My Top 5 Favorite Artists

I love a lot of music and artists but these are a couple of my favorite ones. I've found that some of my favorite artists changed as I expanded on music so I might do updates every now and then.

1. Switchfoot

Switchfoot is an alternative rock band started in 1996 in San Diego, California. I found out about them in sixth grade when I was listening to Slacker Radio after school one day. The first song I heard of them was "Mess of Me" and I was like what is this? because Jon Foreman's voice was so raspy to me and it sounded like he had made a mess of himself at one point in his life. I had never heard anything like that in my life because I had grown up listening to gospel or other types of Christian music; nothing that rocky. But now I love Jon Foreman's voice because it is so unique and differentiable because of its raspiness (I don't know if raspy is the perfect word to describe it). The second song I heard of Switchfoot was Awakening (still on Slacker Radio) and I fell in love. I was like wow, it just made me feel alive, and it paved the way for my future music taste. No band is like Switchfoot though, because of the band's talent and Jon Foreman's voice. I met them in the summer of 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. They were playing a free show, it ended up being fifteen minutes long but that was okay because I met them afterwards. Jon and Drew were the only ones there because Tim, Jerome, and Chad were at the Mall of America. I met them another time in 2014 at a concert in New York. I told Jon and Drew that I met them and they and Chad were like wow. But Jon was like "I think I remember you," but I don't know if he was telling the truth lol. I still haven't met Jerome though because he was busy having a baby at the time.

Top 5 Favorite Songs (In no particular order):
1. Red Eyes
2. Golden
3. Shadow Proves the Sunshine
4. Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)
5. Skin and Bones


2. Angels and Airwaves

Angels and Airwaves is a rock band created in 2005. I just found out about Angels and Airwaves a couple years ago. I know, shoot me. But I was listening to other music, kind of in a bubble. I don't remember where I found them, it might've been Spotify, but I found them. Anyways, the first song I heard from them was "Everything's Magic" and I really liked it so I started listening to the rest of their songs little by little. Now I'm obsessed with them. I had to get used to Blink-182 because believe it or not, I listened to Angels and Airwaves first. Angels and Airwaves songs are catchy and beautiful, and Tom Delonge expresses great feelings in them. Blink-182's songs are catchy but the lyrics are totally different from Angels and Airwaves. Now I love Blink-182 and Box Car Racer, but Angels and Airwaves songs make me feel good because of the lyrics and music. Tom Delonge's talent blows me away, and one day I want to be that talented, but its a lot of work. He also writes his songs for a reason and lives them out, and that inspires me to become an artist like him.

Top 5 Songs:
1. The Flight of Apollo
2. Shove
3. Breathe
4. True Love
5. The War

3. The Strokes

The Strokes are a rock band formed in New York in 1998. I first found out about them from - get ready for it - The Clique series by Lisi Harrison. One of the characters in the story listened to The Strokes and went to their concert so I said, "Let me hear what the Strokes sound like." I was getting ready to hear some pop punk, so when I went on Vevo I was like what? The first song I heard of them was "Reptilia" and I was bewildered because it was kind of like rock and roll. I wasn't into that type of music but I kept watching because I liked the music video and the band members. Then I clicked on the music video for "You Only Live Once" and I liked it more. I also thought Julian Casablancas looked really cute there. I started showing my sisters and began liking them more (I'm superficial because I start liking an artist more after I find out they're hot, like London Grammar for instance). So I started listening to the Strokes more and more and soon I got addicted. They introduced me into the indie world of music and made me want to look edgy and cool. Lol. I discovered so many artists after making The Strokes radio on Pandora. I just love their style of music because it's so different and enjoyable.

Top 5 Songs:
1. Tapout
2. Happy Ending
3. Under Cover of Darkness
4. Last Nite
5. Is This It

4. Snow Patrol

You should listen to internet radio more because it really helps you find so much music. I have used so many internet radios for so many different reasons. Snow Patrol is an alternative rock band from Scotland formed in 1994. I was disappointed when I found out they were not American because I thought they were American for a long time. Although, I didn't get too disappointed because they are so good that it doesn't matter where they're from. I found them on Jango internet radio one day in middle school. I think I might've heard "Chasing Cars" first because I remember talking to my friend about it. But I know that "Run" was one of the first songs I've ever heard by them. When I heard "Chasing Cars" I thought for a minute because I felt like I had heard it before, and I probably had because it is everywhere. Even after I stopped listening to Jango I kept hearing their songs on Pandora and Spotify, and then I fell in love. Snow Patrol does not have any bad songs. Every song just warms my heart, either from the words, Gary Lightbody's soothing voice, the perfect instruments, or just everything. Snow Patrol is perfect for any mood and situation, and can make you feel some type of way. Snow Patrol, like all my favorite artists, really inspired my music taste and made me want to make music, and make it as great as theirs.

Top 5 Songs:
1. Set Fire to the Third Bar
2. Chocolate
3. Just Say Yes
4. Make This Go On Forever
5. New York

5. Relient K

And last but not least, Relient K. Relient K is a pop punk band from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1998. I don't know exactly how I stumbled upon Relient K, but like Switchfoot, it was because of it's Christian influences. My sisters and I always tried to find new Christian music to listen to, and Relient K was perfect. The songs are catchy and clever, and I always admire Matt Theissen's way with words. Relient K's songs are so funny and have great stories and titles that make you want to listen over and over again.  Relient K also opened me up to the wide world of music. Relient K was just the music I was looking for to awaken my spirits and make me feel good. Relient K will forever be in my heart.

Top 5 Songs:
1. Be My Escape
2. Up and Up
3. The Best Thing
4. Give Until There's Nothing Left
5. Hello McFly

You must think I was once an uncultured swine from the way I described my first interactions with each band. You could still think I'm one, but I love my taste in music and my favorite artists. I never really thought of what each meant to me until now. I realize that I love so many artists, and not all can make it into the top five so I chose some honorable mentions:

Falling Up: (They are releasing their final album this year and I'm sad. They were one of my favorite bands and I wish I could put them in the top five).

The Killers: (I just love their music).

Lifehouse: (They bring back so many memories).

Blink-182: (They're cool).