This year has been quite a ride and as November reaches its end, I've started to reflect on all the music that has impacted me in 2015. A lot of these artists recently released new albums, but some of them have have taken a bit of a hiatus. Here I have compiled of list of bands and artists (both popular and underrated) that have gotten me through the ups and downs of the year.
1. Neck Deep
Neck Deep is a Welsh pop punk band from Wrexham that was formed in 2012. Their most recent album called Life’s Not Out To Get You which did pretty well in the U.S. ending up in the top 20 on the charts. I first found Neck Deep on Tumblr and I started listening to the Rain In July album. Neck Deep is the stereotypical pop punk band that sings about girls and friends but they pride themselves in their generic appeal and do it well.
Perfect for a bad day to release emotions.
2. Jenny Lewis
Jenny Lewis is an indie rock folk singer from Las Vegas. After starting out in other musical groups such as Postal Service (with Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie) and Rilo Kiley (with Blake Sennett who played Joey “the Rat” Epstein on "Boy Meets World") Jenny Lewis is now taking on a solo career showcasing her latest album The Voyager. This album focuses on the nostalgia of her young life as she walks us through events that she experienced that impacted her decision to make music for a living.
3. Brand New
Brand New is an alternative rock band from Long Island, New York formed in 2000. Considerably emo, this band has gotten me through a lot. Lead Singer Jesse Lacey struggles with mental illness and told an audience a couple months ago that "this band isn’t going to last much longer." Brand New started out as a punk band with their album Your Favorite Weapon and got increasingly softer, but deeper and more intense with albums Deja Entendu and The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. Through the hardships the band has overcome, it’s no wonder they connect with their audiences on not just a physical level, but a spiritual level as well.
Perfect for when you need to calm down
4. Modern Baseball
Modern Baseball is an indie rock/pop-punk group from Philadelphia. Members Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald are actually from Brunswick, Maryland but relocated to Philly for college. Their most well-known album is You’re Gonna Miss It All which showcases their ability to relate to their audience about high school and never being able to get the girl that is constantly after bad boys. Modern Baseball’s music is fun, relatable, and just all around a good time.
Perfect for when you’re mad, but just as good when you’re happy
5. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Andrew McMahon, with his stage moniker Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, is an indie rock solo band. Andrew McMahon was the primary songwriter of the bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin until late 2012. His self-titled solo album was released in 2014 but is just now starting to get the attention it deserves from alternative rock and indie rock radio stations. This album is just one of many of Andrew McMahon’s masterpieces as it perfectly captures a life full of contentment.
Perfect on any day, rain or shine!
6. MisterWives
MisterWives is an indie pop band form New York City formed in 2012. Their debut album Reflections hasn’t made its way onto the radio, but it has landed them spots opening for bands like Twenty-One Pilots, Bleachers, The Mowgli’s, and American Authors as well as performing at huge music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits. With their upbeat music, listeners are susceptible to an inevitable urge to tap their foot to the beat. Their album is perfect for listeners interested in a more lyrically in-depth pop experience.
7. CHVRCHES
CHVRCHES is a three-piece synthetic pop band from Glasgow, Scotland sweeping the nation with their catchy hooks and interesting beats. When their song “Dead Air” appeared in the Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, CHVRCHES became all the range and started to get more radio play. Their clean sound and unforgettable and unwavering pop energy makes CHVRCHES special and unique. Listeners should use headphones to get the full effect of the music CHVRCHES has created.
8. Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
Aaron West, also known as Dan “Soupy” Campbell from the pop punk band The Wonder Years has started a side band playing softer acoustic music. This music is guaranteed to hit you in the feels when you hear the emotion in his voice. Definitely a must-hear. So far they only have one album out and it’s called We Don’t Have Each Other, but this album is so heart-wrenching and emotion filled.
9. The Front Bottoms
The Front Bottoms are a small indie rock band from Bergen County, New Jersey. Lead singer Brian Sella is sure to steal your heart when you listen to his songs. The Front Bottoms are the kind of band you can jam to with your friends, but when you listen to them alone in your room, you feel the real meaning behind each song. Their earlier albums are probably their best work such as their self-titled album, their sophomore album Talon of the Hawk, and the Rose EP. Their new album Back On Top is definitely turning some heads with a new direction in their music, but they never lose sight of their awkward and uncomfortable vibe that speaks directly to the people that listen to their music.
Perfect for literally anything
10. Halsey
Halsey, also known as Ashley Frangipane, is from Washington Township, New Jersey. I’m not really how it happened, but she pretty much came out of out of nowhere and started controlling everyone’s lives. As stated in interviews, Halsey sings about life and sex and has found herself through her music. Everything about Halsey is perfect. She looks like she came straight out of Tumblr and she has the voice of an angel. Definitely a must-hear. Her most recent album Badlands is making everyone crazy!
11. The Neighbourhood
The Neighbourhood is an alternative rock band from Newbury Park, California that was formed in 2011. First known for their song "Sweater Weather," this band is another one that kind of snuck up on us out of nowhere. Other hit songs off their debut album I Love You include "Afraid" and "Female Robbery." Their new album Wiped Out! is already hitting the charts with a bang with the song "R.I.P 2 My Youth." This album is a little bit softer in sound, but a little bit heavier in lyrics.
Perfect for driving in the rain
12. Man Overboard
Man Overboard is a pop punk band from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. They first stepped out on the scene with the bonfire anthem "Love Your Friends, Die Laughing." Man Overboard is the typical whiny pop punk band that sings about being awkward and not being able to get the girl but there is something about them that makes them stand out. Maybe it's the awkward frontman Zac Eisenstein or the power vocals he puts in combined with Nik Bruzzese, but Man Overboard is certainly underrated.
Perfect to listen to in the car on the way to a show
So those are the bands and artists that have somehow taken over my existence this year. I can't wait to hear about the bands and artists that you love as well!
