Happy New Year 2024!

I wrote the original draft in the summer. The timing works out well due to Spotify releasing their 2023 Wrapped information and everyone’s top songs for the year.

These are the artists that I absolutely love, I can listen to any album and the majority of their songs without wanting to press skip (depending on my mood too of course).

My top 5 musicians:

1. Fall Out Boy

My all time favourite musician and band, since 2006! I love every album they’ve ever released, including all the changes in how they sound. It sounds cliche but Fall Out Boy were a huge part of my teenage years and influenced directly who I am. Pete Wentz’s lyrics especially have been inspirational, his wit and emotional perspective aligned with me in some way. The band’s image, how they dressed, what they said in interviews were a highlight especially back in the late 2000s. They released a new album last year and I still feel the way I did back then.

To be honest I don’t watch music videos anymore, so I’m not overly sure what type of music videos they shoot anymore either.

I have seen Fall Out Boy live about four or five times I think. The first time was in 2007 and the last was in 2014 until November last year. I loved the show, they are still amazing live!

Try listening to: Sugar We’re Going Down, Love From The Other Side, The Last of the Real Ones.

2. Taylor Swift

I have technically covered writing a post about Taylor in my Country Music post. However, Taylor changed genre to Pop and then a bit of Folk too.

I’ve loved every one of her albums with the exception of the last three which I still do like, but only love half the songs. I feel guilty for writing this but I feel the last few albums have lost the spark of her previous seven.

I’m not completely sold with the rerecorded albums either, although I love the recently released Taylor’s version of Speak Now. Speak now is probably my favourite era! Anyway she has so many great songs! I saw Taylor live on the Red tour back in 2014. I am booked to see her again hopefully in Summer 2024! I can’t believe that will be ten years later!

I find most of her songs catchy, the lyrics are almost always relatable and heart felt. I like the change in genre, amazing for different moods or vibes. She is the same year group as me and I feel our generation have grown up together. Although I actually didn’t like her until late 2008 or early 2009.

Since the original draft of this post, I have fallen in love with more songs from the 2020s, especially Folklore over the past three months or so. They are the sort of albums that you need to be in the mood for, in my opinion.

Try listening to: Wildest Dreams, Delicate, Cruel Summer.

3. Paramore

I’ve been a fan of Paramore since 2007, if not before the release of Misery Business. I like both of the band’s sounds, with Josh Farro in the earlier albums and without him in the post 2009 albums. The majority of the pop punk bands I listen to have male lyricists and singers, so this makes Paramore more special to me.

They also released a new album last year. I love five songs but find the others more album filler songs to be honest which is unusual as the majority of songs are usually solid on their albums.

I saw Paramore live in 2008 at the Give It A Name Festival at Earls Court in London. I’ve wanted to see them since, I missed out on their most recent tour sadly but they are due to support Taylor Swift in Summer 2024!

Try listening to: Misery Business, Still into You, Hard Times.

4. Sam Hunt

Again I mentioned Sam Hunt in the country genre post, sorry! His music is mostly peaceful, romantic and seductive. There are a few upbeat songs too. I love his lyrics as they are heartfelt and often unique. Hopefully he will release a new album soon.

I’ve not seen Sam live yet but I hope to one day! I don’t think he usually tours outside of America.

Try listening to: Start Nowhere, Water Under The Bridge, Kinfolks.

5. Carrie Underwood

Yet another country artist repeat, there may be one or two more in these posts.

Carrie released an album in 2022 which I absolutely love! It contains upbeat catchy songs I find myself singing and dancing along to. She was actually my favourite artist of the year for 2023 apparently which shocked me, I was convinced it would be Fall Out Boy’s new album.

Again, I’ve not seen Carrie live yet but I hope to one day again! Maybe all of my favourite Country musicians will perform at C2C Country festival one year! She keeps performing in Las Vegas but that is a bit of a trek.

Try listening to: Inside Your Heaven, Before He Cheats, Pink Champagne.

Other musicians that didn’t make the cut, look out for another post maybe:

You Me At Six, Good Charlotte, McFly, Kelsea Ballerini, Lauren Alaina, BRELAND, Luke Combs, Cassadee Pope, Avril Lavigne, old school Christina Aguilera, Ed Sheeran, Bowling For Soup, Cobra Starship, All Time Low, Panic! At The Disco, Rihanna, Beyonce.

Rock on and keep dancing,

Amy xx