If you got ACL tickets this year, I’m very jealous. The outfits are so fun to plan, and I love going to Austin. More importantly, however, is that the lineup looks so good! Billie Eilish, Black Pumas, Tyler the Creator, and Girl in Red – just to name a few – would be high up on my list to hear. The only artist I would want to hear even more than those, though, is Bleachers. The name is a little deceptive: Bleachers is only one person. You might also know him as Jack Antonoff, the guy who has written and produced for countless artists, including Lorde, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, and Troye Sivan. He started making music in 2014, and he just came out with his latest album, “Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night.” Antonoff was also in the band Fun, which I literally just found out via Wikipedia and am weirdly shocked by. He started working on his first album while he was spending time in different cities touring for Fun, and wanted to start a new project. Anyways, if you haven’t checked Bleachers out yet, I would highly recommend. Chances are that you’ve heard some of his songs before. Some of the more popular ones are “Roller Coasters,” “I Wanna Get Better,” and “Don’t Take the Money.” One of my favorite songs is “Wake Me” – it’s a little less well-known, but it’s honestly the perfect song for when I’m driving around aimlessly at night.
I’d classify Bleachers as Indie Pop – if you like Lorde, Bad Suns, Coin, or Misterwives, you should add him to your rotation. He takes a lot of his inspiration from 80’s and 90’s music. There’s something in his discography for everyone, and it’s great for just playing in the car or when you’re in charge of the aux at a party. Personally, I really like the authenticity and excitement that he puts into his songs. I know that he takes a similar approach to songwriting as Taylor Swift – giving lyrics actual meaning and making them relatable for fans (if you can’t tell, I’m a huge Swiftie). Antonoff is also a prime example of how you don’t need to fit into one genre or category of music – he’s written for Sia, St. Vincent, Carly Rae Jepsen, and the Killers. I’ve always enjoyed artists who don’t just sit in one corner of the music industry. So, if you’re like me and kind of float around different genres, you should give Bleachers’ stuff a listen.
The bottom line is: this music would be great to hear live. If you’re going to be at ACL this weekend, you need to see Bleachers! If not, don’t fret – he’s going on tour throughout the US right now. All three of his albums in order of release are: “Strange Desire” (2014), “Gone Now” (2017), and “Take the Sadness out of Saturday Night” (2021). Happy listening!