#working through the 1001 albums list

[timefadesaway]

hi em :) was just wondering about your 1001 albums adventure how many times you listen to each album ? and if you listen multiple times even if you don’t vibe initially.. thank you :3c

hi naomi !! thank you for your question :) it varies. i listen once as i work my way through the list and basically from there if i love it i listen forever and start seeking out the vinyl. so some that i was introduced to i have listened to many many times. also i make notes sometimes to revisit if i think im not in the right mind for it or if i think i should listen again. there are still some that i probably only listen to once and only will listen to once which is sad. but generally i endeavour to continue to listen to at least one song from each fairly regularly which can sometimes push me into returning to ones i didn't love the first time or to just respect each more on some level 😁

[sabadorks]

I read about someone that decided to listen to all the albums on the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list during lockdown and I decided to have a go.

It might be a fun way to discover new music and to see how pop music evolved since the '50s.

Not sure how far I'm going to go before I loose interest but we'll see.

Gonna put my first impressions under read more so that I can remember which album/artists I liked.

1955:

Frank Sinatra- In the Wee Small Hours: really nice and chill. Will definitely listen to it again.

1956:

Duke Ellington - At Newport: really fun to jam along, although sometimes the sax (at least i think it’s a sax?) gets a bit too shrill for me

Fats Domino- This is Fats Domino: a really, really fun rock’n’roll album

The Louvain Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life: I’ve heard of them before because I did watch the whole “Country Music with Ken Burns” for no reason since I don’t really care for country music but holy shit I’m definetly going to check out their other releases because the armonies are great!

Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley: another fun rock’n’roll album also Elvis’ voice always makes me swoon on slow songs.

Louis Prima featuring Keely Smith - The Wildest: idk, it’s fine I guess but I don’t really see what’s so special about this album that made it make the cut, I probably won’t listen to this again. I can definitely see why a live performance of this in ‘56 would have been a riot.

Frank Sinatra- Song For Swingin’ Lovers : It’s nice, Frank Sinatra’s music is pretty easy listening and difficult to dislike. I think I enjoyed In The Wee Small Hours a bit more but maybe I was just in a more suitable mood that day.

1957:

The Crikets - The “Chirping” Crikets: it was alright?

Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool: back at this list after a couple of months of not being in the mood. Very nice, very easy listening jazz album. Moon Dreams is such a beautiful, sweet track.

Machito and his Orchestra - Kenya: really really nice Afro-Cuban jazz record. Would recommend.

Little Richard - Here's Little Richard: super short and super fun. The album opens with Tutti Frutti and this is enough to get you in a good mood.

Sabu - Palo Congo: I do like the more melodic songs but the other ones aren’t really my thing. If you’re into percussions (especially hand drums) and people occasionally sing-screaming something then definetly check it out. 

Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners: it’s alright but I’m really fucking tired of jazz music.

Sarah Vaughan - At Mister Kelly’s: turns out that I tend to enjoy Jazz when it’s chill and vocal driven.

Ravi Shankar - The Sounds of India: really nice and educational. Before each piece Ravi Shankar explains some of the basics of hindustan classical music.

1958:

Count Basie and his Orchestra - Baise: man this is a lot of fun. We should totally bring back big band as a popular music genre

Ramblin' Jack Elliot - Jack Takes the Floor: this is a simple, solid folk album, just this guy and his guitar telling stories.

Billie Holiday- Lady in Satin: this is such a touching album. Might be that I feel particularly sensitive today but I was about to cry by the end of it.

Tito Puente - Dance mania: very fun Latin jazz album. Truly makes you want to dance.

1959:

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Singa The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook: this thing is over 3 hours long. If you're a fan of vocal jazz it's probably the greatest thing ever but I'm not so I really just want it to be over. The songs are nice but 3 hours of this is too much for me.

The Dave Brueback Quartet - Time Out: really nice and pleasant. Also I'm really, really getting tired of all of this jazz.

Ray Charles - The Genius of Ray Charles: again perfectly nice and pleasant.

Miles Davis- Kind of Blue: really, really beautiful album. Really chill and soothing.

Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs: it didn't save my first impression and my memory is bad but I remember I had a lot of fun listening to this album.

1960

Joan Baez - Joan Baez: she sounds so good, her voice and her interpretation gives me goosebumps.

Elvis Presley - Elvis is back!: this is so much fun. Idk if it's because I'm aware of how big Elvis was but it feels like a grand comeback. And he sounds good.

Miriam Makeba - Miriam Makeba: really great, i like the songs in Xhosa way better than the ones in English but she sounds great throughout the album.

The Everly Brothers - A Date with The Everly Brothers: well this was underwhelming and dull.

Muddy Waters - Muddy Waters at Newport 1960: a bit too slow for me but still really nice.

1961

Bill Evans Trio - Sunday at the Village Vanguard: the only album of 1961 in the list is yet another jazz album. For the first time since I started this project I quitted an album halfway through.

1962

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music: the arrangements are really nice and Ray Charles' voice is incredible.

Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Green Onions: I KNOW GREEN ONIONS! The rest of the album is pretty great and really catchy.

Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba: bossa nova is just a great music genre

1963:

The Beatles - With The Beatles: it's been a long time since I listened to this album. Not my favourite Beatles' record but it's a solid and fun album.

James Brown - Live at the Apollo: this was so nice.

Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan: another album i haven't listened to in a while. My god it's good.

Mingus - The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady: yet another jazz album but a great one.

Ray Price - Night Life: there aren't a whole lot of country album on this list but the ones that are on it are good good.

The Incredible Jimmy Smith - Back At The Chicken Shack: okay what's with 1963 and great jazz albums?

Various Artists - A Christmas Gift For You: shame that Phil Spector was a piece of shit because he knew what he was doing, everything sounds incredible.

1964:

The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night: another album i haven't heard in a while. Fun fun fun stuff.

Jacques Brel - Olympia 64: i like the intensity he puts in his singing.

Solomon Burke - Rock 'N Soul: holy shit this is good. Every track is incredible and he sounds so good and soulful. I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know...

Stan Getz and João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto: my god i love bossa nova. And Girl From Ipanema is on this album.

Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club, Hamburg: I'm not really feeling this live album, i don't like how JLL sounds. Also i accidentally found out that he married his 13 y/o cousin when he was in his 20s which is disgusting.

The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones: the album is really nice but sometimes Mick Jagger sounds like an absolute dickhead.

Dusty Springfield - A Girl Called Dusty: really nice and soulful pop.

1965:

The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today!: really nice and pleasant album.

The Beatles - Rubber Soul: i didn't recall the last song being so icky but the rest is just solid stuff.

The Byrd - Mr. Tambourine Man: oh fuck this is good, I really like the sound.

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme: really nice, smooth jazz

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home: I really, really love this album.

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited: idk if it's because I listened to it right after Bringing it All Back Home and I was having a bit of a Dylan overdose but it sort of drags a lot by the end. It contains some absolute bangers tho.

Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch: nice folk album also you know what? For having been recorded on semi-professional equipment in somebody's broom closet this thing sounds incredible.

B.B. King - Live At The Regal: I ruined my experience by accidentally listening to the album on shuffle but it was still great. B.B King has such a beautiful voice.

Buck Owens and his Buckaroos - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail: really fun country album

Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul: oh fuck this is so so good

The Sonics - Here Are The Sonics!!!: it's a fun album but it's hard to fully appreciate just how new and hard this sound was.

The Who - My Generation: what a way to start a career. This is an absolutely iconic album.

1966

The 13th Floor Elevators - They Psychedelic Sounds Of The 13th Floor Elevators: the big hit out of this album was nice and the electric jug sounds incredible but jesus christ this album is boring.

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds: this is so nice.

The Byrds - Fifth Dimension: it's fine but their previous entry on this list was miles better. Their mix of folk rock and psychedelic rock is a bit dull.

Donovan - Sunshine Superman: the first couple of songs are a bit too subdued for me but then the album really picks up. The songwriting is great and the arrangements are incredible. Also great mixing.

Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde: gonna be honest I didn't remember this album being that good.

The Kinks - Face to Face: the album is great, the fact that the band's previous record weren't on the list not so much.

Love - Da Capo: no idea who these people are but the album is really pleasant. That 18 minutes closing track is far too long tho.

Uh-oh, it didn't save me the updates on a few album so i will have to go from memory:

The Mamas and The Papas - If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears: delightful vocal harmonies, Monday Monday and California Dreaming are the two strongest songs on here.

John Mayall with Eric Clapton - Blues Breakers: some very good blues tbh

Monks - Black Monk Time: delightfully deranged

Fred Neil - Fred Neil: no memory of this, I do remember that I heard one of the songs in some movie

Paul Revere and The Riders - Midnight Ride: it was fine?

The Rolling Stones - Aftermath: back at this after weeks and weeks and I'm not gonna lie it was mostly because i did not want to listen to this. I don't like this album, i don't like the Stones (bar a couple of songs) and Mick Jagger sounds like a cunt.

Simon & Garfunkel - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme: it's a great album. It's so warm and beautiful.

Nina Simone -Wild is the Wind: this album is insanely beautiful.

The Yardbirds - The Yardbirds: this shit is great also The Pussycat Dolls sampled The Yardbirds?

The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out!: this makes for an interesting listening experience, I'm not sure i like everything on it but it is a pretty fun album.

1967:

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: it's honestly just delightful.

The Beau Brummels - Triangle: it's alright, some tracks are almost magical but not quite.

Tim Buckley - Hello and Goodbye: it's fine, I really love his voice there's something that really grabs your attention.

Buffalo Springfield- Buffalo Springfield Again: it's nice background music but I'm starting to get a bit tired of all of this folk-rock? At least it's a mercifully short album.

The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday: it's fine but i liked their previous album on the list better.

Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band - Safe as Milk: Honestly? who the fuck cares about this?

Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen: sounds quite magical but i feel far too restless for this at the moment.

Country Joe and The Fish - Electric Music For The Mind And Body: tumblr didn't save my review of this and i have absolutely no recollection of this album. Had go double check to make sure I didn't accidentally skip it but apparently I listened to it a few days ago.

Cream - Disraeli Gears: it's good but I'm in the mood for something more exciting.

The Doors - The Doors: it's fine, contains a few absolute classics but I've never been a massive Doors fan.

The Electric Prunes - Electric Prunes: great stuff, and absolute joy to listen to.

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved Another Man The Way I Love You: this album is absolutely delightful.

Astrud Gilberto - Beach Samba: it's whatever honestly

Merle Haggard and The Strangers - I'm a Lonesome Fugitive: as most great country albums it's 3 chords and the truth. The tunes are simple but nice and the lyrics are telling interesting stories.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?: it's good, it's rock music taking a heavier, darker turn.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love: even better than the other Hendrix' album.

The Kinks - Something Else By The Kinks: man I love this band so much.

Love - Forever Changes: really solid and nice album

Loretta Lynn - Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Loving On Your Mind): really great stuff here.

Moby Grape - Moby Grape: it's nice

The Monkees - Headquarters: it's a really nice album, No Time really packs a punch.

Nico - Chelsea Girl: I like the arrangements but I find Nico's singing to be unbearable.

Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn: such a fun album

The Young Rascals - Groovin: this was so good and so fun.

Frank Sinatra with Antonio Carlos Jobim - Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim: it's a Frank Sinatra album not much to say.

The Velvet Underground and Nico - The Velvet Underground and Nico: starts pretty great then it just drags on and on. Sometimes on here Nico doesn't sound as bad.

The Who - The Who Sell Out: the concept helps out a lot, there are some absolute bangers and a bunch of fine songs.

1968:

The Band - The Band: what is even the point of this album.

The Beatles - The Beatles: didn't need to be a double album, half of the songs on here are just fillers. The bangers are very much present tho.

Jeff Beck - Truth: nice and heavy, a tiny bit too slow tho.

Big Brother and The Holding Company - Cheap Thrills: there's a reason why most people only remember 2 songs on this album...

Blood, Sweat & Tears - Blood, Sweat & Tears: yeah no.

Blue Cheer - Vincebus Eruptum: okay this is great, why is only half of the album on spotify?

The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers: it's nice and under 30 minutes.

The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo: the start of country rock is very nice.

Caetano Veloso - Caetano Veloso: I know that the guy didn't like his first solo album but it sounds pretty neat to me...

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison: it's a great album.

Dr. John, The Night Tripper - Gris-Gris: not sure what's going on but it's pretty neat.

Aretha Franklin - Lady Soul: Miss Aretha could sing and had excellent taste regarding what she sang.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland: finally something nice and heavy

The Incredible String Band - The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter: you really don't have to hear this.

Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida: this fucks extremely hard.

The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society: yeah I just really like The Kinks and this album is great.

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks: this shit is far too rambly for me.

Os Mutantes - Os Mutantes: not sure I like everything on this album but at least it's interesting. And mostly catchy.

Laura Nyro - Eli And The Thirteen Confessions: this stuff is god tier and you know it from the first note. You can also hear just how much influence it had on so many artists.

The Pretty Things - S.F. Sorrow: it makes a really pleasant listen. I know that it's a concept album about one guy but I paid 0 attention to the plot.

The Rolling Stones ‐ Beggars Banquet: idk man, it's nice but I do find the Rolling Stones a pretty underwhelming band.

Sharma, Chaurasia and Kabra - Call of the Valley: took me a while to track this one online, if the one on youtube I managed to find is the reall Album then it's pretty good.

Small Faces: Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake: it's not bad but I don't particularly care for this.

Traffic -Traffic: it seems good but I'm not vibing with this today.

The United States of America - The United States of America: sort of can't wait for the psychedelic era to be over. There was some interesting stuff here but i didn’t find this an enjoyable listening experience.

The Velvet Underground- White Light / White Heat: i cannot stress just how much I don't care about this band and most of their output.

Scott Walker - Scott 2: now THIS is fun. Baroque Pop is often forgotte but jesus if it's fun. It's big and pompous and majestic and so meaty. it feels like you can sink your teeth into the instrumental.

The Mothers Of Invention - We're Only In It For The Money: this was so much fun both lyrically and musically.

The Zombies - Odessy And Oracle: I am in love with this album.

1969

The Band - The Band: this was nice and i really enjoyed the album.

The Beatles - Abbey Road: not my favourite Beatles' album but it does have two of the best songs George Harrison ever wrote so...

Bee Gees - Odessa: I have no memory of this album

Tim Buckley - Happy Sad: a bit too unexciting for me.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica: I'm not sure of what the hell is going on here. I'm sure they had fun recording it?

Johnny Cash - At San Quentin: man that guy really knew how to entertain a crowd.

Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority: it's fine but I could have died wothout listening to it and I wouldn't have missed much.

Leonard Cohen - Songs From A Room: the man was more of a poet than musician most of the time so yeah excellent lyricism but not much going on musically

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bayou Country & Green River: both excellent albums with an abundance of fun and catchy songs. CCR wasn't active long but they gave us so much.

Crosby, Stills and Nash - Crosby, Stills and Nash: this felt like a very flimsy record. The armonies were nice, the rest of it not so much

Miles Davis - In A Silent Way: i really like this, it has a really great atmosphere.

Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left: it was fine

Fairport Convention - Liege And Lief & Unhalfbricking: They aren't my cup of tea and I just don't care about their music. I tried so hard to make it past the first 3 songs in both album but I just couldn't.

The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin: this is not the type of music you expect from a band with this name but it's pretty nice country rock.

Grateful Dead - Live/Dead: it's nice, a tad bit too long for people who arent really into the band.

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul: this is revolutionary

King Crimson- In The Court Of The Crimson King: I love this album so much.

The Kinks - Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire): The Kinks are usually a good band and this is one of their finest albums (not my favourite tho)

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I & II: I genuinely love these album so much. And in hindsight you can hear that the gears were really starting to turn for hard rock and heavy metal.

MC5 - Kick Out The Jam: not really to my taste but its pretty good.

The Pentangle - Bakset of Light: This is nice nice.

Elvis Presley - From Elvis In Memphis: it's nice, but I'm not sure it belongs on this list?

Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trail: 1) this is a great name for a band and 2) the goddamn 25 minute suite that's a cover of a 2 minute song is gold.

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed: imho one of the best albums by the stones but also it sounds like any other album by the stones and boy was i glad when it was over.

Sly & The Family Stone - Stand: very funky album. ngl the 5 minuts of the n-word with the hard r were mildly uncomfortable but aside from that it's very enjoyable.

Alexander Spence - Oar: it's mice but it does sound like an album by someone who did a lot of acid and spent 6 month in a mental health facility.

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis: it's a shortish album, but it's so good that it makes time fly and it leaves you wanting more.

The Stooges - The Stooges: side A was great, side B was alright.

The Temptations - Cloud Nine: this is so so good.

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground: yeah no, i still dislike most of the output from this group.

Scott Walker - Scott 4: every other album by this guy is on this list and deservedly so.

The Who - Tommy: I love this album. The music is great and the plot is fucking insane.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: some incredible guitarwork on this.

The Youngbloods - Elephant Mountain: forgot to write my thoughts right after. I don't remember anything about this album but I remember linking it.

Frank Zappa - Hot Rats: really neat album. I'm especially fond of the bits that sound like a more elevated version of the local carnival band music.

1970:

Syd Barrett - The Madcap Laughs: there's a couple of high points but overall it was just fine.

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath: the beginning of heavy metal still sounds incredible and like such a departure from the psychedelic stuff.

Black Sabbath - Paranoid: such a great album.

The Carpenters - Close To You: it's a great album but going from paranoid to this is a bit of a weird experience.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory: CCR are just great.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu: much much more solid than the CS&N album on the list.

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: banging title but I preferred his previois entries on the list.

Deep Purple - In Rock: this is just an overall excellent album.

Derek and The Dominos - Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs: a very solid album.

The Doors - Morrison Hotel: when these guys decided to go hard they went hard. The guy they brought in to pla bass for like two tracks is so fucking good.

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter: no fucking clue what the title is supposed to me but jesus this is a great folk album

George Harrison - All Things Must Pass: triple albums should be illegal. Nobody has enough quality material to make a triple album actually bearable. And I hate the production so much.

[masstxtbootycall]

Interesting…

[the-albums-album]

Hello!

Welcome to The Albums Album, a journey through the past seventy years of music - with someone else’s roadmap and no real knowledge of the landmarks!

J draws (and writes about drawing), M writes (and thankfully doesn’t draw about it). We’re both probably better at it than we think (but worse than we want to be), so consider this a learning journey for us all.

So what is this?

We’re working through the book “1001 Albums You Must Listen To Before You Die” in a random order, and reviewing each album as we go - there’s a lot of classics on here, but also some complete unknowns to us, and some that (embarrassingly) we feel we probably SHOULD have listened to but haven’t! 

The reviews are going to try and focus purely on the albums themselves - so many reviews try to take the music in relation to the band, and their other works, and the rest of the genre… But because we’re usually listening to a band for the first time we want to just talk about what’s in front of us. Less “Was this a good album?”, more “IS this a good album?”!

A few rules:

We are always giving our opinions, they’re not facts, we are two randos on the Internet and thus not an objective or impartial source

We will always either say if we’ve heard an album before, otherwise assume everything is based off of first impressions

We (obviously) don’t own the copyright to the album art - J drew them, but didn’t design them!

If you disagree with us, feel free to be kind or to keep it to yourselves!

If you agree with us, let us know - we’d love to hear from you!

We will be updating twice a week, Mondays & Thursdays

If we want a bit of ‘comfort listening’, there will be “Weekend Write-Ins” - albums that aren’t on the list, but we feel SHOULD be! You can add to this list using the button at the top of the page - give us recommendations! :)

So come with us - have a listen, and maybe find a new favourite band!

   -  J&M x

[spookyspemilyreid]

Happy Anniversary "Hybrid Theory"! (October 24, 2000)❤

Hybrid Theory is the debut studio album by American rock band Linkin Park, released on October 24, 2000, through Warner Bros. Records. As of 2017, the album has been certified diamond by the RIAA for sales in the band's home country of United States, with over eleven million units, peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200, and it also has reached high positions on other charts worldwide, with 30 million copies sold, making it the best-selling debut album since Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction (1987) and the best-selling rock album of the 21st century.

Recorded at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California, and produced by Don Gilmore, the album's lyrical themes deal with problems lead vocalist Chester Bennington experienced during his adolescence, including drug abuse and the constant fighting and divorce of his parents. Hybrid Theory takes its title from the previous name of the band as well as the concept of music theory and combining different styles.

Four singles were released from the album: "One Step Closer", "Crawling", "Papercut", and "In the End", all of them being responsible for launching Linkin Park into mainstream popularity. While "In the End" was the most successful of the four, all of the singles in the album remain some of the band's most successful songs to date. Although "Runaway", "Points of Authority", and "My December" from the special edition bonus disc album were not released as singles, they were minor hits on alternative rock radio stations thanks to the success of all of the band's singles and the album. At the 2002 Grammy Awards, Hybrid Theory was nominated for Best Rock Album. The album is listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was ranked number 11 on Billboard's 200 Albums of the Decade. A special edition of Hybrid Theory was released March 11, 2002, a year and a half after its original pressing.

Linkin Park was founded in 1996 as the rap rock band Xero: lead guitarist Brad Delson, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mike Shinoda, drummer Rob Bourdon, turntablist Joe Hahn, lead vocalist Mark Wakefield and bassist Dave Farrell (who subsequently left to tour with Tasty Snax). In 1999, after Wakefield's departure, lead vocalist Chester Bennington joined the five members of Xero and the band was renamed Linkin Park. Bennington's previous band, Grey Daze, had recently disbanded, so his lawyer recommended him to Jeff Blue, vice president of A&R coordination for Zomba, who at the time was seeking a lead vocalist for Xero. Blue sent Bennington two tapes of Xero's unreleased recordings — one with vocals by former Xero member Mark Wakefield, and the other with only the instrumental tracks — asking for his "interpretation of the songs". Bennington wrote and recorded new vocals over the instrumentals and sent the tapes back to Blue.  As Delson recalls, "[Bennington] really was kind of the final piece of the puzzle [...] We didn't see anything close to his talent in anybody else." 

After Bennington joined, the group first renamed itself to Hybrid Theory and released a self-titled EP. Legal complications with Welsh electronic music group Hybrid prompted a second name change, thus deciding on "Linkin Park".   Throughout 1999, Linkin Park was a regular act at the Los Angeles club, The Whisky.

The music that would ultimately become the Hybrid Theory album was first produced by Linkin Park in 1999 as a nine-track demo tape. The band sent this tape to various recording companies and played forty-two different showcases for recording industry representatives, including performances for Los Angeles promoter and impresario, Mike Galaxy's showcase at The Gig on Melrose. However, they were initially turned down by most of the major labels and several independent record labels. The band was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 1999, due in large part to the constant recommendations of Jeff Blue, who had joined the label after resigning from Zomba.

Despite initial difficulties in finding a producer willing to take charge of the debut album of a newly signed band, Don Gilmore ultimately agreed to head up the project, with Andy Wallace hired as the mixer. Recording sessions, which mostly involved re-recording the songs off the demo tape, began at NRG Recordings in North Hollywood, California in early 2000 and lasted four weeks. Shinoda's rapping sections in most of the songs were significantly altered from the original, while most choruses remained largely unchanged. Due to the absence of Dave Farrell and Kyle Christener, who took part in the 1999 extended play, the band hired Scott Koziol and Ian Hornbeck as stand-in bassists; Delson also played bass throughout most of the album. The Dust Brothers provided additional beats for the track “With You”.

Bennington and Shinoda wrote the lyrics of Hybrid Theory based in part on early demos with Mark Wakefield. Shinoda characterized the lyrics as interpretations of universal feelings, emotions, and experiences, and as “everyday emotions you talk about and think about.”

The music of Hybrid Theory draws from diverse inspirations. Bennington's singing style is influenced by acts such as Depeche Mode and Stone Temple Pilots, while the riffs and playing techniques of guitarist Brad Delson are modeled after Deftones, Guns N' Roses, U2, and The Smiths. Mike Shinoda's rapping, present in seven tracks, is very close to The Roots' style.

The lyrical content of the songs primarily touches upon the problems that Bennington encountered during his childhood, including constant and excessive drug and alcohol abuse, the divorce of his parents, isolation, disappointments, and the aftermath feelings of failed relationships. Stylistically, the album has been described as nu metal, rap metal, rap rock, alternative metal, and alternative rock.

The album eventually produced four singles

With Hybrid Theory being Linkin Park's first album, Mike Shinoda, who had worked as a graphic designer before becoming a professional musician, has stated that the band had looked through books for inspiration on how to present themselves for the first time. The result was a winged-soldier which Shinoda illustrated himself. According to Chester Bennington, the idea of the soldier with dragonfly wings was to describe the blending of hard and soft musical elements by the use of the jaded looks of the soldier and frail touches of the wings. The art style was largely influenced by stencil graffiti, including early works by Banksy. The cover also features scrambled lyrics of the album's songs within the background, though the lyrics of "One Step Closer" are the most prominent.

Following the success of Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park received invitations to perform at various rock concerts and tours, including Ozzfest, the Family Values Tour, KROQ-FM's Almost Acoustic Christmas, and the band's self-created tour, Projekt Revolution, which was headlined by Linkin Park and featured other bands such as Cypress Hill and Adema. During this time, Linkin Park reunited with their original bassist, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell. The band kept an online journal on their official website throughout their 2001 and 2002 touring regime, in which each band member made a respective notation. Although the notes are no longer on their website, they are available on fansites. Linkin Park played 324 shows in 2001.

Hybrid Theory received generally positive reviews from critics.

Hybrid Theory debuted at number 29 on the US Billboard 200, selling 50,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) five weeks after its release. In 2001, the album had sold 4.8 million copies in the United States, making it the best-selling album of the year, and it was estimated that the album continued selling 100,000 copies per week in early 2002. Throughout the following years, the album continued to sell at a fast pace and was eventually certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2005 for shipment of ten million copies in the United States. To date, the album has sold 30 million copies worldwide, which makes it the best selling debut album of the 21st century. As of July 2017, the album has sold 10,500,000 copies in the US.  After the death of Chester Bennington on July 20, 2017, the album reached number 1 on the iTunes and Amazon music charts.

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Hidden Gems of the Silver Screen (And, to a Lesser Extent, the Telly)

It can’t have escaped your notice that the majority of my more recent posts (and fuck knows I’m not posting regularly at the moment) are about movies and TV. The reason for that is pretty simple: 2019 has, surprisingly, yielded some great movies and TV... and also some really torrid shite. On the one hand, films like Ma, Brightburn and The Perfection continue to breathe new life into the horror genre. On the other hand, sci-fi as a cinematic and televised thing continues to ignore its actual audience in favour of sniffing its own farts in a sound-proof chamber designed specifically for next-level virtue-signalling. One thing I will say about the dreck of 2019 is that it’s interesting dreck, at least so far. Another Life, for example, isn’t just bad: it’s mind-bogglingly, fascinatingly bad, as though someone set out to make the worst TV series imaginable and accidentally created a portal to another dimension made entirely of crap.

With all the amazingly wonderful and transifxingly terrible visual media on offer lately, it’s easy to forget that there’s a rich repository of films and TV series from just a few years ago that you’ve probably never watched. You see if you, like me, are a snooty, card-carrying member of the elitist intelligentsia, you probably missed films and TV series that looked dumb as soup on the surface on the grounds that they weren’t worth your time. Luckily for you, I’ve dived nose-first into the detritus of our dying culture, so you don’t have to, and I’ve ferreted out the diamonds from the pig-swill. Without further ado, I’d therefore like to present my list Easily Overlooked Gems.

1. Mandy The phrase “Nicholas Cage stars in a sword-and-sorcery rape/revenge thriller” does not inspire confidence. It’s therefore easy to ignore Mandy and the promptly forget it ever existed. Which is a shame, because it’s kind of a work of genius. The plot is exactly what you’d expect: a cult kidnaps, rapes and kills Cage’s girlfriend, Mandy, and Cage sets out on a mission of revenge culminating in a blood-bath. The nature of the revenge quest is what puts a sting in the film’s tail- or tale, if you’re feeling puntastic. You see, a lot of the bad guys exist in a constant hallucinatory haze after taking a drug that sent them mad after one dose. In order to fight on their level, Cage has to take a dose too. As a result, the world around him slowly but surely transforms into a nightmare landscape that looks like a cross between a D&D illustration and the cover of a heavy metal album and his grubby, personal mission of fury takes on the unmistakable resonance of a Conan-esque hero’s quest. By the end of the film, you have to wonder if Cage has actually slipped into some sort of alternate dimension or if he’s just lost his game-pieces completely. In places, it’s nearly as painful to watch as Landmine Goes Click (crikey, there’s one for the history buffs) but it looks and feels like Beyond the Black Rainbow. Worth your attention just because of how weird it is. I give it a solid four-out-five decapitated rapists.

2. Baby Driver Nothing about Baby Driver suggested it would be a good film: the way it was advertised as a car-chase movie trying to be cute; the stupid title; the fact that it came and went through cinemas like a fart in the night. Which is a shame, because it’s secretly brilliant. It’s a highly stylised crime film populated with the archest archetypes money can buy (to the point where some of the dialogue has a weirdly beat-poetic feel to it). It’s saturated colour palette and off-beat affect actually have something of a full-colour Jim Jarmusch flick about them. The hook, of course, is that the lead character (only ever referred to as Baby, because he’s got a punchably youthful face) has tinnitus and therefore has to listen to music constantly to drown at the buzzing in his head. The practical upshot of this is that a) every single scene is overlayed with surprisingly great and situationally appropriate music and b) he goes through life like he’s always dancing, so his way of moving lends to the film’s easy-going sense of flow. It also explains where his preternatural driving skills come from (I mean, not really, but within the context of the plot): he’s used to sliding effortlessly into patterns and rhythms because of the music thing. All of this could make a terrible film, of course, but execution is everything and, to everyone’s surprise, especially mine, this flick was executed with an astonishing level of panache. I rate it ten out of ten grizzly motor way pile ups.

3. Nightflyers It’s not just films that get overlooked as the tide of culture washes back and forth, like a great big sea of effluent. TV series also vanish unduly into the dustbin of history. Case in point, the criminally underappreciated Nighrflyers: Netflix pre-Another Life sci-fi offering that was actually good. It’s a pretty classic set-up: a group of mismatched wing-nuts on a spaceship, all of whom have secrets that that will threaten to tear them apart while they try to make contact with an alien life-form. What elevates Nightflyers is just how fuck-uped the cast are. There’s an angry British psychic whose spent his whole life in captivity in case he goes full Scanners on somebody’s head, a guy who only ever appears as a hologram for reasons too twisted to explain here, his evil mother whose uploaded her mind to the ship’s computer and gone batshit crazy, a genetic superbeing and a hacker who can send her mind into computers via a dodgy implant and who may or may not be drifting out of touch with the human condition. It’s great. 6 and half billion out of 7 billion monkeys, boiling in the void.

4. Hardcore Henry No, I don’t know who thought that title was a good idea either, but the point is that Hardcore Henry has no motherfucking right to kick as much arse as it does. It was clearly made on a budget that would embarrass a Youtube shampoo commercial, but it just flat-out rocks. Shot entirely in first-person, it follows the adventures of a mute cyborg as he seeks revenge against the bastard psychic entrepreneur who first built him then tried to kill him. Along the way, his main ally is a dude who keeps dying and coming back to life in a series of identical bodies but with radically different personalities and haircuts (this is eventually explained, but I’m not going to spoil it for you). It’s premise is demented, it’s surprisingly well-choreographed and its soundtrack is an aphrodisiac for your ears. Also, Tim Roth is in it, so that’s just yer seal of quality right there. It came out to a lot of fanfare and many, many cinema trailers back in the day and was then promptly forgotten about as soon as it launched. So I’m dragging it kicking and screaming back into the limelight. It’s on Netflix right now, so go watch it. I rate it a solid 11 out of 15 creepy duplicates of Tim Roth.

5. Upgrade Another lesser-known film about a cyborg. Unlike Henry, however, this cyborg’s life doesn’t so much ‘rock’ as ‘suck balls’. He gets crippled and then ends up with a sentient computer chip in his head that allows him to remote-control his own body despite not having a working spine anymore. Naturally, his experimental tech attracts the attention of some unsavoury characters and he and his brain-chip have to work together to figure out what’s going on, often through a series of ultra-violent, gory fight-scenes that horrify the protagonist himself. Of course, all might be well, except that the head-chip is a homicidal little shit that clearly has its own agenda. I give it at least 0000 0111 out of 0000 1001 painstakingly restored vintage kill-bots.

6. The Tick The Tick isn’t as overlooked as everything else on this list, especially since there have been a couple of previous televised incarnations of the franchise to lay the groundwork. However, I still feel like the modern iteration doesn’t quite get the love it deserves, so I’m throwing it out here. Following the adventures a mad, amnesiac and possibly stupid superhero and his neurotic sidekick, The Tick explores a world where superheroes aren’t the paragons of good from classic comics, the corrupt psychotics of The Boys or Watchmen, or the eternally struggling, walking moral life-lessons of modern cinema. Instead, they’re just ordinary people operating at various levels of competence/incompetence and mental illness and working within a bureaucratic, wildly inefficient framework. That might not sound like a recipe for a successful TV series, but it really is. Drawing out the mundane, human side of heroes and villains against the backdrop of cataclysmic, civilisation-threatening events makes for infinitely compelling and very, very funny viewing. It’s kind of doing for the superhero genre what Futurama did for sci-fi a few years back. It’s also where the phrase and/or popular song ‘seven billion monkeys boiling in the void’ comes from. My rating is four out of five sapient, homosexual boats (which will make sense when you watch it).

7. The Void Amid the high-budget horror extravaganzas of recent years, it’s easy to forget about the void, which feels like the best story H.P. Lovecraft never wrote and looks like David Chronenberg tried to adapt a Heironimous Bosch painting... in the ‘80s. The actual plot concerns a group of people getting trapped in a hospital by murderous cultists and discovering dark secrets and, arguably, a whole other dimension in its basement. You’re not exactly there for the plot though: The Void is a mood-piece and an exercise in visual FX craftsmanship. You’re there to drink in the atmosphere and see what each new cosmic horror looks like. I am delighted to award it ten out of ten unspeakable whisperers in the darkness. That’s enough for two barbershop quartets, an emcee and a supporting act.

8. Happy Death Day It’s Groundhog Day but as a horror film starring a really annoying lass in her late teens has to keep dying horribly until she learns to stop being such a terrible person... and also kill her murderer with a little help from her newly-minted, non-cunty friend. There’s a sequel that I haven’t seen yet, but the original is a low-key, oft-overlooked delight. I give it 9 out of 11 suspiciously similar corpses.

[tapedecking]

MIXTAPE #2 (01/08/22)

Handbags and Gladrags - Rod Stewart

Album: An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down

Year: 1969 (US), 1970 (UK)

Track: Single (Post-Release: 1970)

I recently heard this track playing over the speakers in the shopping centre where my girlfriend works, which I found to be a pleasant surprise - it’s a lovely track, but I’ve only ever heard it in one place: the opening to The Office. Now if you’re listening to this ong and thinking, “this isn’t the opening to The Office”, then chances are you’ve assumed I’m talking about the vastly inferior US adaptation of the brilliant UK series. Well, I’m not. Don’t get me wrong, the US version of The Office is a perfectly functional workplace sitcom, but that’s about it. Whereas, the UK original is such a uniquely hilarious and heartbreakingly genuine depiction of office life, that completely commits to the documentary format, whilst using it to characterise its central cast, and the entire thing is auteured by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. If you prefer the US version, then fair enough, I get that some people can’t stand the cringe comedy style of the original, or that they find more enjoyment in watching something comfier. I get that. But I’ll tell you what, it does my head in whenever someone tries to pretend that the US version is better or - even worse - more notable than the original, when this show almost single-handedly popularised off the mockumentary sitcom format.

-

I'm Not the One - The Cars

Album: Shake It Up

Year: 1981

Track: Single (Post-Release: 1986)

Vinyl records are cool - they look cool, they sound cool, and dropping a needle and turning up the volume makes you feel so ridiculously cool. I’d love to collect vinyl, but it’s just such an expensive hobby, especially considering I’d have to buy a record player first! But my girlfriend has a player, and her and her entire family collect vinyl records. They’ll stick one on at dinner time, in order to have some music whilst they eat. Personally, I do my eating in front of the TV, but that’s neither here nor there. One evening, my girlfriend suggested that I be the one to choose a record, and after being tempted by Remain In Light, I chose The Cars’ Greatest Hits. It’s a great compilation, kicking off with Just What I Needed - one of my all time favourite songs, and my most listened song of 2020, according to Spotify! This track, I’m Not the One, was my favourite of the tracks on the record that I hadn’t heard before.

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Songs of Love - The Divine Comedy

Album: Casanova

Year: 1996

Track: Album Track

Back when I worked retail, I’d listen to albums whilst I worked - when the store was closed. I’d always ask my girlfriend for recommendations, and this album was one she gave me, having discovered this album and whilst working her way through the list of “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”. She quickly became a fan of the album, and for the past few weeks, the two of us had been scouring JB Hi-Fis looking for a copy of it on vinyl. All the time we were doing this, I was praying that we wouldn’t find one, as I had already purchased a copy of it for her for her birthday, and was still waiting to give it to her! Luckily my gift-purchasing efforts did not got to waste, and she chuffed upon unwrapping it.

-

Touch the Sun - Cryalot

Album: standalone single

Year: 2022

Track: Single

As a kid, I was never really into music. My mum would listen to disco, my dad to reggae, my brother to rap, and none of it ever really vibed with me. It wasn't until I was like sixteen that I started listening to music by myself, and even then it took me about four years until I started listening to something that was not a hit from the 80s. Nowadays, I listen to all sorts from all decades, but there's still a lot of novelty for me in hearing a new release from an artist I like, because it never used to happen for me. I got into Kero Kero Bonito a few years back thanks to my friend playing me Make Believe off of Time ‘n’ Place, which now has a place as one of my favourite albums of all time, and I've been following them for a while now, so when frontwoman Sarah Midori Perry announced her solo project - Cryalot - I was intrigued and excited! Touch the Sun is Perry’s second single as Cryalot, after Hell Is Here, and although I found that track to be stronger, Touch the Sun is a very pleasant and fun pop number.

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Burning Farm - Shonen Knife

Album: Burning Farm

Year: 1983

Track: Album Track

Two of my friends, my girlfriend and I have a small “album club”, where each week one of us will choose an album for us all to listen to, and then a small review of. My friends had very good music knowledge, and have already heard a large range of acclaimed albums, and so for my most recent turn, I wanted to choose an album that none of us had heard before, whilst ensuring it would also be - y’know, good. And so I turned to my good buddy, Kurt Cobain, and his list of his fifty favourite albums. I chose this album, as I thought the album would be light and fun (which it was!) after having heard Shonen Knife’s cover of When You Sleep, originally by My Bloody Valentine (which isn’t on Spotify, but I’d highly recommend checking out however if you can). This title track was standout for me, with the catchy "na na na" refrain reminding me of My Chemical Romance vibes, and - as my girlfriend noted - being very similar to Land of 1000 Dances, presumably the shared inspiration for the two tracks. I also love the way the song builds at the end, and I think it serves as a great closer to the album.

-

Stereo - Pavement

Album: Brighten the Corners

Year: 1997

Track: Single (Pre-Release: 1997)

If you’re sick of me mentioning my girlfriend in nearly every single one of these write-ups, I’m sorry! But we’ve been spending a lot of time together lately! Next week’s will probably be more girlfriend-lite. Before before that… Whenever me and my girlfriend get the bus together, she’ll give me one of her airpods, and we’ll put on a massive playlist that mixes all our music together. It’s an interesting mix, and a cool way of sharing with each other songs we really like, but have not been listening to much recently. One such song I shared this way was The Twilight Zone by Rush, off of 2112. Upon hearing it, my girlfriend told me, “I didn’t know Rush had a female vocalist”. Spoiler alert: they don’t. But whilst relaying this story to my girlfriend’s sister, the two of them began making reference to a lyric in this Pavement song:

What about the voice of Geddy Lee

How did it get so high?

I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?

A couple of days later, we were once again listening to our big mix, when this song came on, and ever since, I’ve had those three lines from the song stuck in my head.

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I’ll Come Running - Brian Eno

Album: Another Green World

Year: 1975

Track: Album Track

Whilst waiting for my gate to open at Heathrow, I listened to Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music for Airports, which I would highly recommend doing to anyone who plans to someday be at an airport, because that albums hits different at an airport. But on the flight back, I decided to try another one of Eno’s ambient albums - Another Green World. Unlike Airports however, this album also contains songs with vocals, including this track, which features King Crimson’s Robert Fripp on lead guitar. There are lyrics featured towards the end of the song that really struck a cord with me:

You'll see, one day, these dreams will pull you through my door

And I'll come running to tie your shoe

They reminded me of a time a little while back, when my girlfriend and I were at a train station, waiting for our train, and her sock had fallen down. Immediately, I knelt down and removed her shoe, adjusted her sock, slipped her shoe back on for her, and tied her shoes back up for her (note: I may have zipped them up instead). But I love just being able to do something small to help her, and this song really captured that feeling for me.

[fromeo007]

Linkin Park is an American Rock band formed in 1996 in Agoura Hills, California. Their Debut Album “Hybrid Theory” released in 2000 is the most successful debut album of the Twenty-First century which sold more than 4.8 Million Copies in the year of its release.

It was the overall success of this album that made Linkin Park the household name and started an era of their own genre of music known as Rap Rock and Alternative Metal which has been ruling their fan`s heart ever since.

Source: Wikipedia

The band was made up of 6 band members (Until the death of Lead Singer Chester Bennington in July 2017). They are

Mike Shinoda,

Brad Delson,

Dave Farell,

Joe Hahn,

Rob Bourdon

Chester Bennington (died in July 2017).

Enough of the Introduction, let us now move on Interesting facts that every Linkin Park fan must know.

1. Chester Bennington was not the original Lead singer of Linkin Park:

For almost 2 decades, Chester Bennington had been serving as lead vocalist for Linkin Park and to an extent, Chester together with Mike Shinoda was the face of the band in front of mainstream media.

However, not many people know that Chester was not the original lead singer of the band. In fact, he was a replacement for Mark Wakefield who left the band in 1998.

It was after Wakefield`s departure, that Arizona Vocalist Chester Bennington was recruited on the recommendation by Jeff Blue, the vice president of Zomba Music in March 1999.

2. Founding members and Humble beginning:

The early days of Linkin Park as a band was far different from what it is today. It would be fair to say that the band had humble beginnings.

Linkin Park was founded by 3 high school friends; Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, and Brad Delson who attended Agoura High School together. They started taking their musical project more seriously after graduating High School.

In doing so, they recruited Joe Hahn, Dave Farrell, and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band. With limited resources, the band began recording and producing music, within Shinoda`s makeshift bedroom studio in 1996.

Source: Telegraph

3. Linkin Park had multiple name changes before finally settling for Linkin Park:

Believe it or not, the name Linkin Park was not the original name of the band. Today, since the name “Linkin Park” has become such an iconic brand, it might be hard to imagine calling them by any other name but Linkin Park, but when the band was first founded, it was called “Xero.” 

Source: Wikipedia

While there is not much information out there as to the reason for selecting the name Xero, what we do know is that, in 1999, the band decided to change the name from “Xero” to “Hybrid Theory.” 

While Hybrid Theory was all well and good, Legal complications with Welsh electronic music group “Hybrid” prompted a second name change, so they finally settled for “Linkin Park”. So, this is how the world-famous rock band finalized their band name which is now popular across the world.

4. Reasons behind the name “Linkin Park”:

So, from point no. 3 above, it is clear that the band settled on the name “Linkin Park” after having gone through 2 other names. But do you know the story behind the name Linkin Park itself?

Well, the name Linkin Park was decided as a homage to Santa Monica`s “Lincoln Park.” (the park was renamed to Christine Emerson Reed Park on June 13, 1998)

The band wanted to use the actual word “Lincoln Park” but they could not afford the website domain for “lincolnpark.com” at that time, so, they decided to switch the word to “Linkin Park” and also acquired the domain “Linkinpark.com.”

Source: Youtube

On a side note, it is worth clarifying that band`s name Linkin Park is based upon the “Lincoln Park” in Santa Monica, California and not on another Park in Chicago, Illinois which is also named ” Lincoln Park.”

5. Rejected 3 times by Warner brothers records:

During the early days, when the band had not yet signed a record deal, they faced multiple rejections from various major record labels. Finally, warner brothers signed the band only after having rejected them 3 times in earlier reviews.

This was made possible when “Jeff Blue” who was vice president of Warner Bros records at that time, negotiated his employment contract with Warner Brothers to include signing Linkin Park. Shortly after, the Linkin Park released their Debut Album “Hybrid Theory” and as they say, rest is History.

6. Role of Jeff Blue in Linkin Park`s Career:

A lot of younger fans of Linkin Park do not know about Jeff Blue and his role for Linkin Park`s rise to stardom. So, let me provide a brief introduction about him first.

Jeff Blue is a multi-platinum music producer, A&R executive, songwriter, and lawyer who is currently Artists and Repertoire consultant for Atlantic Records. He has worked as Senior. Vice President A&R/Staff Producer for Warner Bros. Records.

In the late Nineties, the band (then named Xero) were finding it hard to find their feet in the music industry. That’s when Jeff Blue stepped in.

First, he hired guitarist “Brad Delson” as his intern and signed his band “Xero” to a publishing deal on the night of their first performance. After developing Xero for two years, Blue met Chester Bennington, a singer from Arizona, and incorporated him into the band.

Further, Blue shopped the band for 3 years and showcased them 44 times. Unable to get them a deal, Blue negotiated his employment contract with Warner Bros. Records to include the signing of Linkin Park.

Picture: Jeff Blue / Source: Twitter

7. First Rock Band to achieve more than 1 Billion Youtube hits:

Since Linkin Park is widely known as one of the most successful rock acts of the twenty-first century, it might not be surprising to know that, they became the first rock band to achieve more than 1 billion views on youtube.

They hit the landmark in 2009 with their single “New Divide.” At the time of writing, the video has over 350 million views, while their entire youtube channel has over 5.71 Billion views.

Not bad for a band, that was rejected around 44 times before finally landing their first record label.

8. Only Artists to have 2 timeless songs in top 10:

Source: Wikipedia

Linkin Park`s single “Numb” is ranked 3rd and their other single “In the end” is ranked 6th on the list of top ten timeless songs on Spotify. This makes Linkin Park, the only artists to have 2 timeless songs in the top 10.

An extract of the entire list along with the ranking of both the Linkin Park Songs mentioned herein is given in the picture below:

Source: Polygraph

9. Hybrid Theory accolades:

Source: Amazon

Linkin Park`s Debut album“Hybrid Theory” which essentially represents half a decade of hard work by the band was what gave them their breakthrough success in the music industry.

So, it great to see the hard work put in by the band on the album has not gone unappreciated.

The album was listed in the book 1001 albums you must hear before you die.

It also ranked at no. 11 on Billboard hot 200 albums of the decade.

In addition to this, the album was included in Best of 2001 by Record Collector.

It was included in 150 albums of the generation by Rock sound and 50 best rock albums of the 2000s by Kerrang.

10. 1 group, multiple musical influences, and styles:

Primarily Linkin Park is categorized as “Rock Band” but their music has multiple influences and styles attached to them. Linkin Park combines elements of rock music, hip-hop, and electronica, and have been categorized as alternative metal and rap rock by AllMusic.

They are also tagged as rap rock by About.com.

Their MusicMight biography lists them as alternative rock, nu metal, and rap metal.

WatchMojo.com identifies them as alternative rock, electronic rock, and industrial rock. While Billboard characterizes them as alternative metal and electronic rock.

Source: 911tabs.com

Photo by Arun Thomas from Pexels

Photo by Arun Thomas from Pexels

Photo by Arun Thomas from Pexels

11. Chester`s song choices:

Chester has cited on multiple occasions that “Breaking the Habit” was his favorite Linkin Park song while “One Step Closer” was his least favorite one.

Also, Chester didn’t like “In The End.” He thought fans would absolutely hate it. Instead, it turned out to be one of the band`s best songs which is ranked 6th in the list of top ten timeless songs.

Source: Discogs.com

12. “Machine shop ventures” by Linkin Park:

To invest in Tech startups, Linkin Park started a venture Capital company Machine shop ventures in 2015.

Machine shop ventures is a consumer-focused early-to-growth stage venture capital fund based in Los Angeles who invest globally in companies that align with the Linkin Park brand of connecting people and innovation through technology + design.

Source: Machineshop

Click here to check out their site “www.machineshop.co“

Mike commented on the decision, saying,

“To be around that kind of culture with people who are super cutting-edge thinkers who are so smart, that’s inspiring to me. I feel like we’re more at home there.”

Source: Lpfancorner.com

13. Linkin Park`s Collision course with Jay-Z:

Collision Course is a remix album by Linkin Park in which they worked with Jay-Z. The album featured intermixed lyrics and background tracks from both Jay-Z and Linkin Park`s previous albums debuted in November 2004.

This collaboration which included the song “Numb Encore” is one of the most famous collaborations in metal.

Collision Course reached number one on the Billboard 200 in 2004 and sold around 7 million copies worldwide.

14. Linkin Park- The Grammy-winning band:

The Grammy Awards are considered the biggest honors any artist can receive when it comes to music.

Since Linkin Park is one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, it is only fitting that they are honored for their contribution to the music industry with a Grammy or two.

Indeed, they have. The band has been nominated for 6 Grammys in total and have won 2 out of those 6. 

The band got their hands on the elusive award for the first time for the song “Crawling” under the category “Grammy Awards for Best Hard Rock performance.“

Their second Grammy win was in 2006 for “Numb Encore” with Jay-Z under the category “Best Rap/sung collaboration.”

Source: Grammy.com

15. Life prior to Linkin Park:

The members of Linkin Park were living very different life before their fame with Linkin Park.

Believe it or not, Chester Bennington worked at Burger King. It happened at the age of 17 when he started living with his mother before pursuing his musical career.

Also, Brad Delson worked as a Bouncer during his early days of the Band.

16. Hybrid Theory Album Cover:

Mike Shinoda was a man with multiple skills.

One of his skills besides, making music was “Graphic Designing.” Mike was actually the person, who designed the album cover for Hybrid Theory which is now considered one of Vintage album covers of the band.

Source: Amazon

17. Rob Bourdon`s inspiration was Aerosmith:

Next up is a quick fact about Linkin Park Drummer Rob Bourdon.

Rob`s inspiration for playing drum was “Aerosmith.”

Rob was further, helped by the fact that, his mother “Patty” was friends with and formerly dated Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer. Because of this, Rob once got a Kick Pedal from Kramer himself.

This further increased his motivation.

Source: Aerosmith.com

18. Chester was really unlucky with Injuries and Health Problems:

Chester was very prone to accidents and Injuries, which is highlighted by the fact that, he suffered from multiple injuries and health problems between 2003 and 2015,

In 2003, Chester began to suffer from extreme abdominal pain and gastrointestinal issues while filming the music video for “Numb.”

In October 2007, Bennington sustained a wrist injury while attempting to jump off a platform during a show in Melbourne.

In 2011, Chester was once again a victim of illness, which forced Linkin Park to cancel Three shows and reschedule two from “A Thousand Suns World Tour”

In January 2015, Chester somehow again managed to injure his ankle during a basketball game.

Source: lpfancorner.com

19. Mike Shinoda was threatened to be removed from Linkin Park:

After finally being signed by Warner Bros. Records. There were some issues between Mike Shinoda from the band and the record Label.

Then Band`s lead singer, Bennington revealed that Warner Bros wanted to remove Mike Shinoda from the band while they were recording for Hybrid Theory.

Bennington told Team Rock,

“I mean the Label tried to get rid of Mike, which is probably the funniest thing in the world.”

20. Censorship at Linkin Park Tour to China:

Linkin Park played their first show in Beijing, China on July 26, 2015.

The band had to submit a list of songs to the Chinese government to be “pre-approved” for the setlist.

Due to the Chinese government’s censorship laws, the band was forced to censor

“Given Up”

“Remember The Name”

“Welcome”

“Bleed It Out”

To sum up the censorship, all the band had to do was remove or replace the “F” word in the songs like on “Remember the Name,” Mike changed “Motherf****” to “Other Fellas.”

Source: derechosdigitales.org

Also, the Chinese Tour was also the first in the history of Linkin Park (since the inception of Linkin Park Underground) which did not have a customary Meet and Greets for Linkin Park Underground Members.

21.  Secrets behind Brad Delson`s Headphones:

By now, every Linkin Park fan knows that Brad Delson plays in every concert wearing headphones.

Well, the only reason for those headphones is to protect his hearing and not for a gimmick or any other aesthetic reason.

Source: Factiante

22.  Side Projects by Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda:

Besides finding success as a group under Linkin Park, the band members Chester and Mike were involved in few side projects as well.

Chester co-founded and worked with “Dead by Sunrise” in 2005 and also worked as the leading frontman for the band “Stone Temple Pilots” fulfilling his childhood dream in the process.

Source: Facebook

Mike Shinoda on the other hand, formed “Fort Minor” as a side project in 2004.

Fort Minor found success with the single “Where`d you go” which peaked at 4 on billboard hot 100 charts.

Source: Facebook

23. Linkin Park Underground. What is it?

Linkin Park Underground (LPU) is a membership service for Linkin Park fans founded in 2001. It is a way for LINKIN PARK to connect directly with the people who support the band.

Along with this, LPU is also a platform to cultivate a central meeting place for Linkin Park Community.

Once you get my membership into LPU, you can get members-only exclusives including access to pre-sale tickets, a brand new merchandise package, exclusive LINKIN PARK music, and much more.

Source: Linkinpark.com

For detailed information on LPU, please visit: www.linkinpark.com/lpu/about

24. Charity work by Linkin Park:

Linkin Park worked to support MusiCares MAP Fund, a foundation which is meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal or medical crisis.

Chester was happy to support the foundation and he stated,

“MusiCares MAP Fund is an amazing program that takes care of their own and actually saves lives. Its been so rewarding to support them and see firsthand what they’ve accomplished for so many artists.”

The band also established, “Music for Relief”, a non-profit organization, which undertakes various causes for social welfare.

Source: zimbio.com

25. Projekt Revolution by Linkin Park:

Projekt Revolution is a music festival hosted by Linkin Park, which brings artists of the various genres of music together.

Projekt Revolution started in 2002, which according to Linkin Park was  Part Festival Tour, Part Concert Tour, and Part National Tour. It has featured artists like Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, Adema etc.

The tour ran annually from 2002 to 2004 and started again in 2007.

Source: factinate.com

26. Less use of Swear words:

Those of you who have been following and listening to Linkin Park for a long time may be familiar with the fact that, it is in very cases that the band use Swear words on their lyrics.

This is band`s intentional decision and the reason for that is that they feel, there are better ways to get their message across.

Source: apelzin.ru

27. Chester Bennington first marriage:

Chester Bennington`s first marriage took place with Samantha Marie Olit in 1996.

At that time, Chester was so poor that, he could not afford a wedding ring. so, he found a creative solution for that and both him and Samantha got a matching tattoo on their ring fingers.

28. Chester Bennington`s movie roles:

Besides being a decorated singer, Chester Bennington also had a brief acting career.

He has been credited with acting roles in 4 movies. This role and other details are as under:

Crank:- 2006- role as “Pharmacy Stoner”– A brief cameo

Crank: High Voltage:- role as “Hollywood Park Guy”

Saw 3D: The Final Chapter:- role as “Evan”

Artifact:- role as “Himself” 

Source: Noisecreep.com

  ———————————————————————————————-

So, that was the list guys. Let us know, which fact was the most surprising to you in the comments below and please share the post so that more fans can learn about their favorite band. 

Also, since, you are reading this, we are sure you wil also want to check out “20 unknown facts about Late Linkin Park Singer Chester Bennington”

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  LINKIN PARK | THINGS YOU DID NOT KNOW Linkin Park is an American Rock band formed in 1996 in Agoura Hills, California. Their Debut Album "Hybrid Theory" released in 2000 is the most successful debut album of the Twenty-First century which sold more than…

[seongjinnie]

Q&A Tag

Thanks @jaetime for tagging me!! This has been long overdue but it has been a stress reliever, and a distraction from stress in the FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. I’M A MESS I SHOULD PICK MYSELF UP AKJDADA but anyway, please note that I answered this with a crazy state of mind so please don’t mind the incoherent, long content... if that even makes sense.

1. Describe your bias with a colour, and explain why you chose that colour.

Yellow ochre because:

His bright personality

His warm personality

His smile is as blinding as the sun. Literally.

He reminds me of the moment when the golden ray of sunlight seeps through the windows and showers on your face and the slight warmth wakes you up from your slumber. Likewise, he's subtle in his affections for the people around him. He rarely outwardly expresses his adoration for the people he holds dearly, but his actions convey the message. His subtle actions. Like in the fanmeeting where he adjusted Jae's jacket. Or in ASC where he adjusted Wonpil's collar after playfully pulling it. Very subtle, but obvious if one observes.

2. Would you rather do your bias’ favorite hobby with him or do your favorite hobby with your bias wrecker?

Definitely doing my bias' fave hobby with him because I just want to see that huge smile on his face as he does something he likes. :')

3. What’s your favorite outfit on your bias?

Simple style? Sungjin always wears a simple shirt and jeans and on other days he would wear a plaid shirt over.... i mean... his outfit has always been the same so.... i guess the everyday look? HAHAHAHA

OH AND CAN I ADD THAT SUNGJIN SHOULD STICK TO OVERSIZED SWEATERS AND PLAID OVERSHIRTS BECAUSE SUNGJIN IN SHORT SLEEVES IS JUST SO ATTRACTIVE TO ME AND I KEEP FALLING HARDER EVERYTIME HE WEARS SHORT SLEEVES LIKE I’M SORRY SUNGJIN BUT CAN YOU PLEASE WEAR LONG SLEEVES. IT’S FOR YOUR GOOD AND MINE TOO.

4. Day6 on ISAC. Yay or Nay?

Ummm... yes and no... like, i can totally imagine dowoon and sungjin competing in relays, jae in badminton, jae and youngk in basketball, wonpil as the no.1 supporter (sorry pillie). But at the same time, i can imagine them making a fool of themselves (i'm looking at you sungjin) so as much as i love to smile and laugh because of them, i don't want them embarrassing themselves LOL

5. What do you like most and like least about your bias?

Oh where to start... i can't just choose one thing about why i like most about sungjin. ;-; i think i can list 1001 reasons hahahaha okay lemme start: 

i love how he is very passionate about singing, like he rarely makes mistakes when he sings. how he managed to learn various instruments during his trainee period whilst also learning dancing lol. how he is the same sungjin from his pre-debut days (just look at how shameless he is here). how he says he's sensitive but is actually strong. how he says he’s sensitive but still wants to hear criticisms. that, to me, is a brave act.

As much as i like his confidence, he's wayyyy too shameless i just feel embarrassed for him but he seems to be feeling fine and doesn't mind being the joke even though he says he's sensitive like ????? You can just see how he's trying to change himself and improve himself? idk that's just what i feel. I mean, i'm a sensitive person too, and i'd try to avoid being the center of attention but i guess he loves it and well, maybe he doesn't like it either, but he's trying to get himself used to it. so, there. 

omg yall I think i'm thinking too much about his character when i don’t even know his real personality omg help am i obsessed??? adsaldajkakdla 

6. What’s your favorite hair color on your bias?

Always will be black. I mean, I think it's his natural hair color and it's his roots. Get it. Roots. HAir roots. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA PLEASE LAUGH AT THIS LAMENESS.

7. What’s your favorite month of EveryDay6 so far?

holy sharks this is super hard ummmmm i love all????? How do you want me to choose omg it's so hard.... ummmmmm. I guess everyday6 in June??? Because it's a milestone for them, to release a full length album. and a milestone for me too, because i never thought i’d stanned the group when i first heard of them but well HERE I AM 2 YEARS LATER.

8. Would you rather spend a day with your bias just the two of you or spend a day with him + his group members?

uhhhhhh gosh why another tough question omg pls no. T-T hmmmmmmmm okay. I'd prefer to spend the day with the whole group because well, that way there wouldn't be any chance of awkwardness, would there? HAHAHAHA I MEAN. I WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH BRIAN AND LIKE GET TIPS AND ADVICE FROM A SENIOR ON HOW TO MANAGE PERSONAL, WORK AND STUDENT LIFE ALL AT THE SAME TIME. AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE FRIENDS WITH JAE WHO IS SUCH A RELATABLE PERSON AND A MEME AND JUST A QUIRKY PERSON THAT WILL 12381419821% MAKE YOU LAUGH AND ALSO MAKE YOU CRY AND MOVED DURING AN DEEP AND EMOTIONAL CONVERSATIONS AND THEN MAYBE I CAN GET DORKY WITH THE MAKNAES AND PLAY AROUND BECAUSE WELL I AM THAT ANNOYING TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOO MUAHAHAHAHA but um when it comes to sungjin.......... i don't think i can function well if i'm alone with him because he's now my (celebrity) crush so um i'd probably be a stuttering mess in his presence so um i will need the other members to distract myself from staring at him the whole day LOL sorry sungjin.

My questions:

1. If you were to associate your bias with one of the four seasons, what would it be and why?

2. If you were to recommend a DAY6 song (or songs) to a non-DAY6 fan, what would it be?

3. Describe how you would like your first meeting with your bias be.

4. If your bias was given a moment not to lie about anything, what would you want to know from him the most?

5. What concept would you like DAY6 to do for the next comeback?

6. Which do you prefer: go on a rollercoaster ride with your bias or go to a haunted house with him?

7. If you were able to have one personality trait of your bias, what would it be?

8. How did you start liking/ stanning DAY6?

I’m tagging those that popped into my head: @daysixdreams @thedarksideofthewoon @kimwonappeal @professional-kangaroo @helloday6 @parksungjin

[timefadesaway]

can’t remember if i shared this here but here’s the 1001 albums to listen to before you die list i’m working through right now (from the dimery book). it’s a checklist so feel free to copy and use it if u fancy! it’s actually a little more than that because i compiled it from a couple of sources and it runs from 1955 to 2007 (there’s a more recent one but i couldnt find it so it is missing the last 15 years or so). just if anyone was interested :) bc it’s a western book it mainly - with some exceptions - concerns western (primarily US/UK) music so i encourage you to look outside of it and it’s by no means comprehensive in that regard but it’s a good list and i’d really recommend it! it’s a good bit of fun and definitely a good way to start exploring 🧡

[bobbystompy]

My Top 132 Songs Of 2016

Previously: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Haven’t started writing this yet, but after peaking at 73 songs in 2013, then dipping to 67 and 71 the last two years, it is unbelievable we hit 132 (blame Spotify’s easy ability to save music and create playlists).

I debated skipping around, but nahhh, let’s get it.

As always, the criteria/info:

This is a list of songs I personally like, not ones I’m saying are the “best” from the year; more subjective than objective

No artist is featured more than once

If it comes down to choosing between two songs for an artist, I try to give more weight to a single or featured track; it’s not the ultimate factor, but it typically makes sharing the music easier

Speaking of... each song on the list is linked in the title if you wanna check out some for yourself

BOBBY VS. THE SONGS, FID

132) Kendrick Lamar - “untitled 07 | levitate”

Yeah, not gonna do the thing everyone else is doing where we pretend Kendrick is making amazing music with 2016��s throwaway release. I had to trudge through so much weird-and-not-fun stuff on “Butterfly” last year; it’s time to be done with it. Kendrick is obviously a top flight MC and could end up as an all-time great, but, like, come on -- this is from an EP of b-sides, it’s (probably) the best song... and it’s still not that memorable. How this record is ended up on so many year end best of lists mystified me.

131) Young Thug - “Drippin'”

Thugger spazzin’ around.

130) 2 Chainz f/ Lil Wayne - “Gotta Lotta”

Eh, this song’s aight; beat good, kinda sticks with you sometimes. Funny it should be listed as “2 Chainz & Lil Wayne” -- peep the very creative album art -- yet ended up as a 2 Chainz solo feature (on technicality alone) due to Weezy’s ongoing label issues. These two play off each other well.

129) Real Friends - “Mokena”

This song is good, but it’s... a little too angst-y at points.

128) Iggy Pop - “American Valhalla”

The best compliment I can give this song is it sounds unlike anything I’ve ever heard. Not a fun listen every time, but if you consciously immerse, it can definitely work.

127) The Avett Brothers - “Ain't No Man”

Good mom song; feels like fun. passed the torch with this one.

126) Paul Simon - “Horace And Pete”

Louis C.K. got Simon to write a theme song for his dramedy “Horace and Pete”, and the diminutive one came through in spades. I sometimes like to shoehorn in the f-word when singing along to help break up some of the seriousness. But yeah, this feels like a ‘60s classic even though it’s essentially brand new.

125) Frank Ocean - “Nikes”

The A.V. Club summed up my opinion of the Frank Ocean record with one swift line: “On first listen, Blonde feels like a Cracker Jack box with no toy in it.”

Amen.

Don’t get it twisted: I love Frank, still believe in Frank, and of course consider “channel ORANGE” to (objectively) be one of the greatest albums of this generation, but “Blonde”? It didn’t connect. Somewhat reluctantly, I picked this song for the list because it was the first one I heard, and it stands as a symbol of the initial hope which faded over a few listens. But when Ocean breaks in after all the high pitched singing, it does feel like a moment.

Also, this line will always stick: “RIP Pimp C / RIP Trayvon, that n**** look just like me”.

124) DJ Khaled f/ Jay-Z & Future - “I Got The Keys”

DJ Khaled is a talentless jackass, annoyingly ad libbing his way into our brains. Unfortunately, my personal favorite artist chooses to make listenable songs with him. Alas, No. 124. Jay slaying with “My wife Beyoncé, I brag different”. Future... being Future.

123) Slim Thug - “King”

The always underrated Slim Thug, hangin’ out and tellin’ you about his life. Also lifting weights. Minus points for using the Pimp C sample Jigga used in “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt” only three years ago.

122) American Football - “Give Me The Gun”

This band will never hit for me as much as it does with cool/laid back guitar people, but I enjoyed this tune. And I wish my friend Luke were here to listen with me.

121) Craig Finn - “Screenwriters School”

Craig Finn, as slow and chill as you’ll ever hear him.

120) Mikey Erg - “1001 Smashed Motel Rooms”

Solid verses, big chorus, and you can almost, like, tell he’s bald by the voice (not an insult).

119) Cassadee Pope - “Summer”

The former Hey Monday singer goes in on the strongest season.

118) The Cool Kids - “Connect 4″

It’s very difficult to write about The Cool Kids without using the word “cool”, but man, these guys have such a great interplay. It’s not two separate dudes taking turns; it’s a glorious intertwine with true chemistry.

117) Third Eye Blind - “Cop vs. Phone Girl"

This is our first song I’d call an imperative listen. I say this because you need you to hear Stephan Jenkins sing “Why's it so hard to say ‘Black Lives Matter’? / Doesn't mean that you're anti-white / Take it from me, I'm super fucking white”.

He remains bulletproof.

116) Wakrat - “Sober Addiction”

I was positive this song was a jam after one listen, but I’ve listened 3-4 times since, and it’s gotten progressively worse each time. If that’s not enough of a hook, the singer is the Rage Against The Machine bassist.

115) Owl Meet Rabbit - “This Side Of The Nut House”

A Christmas song with a “National Lampoon” reference.

114) YG f/ Drake & Kamaiyah - “Why You Always Hatin?”

Still a little unclear why Drake keeps agreeing to be in YG songs. His verse references sliding into DMs.

113) Yo Gotti f/ Nicki Minaj - “Down In The DM (Remix)”

...and we also have a track titled after it. My biggest memory with this song will be feeling sick in an Uber from Chicago to Forest Park on, like, a weekday morning but still mustering the nerve to laugh at the chorus, which is egregious enough before the “bridge” of “Snapchat me that pussy, if it’s cool”. Seriously. RIP, music.

112) The Dirty Nil - “Zombie Eyed”

This rips.

111) Microwave - “Homebody”

A good song that pulls you in further when the distortion gets bigger in the chorus.

110) AJJ - “Terrifyer”

Some days, you're a member of Queen Other days, you're a Kottonmouth King Some days, you're Emilio Estevez Other days, you're Charlie Sheen

109) Band of Horses - “Casual Party”

These guys are all smooth harmonies.

108) Fitz and the Tantrums - “HandClap”

This song is pretty unoffensive, but it’s catchy enough to work.

107) Nothing - “The Dead Are Dumb”

“The Dead Are Dumb” -or- if the “Twin Peaks” theme actually went somewhere.

106) Car Seat Headrest - “Unforgiving Girl (She's Not An)”

This band kinda reminds me of The Strokes; just a liiiiiitle less New York street and a tad more indie.

105) Vince Staples f/ Kilo Kish - “Loco”

Vince got into the news this year after defending the mom who had an extreme distaste for his lyrics in 2015′s “Norf Norf”. Let’s just say she also would not enjoy this one. His interplay with Kilo is on point.

104) GTA f/ Vince Staples - “Little Bit of This”

‘ey, it’s Vince again, and this one is stronger; somehow topping the high energy of “Loco” with another level of fire-spitting.

103) The Living End - “Monkey”

The Aussies broke a 13 year album hiatus with 2016′s “Shift”, and “Monkey”, one of the lead singles, did not disappoint. There will always be a place for songwriting like this.

102) Vic Mensa - “16 Shots”

This song is so raw and street and real. Sometimes you hear something, and it just cuts like a knife. I’m talking a “Straight Outta Compton” level here. Mensa has thoughts on police brutality in Chicago, and he ain’t holding back. He played this live on Kimmel, and his solemn-yet-wired energy could not be ignored.

101) Boyd & The Stahfools - “Summerly”

Some might say BATS sold out with this very commercial ode to Pollyanna’s raspberry wheat ale, but when you consume as much of it as those boys do, I say it’s legit art.

100) Macklemore & RL f/ J. Woods - “White Privelege II”

This is kinda like the Third Eye Blind message on Black Lives Matter, only the exact opposite. It’s... quite heavy handed, and while I like that from Macklemore, I realize a lot do not. All I can say in his defense is, like, man, it really seems like this dude is trying, and he certainly attempted to involve the right people. If that’s not good enough for you, I get it.

(Plus, he kinda digs on Iggy; throwing y’all a bone, just take it.)

99) Conor Oberst - “A Little Uncanny”

Oberst sounds a ton like Bob Dylan in this one, but he also sounds a ton like Oberst. It’s kinda like two massive folk tidal waves crashing into each other.

98) Cymbals Eat Guitars - “Have A Heart”

CEG -- despite a terrific name -- have always made music that felt obtuse, but this is the first song that felt ready-made to, like, give normal people a window to check out the band.

97) Green Day- “Bang Bang”

Everyone wants to over-analyze Green Day. But if you don’t do that, you’ll enjoy this as a fast and easy pop-punk song. It plays at my gym sometimes, and I always kinda assume people are annoyed by it. To quote Josh from “Heavyweights”, this pleases me.

96) James Vincent McMorrow - “Get Low”

Chill/cool.

95) The Flatliners - “Hang My Head”

This won’t end up in their all-time Top 5, but it’s a good song, and it was nice to hear from this band in 2016.

94) AFI - “Snow Cats”

This would sound right at home as a mid-tempo number on “Sing The Sorrow”.

93) Jay Electronica - “#TBE The Curse Of Mayweather”

Oof, what a shitty title. So, this is Jay Elect’s “blast back” at Kendrick Lamar after K-Dot slaughtered the rap game (and shit, maybe rap itself) in 2013′s “Control”. But here’s the thing... “Control” was “Control”. No one is topping “Control”. No one is successfully going at “Control”. That’s in its own stratosphere. Was it fun to see the enigmatic MC try? Sure. Did it make any type of impact? Eh, no. But I did enjoy the fake Kendrick voice.

92) The Dyes - “Loudmouth”

Out of every song so far, I’ve found this the toughest to write about. My favorite part is probably the way the guitar and bass play off each other, but my second favorite part has to be how sinister and swaggery it sounds.

91) Big Sean - “Get My Shit Together”

Maaaan, I missed Big Sean in 2016 after an extremely fruitful 2015. The few times he did surface -- on other people’s songs -- he stayed in form, so you’ll see more of him as this goes.

It feel like young Ray Allen with the white twins

90) Emeli Sandé f/ Jay Electronica & Áine Zion - “Garden”

Serene, with a fitting Jay Elect verse.

89) Yumi Zouma - “Haji Awali”

Chiller than a Coleman.

88) Jimmy Eat World - “Get Right”

We’ve talked about this before, but JEW typically have sunny day feel good songs, or nighttime darkness-type songs; this one’s the latter.

87) Into It. Over It. - “No EQ”

Sooooo good; melodic and percussive and soulful. It tugs at your heart just the right amount.

86) The Front Bottoms - “Joanie”

This really, really sounds like a Front Bottoms song, which I mostly mean as a compliment but also... am slightly worried about as it pertains to future material.

85) The Lumineers - “Ophelia”

Would I like to steal this song and give it to a girl and say I wrote it to mega impress her? Uh, duh. Piano for dayz.

84) Viola Beach - “Swings & Waterslides”

Kinda a lighter version of the Arctic Monkeys; mostly the singing... but in a big way.

83) The Game - “92 Bars”

It’s sposta be a Meek Mill diss, but it’s basically Game freestyling about a buncha stuff over a workable beat. Some real solid lines, too. My favorites:

- “I can kill you in four bars, that's a Kit Kat”

- “Let me tell you who suck, like banana Now and Laters” (haha)

- “Give me Left Eye back, take Fetty Wap and the Raiders”

- “Gum by them Yeezys, I'm the 6'5" Eazy” (MVP bar?)

- “This the Golden State and my shooters ain't on no hoop shit” (coooold)

82) OMI - “Hula Hoop”

I’mma give the write up here to my girl Alyssa Pawola, via her husband, Jeff Pawola (who watched the video after she was told the song reminded me of him):

She agreed with you!

She says it's because the singer dances similar to me and is a little goofy (compliment?), whereas all the girls around him are really good dancers (thus, her).

81) Joey Purp f/ Chance The Rapper - “Girls @”

If you’re not all-in on this song by the seven or eight second mark, then you can probably pass. HOWEVA, Chance and his 3 hat appear later on, so we call that incentive, young Bucky.

80) Vinnie Caruana - “I Don’t Believe You”

The feels like a last-song-on-the-record kinda track.

/looks up if it was the last song on the record

...8 of 10!

(Close enough.)

79) No Lenox - “Leave”

This song is heart and blood, with a rare use of “fucking” from Chris Trott.

78) JANK - “Versace Summer”

JANK is interesting. All of their artwork and motif make them seem like stoners (and maybe they are), but the music itself is so technical and synced. Like, you know they’re trying and very capable. So as weird as seeing “Versace” next to “JANK” might look, maybe it’s this high end brand that truly does fit their sound over, say, Faygo. But yeah, by the time this song is done, even though they’ve played the chorus a handful of times, you probably wouldn’t mind a handful more.

77) White Lung - “Dead Weight”

This band is just the coolest shit. They always go so, so hard, but this time, there’s a guitar playing mega bad ass leads to help even things out. I would believe you if you told me the guitar was also shooting lasers.

76) Descendents - “Without Love”

Like The Living End, the Descendents have also been out of the ‘releasing new records’ game for over a decade. And as jokey of a band as they’ve been in the past, this song has some of the same earnestness and vulnerability we heard on 2004′s “Cool To Be You”.

75) Andrew Bird - “Roma Fade”

For sure a candidate for coolest song title of 2016.

74) LVL UP - “Hidden Driver”

This is too indie for its own good.

73) A$AP Ferg f/ Big Sean - “World Is Mine”

Mostly included for Sean. Sorry, Ferg -- but you did give him the hook and a verse.

72) AM Taxi - “Enough To Feel Like Enough”

Like The Front Bottoms song from earlier, this AM Taxi song is very AM Taxi. But I ain’t ever worried about AM Taxi.

71) Rozwell Kid - “Baby’s First Sideburns”

Not sure I’ve ever heard a weak song by this band.

70) PARTYNEXTDOOR f/ Drake - “Come And See Me”

If you wanted to upset your love interest in 2016, hitting him or her with the “I hear you talkin' 'bout ‘we’ a lot, oh, you speak French now?” line was probably a good place to start.

69) Tancred - “Bed Case”

Kinda ‘90s, right? Nice.

68) Thrice - “Blood On The Sand”

Moderate take alert: I purport the Thrice singer sounds like Dave Grohl in this song, particularly during the chorus. Come at me with your agrees or disagrees.

67) MakeWar - “Ode”

The dude on this band’s album cover always reminds me of Rafa Nadal, which is weird, as I’d argue he looks -20% like Rafa Nadal. This song has a downcast energy. I think I wanna see these dudes live.

66) PKEW PKEW PKEW - “Asshole Pandemic”

Party punk, wooooo. You will not find a more circular 2016 lyric than “Why’s this fuckin’ dick gotta be such a cock?”

65) Adam Friedman f/ Mike Posner - “Lemonade”

blue eyes >>> brown eyes, Adam.

64) Matt and Kim - “Let’s Run Away”

As always-always-always, Matt and Kim are having more fun than we are.

63) Ariana Grande f/ Nicki Minaj - “Side To Side”

As recently as 40 days ago, I was emaling my friends about this track with the very loaded “I’m not sure this song is good at all”.

My buddy Brian’s response will probably jar you like it jarred me:

Gotta say, I have a soft spot for this song. I think the beat is pretty banging and the subject matter is a plus. Like, we do have to acknowledge that she's walking side to side because she's been having sex with dude all night and day and now her vagina is too sore to walk like a regular person. I can dig that.

Well then.

62) With You. f/ Vince Staples - “Ghost”

Weird music video, but definitely my favorite version of Vince that we got in 2016.

61) Fifth Harmony f/ Ty Dolla $ign - “Work From Home”

I was listening to this song with my girlfriend the other day, and I said something like “This song could really use a rap cameo”. Enter: the very forgettable Ty Dolla $ign. Still, a fun, sexty song. Also, I believe this is our first -- and only? -- song to have over one billion YouTube views (!!!).

60) Masked Intruder - “If Only”

This made it over other MI candidates due to the Winnie Cooper reference.

59) Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Jay-Z f/ French Montana & Infared - “All The Way Up (Remix)”

An easy chorus for sports teams to co-opt, as well as a “fuck off me” Jay verse. He bucks “Lemonade”, ups his products for the infinite time, and drops the mic after:

The OG's say, "Hov, how high is high enough?" I said "'till we eye and eye with the higher ups" Until we let 'em know, we ain't those n****s Until our baby's showered in gold, n**** Blue looking like Pac in the tub David LaChapelle levels of not giving a fuck Prince left his masters where they safe and sound We never gonna let the elevator take him down

Man.

Worry not, cockroach French is around to muck things up. It’s salvaged by a real dope Remy Ma verse, though.

58) Al Scorch - “Everybody Out”

The perfect soundtrack for escaping a busted speakeasy.

57) Tegan and Sara - “Dying To Know”

This song makes the list because the “Boyfriend” chorus was lazy as hell; it was like the “Closer” chorus, version 2.0. Conversely, “Dying To Know” has real emotion and a big, legit chorus.

56) Bloc Party - “The Good News”

A song I fear no one will like but me... but hey, my list.

55) New Lenox - “It’s Its Own Thing”

This is a song I wrote (and drummed on) about how winter sucks. It’s also about Chicago, being alone, finding someone, and using Banner Pilot to get through tough, frozen times. Shout out to Dave Rokos for singing the majority of the leads and Chris Trott for producing.

54) Julien Baker - “Photobooth”

I became enamored with the voice and talent of 21-year-old phenom Julien Baker throughout 2016, and though she released her debut album in 2015 (ALL TRACKS DISQUALIFIED, CHICA), she did drop this Death Cab cover for The A.V. Club this year, so I found a way to get her in the door. Now that we’re all here, I’ll give the floor to Deadspin’s Tom Ley:

What I did not expect was to like this version of the song so much that I now become visibly disgusted when I try to go back and listen to the original. Like all the good, thoughtful teens of my era, I spent a lot of time listening to Death Cab in my car, and I used to nod along pleasantly when “Photobooth” came on. But now I’m just angry I ever wasted any time listening to a lesser version of the song. In my opinion, Death Cab should just turn their entire catalog over to Julien Baker and be done with it.

Ironically, I will be seeing Baker open up for Death Cab singer Ben Gibbard later this January.

53) Desiigner - “Panda”

This is a bad song... but it’s incredibly listenable (for about 30 seconds, only it keeps going for a normal amount of time). It got upped on Kanye’s album, which likely sparked public interest in this mumble rap disaster. Literally the best thing you can say is it’s a Future rip off -- and he’s not all that great to begin with.

/sadly looks up YouTube view total

190 million; Fifth Harmony is like “pshhhh”.

Yet, “Panda” somehow endures. It feels fresh, saying “panda” repatedly never seems to tire, and it burned down the dance floor at Brian Pawola’s wedding this summer; old and young alike wanted to be pandas.

Now is also probably a good time to disclose my Halloween costume...

52) Cloud Nothings - “Modern Act”

Me, blogging about my excitement for the new Cloud Nothings album that drops in three weeks.

51) A Tribe Called Quest f/ André 3000 - “Kids” (no link)

Welcome back.

50) Run The Jewels - “Talk To Me”

Haven’t listened to RTJ3, but it’s only been out for, like, 10 days. Still, this song is as reliably dope as they’ve always been. I also felt compelled to include ATCQ and RTJ in these spots to ensure they were not above “Panda”.

Brave men didn't die face down in the Vietnam muck so I could not style on you

49) Kevin Devine - “No History”

My aforementioned buddy Dave Rokos likes this song because of its big chorus, and I’d also like to use it as a selling point.

48) Kings Of Leon - “Reverend”

For as big as Kings Of Leon are, I haven’t really heard this song anywhere.

47) Rae Sremmurd f/ Gucci Mane - “Black Beatles”

I always thought Rae Sremmurd were kinda meh (at best) and Gucci Mane was an idiot’s idiot (at absolute best), but this song’s a banger -- and this conclusion was reached prior to it going viral with the Mannequin Challenges. Speaking of... my 2016 Black Wednesday:

A video posted by Bobby L (@bobbystompy) on Nov 23, 2016 at 7:15pm PST

46) Grimes - “Kill V. Maim”

This song is straight out of a video game or action movie. Like, get ready to fight a boss or something.

45) Dave Hause - “With You”

Heartfelt ballad that feels sprawled out across a few genres.

44) Robin Thicke f/ Nas - “Deep”

What do we get when we combine a dude with no credibility and feature a dude with tons of credibility? A sneaky sizzling collab. And if you still got beef, remember: it ain’t that deep.

43) Against Me! - “Rebecca”

A lot of people have had this AM! song on their year end lists, and I wasn’t seeing it, but after a few extra spins, it became pretty clear this was thee highlight from the album. It’s got this kinetic energy, spinning out of control while somehow maintaining perfect balance.

42) Restorations - “See”

Restorations make spectrum songs; ones you listen to while the world moves in slow motion at an airport reunion, while time stops after a death, or stretches out on an overly contemplative Sunday evening. What I’m saying is, these dudes control the clocks.

41) Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties - “Green Like The G Train, Green Like Sea Foam”

Soupy from The Wonder Years’ solo project keeps -- PUN INTENDED -- chuggin’ along with this one. He’s singing in the same gear he always sings in, but the chorus and always trusty synced rhythms that break it in two definitely get me goin’. 

40) Titus Andronicus - “No Future”

Titus Andronicus covering Craig Finn, and they add just the right amount of anguish to the proceedings. There’s such an obvious-yet-still-clever element to the “February’s about as long as it is wide” line.

39) Rihanna - “Needed Me” (NSFW-ish video)

This song is good -- Mustard on the beat, natch -- but RiRi murdering a dude in the back of a strip club in the video might be better.

38) Jeff Rosenstock - “Festival Song”

The former Bomb the Music Industry! singer dipped his toe in a few genres throughout his 2016 album “Worry”, though I’m not sure how to describe this one; it’s kind of spastic punk with some synthy keyboards and a catchy outro, strong enough to throw two capable haymakers as the song enters its final minute. 

37) The Steve Adamyk Band f/ Colleen Green - “Carry On”

I hadn’t even heard of this band a month ago, but “Carry On” has quickly become a favorite; toe-tappin' rock.

36) The Naked And Famous - “Higher”

This band seems like they’d have -- there is no better word I’m so sorry -- epic concerts. Also, don’t miss out on the “In The Air Tonight”-sounding fills.

35) Phantogram - “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore”

Brilliant drum samples, drug stuff, and a pop sensibility; you seriously could not ask for more.

34) Child Bite - “Vermin Mentality”

This song is quite harsh, and I imagine if you had individual approval ratings for all 132 of these songs, it would very easily finish in the bottom five. That said, I think it rocks, and it reminds me of the Dead Kennedys’ best scenario.

33) Joyce Manor - “Last You’ve Heard Of Me”

Sure, I reacted like a mom when I saw Barry’s new neck tattoo in the video, but the song was the redeemer. Recommended if you like the Everclear “Santa Monica” intro, marijuana makes you tired, or you’ve found love in the parking lot outside a karaoke bar.

32) Cassino - “Alabama Song”

If you did happen to listen to “Vermin Mentality”, this’ll probably be the song to get that taste out of your mouth. I love its overall laid back vibe, even if what it’s about remains unclear after a good chunk of listens.

31) Direct Hit! - “Was It The Acid?”

This one lost several punk points after the singer revealed he did not use hard drugs. But still.

30) Bayside - “Pretty Vacant”

My buddy Brian Pawola doesn’t like this song because of the teenage-y “I can’t believe this is my life, I’m pretty vacant all the time” chorus, but that’s precisely why I do. Also, apparently the album it’s off of is called “Vacancy”, haha.

29) PUP - “Familiar Patterns”

Feels weird not picking a single, but this one was always my favorite; the same percussive power, shreddy singing, and unrelenting noise we got in their debut a few years ago. Also funny: they named their 2016 album “The Dream Is Over”, which is what the PUP singer’s doctor told him after diagnosing his vocal chord ailment.

28) Tokyo Police Club - “Not My Girl”

Sometimes, I wanna tell non-punk fans TPC is what all punk rock sounds like, because even though the band has more of a pop-indie element, they do seem like the genre’s best case scenario more often than not.

27) The Falcon - “If Dave Did It”

Feels like sacrilege picking a Dave Hause fronted track for my Falcon choice. After all, this is Brendan Kelly’s group, and after an EP and two full lengths, it’s Dave’s first ever time fronting a song in the band. But this song kept standing out. It also has a small drum solo, and even though basically all drum solos are bad, Neil Hennessy’s on the kit -- so you know you’re in good hands.

26) Chance The Rapper f/ 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - “No Problem”

Chance’s “Coloring Book” was so positive and creative and multi-faceted that it feels a little wrong to pick a song that’s more traditional rap with typical guests, but it really is the best song, you know? For whatever reason, Lil Wayne’s nonchalant verse was my favorite, with his initial bars being the highlight:

I got problems bigger than these boys My deposits, they be on steroids Lord, free the Carter, n****s need the Carter Sacrificin' everything, I feel like Jesus Carter

But sure, we can also highlight funny 2 Chainz things:

- “Inside of the Maybach look like it came out of Ikea / Run shit like diarrhea” (oh my god)

- “Aye, aye, captain / I'm high, captain / I'm so high / Me and God dappin'” (haha)

Also, if you don’t raise-and-drop your arms for the “huh! huh!” part before the beat kicks in at the beginning after “lobby”, you’re a monster.

25) David Rokos - “Pacific Time”

Falling in lust with a California girl who has the keys to bomb ass hotel room overlooking the ocean? What self-deprecating heterosexual dude isn’t signing up for this?

24) NOFX - “Six Years On Dope”

Thrash punk, with Fat Mike and Eric Melvin divvying up the vocals after arguing to start the song. Here’s the July 2016 description I emailed to the gf:

So, the lead singer has kind of a flat, annoying voice, but then there's this guitarist who mostly does yell parts and not a lot of leads, but in this song, they both basically trade off yelling, and the guitar is blaring, and it just does not relent. They've released a million records at this point, but something about it feels so fresh. Like new blood has been infused into all of them.

You will like... 0% of this.

Her response: “Hahaha. I wouldn't say that I hate this...but it's pretty close.”

23) Beach Slang - “Future Mixtape For The Art Kids”

Of all the artists on this way-too-long list, I had the hardest time picking a Beach Slang song. This is probably because all of their songs sound the same. But as a writer earlier this year said, it’s still a good song. So true. I went with Track 1 from their album “A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings” (this is the actual title) because it has the biggest chorus:

We're not lost, we are dying in style We're not fucked, we are fucking alive I hope I never die

Every Beach Slang song also has to include “die” or “alive” in the lyrics; this one gets both. Minor gripe: that vocal distortion you hear is an effect used on every other song on the 29 minute record.

22) Kid Cudi f/ André 3000 - “By Design” (no link)

When you think too much, you’re removing what’s moving

This song could literally be in a made up language, but the diction, beat, and Caribbean stylings from Cudi and 3 Stacks would still make you wile out. The full version appears to be nowhere on the free Internet, but I highly recommend finding it.

If you’re too lazy, peep Cudi’s “Goodbye” instead. It’s a pump up track that samples 2Pac and Pink Floyd -- what could go wrong?!

21) Anderson .Paak - “Come Down”

My buddy Ceebs used this as the entrance song at his wedding; he and his wife looked so cool.

20) The Weeknd - “False Alarm”

Listen, I wanted to include “Starboy”. But after shunning “The Hills” for “Can’t Feel My Face” in 2015, I wanted to pick the weird song over the poppier one this time, OK? This music video is so violent. I also really do wonder if this song has borderline punk elements.

19) Carly Rae Jepsen - “Higher”

Just a Carly Rae “Emotion” b-side cracking the Top 20, no big deal. Seeing CRJ in Milwaukee in March was my favorite concert of 2016; so much so that I saw her in Chicago the next day and even exchanged a shirt (...cutoffs) with the merch guy I’d met already.

18) Brian Fallon - “Red Lights”

We have The Gaslight Anthem singer’s solo project here. This could definitely be a TGA song. “I only stop to tell her that I love her at the red lights” = unstoppable swoon.

17) Jay-Z - “Spiritual”

I need a drink, shrink or something I need an angelic voice to sing something

A song that should’ve had a much bigger spotlight in an incredibly tumultuous year. I remember listening to this during the Dallas shootings, my heart absolutely breaking for the country. Here is the statement Hov released with the track:

16) Justin Timberlake - “CAN’T STOP THE FEELING!”

Our Song of the Summer, 2K16.

The one critique you could give is maybe it’s a little too easy, a little too low hanging fruit, but my counter would be: who said pop music has to be terribly difficult? And if you’re still folding arms during the “Can’t stop the fee-laaaaahn” falsetto part, having fun probably isn’t your bag.

15) Get Well Cards - “Is It Worth It?”

I think you’re trying to kill me, when you said you’d lick my wounds

I play drums on this jam, but it’s Dave Rokos’ songwriting that gives me all the feels. It always reminded me of a slightly more restrained “Good Things”. This song is about sleeplessness, deep contemplation, and a deteriorating relationship; you don’t know if you should do everything you can to hold on... or mercifully let it all go (”And they say time is all we have to give / And I think I’ve given you enough”... oof).

14) Resolutions - “Daily Train”

Blindly assumed this band was from Canada, but, upon further research, it looks like Germany. Hmm. The singer sounds like the Rise Against dude to me.

13) Mike Posner f/ Big Sean - “Buried In Detroit (Lucas Lowe Remix)”

Hunger > Strategy

The Mike Posner comeback was one of the more delightful storylines of 2016. Though I liked “Ibiza” quite a bit, I had a softer spot for the one with his fellow Michigander. This is my favorite Big Sean performance of the year, and Posner’s verses and choruses are straight anthemic.

12) blink-182 - “Rabbit Hole”

Though we can all agree “Built This Pool” is the best song of all-time (Travis’ “Is that really it?” = completely perfect), “Rabbit Hole” was a bit more well-rounded -- and it’s Matt Skiba getting in the mix in a blink-182 song (verse two); I can’t believe we’re here.

11) Kanye West f/ Kendrick Lamar - “No More Parties In L.A.”

In honor of its number on our dear list, my Top 11 favorite bars from this banging banger of a song...

11. Kanye: “And as far as ‘Real Friends’, tell all my cousins I love 'em / Even the one that stole the laptop, you dirty motherfucker” (he’s not over it)

10. Kanye: "My psychiatrist got kids that I inspired / First song they played for me was 'bout their friend that just died” (creepy, ominous)

9. Kanye: “Hey baby, you forgot your Ray Bans / And my sheets still orange from your spray tan” (very South Naperville)

8. Kendrick: “She said she came out here to find an A-list rapper / I said baby, spin that 'round and say the alphabet backwards” (the young MC will not be slighted)

7. Kanye: "Thinking back to how I got here in the first place / Second class bitches wouldn't let me on first base" (those days are probably over, Yeezy)

6. Kanye: “Got pussy from beats I did for n****s more famous / When did I become A list? I wasn't even on a list” (those days are also probably over, Yeezy)

5. Kendrick: “Well cutie, I like your bougie booty / Come Erykah Badu me" (that’s just good game)

4. Kanye: “Every agent I know, know I hate agents / I'm too black, I'm too vocal, I'm too flagrant” (empowering)

3. Kanye: “I was uninspired since Lauryn Hill retired / And 3 Stacks, man, you preach it to the choir” (golden)

2. Kanye: "Mulholland Drive, need to put up some god damn barricades / I be paranoid every time, the pressure / The problem ain't I be drivin' / The problem is I be textin'" (we’ve all been there)

1. Kanye: “I be worried 'bout my daughter, I be worried 'bout Kim / But Saint is baby 'Ye, I ain't worried 'bout him” (and we’ll end with my favorite rap lyric of 2016)

10) Daya - “Hide Away”

It took a few listens to realize how sublime this one is. The lyrics are solid, the beat is great, and they display some real patience with how the hi-hat notes are deployed, and it really helps control the flow of urgency (Posner uses this tactic in the “Buried In Detroit [Remix]” as well).

Also, don’t sleep on its grocery store banger potential with the happier sounding and cutesy “Tell me where the good boys go” bridge.

9) Beyoncé f/ Kendrick Lamar - “Freedom” (note: link is to the live performance)

This is big.

I remember when “Lemonade” dropped, I was txting with my friend Buffalo Grove Tina (she’d heard the album and I hadn’t yet), giving her selective feedback as I was progressing through the tracks. She then sent a message that stuck with me every listen since:

Hooooooly buckets, she nailed it. The Just Blaze beat should be sent to the CDC, Yoncé is breathing fire, and once you start to finally wrap your head around all of that, you get a K-Dot verse as icing on a cake that already had great cake and great icing. It’s run-through-walls time.

8) Drake - “One Dance” (note: link is to the live version)

Drake has been so consistent with his output this decade, turning every year into a "Should I pick the hip-hop song or the pop song?" debate when it comes to list-making. This time, the pop song wins (or dancehall, really).

"One Dance" is a good joint to drink, dance, or sway to. There's a reason it became his most streamed song of all-time.

7) The Hotelier - “Piano Player”

What a beautiful piece of music. The warmness I feel during the “I don’t know if I know love no more” is unmatched. Their album (”Goodness”) is one of the year’s best.

6) Culture Abuse - “Dream On”

This song is automatic pulverization. Like, about 80% of the way through, it tries to end but somehow can't. The chorus isn't ready to be done. Some have compared the singer's style to a robot, but I think it just sounds *cool*.

5) Japandroids - “Near To The Wild Heart Of Life”

She kissed me like a chorus

Skeptics might hate on this song for sounding like a retread of their sound from 2012's legendary album "Celebration Rock", and even non-skeptics may roll their eyes at the "I used to be good, but now I'm bad" line. But I shun these trigger happy notions. Enough time has passed since “CR”, and I was ready for this band to come back; beyond ready. This song gave me everything I was missing during the Japan-void.

/walks out of the room with an unflinchingly straight face

4) Pusha T f/ Jay-Z - “Drug Dealers Anonymous”

My pick for the best hip-hop track of the year. No choruses, no trade offs; it’s one long Pusha verse, then one long Jay verse -- the best rap verse of 2016, by my count. Pusha’s is galvanizing too, though. He paints pictures, conjures the Flint water crisis*, and sets up a bowling pin for the GOAT to roll one at...

/deep breath

Just, like, fuck, man.

JAY-Z IS SO GOOD AT RAPPING WORDS

Shawn Corey Carter doesn’t walk, he weaves. He doesn’t blast, he shoots silenced. I’d love to use the word “ether” to describe the verse but won’t out of respect. What doesn’t it have? I don’t know. Here’s what it does have: Tomi Lahren she gone, drug dealer stuff, rich guy stuff, historical and pop culture references (I’ll defend the “Damn, Daniel” line to the death), and this piece of divinity: “Y’all think Uber’s the future, our cars been autonomous”.

Sometimes all I can do is put my head down, bite my lip, and bob when this song comes on; lucky to be alive, like always.

(* - Pusha apparently donated water to the city but wanted it nameless, rationalizing it in the song with: “And I can’t even mention what I sent or what I spent / Cause my name in 18 wheelers is evidence”)

3) Modern Baseball - “Apple Cider, I Don’t Mind”

MoBo’s “Holy Ghost” was a little uneven as an album, but I’m just happy to have singer Brendan Lukens here with us after his bout with depression, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts. By the time he got back to the studio after rehab, he was ready to give us at least a little insight into his psyche -- and it’s desperate, scary, and beautiful. My favorite overall musical moment of 2016 is the pleading “I can’t” he hits at the 1:15 mark of this one.

Clocking in at a tick under two minutes, this song almost feels incomplete in a way that 2014′s “Rock Bottom” (2:14 itself) didn’t. It’s like Lukens wants to sprint so hard he passes out, worrying not as much about finishing the race but instead focusing on giving the audience all of himself while in the booth.

2) Pinegrove - “New Friends”

Hit me, Spin:

Pinegrove are almost radically likable, soft-spoken in a year of grandiose statements, filling a void that only existed in retrospect.

Damn straight. I hadn’t even heard of these guys at the start of the year.

This goes from indie folk to a Weezer-y outro with only a short build up, but the songwriting and lyrics are in a style all their own, really. That’s it.

1) The Menzingers - “Lookers”

When this dropped, my buddy Chris Trott emailed me what he always emails me when a new song piques our interest: “Holy good god damn this is good. This is like 'I believe in music again' good.”

Shortly after, I remember leaving work for lunch and bumping the song for the first time in a parking lot. I wrote him back: “Was staring at this brick wall while listening and the first thought that popped into my head was something like 'It feels like they are taking my soul out of my body and splattering it on that wall' (in the best way, of course).”

Nostalgic verses, massive Jersey chorus, an “On The Road” reference, and the desire to want more of these songs even after you were just given everything in a single installment.

This god damn band.

[thereviewsarein]

For the tenth time, the tenth year in a row, we’re here with The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide for anyone that gets left behind when the big tournament starts!

This year, the fun starts with Selection Sunday on March 17, with First Four games going Tuesday and Wednesday, and big bracket games tipping off on Thursday, March 21 and the National Championship game scheduled for Monday, April 8.

68 teams will find out who they’re up against, what teams are in their path, and chart their journey to Minneapolis for the Final Four.

Selection Sunday also gives millions of people all over the world the chance to start planning for their bracket challenges. Studying, fact-finding, video reviews, expert analysis, and gut feelings will all come into play when brackets start getting filled out and winners get picked.

If all of this sounds familiar because your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife loves the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball tournament, it’s okay. Being left behind, ignored, and feeling lonely may mean you are suffering from March Madness Widow Syndrome, and we’re here to help.

Check out this list of five suggestions to get you through the three weeks of ball games and bad bets. We highly recommend that you lean on music to get you through, love it as much as your partner loves basketball, and have some fun with it.

Ready? Let’s go!

1) Dig and Dive For Vinyl

Vinyl’s made a big comeback, and whether you’ve already built a huge collection of classics and modern favourites, or you’ve just decided that you want to get started – there are always more albums to buy.

So, use your March alone time to hit flea markets, thrift stores, and browse buy/sell/trade groups online to see what’s out there that you want and need. Look around, dig deep, flip through stacks and boxes, and get some great deals on music you love and can’t wait to spin.

Good luck!

2) Plan For The Summer Concert Season

Festival season is coming, outdoor stage season is coming, big tours have been announced, and now it’s time for you to choose who you’re going to see live.

Pick a genre and start looking at the concerts and festivals that are near you. Decide if you want to camp. Find friends that want to dance and sing along with you. Mark the dates on your calendar and get ready to have a whole lot of fun.

Note: Remember to book the days off work that you need. And if you can, try to take the Monday off after a big weekend festival. It’s 100% worth it.

3) Enter Contests

Contests through social media, artist websites, and email signups are a great way to win contest tickets, merch, and other awesome swag and opportunities.

Keep your eyes open for contest opportunities and don’t be afraid to enter every one of them. You can’t win if you don’t play. And if you do win, yay for you!

And here’s a tip: Put together a small group of family and friends to contest with. Most concert and festival contests offer two or four tickets. So if you know who you’d take with you, get them to enter too so you have multiple chances to get those tickets!

4) Celebrate Female Artists

We know that women aren’t played as much as men on the radio. We know that women aren’t included at a proportional basis on streaming site playlists. We know that women aren’t booked at the same rate as men on the festival circuit. But we also know that women are making awesome music across all genres.

You love hip hop and rap? There are women making great tracks.

You love pop and rock? You can find women making waves and great records.

You love country and folk? Women are changing the game and earning big-time praise.

Check out new music lists. Ask your friends for recommendations. Heck, tweet at your favourite male artists and ask them to recommend their favourite female artists to you. Give women a chance, they’ll show you what they’ve got!

Note: Let’s be straight about something here. We’re not calling for a boycott of male artists. We’re not saying you shouldn’t’ listen to and enjoy the music of men. We’re simply saying that the women making great music deserve to be heard too, and that means extra effort based on the current system.

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5) Play Along

For the last 10 years we’ve been telling you that playing along with your significant other during March Madness can be a lot of fun. And we’re not about to stop now.

Fill out a bracket and cheer along. Pick the same teams as your S/O and cheer with them. Or pick against every single one of their bets and cheer against them. Pick based on nicknames or colours or cities or mascots. Pick however you want!

Remember too that there are a lot of side benefits to playing along with March Madness. There are the snacks, the sitting on a comfortable couch, the excitement and adrenaline that tight games bring, and the chance at winning and proving that you make good bets.

And if you need more ideas, have a look back at the first nine years of March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guides.

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide – 2010

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 2.0 – 2011

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 3.0 – 2012

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 4.0 – 2013

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 5.0 – 2014

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 6.0 – 2015

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 7.0 – 2016

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 8.0 – 2017

The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 9.0 – 2018

March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide 10! For the tenth time, the tenth year in a row, we’re here with The March Madness Widow(er) Survival Guide for anyone that gets left behind when the big tournament starts!

[goalsandgrit]

Goals & Grit: 101 Goals in 1001 Days

I have always been a person that feels the most fulfilled  when I put a lot on my plate.  The last few years of life have thrown a lot at me both mentally and physically, yet I have always maintained one focus: to find the silver lining.  

I do not believe that everything happens for a reason, as I have realized there are some reasons I will never be able to justify, but I instead believe that I will end up where I am supposed to be.

On that journey of figuring out where I am supposed to be, I have decided to set tangible goals for myself.  This blog is going to follow me through the journey of achieving 101 goals in 1001 days.  

My friend mentioned this 101 items list, and I fell in love with it immediately.  I have finally (after a break of a few months) finished writing my list.  

On Tuesday June 1, 2021 (1001 days from now), my goal is to have completed this list.  I hope you will enjoy following along in the journey - or at least will share it with someone who may.

1. Run one 5K a month for 12 months straight

2. Run a half marathon

3. Take an art class

4. Take 3 “do it yourself” classes at Home Depot or Lowes

5. Knit something

6. Have my own vegetable garden

7. Learn how to make Mom’s mac and cheese and make it on my own

8. Learn how to make dad’s lasagna and make it on my own

9. Go to a different church to learn about other beliefs

10. Learn to ski or snowboard

11. Go snow shoeing

12. Complete one of Grandma’s 3D puzzles

13. Complete a bartending course

14. Print a coffee table photo book of my own photos.  

15. Teach Boston a new trick

16. Learn to fish and catch a fish

17. Get a tattoo

18. Make ribs on the smoker at the bay

19. Drive a jet ski

20. Make my own tea

21. Write for website “More Love Letters” once a month for a year

22. Hang my own curtains

23. Learn to play guitar

24. Fall in love

25. Take a real camping trip

26. Lost 50lbs - for myself

27. Go to all of the 19 Natural Lands Nature preserves in PA

28. Start a blog and post actively

29. Serve as a mentor for other widows

29. Have a window herb garden

31. Make my own bath bombs

32. Make cabin at bay solar powered

33. Create a draft of photo book to be professionally published

34. Journal for 3 months straight about 3 joys a day

35. Get converted to a permanent employee at work

36. Take a trip west of PA

37. Organize mom’s photo albums

38. Join a professional business group or association

39. Repurpose or re-do a piece of furniture

40. Write 12 poems

41. Join a public speaking group

42. Develop a detailed budget

43. Spend 2 weeks off of all social media

44. Do a 30 day declutter challenge

45. Study my families ancestry and take notes

46. Learn to paddleboard

47. Send out birthday and anniversary cards consistently for a year

48. Hike some of the Appalachian Trail

49. See Celine Dion

50. Check out the Nashville music scene

51. Do a wwoof volunteer trip

52. Read for 30 minutes a day before bed for a month

53. Go to a concert alone

54. Take a flower or plant based class

55. Do a skills based volunteering activity

56. Read all of the books on my bookshelves

57. Spend a rainy day watching movies in my pi’s

58. Build a fire on the beach

59. Make a blanket fort and sleep in it

60. Meditate or do yoga daily for 30 days

61. Cook a recipe from one of my cookbooks once a month for a year

62. Make apple pie from scratch

63. Become a mental health advocate

64. Read a book about the history of the town I grew up in

65. Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet

66. Get a massage at a spa

67. Host a board game night

68. Listen to 26 musician / artists that I have never heard of - each starting with a different letter of the alphabet

69. Ride a hot air balloon

70. Learn about stock investment

71. Do 3 meetup.com events

72. Organize music onto my computer

73. Make my bed everyday for a month

74. Go to a haunted house or hayride

75. Donate or give away all excess clothes

76. Make pottery or a sculpture

77. Use only reusable bags for a month

78. See a broadway show

79. Assemble home emergency kit

80. Get speakers set up for record player

81. Use hand lettering book to learn to write name

82. Host a craft night with friends or family

83. Hold a plank for 5 minutes

84. Set up roof rack and go kayaking

85. Go play bingo out somewhere

86. Go to a flyers game

87. Go to a 76ers game

88. Host football Sunday

89. Meal prep every Sunday for a month

90. Go to the 9/11 museum

91. Buy a stranger’s meal or coffee

92. Walk 10K steps a day for 2wks

93. Take a free online class

94. Take a holiday train ride

95. Watch 5 documentaries

96. Send someone a care package

97. Attend a professional conference or training event

98. Go to bed at 9 every weeknight for two straight weeks

99. Learn how to braid my hair

100. Give 5 “just because” gifts

101. Document all 101 goals - the successes AND the failures.

[tcook11-blog]

Goals & Grit: 101 Goals in 1001 Days

“Our potential is one thing.  What we do with it is quite another.” - Angela Duckworth

I have always been a person that feels the most fulfilled  when I put a lot on my plate.  The last few years of life have thrown a lot at me both mentally and physically, yet I have always maintained one focus: to find the silver lining.  

I do not believe that everything happens for a reason, as I have realized there are some reasons I will never be able to justify, but I instead believe that I will end up where I am supposed to be. 

On that journey of figuring out where I am supposed to be, I have decided to set tangible goals for myself.  This blog is going to follow me through the journey of achieving 101 goals in 1001 days.  

My friend mentioned this 101 items list, and I fell in love with it immediately.  I have finally (after a break of a fee months) finished writing my list.  

On Monday May 31, 2021 (1001 days from now), my goal is to have completed this list.  I hope you will enjoy following along in the journey - or at least will share it with someone who may.

1. Run 1 5K a month for 12 months straight

2. Run a half marathon

3. Take an art class

4. Take 3 “do it yourself” classes at Home Depot or Lowes

5. Knit something

6. Have my own vegetable garden

7. Learn how to make Mom’s mac and cheese and make it on my own

8. Learn how to make dad’s lasagna and make it on my own

9. Go to a different church to learn about other beliefs

10. Learn to ski or snowboard

11. Go snow shoeing 

12. Complete one of Grandma’s 3D puzzles

13. Complete a bartending course

14. Print a coffee table photo book of my own photos.  

15. Teach Boston a new trick

16. Learn to fish and catch a fish

17. Get a tattoo

18. Make ribs on the smoker at the bay

19. Drive a jet ski

20. Make my own tea

21. Write for website “More Love Letters” once a month for a year

22. Hang my own curtains

23. Learn to play guitar

24. Fall in love

25. Take a real camping trip

26. Lost 50lbs - for myself

27. Go to all of the 19 Natural Lands Nature preserves in PA

28. Start a blog and post actively

29. Serve as a mentor for other widows

29. Have a window herb garden

31. Make my own bath bombs

32. Make cabin at bay solar powered

33. Create a draft of photo book to be professionally published 

34. Journal for 3 months straight about 3 joys a day

35. Get converted to a permanent employee at work

36. Take a trip west of PA

37. Organize mom’s photo albums

38. Join a professional business group or association

39. Repurpose or re-do a piece of furniture

40. Write 12 poems

41. Join a public speaking group 

42. Develop a detailed budget

43. Spend 2 weeks off of all social media

44. Do a 30 day declutter challenge

45. Study my families ancestry and take notes

46. Learn to paddleboard

47. Send out birthday and anniversary cards consistently for a year

48. Hike some of the Appalachian Trail

49. See Celine Dion

50. Check out the Nashville music scene

51. Do a wwoof volunteer trip

52. Read for 30 minutes a day before bed for a month

53. Go to a concert alone

54. Take a flower or plant based class

55. Do a skills based volunteering activity

56. Read all of the books on my bookshelves

57. Spend a rainy day watching movies in my pi’s

58. Build a fire on the beach

59. Make a blanket fort and sleep in it

60. Meditate or do yoga daily for 30 days

61. Cook a recipe from one of my cookbooks once a month for a year

62. Make apple pie from scratch

63. Become a mental health advocate

64. Read a book about the history of the town I grew up in

65. Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet

66. Get a massage at a spa

67. Host a board game night

68. Listen to 26 musician / artists that I have never heard of - each starting with a different letter of the alphabet

69. Ride a hot air balloon

70. Learn about stock investment

71. Do 3 meetup.com events

72. Organize music onto my computer

73. Make my bed everyday for a month

74. Go to a haunted house or hayride

75. Donate or give away all excess clothes

76. Make pottery or a sculpture

77. Use only reusable bags for a month

78. See a broadway show

79. Assemble home emergency kit

80. Get speakers set up for record player

81. Use hand lettering book to learn to write name

82. Host a craft night with friends or family

83. Hold a plank for 5 minutes

84. Set up roof rack and go kayaking

85. Go play bingo out somewhere

86. Go to a flyers game

87. Go to a 76ers game

88. Host football Sunday

89. Meal prep every Sunday for a month

90. Go to the 9/11 museum

91. Buy a stranger’s meal or coffee

92. Walk 10K steps a day for 2wks

93. Take a free online class

94. Take a holiday train ride

95. Watch 5 documentaries

96. Send someone a care package

97. Attend a professional conference or training event

98. Go to bed at 9 every weeknight for two straight weeks

99. Learn how to braid my hair

100. Give 5 “just because” gifts

101. Document all 101 goals - the successes AND the failures. 

[timefadesaway]

sorry if this is a silly question, but when you say 1973/74 albums, are you working from some kind of list? for some unholy reason i really enjoy making listening into music into a Project so if there is a list you're working from and you could drop a link i'd love to see!

hi yes it is !!! it's from robert dimery's 1001 albums to listen to before you die - i collated it myself from a number of sources so it's about 1007 actually but i'm working my way through it :) it's really fun, i'd recommend it! i do have a couple of issues with it generally in terms of what's included but it's a rlly good way to get into a lot of things and from what there is in there you find a lot of little 'ins' i guess into new stuff! i made it into a spreadsheet if u wanted to copy and tweak it to what u want or maybe just steal the list - it's here if you'd like to use it :) i believe if you just go to file and make a copy u can steal it completely. or just copy the first two columns for the list itself!!