When I was in middle school, high school, and even the beginning of college, I listened to slightly different music than what I listen to now. I was introduced to pop-rock and alternative music in 8th grade, listening to bands like Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance… you know the type. For a long time, my taste in music was extremely narrow, and I wasn’t particularly open to or interested in entertaining any other genres. I liked exactly what I liked, and I had some extremely strong opinions about anything that I didn’t like. If you asked me what I thought about country or screamo music 8 years ago, my response would be embarrassingly brash and negative. Now, I still have a limited number of artists that I listen to on a regular basis, but I’m much more open to trying new sounds or musicians and I generally enjoy a wider variety of genres even if some of them aren’t my go-tos. I definitely still have a soft spot for the genres of music I used to love, and some of my favorite artists now still fall into the pop-rock and alternative categories, but there are many artists, albums, and songs that it’s been years since I last listened to them. Now I definitely go for a more indie vibe: much softer, slower, and sadder.
Shortly after the pandemic began, I finally made the decision to invest in Spotify Premium and leave behind my iTunes library filled with converted MP3s ripped from YouTube and albums bought with what used to be the precious form of currency (iTunes gift cards). This transition is partially what initiated my switch in musical preference, as I didn’t have it in me to save all my pre-existing music to my Spotify library (the way Spotify’s music library works is awful anyway… but that’s a discussion for a different article). So I started from scratch, liking songs and artists as I thought to listen to them, and discovering so many new ones from curated playlists and recommendations (which is the reason why I love Spotify so much, despite their wacky music library situation). Every once in a while, when I can’t figure out what kind of musical mood I’m in and none of my recent obsessions are fitting the bill, I’ll go back into my Apple library and look through the old artists I used to listen to but are long forgotten. Here are some of my favorites that I didn’t realize I have been missing out on.
Andy Black
Favorite Album: The Shadow Side
Favorite Song: “We Don’t Have To Dance”
Andy Black is the lead singer of Black Veil Brides, but I have actually never listened to his band. However, one of my friends in high school was a fan of the band and introduced me to Black’s solo work, and I immediately fell in love with his debut album. I’ve since grown out of his music, but it’s still nice to return to every once in a while.
Bowling for Soup
Favorite Album: A Hangover You Don’t Deserve
Favorite Song: “Ohio (Come Back To Texas)”
Bowling for Soup is always a fun band to listen to no matter how long it’s been, with quirky, usually humorous lyrics and upbeat energy. You probably know what is by far their most popular song, “1985,” and the rest of their discography is just as entertaining and charming as their big hit. If you haven’t heard “1985,” you probably still know of Bowling for Soup even if you don’t think you do: they sing the Phineas and Ferb theme song!
DREAMERS
Favorite Album: This Album Does Not Exist
Favorite Song: “Painkiller”
During my junior and senior year of high school, there was a radio station in southern New Hampshire called Alt 92.9 (which has since been converted into yet another 90’s rock station), and it was the only radio station in my entire life that has ever played the kind of music I listen to. Before I moved away to Massachusetts and returned home for my first winter break to find that it was no more, I was introduced to a few of my favorite artists at the time by their nightly new music segment. “Sweet Disaster” immediately captivated me and I dove into DREAMERS’ album. My very first HC article was about their second full-length album, LAUNCH FLY LAND!
Green Day
Favorite Album: Revolution Radio
Favorite Song: “Too Dumb to Die”
My relationship with Green Day is what most people would call “being a fake fan.” To elaborate, when I say that I listen to Green Day, I mean that I listen to the popular hits like “American Idiot” and their 2016 album Revolution Radio. I know diehard Green Day fans likely will not agree, but Revolution Radio is my favorite album and the album that finally sparked an interest in Green Day for me after years of trying to get into their music.
Maroon 5
Favorite Album: Overexposed (Deluxe)
Favorite Song: “Love Somebody”
Maroon 5 was the first “band” I ever liked (back when they used to actually sound more like a band and less like a solo pop singer), starting all the way back to 5th grade. I have since grown distasteful of their sound, and haven’t listened to them in years. While I like most of their old discography, Overexposed (Deluxe) is by far my favorite album. Fun fact that I learned while writing this article: Maroon 5’s popular song “Payphone” featuring Wiz Khalifa has over 1 BILLION streams on Spotify!
Neon Trees
Favorite Album: Pop Psychology
Favorite Song: “Text Me In The Morning”
Does anyone else remember the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown on Saturday mornings? My family used to watch religiously, and I remember the first day that Neon Trees’ “Sleeping With A Friend” video premiered. I was immediately hooked by the 80’s visual aesthetic and the bubblegum-pop-meets-rock sound. I had heard Neon Trees before, as any pop radio listener in the early 2000s had, but only their popular tracks like “Everybody Talks” and “Animal.” Pop Psychology is what turned me into a dedicated Neon Trees fan, and while I don’t listen as much these days and their new music isn’t as fantastic, I still listen to this album from time to time whenever I think of it because it absolutely slaps.
Twenty One Pilots
Favorite Album: Vessel
Favorite Song: “The Run and Go”
I have met extremely few people who were young girls when Twenty One Pilots gained popularity and didn’t fall into the mass hysteria surrounding them: I was obviously not one of them. I got sucked in along with everyone else, and for good reason: they’re pretty talented dudes and their older music still bops. After Blurryface I fell off the bandwagon, but I return to their first three albums every once in a while.
I had a great time rocking out to my old favorites while creating this article, and I hope that this gives you some 2000s music to check out for the first time or join me in revisiting. Here’s your reminder to dig through your old playlists and CDs, connect with your inner preteen, and listen to some good music!
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