I actually subscribed to Spotify fairly recently – within the last year or so – which begs the question as to what on earth was I doing before then. Believe me, I have no clue how I survived without it. It’s definitely true that once you become a Spotify user, every other music app will seem inferior. I’ve found so many new artists and songs to add to my playlist and the list just keeps on growing. Listening to music has become such an important part of my daily routine during lockdown, so I thought I’d share with you some of my go-to artists on Spotify because, well, why not!
Imagine Dragons
- Genre: pop rock
- My favourite album(s): Evolve; Night Visions
I remember the first-ever song I heard by Imagine Dragons was ‘Radioactive’ and I was so intrigued by it. The power and crispness behind the lead singer’s voice, Dan Reynolds as well as the use of electropop to accompany and exemplify their instruments are qualities that no other band, in my opinion, have. My favourite song of theirs has to be ‘On Top of the World’ because it’s so darn catchy and uplifting! However, my favourite album is without a doubt Evolve because after listening to each song, I feel so pumped up and energetic when I’m listening to them. I’ve wanted to see Imagine Dragons in concert for so long because I just know how amazing they’d be live.
IDER
- Genre: Post-genre (combines multiple genres)
- My favourite album(s): Emotional Education
I had never heard of IDER before downloading Spotify, although admittedly it was my boyfriend who suggested that I should give their songs a listen. IDER is one of his favourite artists and now I am also in love. The way the two singers, Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville, harmonise with each other is so effortless and I love how soft and soothing the tone of their voices are. Their album, Emotional Education is so powerful and emotive, taking you through their life journeys as they’re approaching adulthood and sharing what they’ve learned so far. Being at a similar stage in my life, each song really resonates with me. One of my personal favourites is ‘Mirror’, which explores the issues of self-worth, depression, anxiety and identity, and every time I hear it I feel, well, emotional…I guess the album title is very apt in that sense. Again, I would love to see them in concert – they are such a talented duo!
Foster the People
- Genre: Indie pop
- My favourite album(s): Torches
Most people will know Foster the People by their chart hit ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ and only recently had I heard of any of their other songs such as ‘Pick U Up’ and ‘Statis Space Lover’. Who knew they were still releasing songs? Not me. Personally, I think their main appeal is just how upbeat and catchy their songs are. Pretty much every single one of their songs is a banger! Also, I really love their use of piano in both ‘Call It What You Want’, probably my favourite song on their Torches album, and ‘I Would Do Anything for You’. They’re such a cool group!
ODESZA
- Genre: EDM (Electronic Dance Music)
- My favourite album(s): A Moment Apart
Odesza are probably one of the most creative and experimental groups I have ever come across in the music industry. They create new sounds by playing the original sounds at different speeds or by playing it back or they might add the same sound to itself over and over again. They’re honestly insane! It’s the kind of music that you want to listen to when you want to chill and be in your own head for a little while. My favourite songs from their album, A Moment apart are ‘Higher Ground’ featuring Naomi Wild and ‘Just A Memory’ featuring Regina Spektor because I love how soothing the female voices are in both songs. I would really recommend giving their songs a listen.
The Wombats
- Genre: Indie rock
- My favourite album(s): Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life
The Wombats have got to be my favourite indie band by far! Their songs are the ones that you can’t help but get up and dance to. The lyrics to their songs are so fun and quirky, particularly in their hit, ‘Lemon to a Knife Fight’, which is such a bop. There’s also this sense of grittiness and authenticity to their songs which I am a massive fan of. They’re not really the political or philosophical type which means that you can appreciate their music for what it is, without reading into the lyrics too much. I rate them very highly!
So, there you have it! Those were just some of my favourite artists on Spotify and two out of the five I hadn’t even heard of before which isn’t a bad statistic at all! I’d definitely say that’s a solid win for Spotify…