The 1975, consisting of Matty Healy (vocals), George Daniels (drums), Ross MacDonald (bass), and Adam Hann (guitar), is a band that has gained immense popularity in a relatively short period of time. Their self-titled debut album was released in September of 2013, containing hits such as "Girls," "Sex," and "Chocolate" that emulate youth, vibrance, and self-exploration. While themes of youth, sex, and drugs set to catchy pop-tunes are nothing new in the music scene, The 1975 are set to become one of the most influential bands of this generation.
Given that the bands following consists largely of teenage girls swooning over frontman Healy, some may find it hard to take the band seriously. These skeptics may forget that other influential bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and even Nirvana had substantial parts of their fan-bases made up of young girls. This is an inevitable phenomena, and these young fans opinion's certainly should not be disregarded as irrelevant simply because of their gender or age.
The 1975's debut album peaks interest with it's synth-pop, dreamy, almost ethereal sound, and songs with lyrics that are honest and complex, begging listeners to care. Every song on the album was created by the band members themselves, drawing influence from Talking Heads, The Blue Nile, Michael Jackson, and My Bloody Valentine to name a few. It is their second album, set to be released February 26, 2016, that will take the bands' influence to the next level.
Titled "I Like it When You Sleep, for You are so Beautiful, Yet so Unaware of It," this second album contains a whopping 17 tracks, three of which have already been released. Based on the already released singles ("Love Me," "The Sound," and "UGH!"), it is clear this album will show a stylistic evolution, replacing mellow vibes with a bombastic, in-your-face-in-a-very-good-way, 80s-funk sound. Artists have been dipping their toes into the 80's pop pond recently, most notably Taylor Swift's "1989." However, none of them seems to take it to the level that The 1975 does. It is this bold step forward that will set The 1975 apart from other chart-toppers, and no doubt push along trends that they are expanding and improving on. The 1975 is the satisfying voice of a generation that constantly calls for bigger, better, and more shocking, and they do it without selling out.
Don't believe me? Watch the videos for "Love Me" and "UGH!" and decide for yourself.
