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Hey everyone! My name’s Sam, and welcome to my blog! I will be doing this blog once a month along with my show, The Daily Blend, which is every Monday at 4 PM. So first, introductions. I am a first-year student from Rockford, IL, which is like two (ish) hours north of here. I went to a high school with a performing arts program, which I was heavily involved in! I have also been a dancer for the past 14 years. When not doing my show or homework, I play for UIC’s rugby team and play and write music with some friends (not that it’s actually going anywhere…). I love all different styles of music, although I tend to favorite anything with guitars and drums over other music genres (oops). On my show, I play so much different music to give everyone something diverse to listen to, because let’s be honest, no one listens to only one style of music their entire life.
With everything that is played on the show, you all probably think I have way too much happening in the skull area of my body. So, I want to give everyone a little insight as to what’s going on in my brain, without having to look at the “Recently Played” section on my Spotify. The solution I came to was to tell everyone about the hidden (and not so hidden) gems in my music library for the month. Some of the music I post will be at the top of charts, some of the music won’t be your style, some will be a band’s biggest hit that I’ve just been happening to listen to a lot, and some will be completely unknown to you!
So, to start it off, here’s just a couple of my favorite artists for October, or should I call it Rocktober, a little bit about them, and some song suggestions:
1. Greta Van Fleet (Classic Rock)
These guys are three brothers (and the drummer, who’s a childhood friend, but close enough, right?) between the ages of 18 and 21 who I swear are a reincarnation of Led Zeppelin; the singer sounds eerily similar to Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant. I found them at a festival I went to the first weekend in October and I’ve been obsessed ever since, which is why they’re number one on this list AND have something in the top three of each of the categories this month. Honestly, if I could put them higher on the list than number one, I definitely would. Check these dudes out, you won’t regret it!
Song suggestions: “Highway Tune,” “Safari Song,” “Flower Power”
2. Palaye Royale (Alternative Rock)
Found them at the same festival as GVF, guess it was just a great festival this year for finding new music to listen to. I’ve known about them for a while but never took the chance to listen to them, and honestly, I’m so glad I found them at that festival because these guys are a hidden gem. With hit songs like “Mr. Doctor Man,” and “Get Higher,” these guys are ready to dominate the music scene. Like Greta Van Fleet, they are also a band made up of three brothers, all barely even 20 years old, and these guys have all of the angst your inner middle schooler loves, but they make some really good rock music, so I highly suggest them!
Song suggestions: “Ma Chérie,” “Cemeteries No. 1 (Running),” “Warhol”
3. Maroon 5 (Pop/Alternative Rock)
Obviously Maroon 5 is a pretty popular band; I’m sure almost everyone’s heard of them, or can at least recognize one of their songs. I grew up listening to Maroon 5 and they happen to be one of my favorite bands! There was a while where I didn’t really listen to them, even though I still really appreciated their music. But lately, I’ve just been listening to them SO much! If you don’t already listen to them, or even if you do, go pick up one of their CD’s and listen, listen, LISTEN!
Song suggestions: “It Was Always You,” “New Love,” “Doin’ Dirt”
4. Simon & Garfunkel (Folk Rock)
Taking it back a couple of decades now. Hands down some of the best musicians on the planet, and just lately I’ve been listening to them like crazy. I grew up on Simon & Garfunkel, just like my parents did. Yes, their music may be from the 60’s, but older music is honestly so, so, so well written. If you haven’t heard of Simon & Garfunkel or listened to them, PLEASE DO!
Song suggestions: “Scarborough Fair/Canticle* ,” “The Boxer,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
5. Miley Cyrus (Pop/Country)
I feel like this doesn’t need explaining. After Miley’s last adventure with songs like “Wrecking Ball,” I didn’t think I would ever listen to songs from Miley again. And wow was I wrong. Her new music is just SO good! It’s like the old Miley’s back and I love it. If you didn’t like any of her music (or image, I know plenty of people who stopped listening to her because of her image) back in around 2013, this is a complete 180 and you really should give her a chance!
Song suggestions: “Jolene (Cover)* ,” “Rainbowland,” “Miss You So Much”
6. Nothing More (Hard Rock)
What can I even say about these guys? I found out about them about a year ago and they quickly became one of my top three favorite bands. Extremely underrated, they make great hard rock music that could be compared to the likes of Shinedown and Thrice. With how talented these guys are (and they’re all SO nice), I’m surprised they aren’t more popular. Give them a listen, they so deserve it!!
Song suggestions: “The Matthew Effect,” “Fadein/Fadeout,” “Ripping Me Apart”
7. Issues (Metalcore)
If you’re looking for something that mixes metal and R&B, then this band is for you. Issues definitely has the heavy part of the music down; with heavy riffs, loud drums, and killer vocals, they have mastered the art of heavy music. But here’s the twist: they add in electronics and have an R&B/soul vibe, delivering soulful singing and bluesy bass solos. Whether you didn’t think this mix was possible, are intrigued just based on how I described all of this, or are just needing new music, Issues can help you out with all of your issues. 😉
Song suggestions: “Late,” “Tears on the Runway pt. 2,” “The Realest”
8. Elliot Moss (Electronic/Indie/Singer-Songwriter)
I’m sure almost every person that was on Facebook about two or so years ago has heard one of his songs, which is called “Slip.” That song went viral when a famous dancer performed a duet to it, and since the video went viral, so did the song. Another song of his, “Without the Lights,” went viral about a year ago because that same dancer performed another duet to that song. But Elliot Moss has so many other good songs! My best friend has a “Chill” playlist on Spotify, and that is seriously the perfect place to put all of his songs (if I’m being really honest, at least half of MY “Chill” playlist is full of Elliot Moss songs). They are so mellow and calming, and SO good! Listen to some songs other than “Slip,” unless, obviously, you haven’t heard it, because all of his songs are fantastic!
Song suggestions: “VCR Machine,” “I Can’t Swim,” “Even Great Things”
9. Camila Cabello (Pop)
THIS GIRL! Don’t get me wrong, I love Fifth Harmony, and have since middle school, but wow, Camila is absolutely KILLING IT as a solo artist! My roommates and I love her so much that we put on her music and just dance around the living room instead of doing the homework that we all really should be doing. I shouldn’t even have to tell people to go listen to her music because of how popular she is already, but if you haven’t listened to her solo stuff yet, DO IT!
Song suggestions: “Havana* ,” “Crying in the Club* ,” “Bad Things (with Machine Gun Kelly)”
10. Ozzy Osbourne (Heavy Metal)
Let me clarify real quick. Ozzy. Not Black Sabbath. Alright, well I have been listening to so much Ozzy lately! Older stuff from the 80’s, newer stuff from the past 10 years, all of it! I understand that Ozzy and Black Sabbath isn’t for everyone; personally, it wasn’t really my style until about a year or so ago, even though I grew up on older music (60’s, 70’s, and 80’s music). BUT, if you’re wanting to venture out into more music, and you’ve never really listened to this type of music, or you’ve only listened to Sabbath and not Ozzy’s solo stuff, then go on Spotify or Apple Music, or whatever you listen to music on, and listen away.
Song suggestions: “Let It Die,” “Crazy Train* ,” “Bark at the Moon”
*Wow, I’m so original with my music choices!!
Now we go on to the top tracks of October:
“Morning Light” – Palaye Royale (Morning Light-Single, 2012)
“Vultures and Sharks” – Oceans Ate Alaska (Lost Isles, 2015)
“Black Smoke Rising” – Greta Van Fleet (Black Smoke Rising EP, 2017)
“The Worst of Them (Acoustic)” – Issues (Diamond Dreams, 2014)
“Havana” – Camila Cabello (Havana-Single, 2017)
“Not Meant to Be” – Theory of a Deadman (Scars & Souvenirs, 2008)
“Makes Me Wonder” – Maroon 5 (It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, 2007)
“Through Glass” – Stone Sour (Come What[ever] May, 2006)
“Show Yourself” – Mastodon (Emperor of Sand, 2017)
“Bodak Yellow” – Cardi B (Bodak Yellow-Single, 2017)
Aaaaaaand finally, the killer albums of October:
“The Stories We Tell Ourselves” – Nothing More (2017)
“Black Smoke Rising EP” – Greta Van Fleet (2017)
“Boom Boom Room Side A” – Palaye Royale (2016)
“Younger Now” – Miley Cyrus (2017)
“V” – Maroon 5 (2015)
“Threat to Survival” – Shinedown (2015)
“Issues” – Issues (2014)
“All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell” – PVRIS (2017)
“Highspeeds” – Elliot Moss (2013)
“Avenged Sevenfold” – Avenged Sevenfold (2007)
With all of that being said, if you have something you think is “Top Ten” quality, follow me on Instagram and/or Twitter and shoot me a message! I’d love to take requests, and if I love the artist/album/song enough, it just might make it on my list!
Instagram: samanthaxoxo___ (that’s 3 underscores!)
Twitter: samanthacxoxo_
See ya next month!
P.S. I promise these blogs won’t be this long normally, but I felt the need to introduce myself so oh well. 🙂
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