In 2013, 30 Seconds to Mars came out with their album "Love, Lust, Faith, and Dreams". After no new music from my favorite band for four years, to say I was excited was a complete understatement. I remember buying a couple of the songs on my iPhone but feeling pretty let down when I listened to the album. It wasn't because the songs were necessarily bad, they just weren't the same. To me, a majority of them didn't have that same rock flare that I loved. After "This Is War", I got used to the idea that I'd probably never hear the same stuff they put together on "A Beautiful Lie" or their self-titled album. Regardless, it was still a bummer.

So I kept trying to make myself like the album, and (with the exception of a couple of songs) it didn't happen. I wanted to, but even after a four-year span of no new tunes, I couldn't make it happen. However, I did admire that they tried to branch out and make something completely different than what they'd made before.

I mean, think about it: Of course, everyone has a favorite song or album that makes them fall in love with a band. Nine times out of ten, you'll end up delving into more of their music. They have something that makes you love them. The first song I ever heard by 30 Seconds to Mars was "The Kill". I loved how they sounded there, but now it's 2018, and they've changed their sound up completely. But that's not a bad thing.

Artists have to grow and challenge themselves. If they didn't do so, they'd produce music that sounded all the same. I'd rather take chances on liking or disliking something than hearing a different variation of "The Kill" for five albums straight. It's 2018 now, and they just came out with an album called "America". It sounds nothing like what I originally fell in love with, but it's amazing. It's new, and it shows how a band can grow successfully even if their old style isn't prominent.