weddings or funerals and be equally applicable and transferring. And this line, which Waits credit in an interview to his spouse and co-author Kathleen Brennan, is the heart and soul of this best song. Paul Westerberg, "matters" "things i might by no means inform you, down the line someday/you may be a tune I sing, a element I supply away" The Replacements, "unfortunately lovely" "infant needs a today's set of eyes/cause the ones you purchased now see most effective goodbye" To me, Westerberg delivers that wow issue as lots as any songwriter. the line from "matters" is a notable summation on the complete artistic method, that every courting and interplay is in the long run fodder for the artist. And within the context of the complete track, a laundry list of things in the relationship, like, "things i am certain to tell you/Like that dress appears super on you/I could use some breathing room/however i'm still in love with you," the line approximately being a thing I provide away is even more magnificent. And the Replacements line simply speaks for itself. AZlyrics Maria McKee, "My Girlhood the various Outlaws" "So right here we are, and i do not know what we call it/cause love is any such funny promise/dedication is impossible, all the time is a lie/that still leaves you and i" the former vocalist for Lone Justice became solo artist, Mckee is, to me, as underrated as any artist we have visible in the ultimate 30 years. And that is a reminder why. now not best is she one of the high-quality voices in rock, an artist so proficient a singer she worked and toured with the likes of Bob Dylan, U2, Robbie Robertson and Tom Petty, she is a notable songwriter. this is my favored McKee line, however check out "Panic seaside, "nobody's infant," "to miss someone" and Lone Justice's "Wheels" for more of her tremendous songwriting. John Lennon, "lovely Boy (Darling Boy)" "existence is what happens to you even as you are busy making other plans" From "In My lifestyles" to "Love" and "God," no songwriter ever captured the profound simplicity of life more eloquently and without a doubt than John Lennon. he is the master at taking the word all people thinks, "Why didn't I write that?" and actually bringing it to life. All of "believe" appears like a children's story almost, but simplest Lennon concept to jot down "imagine all the people residing existence in peace." but that is the brilliance of Lennon, he makes the genius look so smooth you sense like you could do it too. but there has been most effective one John Lennon ever. And this "looking The Wheels" line is profound, smart, philosophical, approachable, available, clever and shifting. In quick it's miles the whole lot that makes Lennon in the pinnacle 5 songwriters of all time.   hole, "Gutless" "I don't definitely miss god/however I certain omit Santa Claus" Come on, is there a better line to encapsulate misplaced innocence and the yearning for the sensation of childhood? Nope, now not that i'm able to think of. Tom Petty, "Crawling back To You" "i am so uninterested in being tired/sure as night will comply with day/most matters I fear about/in no way appear besides" Tom Petty elderly as gracefully in his songwriting as any artist. simply have a look at the beauty and beauty of songs like "The excellent Of the whole lot" and the name tune to "Wildflowers." but this specific line, from my favorite Petty music of all time, shows the information he gained with age. this is a philosophy and mantra for life. Joni Mitchell, "A Case Of You" "Oh, i am a lonely painter/I stay in a field of paints/i am fearful through the satan/And i am drawn to the ones ones that aren't afraid" Like fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen, Mitchell is a real poet, one whose words can stand on their own apart from the song. The entire Blue album stands as one of the two best singer/songwriter albums of all time, subsequent to Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. And any tune from Blue must be required in any grasp class on songwriting. not to mention though it is clean now to take without any consideration the brilliance of "both sides Now" due to the fact we have lived with it for greater than 50 years, that is one of those songs, like "Blowing in the Wind" and "imagine" that we ought to don't forget a person nevertheless needed to write it. even though it appears like it is now part of the universe, Mitchell nevertheless needed to sit down and write it. So choosing one Mitchell line or tune might seem an impossible project, however if you take a look at all of the artists which have protected "A Case Of You" it just shows what a great track that is and why i'd argue it's far the second one great written song of all time. Bob Dylan, "if you See Her Say howdy" "And although our separation/It pierced me to the heart/She still lives interior of me/we've in no way been apart" "not darkish but" "I ain't search for not anything in every person's eyes/every so often my burden is extra than i'm able to bear" Of path volumes may be written at the lyrics of Dylan, the most effective songwriter to ever win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Even paring the alternatives down to lyrics is like pulling a sword from a stone. but these , written more than two decades apart, show Dylan at his first-class. the first, from 1975's masterful Blood at the Tracks series, is excellent for the vulnerability and openness it conveys. though the complete record is characterized by that honesty, however in no way extra so than on the achingly lovely love letter, "if you See Her, Say whats up." And the second one, from 1997's Grammy-triumphing time out Of mind, is feature of the magnificence of day trip Of thoughts, one of the greatest albums ever about growing old and mortality. Fleetwood Mac, "Landslide" "however time makes you bolder/kids become old/And i'm getting old too" occasionally a cliche is a cliche for a reason. If a tune is ideal sufficient for both the Chicks and the Smashing Pumpkins to cowl, there is probably a motive why. "Landslide" is on that brief listing of ideal songs. And this iconic chorus from one of the most beautiful rock songs ever written is beautiful, timeless and immediately identifiable.   Jackson Browne, "That lady ought to Sing" "She coulda became out to be nearly all and sundry, almost anybody/With the feasible exception of who I wanted her to be" there are so many selections from Browne, who many considered, with James Taylor, the dean of the '70s singer/songwriter movement. And there are actually a dozen alternatives simply from the seminal late For The Sky album. however something approximately this tune, and this line, specifically have usually resonated so deeply with me. The pleasant songwriting is popular and in writing a private tale, Browne stocks a feeling of longing and emptiness that everyone of their life has felt at some point. Afghan Whigs, "What jail Is Like" "Infatuated with a lunatic and cornered through the muse" although maximum of the Afghan Whigs exceptional gentlemen album is characterised by way of the brutal candor of frontman Greg Dulli's lyrics, maximum of which have been improvised in the studio he as soon as advised me, the genius wordplay of this phrase just stands out. Billy Joel, "Honesty" "when i'm deep inside of me/don't be too involved/I might not ask for nothin' at the same time as i'm gone" Billy Joel is in both the Rock And Roll and Songwriter's hall Of fame and he's still underrated as a songwriter. As i have written approximately earlier than with Joel because of his pop achievement he isn't idea of within the same pantheon as the fantastic American songwriters. however quick of maybe Dylan, Paul Simon and some others, Joel's catalogue ranks proper alongside any American tunesmith. And this line, from one among his greatest songs, has usually stuck with me for its rawness. The national, "gradual show" "I leaned on the wall and the wall leaned away" countrywide frontman Matt Berninger has taken the mantle as the most literate lyricist in tune the previous few years. creative and smart wordplay like this suggests why. Neil younger, "Powderfinger" "consider me as one you'd in no way figured" certain, young has extra famous lyrics, none extra so than "it is higher to burn out than fade away" from "good day howdy, My My." but has any creator ever crafted a greater perfectly autobiographical line than considered one of rock's best rebels? younger has observed his personal policies his entire career and he tells us on this best line, intentionally or no longer, this is who he's.   Paul Simon, "An American song" "I do not know a soul who's now not been battered/don't have a pal who feels comfy/don't know a dream it really is not been shattered/Or driven to its knees" If Dylan is the consensus greatest American songwriter, Paul Simon is a totally near second. The body of work and the flexibility is outstanding. There were some of songs I should have selected, as Don Henley, himself one of the first rate American songwriters, as soon as informed me "The Boxer" changed into the tune he needed he ought to have written. however the easy beauty of this music and the profound message that is as relevant almost 50 years later make it so unique. Bruce Springsteen, "Downbound educate" "Now I paintings down at the carwash wherein all it ever does is rain" "Johnny ninety nine" "And if you can take a man's lifestyles for the mind it really is in his head/Then may not you take a seat returned in that chair and suppose it over choose one more time?/And permit 'em shave off my hair and positioned me on that execution line" firstly I desired to go along with "Is a dream a lie if it do not come actual/Or is it something worse" from "The River." however, as a author all you could do is observe that "Downbound educate" line and shake your head in admiration and jealousy. that is extraordinary literature. As a writer you study that and pass, "rattling, how did he provide you with that?" And the hole line of that "Johnny ninety nine" passage is equally brilliant in its personal way.   Carole King, "it is Too overdue" AZlyrics "It was once so clean dwelling here with you/You have been light and breezy and i knew simply what to do/Now you look so sad and that i sense like a fool" it's humorous due to the fact on King's seminal Tapestry album, on "to this point Away," she wrote, "One extra tune approximately movin' along the highway/cannot say much of something that's new." but "it is Too overdue" is a breakup music, perhaps even more cliche than the lifestyles at the motorway track. however King does it perfectly. From pinnacle to bottom this song does an top notch job of detailing the stop of a courting. it's painful and beautiful and as properly a breakup tune as any there has ever been. Warren Zevon, "accidentally Like A Martyr" "by no means thought i would ever be so lonely/After this type of lengthy, long time/day trip of mind" any other of the most underrated songwriters of all time, Zevon was loved and revered by means of a few of the better-acknowledged names in this list, together with his buddies Browne, Springsteen and Dylan. From the humor of "Werewolves Of London" and "Excitable Boy" to the aching beauty of this music, Zevon may want to do all of it. And this line receives the nod for inspiring the Dylan album name, day trip Of thoughts. whilst you inspire Dylan this is special. Smashing Pumpkins, "Muzzle" "My existence has been terrific/Blessed and cursed and gained" Of the opportunity-generation songwriters, Billy Corgan is in a position to talk the ones commonplace truths better than all and sundry to me. And this couplet, one of many that could have been selected from the incredible lyrics of the Pumpkins' Melon Collie And The countless disappointment, has a unique resonance and splendor for me. Leonard Cohen, "Hallelujah" (exceptional written tune ever) "properly, perhaps there is a God above/As for me all i have ever learned from love/Is a way to shoot anyone who outdrew you/but it is no longer a cry that you hear at night time/it is now not some pilgrim who claims to have visible the light/No, it's a cold and it's a very damaged Hallelujah" You actually should choose any line from this music and there would be no argument. And this is why, to me, this is the greatest written tune inside the rock generation. Is it the greatest music of all time? maybe, perhaps now not. however strictly from a writing standpoint there's no greater literate, poetic, beautiful or haunting track from begin to complete than Cohen's "Hallelujah." this is pure poetry or even if Cohen isn't the finest songwriter of all time or the most effective musician to win the Nobel Prize for Literature he is taking the prize for the best lyrical music of all time. From others: Foo warring parties, "My Hero" "he's my hero, he is ordinary" hollow, "movie star skin" "it's too early for that dress" Lumineers, "Angela" "whilst you left this town with the home windows down and the desert inside." Fall Out Boy, "Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes," "Pitching myself for leads in different humans’s goals” Warren Zevon, "Desperadoes beneath The Eaves" "i was sitting inside the Hollywood Hawaiian inn/i used to be being attentive to the air conditioner hum/It went mm, mm, mm, mm" Leonard Cohen, "Anthem" "forget about your perfect offering. there may be a crack in everything .it's how the light gets in." Simon & Garfunkel, "the us" "i'm empty and aching and that i don't know whyy" Ani DiFranco, "Dilate" “So i will stroll the plank/And i will bounce with a grin/If i am gonna cross down i'm gonna do it with fashion/and also you may not see me give up, you won't pay attention me confess 'cuz you've left me with not anything/however i've labored with much less” seaside Boys, "desirable Vibrations" "I do not know where, but she sends me there" Bob Dylan, "tangled up In Blue" "all of the human beings we used to realize, they are an phantasm to me now/a few are mathematicians, a few are carpenters wives, don’t recognize the way it all got started out/I don’t know what they do with their lives/but me, I’m still on the street heading for every other joint/We continually did experience the identical we just saw it from a one-of-a-kind factor of view.” Rolling Stones, "Wild Horses," "religion has been broken/Tears ought to be cried/allow's do some living/after we die” Leonard Cohen, "Suzanne" "And you already know that you can believe her / For she's touched your best frame with her thoughts" R.E.M. "do not move returned To Rockville" “Going where nobody says hiya, they do not talk to every body they don't know…” Glen Campbell, "Wichita Lineman" “and i want you greater than want you, and i want you all the time.” The Who, "cut My Hair" "Why do I have to pass with a crowd/of youngsters that hardly ever word i'm around/I work myself to loss of life just to healthy in" Beatles, "Golden Slumbers" "And in the long run, the love you take is same to the affection you're making" The Hollies, "He Ain't Heavy, he's My Brother" "however i'm sturdy/robust enough to hold him/He ain't heavy, he's my brother" Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone" "you are invisible now, you got no secrets and techniques to hide" David Bowie, "existence In Mars" "Sailors fighting in the dance hall/Oh guy, observe those cavemen cross/it's the freakiest show/test the lawman/Beating up the wrong man/Oh man, marvel if he will ever know/he is inside the nice promoting show/Is there life on Mars?" The Who, "in the back of Blue Eyes" "but my goals they are not as empty/As my conscience seems to be/i've hours, only lonely/My love is vengeance/that's never free" AZlyrics

[thisaintascenereviews]

A Conversation About The State Of Rock & Roll

By Bradley Christensen & Jake Higgins

An article published by Genius last year talked about how rock music is on its way out, and how hip-hop is essentially taking over. For the first time, rap music has eclipsed rock music as being the most popular style of music, and a lot of “tr00 rawk fans,” which are what I call the elitists and purists of rock music that only listen to music that features your standard guitar, bass, and drums setup, got angry, because their precious rock music was being eclipsed over hip-hop. Even before that article was published, rock music has been on the decline for many years now, but are most people shocked by that? I’ve gotten more into heavy metal over the last few years, and I’ve noticed how much different rock and heavy metal are from each other. Not even in terms of how they sound, but in terms of their popularity and relevance. Heavy metal, despite being a more underground style of music that not many people are familiar with (at least outside a handful of really popular bands), has many different sub-genres, styles, and sounds to it. With the state of modern rock music, there isn’t that much variety, and as I’ll get into later on, because that’s one of my biggest issues with rock music as a whole, a lot of bands within the rock scene are starting to blend together into a homogenous pool of the same vocal melodies, riffs, and overall ideas. It’s just not exciting or interesting, and that’s coming from someone that loves rock music from the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and even a bit of the 1990s. It was around the turn of the millennium that rock music started declining, but I’ve wondered why that is. The state of rock music in 2018 has been on my mind recently for a couple of reasons, because I’ve noticed bands going into two different directions.

The rock bands that are capturing my attention, especially from the newer wave of bands, are ones that look back to the past. These are bands like Greta Van Fleet, The Record Company, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Struts, Rival Sons, and The Revivalists, among others, but these bands are all notable for reminding me a lot of bands from yesteryear, such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Eagles, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and bands that are incredibly influential, timeless, and classic for the right reasons. That’s why it’s odd to me that what’s actually popular are bands like Theory Of A Dead Man, Nothing More, Five Finger Death Punch, Nickelback, and all of these other garbage “butt-rock” bands. The crowning jewel of that is the new Three Days Grace single, “I Am An Outsider.” That just came out, and spoiler alert: it’s one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. I never thought they’d be able to get even worse, especially since TDG used to be a very well-loved and respected band in the genre, but here we are. I was planning on talking about this song, as well as the state of rock music, on my own, because I’ve been into a lot of bands that need to be more talked about, but I remembered the conversation that I put out with my best friend Jake, where we discussed the new Fall Out Boy album at great lengths, so he offered to do something very similar with me again. I couldn’t say “no,” because he’s the resident modern rock expert, and I’m the resident “classic rock” expect, so I thought it would be neat to talk about the state of rock music, because there are rock bands coming out of the woodwork that really appeal to me, especially as a fan of bands from the past.

Bradley: Aye (again) bbygurl! <3 It’s really cool that we’re doing this yet again, because I had a blast the first time we did this about a month ago, give or take. For those of you that are unaware, Jake and I did this when we talked about Fall Out Boy’s latest LP, M A N I A. We had a conversation that talked about our history with the band, as well as our own friendship, and how that all ties in with M A N I A. Anyway, it was incredibly fitting that we did that with Fall Out Boy, because they’re the band that brought us together, but I wanted to talk about rock music as a whole. Before we dive into that, though, what are your experiences with rock music? You pretty much grew up on rock music, and that’s what you mainly listened to before we met, so what got you into the genre all those years ago?

Jake: Aye again, bbygurl! <3 Thanks for bringing me back for another one of these, because I loved our deep-dive on Fall Out Boy and M A N I A. Anyway, for this topic, let's take the readers back to 2006-2007. I was in a pretty transitional period in my life, mainly due to moving and having to uproot my entire home life. It wasn't easy for me, so I found myself gravitating towards music that reflected my feelings. I was also at the perfect age where I was starting to branch off into my own music tastes, so it really was a perfect storm. My first favorite band was, almost obviously, Linkin Park. I loved their mix of aggressive music and angsty lyrics, because that's just what I needed. Then, I heard Three Days Grace's One-X, and that's what really hooked me. I loved vocalist Adam Gontier, and his lyrics hit me on a really deep level. To this day, it's my favorite album of all time, and I still feel the same way I do now when I first heard it all those years ago. Naturally, I decided to explore similar bands such as Breaking Benjamin, Seether, and the like. They all have their unique elements, but generally, they're all under the same banner. Until I met you in late 2012, this is pretty much all I ever listened to, mainly because I was perfectly content with that. Six years later, however, I'm sort of at a crossroads with the genre. I'll explore that more as we get further into this discussion, but for now, let's turn it back over to you. When you first met me, what did you make of the music I was into, and specifically, when you gave One-X a try for the first time, that being my favorite album of all time, what were your thoughts on that as well as the genre in general?

Bradley: Of course, bbygurl, I had to bring you back on board for this, especially since we both have been thinking about writing something on the current state of rock music, so it was only natural to have another conversation pieces on it, but I digress. When we first met, almost six years ago now, our music tastes were awfully different, because there was a lot that I didn’t listen to. I was mainly into pop-punk, indie-rock, metalcore, post-hardcore, and some pop, “classic rock,” and things like that. I definitely knew who all of those bands were, but it wasn’t my scene. That’s why I ended up listening to One-X, because it was (and still is) your favorite album of all time, so I thought it was only fair to listen to that, considering that we met because of my favorite album (Infinity On High by Fall Out Boy). One-X is a great first introduction to this style of music, because it does everything right within the confines of the genre. I was awfully positive on the album when I first heard it, and I still enjoy it today, although I don’t listen to it much at all. When it comes to hard-rock itself, my thoughts are pretty mixed on it, and I think that’s partly because our favorite kinds of “rock music” are quite different. While you’re into bands like Breaking Benjamin, Seether, Chevelle, and Three Days Grace, I’m more into Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles, and plenty of bands like that. Even when we first met, I was awfully mixed on hard-rock. I hadn’t really listened to anything that caught my attention, and that heavier style of rock just didn’t appeal to me. I can’t say that it really appeals to me today, either, minus a handful of bands.

Listening to One-X did eventually help me to get into Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin, and Shinedown, so there are some bands I really like, but a lot of bands are boring, formulaic, and generic beyond belief. A lot of bands, both back then and today, follow a very strict set of rules and limitations. There’s a very set formula to a lot of these bands. That’s not a bad thing in itself, because if you like that formula, you’ll like a lot of these bands, as well as this genre (and I’m sure that’s why you connected to it). To be fair, and in defense of some of these bands, the formula can work really well. The bands that I listed are ones that have perfected that formula, or they’re some of the rare unique acts in the genre, but I’m getting off track, as well as ahead of myself, because we’ve got quite a lot to cover within this piece. You mentioned that you were at a crossroads with the genre, so I think we should talk about that before we talk about anything else. What do you mean that you’re at a crossroads with this genre? When did you realize that you were even at a crossroads with it? Was there a certain band / album that you listened to that made you realize that?

Jake: Well, I'm just gonna cut to the chase; listening to Nothing More's self-titled, debut album a couple years ago nearly broke me. When that album came out, Nothing More was the hot band in the scene, and because I was already itching for new and exciting bands in the scene, that was an album I had to check out. I know you had heard it before I did, and you weren't into it much at all, but I still had to give it a shot. Well, that was an utter shitshow, wasn't it? That album is still one of the most cynical and just plain awful attempt at refreshing the genre, so after looking for so long for something beyond the reliable veterans, I was about ready to call it quits.

Bradley: The reason I asked that, bbygurl, is because I was pretty sure that you’d bring up Nothing More, because they’re a perfect example of one of the biggest problems with the genre. I got a download from a buddy of mine years ago, because he thought I’d be into them, and this was before they release the physical copy of their self-titled LP. I knew it was pretentious garbage before I realized where the state of modern rock music was going, and looking back at it in retrospect, I could totally see why you were so annoyed and disgusted with it. I have two major issues with rock music, and using Nothing More as a jumping off point, I wanted to briefly discuss them. The major issue I have with the genre is how generic, repetitive, and bland it is. Bands don’t want to adapt to the vast music landscape today (we talked about Fall Out Boy in our last conversation, and they’re not a hard-rock band, but they’re a perfect example of a band that’s managed to stay relevant by adapting to music), and as a result, their music is lifeless, boring, forgettable, and run of the mill. I mean, look at Three Days Grace’s newest single, the title track to their upcoming LP, I Am An Outsider. God, that title makes me cringe, because it sounds like a 12-year-old emo kid wrote that, but the song is even worse. I bet that’s still gotta hurt for you, because One-X is such a powerful record for you, bbygurl. That’s another discussion for another day, but that song is the epitome of how bland and lifeless the genre has become over time. Nothing More, if you want to look at the opposite extreme, is a band that tries to overcompensate by being overly experimental, weird, and unique, only for that to come off pretentious, preachy, and arrogant. My personal favorite hard-rock band is Chevelle, and they’re a band that you turned me onto, actually, but they’re one of the more unique bands out there. Does that about cover it, bbygurl, or is there anything that you’d like to add?

Jake: Nothing More is the poster child for my frustrations with the newer crop of bands and how they either refuse to change at all or they just try way too hard, but let's go back to Three Days Grace for a second. One-X is my favorite album of all time, but 2015's Human, their first with current vocalist Matt Walst, was the ultimate kick in the gut, and is my least favorite album of all time. Pretty crazy, right? We reviewed that album together, and you know how angry that thing made me. I won't retread that entire review, but basically, that was a case of a band trashing their past while trying so desperately trying to pander to the fanbase all at once. The results were utterly awful, but somehow, this new song "I Am An Outsider" is even worse. The song has what might be the most laughable choruses I've heard in a long while. You're right, it sounds like a 12 year-old wrote this in his diary. The sound itself? Even more lifeless and generic than even Human was. That album is gonna be terrible, for sure, but let's come back to the bigger picture. I'm at a crossroads with the genre because so many bands fall into the Nothing More camp or the Three Days Grace camp, and I can only really rely on my favorite veterans. That's why I loved 10 Years' new album last year; their was no bullshit, just a great band doing their thing. But even then, I feel like if a genre is going to survive, we need more than solid albums from veteran bands. We need new things, or at least fresh spins on tried and true sounds.

Bradley: I definitely remember reviewing Human together, bbygurl, and that was an unpleasant piece of trash. It’s unfortunate that a band so great fell that hard from grace, but that’s why I said that’s another discussion for another day. Hell, if you really think about it, Three Days Grace is a totally different band now. Aside from the context of the song, as well as the band itself, “I Am An Outsider” showcases one extreme of how bad the genre has gotten. Nothing More is on the other end of the spectrum by acting like they’re better than everyone else, whether it’s by trying to seem deep with their lyrics (one example I always give is “Mr. MTV,” the song where they talk about how awful MTV is, because no one knows that already, right?), or how experimental and pretentious they are with the music itself. Remember their newest one and how that was just a bunch of senseless noise? I really didn’t like that album at all. It was easily one of the worst of the year for me. It’s funny that you say that we need new things, or at the very least, fresh spins on tried and true sounds, because that’s what I’ve noticed. Remember a couple of years ago when I discovered Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats? I almost thought they were a fluke, because they’re a band that mixes a lot of styles from the 1960s, whether it’s rockabilly, rock and roll, blues, soul, and folk. They’re a band that plays much more to a retro sound than every other band out there. What’s cool, too, is that they’re signed to Stax Records, which is one of the oldest labels in existence, but it’s a label that was very popular during the 1960s and 1970s for soul music, especially down south, but that’s besides the point.

For a long time, I thought that they were the only band of their kind (I mean, you have a band like The Gaslight Anthem, too, who are very much influenced by Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty), but lately, I’ve been discovering bands left and right that have very retro influences. Bands like Greta Van Fleet, The Record Company, Rival Sons, Red Sky Mary, Scorpion Child, Goodbye June, and The Temperance Movement, just to name a bunch of bands, are popping up and amassing a good amount of buzz in the rock scene. I think this is what rock needs, bbygurl. Rock, as a whole, has become so distant, out of touch, and disoriented from music itself that it’s no wonder why people don’t care about it as much anymore. I mentioned that article from Genius in the beginning of this piece, and I remember when it came out, because a ton of “tr00 rawk” fans got angry over it, because it dared to suggest that their precious guitars and stuff aren’t relevant anymore, or at the very least, aren’t as relevant as they used to be. In order for people to care about rock music again, whether it’s the mainstream or diehard fans like yourself that want something new, I think rock needs to go back to its roots, so to speak. All the bands I mentioned, plus many more, are being influenced by the 1970s blues-rock / hard-rock, minus a couple of exceptions that are more influenced by glam-rock / power-pop, and that’s a time when rock music really flourished. These bands just might make people realize what made rock so great in the first place. That’s what they do for me, honestly, because they sound like classic bands that I love. What do you think, bbygurl? I know you’re not a “classic rock” kinda guy, even though I’ve been trying to get you onto certain bands / artists for a long time now, but what are your thoughts on that?

Jake: You know, I actually find it super fascinating that a lot of these bands coming up the ranks of the rock scene are looking to the past for inspiration, because at first glance, this wouldn't seem like a viable option. Look at Fall Out Boy and how they continue to push the envelope with more modern sounds, and it's done super well for them. Clearly, people want to see bands grow and evolve with the times, so it's interesting that most other rock bands don't wanna go there, but I think I get why. Rock music, especially in its more modern iteration, has always had a bit of an underdog mentality. I'm not sure if you could relate to this, but for me, I often felt like a little bit of an outsider in high school because I wasn't listening to the most popular stuff like hip-hop or pop music.

So, I think the unwillingness to accept change from a fan perspective comes from feeling the need to hold onto this thing that always felt like it was exclusively yours. You don't want these people coming in and stepping on your sacred ground, so to speak. Eventually, though, you grow up and realize how immature that mentality, but sadly, so many bands just haven't grown up. So, what makes this crop of bands so fascinating is how they just don't seem to care about any of that outside stuff, and I think it's because, like you say, they're playing with sounds that really are timeless. For me, personally, it's very much a new world for me, but because I want so badly for this genre to succeed, mainstream or otherwise, I feel like I really need to champion these bands. They're easily the most exciting thing I've heard about in a long while.

I guess my next question is, why do you think this is happening, and how well do you think it can actually do?

Bradley: What’s interesting is that I’ve seen a small select rock bands over the last five years, give or take, that have some influences in the past, but they’re not the kind of rock music that would essentially be viable. One band that I championed for years ago was Temples, especially their debut LP, Sun Structures. I didn’t care for their newest album as much, but their debut is amazing. It’s a slice of 1960s psychedelic-rock that fans of The Beatles or The Zombies would absolutely love, but that’s the thing. This style of rock isn’t viable or accessible in the mainstream. Fall Out Boy remains one of the most important and successful rock bands, because they know what people want, and they know how to make a catchy, accessible, and ear-worming tune. That’s what vocalist Patrick Stump is very good at. I don’t think most rock bands would ever dare going pop, and it’s because of that underdog mentality that you bring up, since you see what happens when rock bands dare to go pop. Fans are outraged, and that’s when they throw out the idea of the band “selling out.” I wrote a whole piece on why Fall Out Boy never sold out, but that’s besides the point. That’s why people get so angry over bands changing their sound, getting more popular, and reaching a bigger audience.

You bet I can relate to that, bbygurl, because I used to listen to metalcore, post-hardcore, and “emo” music during my high school years. Just as the “rock kids” were ostracized during their high school years, the emo / scene kids were, too. I don’t feel like any sort of genre, sound, or band is “mine” anymore, because I listen to so many kinds of music, so I’m all for artists and bands experimenting and doing something new with each release, but I understand that mentality. That doesn’t mean I like it when fans act incredibly entitled, as well as the bands themselves, but that’s another discussion for another day, since that’s not what this is about. You could make an argument, however, that bands being so reluctant to change is part of why rock is dying, since that’s essentially what I said earlier, but I digress. Like I’ve said earlier on, too, I’m a classic rock guy, so I recognize the eras, sounds, and bands that these newer bands are being influenced by, but this is a whole new world for someone like yourself that has only merely dipped his toes into the classic side of rock music. I’ll go out on a limb and say this whole “resurgence” is happening, because there are a lot of older kids / young adults (right around our age, I’d say, early to mid 20s) that were raised on “classic rock” by their parents, and they want to make a difference within the world of music. A lot of musicians might also have the same mentality that we do, at least in the sense that rock music needs some kind of “wake-up call,” so what better idea than to look to the past?

In regards to this resurgence catching on, let alone sticking around, I feel as though it’s going to a bit slow to start off. Some of these bands have been around for years, such as Rival Sons, but a lot of these bands are very, very new. They’ve only released an album or two, and some haven’t even released a proper full-length yet (Greta Van Fleet have only released an EP, and a double EP that features that EP, plus four more songs, for a good example as to what I mean), so when these bands start to build their catalogues, that’s when I think that more people might start noticing. It all depends on how well these bands and labels can market to fans, too. It all starts within the rock scene, so the biggest question is whether or not these bands could appeal to a “tr00 rawk” audience. If and when that happens, it would be a matter of time before these bands start to cross over. I can totally see a band like Greta Van Fleet crossing over in some respect, since their sound is essentially a modern day Led Zeppelin. That’s another thing, too, that I wanted to briefly bring up. A lot of rock fans are middle-aged and older, since they grew up between the 1960s and 1980s, so they remember a lot of classic bands, albums, and songs much more fondly than kids today. That’s an audience that these bands and labels should try to tap into, too, because those are also fans that don’t really like how rock music has been sounding in the last twenty years. This is similar to stuff that they remember from back in that time period, so if these bands can make a plea to older fans, as well as appeal to younger fans that want something new and exciting (whether they’re familiar with “classic rock” or not), that’s when I think these bands can really make a push.

Jake: You know, that's actually a great point. We often think about music fans in terms of teenagers and people our age, and not so much people in their 30s or 40s. Often, people who hit that age tend to be set in what they like, and that's totally okay. But, using Greta Van Fleet as an example, there's a lot of great potential to tap into something that could bring both sides together. You have the middle-aged fans who love that sort of sound already, and you have people our age who are always tapped in to new music. I think that could be what leads to these bands having some staying power.

Bradley: That’s the brilliance of a band like Greta Van Fleet, I think, because their sound isn’t necessarily modern, but it invokes a lot of comparisons to Led Zeppelin, since that’s basically the band they sound like (they definitely have a modern flair to their sound that makes it sound like Led Zeppelin traveled through time, though, and I really like that). I can see older people, whether they’re in their 30s, or they’re in their 60s, latching onto a band like this, because they can say, “Oh, hey, that sounds like Led Zeppelin, and I really like them!” Older people are definitely set in stone with what they like, and there comes a time when they don’t really venture out for newer music, but I feel like this new crop of rock bands could be what brings both younger fans that are tuned into newer bands, like you mentioned, and older fans that were around during the “golden age” of rock music, since they love plenty of bands that sound like these newer acts. It just depends on how well these bands and labels are able to market themselves, or at the very least, we need a few bands that can spearhead this movement. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats has a new album coming out in a few weeks, and you best believe I’m extremely excited for that record, but that’s a band that could easily bring this type of rock music even more success than it’s already had. Greta Van Fleet is another one, too, especially since their buzz is bubbling up. They haven’t released a debut album yet (although their most recent release is 32 minutes), so when they release a debut LP, I feel like they’ll be able to get a bigger audience. I’ve been doing some research, trying to find more bands in that vein, and I keep seeing Greta Van Fleet, in particular, on a lot of “bands to watch in 2018” articles, because a lot of people are getting the same idea. If we can have a few bands that spearhead this movement, they can break through the glass ceiling, so to speak, and that’s when this “resurgence” could really take off.

Jake: While I think all of this is very exciting, I do wonder what this means for the veterans of the era most people think of as rock music today. You know, the Breaking Benjamins and Chevelles of the world. Breaking Benjamin has a new album coming out in April that I'm extremely excited for, and I think it's gonna do really well, so I think we can have a world where both the veterans and these newer crop of bands can happily co-exist. I for one would love that, because I can have both Breaking Benjamin and Nathaniel Rateliff put out great albums that will cover both areas. What do you think about that, though? Can both types of bands co-exist, or will we see some of the old guard be pushed out?

Bradley: A lot of these newer bands are looking to the past, and if we’re going to be talking about whether or not these bands will break out, you have to look at how music was at the time, too. I’ll bet my money on some of the veterans of rock, at least within the crop of modern hard-rock bands, being pushed out, especially the lesser known and less successful bands, because history always repeats itself. The same goes for music history, too; 1980s new wave, disco, and pop music made a lot of the 1970s hard-rock, prog-rock, and funk music somewhat obsolete. Not that people didn’t like it, or there wasn’t a demand for it, but when new wave, disco, and pop music really started to take off, that’s what the mainstream wanted. During the late 70s, a band called Boston was going to release their debut LP in 1976, but their label thought that hard-rock music wasn’t going to sell that well, considering that disco’s popularity was in full-force. Well, that ended up being wrong, as Boston’s self-titled debut album is one of the best-selling albums of all time. What I’m trying to say is that, yeah, I think these two styles can coexist, but I do think a lot of the lesser known and more obscure bands will be pushed to the side. That’s what always happens. A genre might be very popular for any certain amount of time, but something else always comes around the corner to take its place, whether it’s because that original sound has run its course or something new and innovative came around. The latter, I’d like to believe, is what happened with new wave, because it was a sound that no one really heard before. That really took off, and because of that, guitar-based music was starting to lose its sheen. The veterans of rock definitely remained, because those bands already had the success to always remain relevant in some way, shape, or form, but a lot of newer bands and artists came out of the woodwork. That’s what I think will happen here, too; a handful of the reliable veterans will be sticking around, because they have the success and name recognition to always be in the limelight, but a lot of these lesser known bands will most likely swept under the rug.

Jake: You know what? I'm perfectly okay with that. I think for the genre to have the resurgence we're talking about, some of these bands need to be pushed out. I mean, do we really need Three Days Grace anymore? Not in their current form, anyway, but that's what I think will happen as well. Bands like Breaking Benjamin will still be able to do their thing and thrive, but we can't have the decaying corpse of a once-great band roaming around, so I'm all for a band like Greta Van Fleet or The Night Sweats coming in to take their place.

Bradley: That’s exactly what I think will happen, because that’s what happened many times over. Hell, look within rock music itself, if you want something more “domestic” than the pop takeover of the 1980s. Psychedelic-rock fell out of favor with the mainstream in the early 70s, and what took its place? Blues-rock and hard-rock. I mean, yeah, you can argue the foundation of heavy metal took its place, too, but strictly speaking within rock music, blues-rock, hard-rock, prog-rock, and glam-rock (mainly in the latter half of the 70s, thanks to Queen, Bowie, and artists like that getting really popular) dominated the charts for awhile. That’s what I mean about the lesser known and/or obscure bands being swept under the rug, so to speak, but even the bands that no one really cares about anymore will get that treatment, too. I’d say that Three Days Grace is a big name still, but they really aren’t. They went through a major lineup change that affected most peoples’ feelings on the band, so they lost a ton of fans during that shakeup. Bands like Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Chevelle, and all of these other bands are definitely going to be sticking around, I can’t imagine them disappearing any time soon, but I can see plenty of lesser known bands and the infamously awful ones being swept aside for these fresh faces.

With that said, the best way to close this piece out, at least for me, would be to talk about some rock bands that we’re really into, whether they’re veterans that have been around the block a few times, or newer acts that are merely in their infancy. I won’t be going into a lot of detail, because I’ll be posting a top eleven list of my favorite modern rock bands that I’ve been really into at the moment, but I wanted to highlight a couple that I’ve already talked about, as well as a couple that I haven’t talked about in this piece at all. I’ve mentioned Greta Van Fleet, a hard-rock / blues-rock band that sounds just like Led Zeppelin, and I’ve also mentioned Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, a band that mixes soul, blues, rockabilly, and folk music, but a couple of other bands that I’m really hyped on are The Record Company, a garage-rock / blues-rock trio that released a Grammy-nominated album a couple of years ago that no one really knows about, and Goodbye June, a blues-rock / southern-rock band that could appeal to both “tr00 rawk” fans and country / southern-rock fans. What about you, bbygurl? What are some bands that you’re really hyped up on?

Jake: This is actually kind of a difficult thing to pin down, because as we discussed, my side of the rock scene doesn't really have any buzz-worthy bands outside of the reliable favorites. I could go on and on about Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin, both bands who have new music coming out this year, or even other, slightly smaller bands, like Thousand Foot Krutch (their vocalist is supposed to be putting out a hip-hop project this year, actually), but I've been there, done that. Then, it finally hit me; Saint Asonia. They're a band made up of some of the most well-respected musicians in rock, namely ex-Three Days Grace vocalist Adam Gontier and Staind guitarist Mike Mushok, so the guys have been around the block, but the band as a whole is still relatively new. They put out their debut, self-titled album in 2015, and I loved it, but it was a fairly basic effort that showed a group of guys landing back on their feet after being out of the game for a while. I think the follow-up, which should be coming out this year, will be the one to really push them over the edge. These guys collectively have made some of the best music in the genre over the last two decades, and now that they have an album under their belts, I think they're gonna come back with something really special. I'd keep an eye on them, bbygurl, because I think they're gonna swing for the fences this time around.

Bradley: That’s gotta be exciting, huh? You could talk about the same bands, especially the veterans of the genre, but there are some new and fresh faces, although this band is more or less a rock “supergroup.” That’s cool all in itself, since you don’t see those too much anymore. There was one last year with members of Sleater-Kinney and REM, which I need to look more into, but I think we’re in an exciting time for rock. The tides are finally turning. The veterans are bands that have truly stood the test of time, and they keep making great material, but there are a lot of fresh faces that could (and really should) shake up the state of the genre. Only time will tell how everything goes, especially since a lot of these bands are very, very new. To coincide with this list, I’ll be posting a top eleven list of my favorite modern rock bands, so definitely take a look at that. I’m talking to anyone reading this, too, because while I mention the few bands I’ve talked about here, I talk about some more, too, and these are all bands worth watching, because they’ve put out some great material and they’re on the verge of really blowing up in the rock scene. It’s kind of funny, because if you asked me a year ago if I’d be interested in listening to modern rock, I’d say no, because a lot of these bands just don’t cut it for me. That style of “hard-rock” isn’t my favorite, or really a kind that I like much, but with a lot of these newer bands being influenced by the 1970s blues-rock / hard-rock scene, I’m all over it, so I’m very excited to see where the genre goes from here.

[lovewavesxx]

Love Waves - EP 4 - 1283

Click here to read Love Waves - Introduction

“It all started at 1283. -E xx.”

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/ericajones10/playlist/5Gc0bB5K37nAR6QzNcY32b

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/love-waves-ep-4-1283/idpl.u-55D6Dx5Cx9Xkmj

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwEZgDEorNRT6bSHELX9kg0jnVjt680je

Please listen to the playlist the first time without the shuffle on. Read my explanation after listening to the playlist at least once.

1. Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

2. Little River Band – Reminiscing

3. ‘Til Tuesday – Maybe Monday

4. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Kiss On My List

5. Berlin – Take My Breath Away

6. Earth, Wind & Fire – September

7. Toto – Africa

8. Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing

9. Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time

10. Eagles – Lyin’ Eyes

11. The Cars – Drive

12. Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere

13. The Outfield – Your Love

14. Journey – Lights

15. Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love

Click here for my twitter @ericajones1010

Click here to leave a comment or say something idk :) (it’s anonymous)

(As of now, I have also started to have all Love Waves playlists in the form of a YouTube playlist as well for those who do not have Spotify or Apple Music. The videos in that playlist also serve as a place where you can view the music videos. You can click this and it will take you there!)

My love and passion for music started at home listening to seventies and eighties pop/rock and 90s country. The artists I mainly remember are Def Leppard, Bee Gees, Eagles, ‘Til Tuesday, Bryan Adams, Fleetwood Mac, and so many more. Notice not all of those artists are in this playlist. *hint hint that means there will be a follow up 1283 at some point* It was absolutely impossible to fit all of my favorites and create a flow in just a single hour.

All of these songs were ones I first listened to while living at 1283. That’s been my home since 1995. Oh man, I feel so old tying that number. *insert SOS emoji* My parents are one of the biggest reasons and supporters for my interest in all forms of music whether it was sitting at all of my Christmas concerts, solos, going with me to huge concerts or festivals, or just singing and dancing our hearts out in the kitchen or car. I will forever be grateful for my parent’s ability to nurture, or sometimes put up with, my love for music. I honestly do not know how, who, or what I would be like without music in my life. (probably normal and less emotional)

Sweet Child O’ Mine is one of my go to “okay happy thoughts Erica” songs. I don’t know what it is about the song, but whenever I start to get a little down this is a must play. I think there’s a sense of having someone bringing a peace to your life so much that you feel like a child again that I find appealing. In any form of relationship if I’m not acting silly dumb, saying sarcastic remarks, or singing/dancing around you then I probably don’t feel at ease around you. This song kind of reminds me to find that ease and comfort in myself when times feel quite the opposite.

When I think of ‘Til Tuesday I think of my dad. I am a fan of their entire Voices Carry album. There isn’t really much of a story to why I tie this group to my dad. It’s just a him thing. I find the lyrics to be very interesting though; that mental struggle of overanalyzing a form of relationship you have with someone and hoping and hoping and hoping they pull through, but ya know “maybe Sunday, maybe Monday, maybe never.”  Those up in the air, back and forth relationships can kind of be addicting I think. There can be all of this confusion and silence that is so frustrating and then BAM, they throw you a life line and keeps you hooked for a little while longer before they disappear again. Yo eff that lol.

*life chat rant starting in 3..2..1..go*

I mean that in every sense of the relationship category (friends, romantic, family). I have gotten much much better at letting inconsistent dweebs stay silent to keep my own sanity. There is no reason to give someone so much hope, power, or reliance over your mental state when they honestly don’t give care enough to stay present in your life. Respect them, but do not give them so much of your energy. Don’t be mad at them. You probably just aren’t on the same vibe, and that’s okay. If we were all on the same level we’d all die of like vibration overload or some sht lol. Accept the ones who are with you with love and let go of the ones who are not with love as well. There is a beauty in understanding differences. One of the greatest things I’ve learned in the past year is to keep yourself Gucci and then if you’re lucky you will have a few die hards by your side. All others should be kept mostly as spectators. Not everyone deserves your time, patience, understanding, and heart. That sht is too precious.

*rant over*

I saw Atomic Blonde in theaters a few weeks ago and that film’s use of music from ‘Til Tuesday brought me so much happiness. I originally went to college to study music in film because I am so attached to the idea of music highlighting moments and making them feel so much more intense. That film was brutal, but their music selection was prime 80s musical heaven.

So, if I recall correctly Dwight and Ryan are the ones who introduced me to Hall and Oates, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Toto. Those two were my buds in high school and one of the greatest things about those two, at that time, was their oldies music selection. I think that’s one of the reasons we clicked so well. If you can’t sing Africa by Toto at the top of your lungs and not feel out of place, are they really your friends? September by Earth, Wind & Fire especially has a very special place in my heart; too many memories and emotions to write.

Top Gun was a film that I remember being played quite often while growing up. It was one of my little brother’s favorites. Take My Breath Away by Berlin is the theme song from that movie. The music itself just grabs me. It feels like the whole world slows down around me and my life becomes some type of great climactic cinematic moment.

Armageddon is another movie I remember watching on VHS a lot while growing up. It’s such a great movie I missed it and bought the DVD. I’m a sucker for stringed instruments and so of course I’d be drawn to this song. In my head I picture a ballerina on stage dancing around with all of these lights around her. She’s not performing for anyone, she’s just in a practice room with mirrors, and these huge windows in the back are open and the curtains are white and blowing in slow motion from the New York winter. Welcome to a brief view of what goes on in my head.

Lyin’ Eyes by the Eagles is my favorite song by that group. The harmonies during the chorus make me wish a.) I could sing and b.) I was in a band so we could harmonize together. Nothing makes me feel more in awe during a song than beautiful or strange harmonies.

Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac is my favorite song from that group. It doesn’t make me emotional like Landslide, but it has always made me feel good. The repetitive guitar part is fun.

Anything by The Outfield instantly makes me think of my mom. Your Love has been one of our go to songs to sing in the car for as long as I can remember.

Lights is my favorite Journey song. It talks about The Bay and San Francisco is my favorite city to visit. Sometimes it just hits me when I’m not around city lights or different types of people and I start to feel detached from the world like I’m missing out. I crave diversity and sometimes the constant energy a place can seem to have. This song seems to romanticize a place and I understand what that’s like. One day, I’d like to slow dance to that song with someone while on the outside of a town, with the cityscape in the distance. In Hays, it would be on top of that road going north out of town by Wal-Mart. In Salina, it would be the bridge on North Ohio Street or on top of the hospital’s parking garage, and in Lawrence it would be on or near the bridge going to North Lawrence.

How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees will be my wedding song one day. For years and years I’ve always said this will be what my husband (assuming he’s out there still) and I will have our first dance to (even if we just go to Vegas, and we’re the only ones in a room, or outside surrounded by lights or a giant fountain, somewhere dancing together slowly, after Elvis marries us). Everything about this song is so perfect and intimate to me. Some people think about having their dream wedding, but I suppose I’m only concerned with how the moments will be controlled by the songs being played and the lights surrounding everyone or just us. (I’ve been to too many weddings recently sorry!)

Click here for my twitter @ericajones1010

Click here to leave a comment or say something idk :) (it’s anonymous)

Orrr you can just comment on this or just get a hold of me some other way k bye. <3

Love,

-E xx. 

p.s. After four weeks of releasing playlists, if you’ve ever read, listened, or thought about anything because of Love Waves, I am so grateful for your participation and energy. xx.

[meadow-dusk]

Top 50 Artists Challenge

Approach: Go to this link -> http://107.170.81.187:8080/public/top <- and enter your Spotify username. Then fill out the 50 questions below based on your top 50 artists!

I’m choosing long-term top 50 cause it’s most representative of stable trends in my tastes, for better or worse.

1. How did you get into 29? [One Direction] Kari is in the know about relevant boy bands these days. Plus there was a creepy guy who made a parody of “What Makes You Beautiful” for the 2012 Olympic Gymnastics team 

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? [Cream] I’m guessing either “Sunshine of Your Love” or “White Room,” the ones most played by classic rock radio

3. What's your favorite lyric by 33? [Eric Clapton] The one that’s coming to mind is “bet you didn’t think I knew how to rock and roll” but I do have a soft spot for his Christmas lyric “when everything is white outside, how can it be so dark?” I’ll be honest I don’t know enough

4. How did you get into 49? [The Fab Four] Chris Carter of BwtB introduced me to their Christmas songs. Now their HARK! album is a Christmas standard in my home.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? [Lin Manuel Miranda] Hamilton official broadway soundtrack!

6. What is your favorite song by 50? [The Beach Boys] While challenging, I think the one I would almost always be in the mood for is “Don’t Worry Baby”

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? [The Spinners] No because they are a disco party machine

8. What is your favorite song by 15? [Backstreet Boys] This is insanely challenging. I can easily choose an album, and that would be Never Gone. 

9. What is your favorite song by 5? [John Lennon] Apparently when I filled this out in 2009 it was “Watching the Wheels,” but now I’m inclined to say “I Know (I Know).” Certainly not by a landslide 

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? [Ringo Starr] Omigosh isn’t that just his mission in life, to make us happy? Easily though “OK Ray” is one with amazing memories attached because my mom and I blasted it for the “we can still have a ball, Paul” lyric before going to see Paul live. 

11. What is the worst song by 40? [Jonathon Groff] I’m guessing he’s on here because of his tenure as King George III in Hamilton, so I will say that “What Comes Next” is my least favorite of those three

12. What is your favorite song by 10? [Leslie Odom Jr.] “Room Where It Happens”

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? [Bob Dylan] My old boss absolutely fangirling over him shamelessly and telling us that you have to get past the voice to appreciate him. He was right.

14. What is your favorite song by 38? [Queen] I’m going to be basic and say “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It might be the most popular but it’s that way for a reason

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? [Jason Mraz] “Live High” because it reminds me of the kind of music George Harrison would be making if he was still around.

16. Is there a song by 25 that makes you sad? [Big Time Rush] “We Are” can be emotional if you remember how they ended the show with that

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? [Pink Floyd] Probably “Money” or “Learning to Fly”

18. What's your favorite lyric by 11? [The Rolling Stones] I don’t listen to the Stones for the lyrics, but I’ll give you my top song = “Shine a Light”

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? [The Beatles] I love them all equally and differently but most often it’s George.

20. Is there a song by 14 that makes you happy? [The Yardbirds] Obviously because so many of them are running songs. I will say “Happenings Ten Years Time Ago” because it has both Jimmy Page AND Jeff Beck

21. What is a good memory involving 27? [Fall Out Boy] Getting really into running in Spring 2007.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? [Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers] “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? [Andy Gibb] "I Just Want to Be Your Everything” a classic Bee Gees sound

24. What is your favorite album by 18? [Tom Petty] Being that this is different than when he was with the Heartbreakers I will confidently say Full Moon Fever

25. What is your favorite song by 21? [Small Faces] Holy crap I love Steve Marriott’s voice. Let’s say “Song of a Baker” although I'm not 100% certain.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? [Simon & Garfunkel] Probably “Mrs. Robinson.” I heard all these songs before I cared to learn anything about who sang them

27. What is you favorite song by 3? [Paul McCartney] my favorite ...Paul song?...of the 3000 he has written? It completely depends on the mood. Right now I’m feeling “I Don’t Know” but don’t think for a second I don’t spontaneously sing his songs all day while “working from home”

28. What is your favorite album by 2? [George Harrison] Living in the Material World (see? Spotify records corroborate that he is in fact my favorite).

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? [Phillipa Soo] “Schuyler Sisters!”

30. What is your favorite song by 8? [Hamilton OBC] “Non-stop”

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? [Traveling Wilburys] aw.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? [Rockabye Baby!] Better believe this is on here because hearing lullaby versions of classic rock songs on a run is so hilarious and silly, and sometimes a much needed slow-down. They’re all made to make you happy.  

33. How did you get into 12? [The Who] Started listening to classic rock radio in college. Got really into them right before they played the Super Bowl and then again in 2015 for no apparent reason. They’re just so solid. Plus my mom hates them which is added ammunition

34. What is the worst song by 45? [Billy Joel] I don’t know his full catalogue, but the one I have saved that I would be most likely to skip is “She’s Always a Woman,” which is by no means a bad song.

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? [The Naked Brothers Band] “Crazy Car” of course

36. What is the first song you ever heard by 48? [S Club 7] "S Club Party”

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? [Michael Jackson] never

38. What is your favorite song by 36? [Zoom Karaoke] hahahah this is on here because sometimes I have karaoke parties with myself. I’m gonna say “Downtown” by Petula Clark because I am never not in the mood to sing along with that

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? [Anthony Ramos] “Aaron Burr, Sir” if you can count that as his song

40. What is you favorite album by 7? [Wings] I don’t know!!! I guess Red Rose Speedway because I love most of the songs on it and there’s few I would ever skip. That’s also true of Band on the Run but I am sticking with my original opinion.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? [Christopher Jackson] So was my Hamilton phase obvious yet? “One Last Time”

42. What is your favorite album by 41? [Three Dog Night] I have the whole “Best Of” saved on Spotify so I’m cheating and saying that.

43. What is your favorite song by 24? [Fleetwood Mac] “Gold Dust Woman”

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? [David Bowie] Just discovering who he was in middle school

45. What is your favorite song by 35? [Neil Diamond] “Cracklin’ Rosie” cause I had to sing the whole thing when I remembered it existed.

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? [Bee Gees] Yeah obviously! I love “My World” and “Mr. Natural” among others, that’s why they’re ninth on the list...

47. What is your favorite album by 4? [Led Zeppelin] Look at Zep, holding out the #4 spot after all this time!! I think my favorite is Physical Graffiti now though.

48. Who is a favorite member of 37? [The Rutles] oh Neil Innes obviously

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? [Cast of Galavant] The theme song

50. What is your favorite song by 20? [The Monkees] Another challenging one but I think I’ll say “Goin Down”

HAVE FUN 😊