Jennings- X Ambassadors

For this final post, it was really hard to choose a group that I think really reflects my generation, and current concerns with society. So I went with a group that I got to see in concert just a few weeks ago, X Ambassadors. Their group consists of four current members, the lead vocalist and keyboardist are also brothers. Before I saw them live, I knew them from one of their most popular songs, "Renegades".  Some of their other popular songs include "Unsteady", "Jungle", and most recently, "Home" which also features Machine Gun Kelly. When I first heard their songs I thought they were really great, catchy, and powerful. "Renegades" especially stood out to me, the lyrics brought up some folk vibes in a way, not through the sound of the music but in the lyrics themselves. Some of their songs are a little heavier, like "Jungle". They have really kept their music relevant in a lot of ways, but unique to them.
What really surprised me though, was what happened when I saw them live. While their songs have made it on to the radio, and have become decent hits, when they performed many of these songs they connected them to different political messages they wanted to get across. At the show I went to, they addressed immigration, along with the acceptance of oppressed groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. They brought a new sort of relevance to their music that represented a lot of what the people were feeling in the crowd. They in many ways, broke down the barrier between the audience and themselves, which was appreciated by so many people who were also in that room.
Check out this awesome music video they did for their song "Renegades", the message of acceptance is so clear through both the lyrics and what they decided to add in to the video. (Casey Harris, the keyboardist, is also blind).

Mello- Macklemore

Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, known as Macklemore, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. I think Macklemore is a great performer. I really got familiar with him when his song, Thrift Shop, was popular. But he raps about current problems and just seems to talk about real issues. His song, Same Love, spoke to so many people in the LGBTQ+ society. He wrote a song for his grandmother, Glorious. I think he stands for the right type of thing. I know that he struggled with alcohol and drugs, but he looked for help. I like his music. Macklemore is just a person who writes positive music for our generation.

macklemore glorious

macklemore same love

macklemore thrift shop

Ross- Linkin Park

One of not only the best but one of my favorite bands from modern times would have to be Linkin Park. This band formed in 1996 but rose to popularity in the new millennium. They were also voted one of the best bands of the Mtv era and made it on Billboards top 100 multiple times. Linkin Park has also donated a lot to charities with them even making a song to support the 2010 earthquakes in Haiti. While they are widely known for their rock their style is actually a mix of rock and pop which many have said brought the two together in a style like no other. One of my favorite songs by Linkin Park is Numb which released in 2003 to critical acclaim. These are why I think they will be remembered as one of the most influential rock bands of our era.

Lemay - Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae, who recently released her album titled "Dirty Computer", is someone who I think represents the energy, innovation, craft, and concerns of our generation. Today's generation is increasingly becoming more passionate about social change, something we've especially seen in the rise of the Trump presidency, and this winter after the Parkland shooting when teenagers organized marches for awareness across the nation. Monae reflects this passion for social change in songs like "Django Jane", which is an empowering anthem about black women rising up and refusing to be silenced.

** warning for some curse words/vulgar language**

Lyrics of hers that I think reflect this:


"Remember when they used to say I look too mannish, Black girl magic, y'all can't stand it, y'all can't ban it, made out like a bandit, They been trying hard just to make us all vanish, I suggest they put a flag on a whole 'nother planet"

"We gave you life, we gave you birth, we gave you God, we gave you earth, We fem the future, don't make it worse, You want the world, well what's it worth?"

- Django Jane

"I remember when you called me weird, We was in math class, third row I was sitting by you, Right before Mr. Ammond's class, 'Cause my mom couldn't afford new Js, Polos, thrift store, thrift clothes that was all I knew, Do you remember?
Uh I remember when you laughed when I cut my perm off and you rated me a six, And I was like damn, but even back then with the tears in my eyes, I always knew I was the sh*t"

"I Like That"

Bertoni- Allen Stone

Allen Stone is one of my personal favorite artists of the time. He falls under the blue-eyed soul category. His songs feature an R&B feel with a soulful voice and catchy choruses that will be stuck in your head for days. Stone is originally from Washington state. His biggest inspirations are musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin. His songs range from smooth to bouncy and he always has vocals as the focal point of his songs. He released his first album in 2010. His most popular songs include, "Unaware" and "Freedom." He has written many songs that touch on political issues such as "Perfect World" and "American Privilege" that discuss issues of unfairness in the world. His music is inspirational and unique.
The song below is "Unaware" one of his most popular songs.

This next song is a slightly less popular song but one of my personal favorites.

kallem - SWMRS

One band in particular that I feel encapsulates our generation is, SWMRS. They are a rock band based out of Oakland, California with punk roots. They started their band because of the movie School of Rock, when they were in middle school. It consists of brother Max & Cole Becker, Seb Muller, And Joey Armstrong. They started off with DIY punk roots, often playing gigs at the legendary Gilman (also known as 924 Gilman Street) In Berkeley. Joey’s dad is Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) and helped produce their first album as kids. Their Bay Area roots are seen in their craft, with a focus on inclusivity. They stress the importance of acceptance within the community, and strive to make their shows a safe space for everyone. They use elements from the Oakland area in their music, fusing hypy hip hop, with the east bay punk sounds, thus leaving us with SWMRS. I think thery’re significant in the fact that they speak up about very real issues happening, make sure to talk about diversity within the music scene, specifically the rock as well. I love their music and I hope you all do too! Check out one of their first ever singles titled “Miley”, an punk rock ode to the one and only Miley Cyrus herself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKbNDIigdlg

Kallem - BAUHAUS band from 70s

Hi everyone, a band from the 70s I want to introduce is Bauhaus! I personally have been a fan of them for a few years. They are a gothic rock band from England, formed in 1978. Their name comes from a 1920’s art movement in Germany, also know as They were really unique in the sense that they mixed genres of music together like punk, funk, glam rock, to form their own creative sound. I would describe their sound as gloomy-post-punk A lot of people consider Bauhaus the pioneers of gothic rock.  They never really reached any crazy commercial success, and accumulated a cult-like following throughout their career. The band broke up in 1983, but then grouped together for a “resurrection tour” in 1988. Then again, in 2005 untill 2008. Bauhaus was an important group because they went on to inspire sounds for many bands such as Marilyn Manson, Nine inch Nails, Soundgarden, My Chemical Romance, and much more. One song I suggest checking out is “All We Ever Wanted was Everything”. It truly is a beautiful song. One band that I’m also a fan of, MGMT did a cover of this song on a few years ago as well, so check this out too!

Kallem - The Shaggs garage act

I chose this band because the name sounded familiar, but turns out I was thinking of a different band. Nonetheless, this band is pretty cool. It consists of 3 girls, who are all sisters, and they formed because their mom had some sort of vision that she would have daughters that would start a band. Their father assisted them in getting started and soon turned to controlling behaviors such as removing his daughters from school, not allowing them to have friends outside their family, and not allowing them to listen to music. The girls were ultimately forced to practice constantly. They released an album in 1969 titled Philosophy of The World, which led them to gain fans such as Frank Zappa. Their sound can be described as “proto-punk” and are seen as pioneers of that genre. They stopped performing in 1975, after their father passed away. What I found interesting about this group was first, the fact they were a girl rock group, which was something you did not see very often in this era. Additionally, it was super weird but interesting to see how they’re band started, and why they became a group in the first place. Overall, they have a very avant-garde, abstract sound, so they are not for everyone, but here’s pretty cool song!