Part 1 - The Discovery, Past & Present.
From years and years ago when I was just a few years old I’ve always been captivated by music of all different types. Long drives in the car with my parents was the first source of music for me. Some days it was just radio stations playing top pop songs from the 90's, and other days my parents would play CDs with songs from the 70’s and 80’s. This from a young age just exposed me to so many different great bands and songs that still listen to today. I still try to hunt down songs that I heard back then that I barely remember.
Then in my early teens a good friend of mine introduced me to a band you may have heard of, Blink-182. I still remember the day and the first time I heard All The Small Things. It’s always held a strong place with me because the friend who introduced me to that song moved out of state a few years later. Blink-182 was my first of many “Favorite Bands” and a complete list of my favorites will be provided at the end of this piece. Blink-182 still holds a solid place in that list and I listen to all of their albums on a regular basis.
After Blink-182 I started to dive into many similar bands Jimmy Eat World, Green Day, Sum 41 are just a few. They were all the punk/pop rock that I was into at that age, but then came Eminem. His type of rap drew me in a bit. I have never been a huge rap fan but I definitely enjoy the genre still to this day. Eminem’s lyrics and references were just so relevant that’s why I think I probably enjoyed his music at the time. As High School came, more of the “Emo Music” genre started to work its way into my ears. Bands like Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday, Motion City Soundtrack became part of my library.
In High School my cousin became the next person to really broaden my musical spectrum. She was into a lot of the same music I was but had a large variety of bands and genres. She brought bands like H.I.M., A.F.I., Aiden, Saosin, Linkin Park, to name a few. You could say they were “darker bands” but to me it was just a new experience that appealed to my ears. As High School ended sites like Youtube, Myspace, Facebook made it easier for me to find new music and explore many new genres in a small amount of time.
Multiple events in my life also curved my taste in music too. I wont get to personal but in different situations or when I was dealing with problems I would go on a hunt for music I could relate to or music that would lift my mood up. It was kind of a therapy or just a way to cope with difficult times. My catalog of bands and artists grew into the 100s by the time High School ended with all the challenges and things both good and bad that have happened.
Most recently I’ve tried to hunt down older songs from my youth. Songs that my parents would listen to. I can barely remember the lyrics to some so it makes finding the title or artist extremely challenging. I also have dived into my favorite bands albums a bit more. Finding hidden bonus tracks or just songs that I skipped by on an album when I was younger. At the same time I’ve been exploring new bands and genres that are just derived from my core favorites. So my library has been constantly expanding.
Currently I use Spotify and Google Music to build my music library. I primarily use Spotify because I like it’s design, Google Music is just because I am heavily invested into many of Google’s services. These services make my love for music so much better. Building playlists, searching for new bands and artists is so easy. It also allows me to have all my music anywhere thanks to streaming. I can play any song or artist literally at anytime and I find it amazing. Not having to listen to Top 40s stations on the radio is amazing.
So that’s my musical history I guess I hope you enjoyed it but that’s just the beginning of this post. Down below in the next section I’m going to be posting my most played songs in my music library and what they mean to me, my opinions, how I found them, some memories or feelings associated with them as well. So if you want to explore more of my personal music taste now you’ll be interested in Part 2!
Part 2 — The Lists
So there are always many Favorites when it comes to music there is going to be 3 lists total. This is the best way I think to organize this part of the post.
List 1 — Most Played on Google Music
So lets discuss this list! It is not an actual a “favorite list” and Google Music isn’t my primary streaming service, Spotify is but unfortunately doesn’t offer a most played view option.
Running If You Call My Name by HAIM is such a strong song by an underrated band. Great vocals by these girls. It’s got a few rock elements but overall it is on the slower side of songs and darker too. Not normally one of my favorites but this song definitely spoke to me at certain parts of my life recently. The guitar towards the end and the drum beat paired with the vocals is definitely what hooked me.
Wishing Well by Blink-182 of course it’s Blink! This list was definitely going to have a Blink song in the top 5. Wishing Well is just about tough times and being through a lot. Tom Delonge is one of my favorite lyricists and this is where he shines I think. It is on the newer side of Blinks songs but it still has a familiar Blink sound which I love.
Girls Like You by The Naked and Famous is a mix of the Electronic/Indie Rock that I got into more recently. Great use of instruments that keeps it up tempo and catchy but the best part of the song is the lyrics and the build up. The meaning of this song is just about girls who act too typical or stereotypical. The whole song just builds up both lyrically and pace wise until the final chorus.
Hearts Like Ours by The Naked and Famous another song by this band by it’s a bit different the female vocalist has the lead here along with powerful guitars really drives the song. Lyrics aren’t the greatest but its in how they’re delivered along with the guitar that makes this song for me.
Ready To Go (Get Out Of My Mind) by Panic! At The Disco is one of those songs that I just stumbled across and it was in my head for days. The lead singer of Panic shines on this track and the lyrics just get me in a positive mood to start the day or whatever I need to do. The use of violins and other strings is pretty interesting too. It’s on the rock side of things with a upbeat tempo that just hooked me.
Young Blood by The Naked and Famous yes another song by Naked this is just a solid mix of electronic and rock very similar to Hearts Like Ours but the lyrics are the highlight of this track. Still has great progression with the instruments but they get out of the way of the vocals and lyrics.
Man Overboard by Blink-182 this is the one song that is definitely been a favorite for a long time. I actually found out about this song years after it originally came out. It was on their greatest hits album which is where I first listened to it but it was released back in the early 2000’s. This song is just typical Blink with both Mark Hoppus and Tom Delonge sharing vocals. Great lyrics, great riffs on the instruments, and just overall a great and favorite song.
Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy this is a different sort of Fall Out Boy song. Definitely still rock but the beat is something they don’t normally do along with a lighter acoustic guitar. Lyrics are catchy and match the beat perfectly. Patrick Stump is a great vocalist and definitely stands out here. Just overall one of those songs you can sing along to and think about good times.
Now by Joywave is definitely one of the newest most played songs on this list. It has such a mix of musical elements that make this song stick out to me. It starts with roaring guitars, has acoustic guitars with the first verse, then more roaring guitars for the chorus and has electronics mixed in with drums to top it off. Lyrics are also pretty decent and catchy. This song just gets me pumped with how it drives up to the final chorus than breaks down into piano and guitars to the outro.
Tightrope by Walk The Moon I don’t know why this has such a high play count to be perfectly honest. It’s catchy, upbeat, lyrics are okay but I just never remember playing it that many times. I think it’s due to Google just randomly picking it whenever I happen to hit shuffle. It’s still a good song by all means but it just isn’t one of my favorites. The final chorus and outro is pretty solid and catchy but this is just the oddball on this list I have to be honest.
List 2-All Time Top 20 Favorites
So this list displays my all time favorites. Songs that I love and I will never lose interest in. Let’s begin…
Always by Blink 182 is my all time favorite Blink song. Great lyrics, great sound and one of those songs I could sing along to every time. Tom Delonge kills it on this track. I can’t really nail why this is my favorite song from them but it just stuck with me from the first time I heard it. The music video was really creative too.
All The Small Things by Blink 182 was the first song I ever heard by Blink. It was played on the radio and MTV when they still played music. It’s a classic punk rock song that everyone has probably heard somewhere at sometime. Catchy simple lyrics and chorus that makes it a sing along song. Reminds me of good times with my childhood friends.
The Middle by Jimmy Eat World just a great overall rock song. Really to me it’s about not giving up, and living the way you want to. This was another popular song on the radio and many people have heard of. Great guitars plus great lyrics just made this song stick with me.
Sugar, We’re Goin Down by Fall Out Boy this was definitely one of those songs that people either love or hate but most people know of. It was their first major single and when I saw the video and heard it I was like this is just more of the great rock and music I like. Lyrics are on point and Patrick Stump does an awesome job pushing them.
Perfect Situation by Weezer not one of their most well known songs but the lyrics are just really well written and the chorus is so simple. Great roaring guitars and guitar solo towards the final chorus.
Sirens by Angels & Airwaves is a different song for me. Definitely more personal of the favorites. Lyrics are key for most of my favorite songs and this track has some of my favorites. Tom Delonge did an awesome job singing. The bass, guitar and light beat in the background are perfect and never overwhelm the song.
When Your Heart Stops Beating by +44 is my favorite song by Mark Hoppus. Great lyrics and it’s really tied with Sirens because this song is just so catchy and upbeat. Guitar riff near the chorus and Travis Barker on drums are also solid.
Do Better by Say Anything is weird song but once again it’s lyrics are the key here. So many rhythms by Max Bemis and a simple catchy chorus. The lyrics are about doing better and inspire me to always do whatever I’m doing better than anyone else. The violins drive this song along with a simple beat. Not too many heavy instruments which really helps the lyrics stay relevant and dominant.
Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind is back to one of those songs that a lot of people heard on the radio back in the day. I remember discovering it and just being like oh damn that’s who this band is! The guitars are what really drives this song for me along with the chorus.
Electable (Give It Up) by Jimmy Eat World is a newer song by them that’s not really well known but it’s just as catchy a The Middle was. The combination of the chorus and guitars just stuck with me. Found this song in High School and I could relate to some of the lyrics but really it’s just a great catchy rock song by JEW.
This is Gospel by Panic! At The Disco is a song where the lyrics meant a lot to me at a certain point in my life. It has great guitars and drums too which also help drive the intensity of the lyrics too.
Disaster by Blink 182 yes there is another Blink song on this list. This is from their last EP with Tom Delonge and everything about this song is awesome. It features vocals from both Mark Hoppus and Tom. Great lyrics throughout the song. Travis is a beast on drums and the guitars are really powerful and flow with the entire song. It holds a place in this list just because it’s like the farewell song of the Blink 182 that I always knew.
High by Young Rising Sons is a great positive upbeat song. Always gets me in a good mood. Whenever I’m feeling down this is the song I go to. It has great lyrics pair with a great vocalist. Catchy as all hell too with a simple beat and guitars at the right parts through out the song.
Sputter by The Academy Is… this is more of a song the means a lot to me personally. I have a few experiences that this song tends to remind me of. It’s a slower rock song with a very small keyboard tone in certain parts. The blend of the piano, guitar and drums keep the song very consistent. William Beckett has a great voice on this track and the lyrics he writes are usually original and creative.
Everything Is Easy by Third Eye Blind a newer song on my all time favorites because this band had a long period where they didn’t release any new material. This was their first new single and it reminded me a lot of their older songs. It’s catchy and has simple lyrics that pair well with the familiar Third Eye Blind sound that I haven’t heard in a while.
Ready To Go by Panic! At The Disco is a song that was on my other list above so I won’t repeat myself. It’s an all time favorite because it just puts me in a positive mood whenever I hear it.
Cheap Sunglasses by RAC is an interesting one. Probably the newest song on this list. RAC is an interesting artist and he always releases catchy songs. Matthew Koma provides the vocals on this track and he has a unique voice and has appeared on other tracks like Wasted by Tiesto. The lyrics on this song are simple and that works perfectly with the mix of instruments that RAC blends together.
The Kids Aren’t Alright by Fall Out Boy is one of their new songs and I personally think is very underrated. The minute this song starts I can’t help but tap my feet and start singing. I love how this song builds up to the chorus and then falls back to a slow pace. Patrick Stump shines again on this track with great vocals and lyrics that just seem to fall into place.
Dig a Hole by William Beckett is a slower more meaningful songs. William wrote some great lyrics hear and his solo work is great. It’s a simple song not too many instruments so that the lyrics are the driving force throughout.
My Blue Heaven by Taking Back Sunday is the last song on this list but holds a strong place it. I can’t tell whether its the lyrics or the guitars that really stand out to me but both are great. It’s a slow but powerful rock song at the same time.
Part 3 — The Wrap Up
So we come to the end yet it’s really not even close to being the end. My music library grows every day. Music has influenced many things in my life and will do so until the end. From time to time I will post more about my favorite bands and new bands that stand out to me. I hope you all enjoyed this article it was my first post and a very meaningful one! Please post thoughts, comments and any feedback!
