Bands to watch out for * The Spores
I don't know, I was just listening to some stuff earlier and—wait, hold on—has anyone actually sat down and really listened to The Spores lately? Because honestly, it’s getting a little dark for me. Like, seriously dark. It feels like they aren't just playing with edgy themes anymore; it’s almost like they’re actively endorsing suicide. I mean, I get that art is supposed to be provocative and push boundaries—that's what we expect from bands like them, right?—but there’s a line, I guess. Maybe I'm being too sensitive, or maybe I'm just overthinking it, but the whole vibe is just... heavy. It's not just "sad boy" music at this point; it feels much more pointed than that. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it’s unsettling. Just a thought, though. Or maybe not just a thought. I don't know.
Scissor Sisters
Rufus Wainwright
Merzbau—I mean, seriously, where do you even start with that? It’s such a trip. Sometimes I feel like I could spend hours just spiraling down the rabbit hole of it all—it's a bit overwhelming, I guess—but there's just something about that specific kind of madness that hits different. It’s intense, maybe a little too much if you aren't prepared for it, but man, it stays with you. Just one of those things that makes you rethink everything else, I suppose.
Ravi Shankar * Wilco
Ravi Shankar * Wilco
Bjork
tech N9ne
Ghostface Killah
Bobby Conn
Morton Subotnik—man, where do you even start with him? It’s one of those names that just stays stuck in your head, I guess. You know, some people might not get the appeal right away, but there's something about that specific energy... maybe it's just me, but I find myself circling back to his work more often than I'd like to admit. It's intense, it's layered—it really forces you to pay attention, which isn't always easy when you're just trying to relax after a long day at work. Anyway, I was thinking about this earlier while listening to some old records, and it hit me how much he influenced the whole vibe of certain eras. It's hard to put a finger on exactly why, but it's definitely there. Just one of those things, I suppose.
Cola Porter
The String Cheese Incident—man, where do you even start with them? I mean, I guess if you’re looking for that specific kind of jam-band energy, they’ve pretty much nailed it. It’s hard to pin down, really—it’s like this wild, swirling mix of everything at once. One minute you think you know where the song is going, and then—boom—they take this massive left turn into some psychedelic territory that just catches you off guard. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but there's something about that improvisational flow that feels almost unpredictable in a way most bands today just can't touch. They aren't exactly playing by the rules, which I suppose is the whole point, right? Just a constant, swirling evolution of sound.
Eagles of Death Metal—man, what can you even say about them? They just have that vibe, you know? It’s hard to pin down exactly why they work, but there's definitely something there. Maybe it's the swagger, or maybe it's just that specific kind of garage rock energy that feels both retro and totally fresh at the same time. I guess I could go on about it, but honestly, they're just one of those bands that stays on my mind more than I'd like to admit.
Polyphonic Spree... man, where do you even start with them? It’s such a wild ride—they're basically like a massive, swirling wall of sound that hits you all at once. I guess if you aren't prepared for that level of choral intensity, it might feel like a bit much, but there's something undeniably hypnotic about it. Maybe it's just me, but I find myself getting lost in those layers—it's almost overwhelming, honestly—but in a way that feels totally intentional. Just a massive, beautiful, slightly chaotic explosion of music.
The Faint... man, where do you even start with them? I was just thinking about their sound the other day—that specific kind of dance-punk energy that feels like it could either fuel a warehouse rave in Brooklyn or trigger a mild existential crisis, depending on how much caffeine you've had. It’s such a distinct vibe, isn't it? You have that driving, jagged synth work clashing with everything else, and honestly, I guess I still find myself coming back to it whenever I need something to shake my brain loose. Maybe it's just nostalgia, or maybe it's just that they hit a certain nerve that most modern indie acts can't even touch. It's hard to explain without sounding like a total nerd, but there's just something about that tension they build—it's constant, it's frantic, and it's brilliant. Just one of those bands that stays stuck in your head long after the lights come up.
Interpol * Tegan and Sara * Erasure
Interpol * Tegan and Sara * Erasure
Interpol * Tegan and Sara * Erasure
Le tigar
The gossip
The Doors
Phish * queen
Phish * queen
The Strokes
Sufjan Stevens * Morrissey
Morrissey... I mean, is he even still relevant? It’s such a questionable call lately—honestly, I can't quite decide where I stand on the whole thing. Maybe I'm just being cynical, but there's just something about his recent vibe that feels... off? I guess it depends on how much you value the legacy versus what's happening right now. It's complicated.
The pet shop boys
Metallica.
Judas Priest
The Village People
The Secret Handshake—man, where does the time go? I was just sitting here thinking about them, and honestly, it’s one of those bands that stays stuck in your head, even if you haven't spun their records in a minute. They had this specific energy, you know? It’s hard to pin down exactly what made them click, but there was definitely something special about that sound. Maybe I'm just getting old and nostalgic, or maybe I've just lost my edge, but I still find myself circling back to them every once in a while. Just one of those things, I guess.
The Rolling Stones—man, where do you even start with them? It’s wild to think about how much they’ve influenced everything we hear today. I mean, I guess you could argue that rock music wouldn't be what it is without that specific grit they brought to the table. They just have this... presence. It's hard to put into words, really. Sometimes I find myself spiraling down a rabbit hole of their old live recordings—just lost in it—and then I realize an hour has passed. Anyway, they're just legendary. Pure legends.
David Bowie
Frankie goes to Hollywood... man, where do you even start with them? It’s one of those bands that just stays stuck in your head—sometimes whether you want it to or not, I guess. They had that massive, larger-than-life energy that felt like it was trying to swallow the whole room. You can't talk about that era without mentioning how they just completely dominated the airwaves for a minute there. It's wild to look back on, really. Just total, unapologetic pop maximalism.
Hollywood * man or Astroman
Richard Cheese
Jay-Z
Depeche moda
Kansas
Ana DiFranco
Fischerspooner... man, where do you even start with them? I mean, I guess if you weren't there for that specific era of the dance scene, it’s hard to wrap your head around how much they actually shifted the vibe—it was all so loud and neon and unapologetically weird. It’s funny, because looking back, everything feels so polished now, but they had this raw, almost chaotic energy that felt like a fever dream in the best way possible. Or maybe a bad way? I can't quite decide. But yeah, definitely a trip.
John Mayer
The indigo Girls — honestly, where do you even start? I was just thinking about them the other day—they have this way of hitting you right in the feels, you know? It’s that raw, acoustic storytelling that just sticks. I guess some people might find it too mellow, but I don't know, there's something about that songwriting that feels so incredibly authentic. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like they capture those specific, messy human emotions better than almost anyone else out there. Just... yeah. They're special.
Velvet Underground... man, where do you even start? It's one of those things that stays on your mind—you know what I mean?—long after the needle stops spinning. They weren't just a band; they were like this whole shift in how music could actually feel. Gritty, raw, kind of beautiful in a way that wasn't exactly "radio-friendly" by any stretch of the imagination. I guess you could say they paved the road for everything that came after, though maybe some people still argue about that part. Just a massive influence, really.
Madonna
Elton John. Just... wow. I mean, where do you even start? It’s wild how much history is packed into one person—it’s almost overwhelming, if that makes sense. I was thinking about it earlier while listening to some old tracks, and it just hits differently when you realize the sheer scale of his influence. He’s basically a walking institution in the American music scene. Sometimes I feel like we don't talk enough about the pure, unadulterated craft involved in those melodies—though, I guess, maybe people just focus on the spectacle? It’s a bit of both, I suppose. But yeah, Elton John. Enough said, really.
Barry Manilow
indigo Girls
Melissa Etheridge
Eminem * Nirvana
Nirvana
Boy George
The Killers. Honestly, where do we even start with them? I guess you could say they’re one of those bands that just kind of sits there in the middle of everything—not quite underground, not exactly a niche indie thing anymore either, but always present. It’s funny how people react to them, though. You’ve got one group of fans who treat every single track like it's some holy relic, and then you've got the critics who act like they're doing something revolutionary when, well, they're mostly just playing really damn good anthems. Maybe I'm being too harsh—I probably am—but there's something about that specific brand of Americana synth-rock they lean into that just feels... inevitable? Like, you can almost hear the desert wind blowing through the synthesizers if you try hard enough. Anyway, just a thought. Just sitting here thinking about it.
Lou Reed
Lil' Wayne
Wayna * Motorhead
Jill Sobule
Wilson Phillips
DMX
Lisa Loeb
Dogstar... man, where do you even start with them? I guess I’ve been circling back to their stuff more than I care to admit lately—it's funny how that works. You think you've moved past a certain sound, then suddenly, boom, they're back on your radar. It's all a bit much sometimes, isn't it? Just one thing after another in this music scene. Anyway, I was just sitting here thinking about them—just ruminating, really—and I realized I have some thoughts. Strong ones, maybe. Or maybe just loud ones. Who knows? Regardless, Dogstar is definitely something to wrap your head around.
Thirty Seconds to Mars... I don't know, man. I really don't know. Sometimes I find myself listening to them and thinking—well, I guess it depends on the mood, right? Like, there are those moments where the anthemic stuff just hits, but then you start overthinking the whole production, and suddenly you're questioning everything. It’s one of those bands that can be so polarizing—you either totally get the vision or you just feel like you're being shouted at through a megaphone. Maybe I'm just being cynical, or maybe it's just me, but it's a lot to take in sometimes. Just a thought.
Lil' Kim
kd lang
Frank Sinatra
Hinder * Nickelback
Hinder * Nickelback... man, where do you even start with that? I guess there isn't much to say, really—unless you want to dive into the endless debate about whether they actually belong in the same conversation as real rock bands. It’s one of those things that just makes my blood boil if I think about it too long—not that I'm saying anyone *has* to listen to them, obviously—but the sheer ubiquity of it all is just... ugh. Just a total headache.
Justus Kohncke
Bob Mould
Clay Aiken
Arcade Fire
Bright Eyes... man, where do you even start with them? I guess I’ve been spinning their stuff for years now—it’s one of those artists that just sticks to your ribs, you know? It’s intense, maybe a little too much for some people, but there’s something about that raw, unfiltered emotion that hits different when you're just sitting around thinking about life. I don't know, maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but there's a certain weight to the songwriting that feels incredibly honest. It's heavy, sure, but honestly? Sometimes you need that.
Corinne Bailey Rae
Audioslave—man, what a ride that was. I mean, looking back at them now, it’s just one of those things that hits you differently, you know? It’s hard to wrap my head around how they managed to blend all that grit with something so... I don't know, soulful? Maybe that's the wrong word. But there was definitely a weight to it. I guess I spend too much time overanalyzing stuff like this, but seriously, seeing that lineup come together was something else entirely. Just wild to think about.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Panic! At The Disco... man, where do you even start with them? It’s such a weird one to wrap your head around—one minute they’re this theatrical, almost vaudeville-style pop act, and then suddenly everything shifts. I guess it depends on which era you’re looking at, because honestly, the evolution is kind of wild. Sometimes I find myself leaning into that high-energy, glitzy stuff, and other times I'm just like, wait, what happened to the original vibe? It’s a bit of a rollercoaster, if you know what I mean. Just one of those bands that keeps you guessing, even if it's frustrating sometimes.
Elton John (super gay)
