I used to be SUPER against having a Spotify. No clue why. I think I liked the idea of being “different” and not using an app that everyone else used. I got Spotify right after leaving camp last summer, and my music taste instantly began changing and blossoming into what it is today. I am obsessed with making playlists, discovering artists, understanding and appreciating the meaning and artistry behind different playlists and songs, and the sense of connection that comes with music itself. For example, one of my coworkers and I have grown super close mainly because of our shared love for artists such as Her’s, Clairo, and Vansire. I love analyzing songs and hearing the stories of smaller artists. I love creating playlists and choosing songs for different vibes, such as folksy music for early shifts at Summer Moon or 70s rock for a road trip home. I love creating playlists for the people around me. One of the best ways I feel we can tell someone else “I see you” or “I know you” is by remembering and appreciating their taste in music. Music is art, connection, and emotion all bundled into one.
Spotify is great at helping you listen to new artists and discover new genres. I dove into this immediately, and over the past year my music taste has entirely changed and grown because of the ways I’ve been able to explore new artists and music. Before Spotify I mainly listened to popular songs, whether old or new. Dancing Queen by ABBA, anything Taylor Swift, and whatever songs were trending on Tik Tok pretty much encapsulated my entire music taste. Since having Spotify, I have grown a love for so many more artists and their music, even seeing one artist in person, my first concert since I was 9 years old and saw Justin Bieber.
Music has played a huge role in how I have connected with my friends. My boyfriend Braxton has basically the same music taste as me. It’s just such a cool way to peer into someone’s soul and understand them in a way that surpasses basic words and conversation. Music artists are able to convey emotions and thoughts in unique ways, helping us to feel seen and known. That’s why we get so excited and fall in love with songs that relate to us, because it kind of gives us a way to say “I love this song, this song explains a piece of me, and I want people to know this song so they can understand me in that way as well.” Music is just AMAZING!!!
Anyways, here’s my favorite music + artists that I think you should give a chance!
1. Strawberry Guy
I absolutely adore Strawberry Guy. He is a smaller artist from Wales. His song “Mrs.Magic” got super famous on TikTok, so that’s how I originally heard of him. Once I started exploring more music, he was the first artist I wanted to listen to more of. His music make you feel like you are in a renaissance painting, with beautiful piano ballads and dreamy vocals. His music is perfect for coffee shop afternoons or pensive evenings walking in the park. It makes you feel like you’re in a cottage somewhere beautiful.
Mrs. Magic to and fro
Just let me be myself“Mrs.Magic” by Strawberry Guy
“F Song” is another very popular one of his. I personally love “Birch Tree” and “What Would I Do?” His music is very relaxing and resembles how it can feel to grow up and the beauty yet seriousness of emerging adulthood. “F Song” specifically is about moving on from somewhat toxic relationships and seeking what’s best for you-or at least that’s how I perceive it.
And I know that he won’t see
So I spoke up and they told me
Just move on, you won’t need them
So shut your eyes and count to ten“F Song” by Strawberry Guy
“Mrs.Magic” is a prime example of a song that explores the struggles of loving and even idolizing someone while struggling with one’s inner self and confidence. It’s so beautiful, and his other songs are so raw and real about sadness and growing up. I love his stuff. Not to mention he is super humble! My boyfriend and I saw him at a concert this past June, and his show was very sweet and simple, which I adored. Definitely give his music a try!
2. Don McLean
Don McLean’s most well-known song is “American Pie.” I think of him as a distant cousin to the more well-known and robust Billy Joel. I remember Spotify made me a playlist entitled “70s Coffeehouse Night” and most of the songs were by Don McLean. His music is exactly what you’d expect to hear if you drove across the Western United States in the summertime under a starry sky, then stopped for a cup of coffee and waffles at a 24 hour diner in the middle of a desert. It encapsulates that sort of outdoorsy hippie feel of the 70s.
I loved “American Pie”, so I started diving more into his music. He has many lesser-known yet wonderful ballads, such as “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air.”
“Vincent” has to be one of the most beautiful songs I’v ever heard. It’s Don McLean’s gentle voice with his guitar, very simple yet beautiful. “Vincent” is actually about Vincent Van Gogh, a famous artist who is known for his painting “Starry Night.” Vincent Van Gogh was known to struggle with bipolar disorder, although in 1972 when the song was released, discussion over mental health was not at all what it is today, so Don McLean’s choice to release this song was seen as adgy and different-which I absolutely adore. Although he may not be the most well-known artist ever, he was a trailblazer in his own right. I just love this song, and the way it honors and personified Vincent Van Gogh and the various struggles he endured as an artist. It’s just such a beautiful ballad of one artist admiring and paying homage to another. I love it so much.
Now I understand
What you tried to say to me
And how you suffered for your sanity
And how you tried to set them free
They would not listen, they did not know how
Perhaps they’ll listen now“Vincent” by Don Mclean
“Castles In The Air” is mainly about one’s desire to start a new life in the beauty and tranquility of the country. It’s another just simple and beautiful song, great for driving or having a s’mores night with friends.
But how can words express the feel of sunlight in the morning?
In the hills, away from city strife
I need a country woman for my wife
I’m city born, but I love the country life“Castles in the Air” by Don McLean
Some more songs of his worth checking out include “Winterwood,” “Crossroads,” and “Mexicali Girl.”
3. Plums
Plums is the smallest band/artist I have mentioned so far, with only (I say only but this is actually still a lot) 593k listeners per month, as compared to Don McLean’s 7.7M and even Strawberry Guy’s 7.8M. Plums has very beautiful synth and dreamy music beats, perfect for slow summer days or chill study mornings. “Parking Lots” is by far one of my favorite songs of all time. I totally recommend this song simply because of the unique use of musicality and instruments in it, mixing synth, guitar, and soft vocals. The song itself is melancholic, introspective, and pensive, as is most of the band’s music. It’s perfect for slideshows of fond memories with friends. I also love their song”Fine Madeline”
Bent out boy in the car down the pavement
Turn here that’s your place
Glitter girl in the back of the basement
Opened window frame“Parking Lots” by Plums
4. Her’s
I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Her’s. Her’s is a band that specializes in odd, dreamy, nostalgic, synthy pop music. Their music is somewhat similar to that of Plums with an 80s/90s twist. The well-known song “Everybody Rules the World” is a song that could’ve been created by Her’s. No words I could write could truly pay homage to Her’s. I asked chatGPT and it would describe their music as “dreamy atmosphere, catchy melodies, lo-fi charm, dual vocals, and quirky lyrics.”
“What Once Was” is an incredibly nostalgic and melancholic song, and gained fame through TikTok, which is how I heard of Her’s in the first place. There is just no song that captures nostalgia, sadness yet excitement over growing up, and change the way that this song does. Even if you don’t like any of their other music, I guarantee this song will evoke some sort of longing over a memory of yours. I adore it.
I love all of their songs so here is a quick overview:
- “Harvey,” which encapsulates a romantic interest in a real and unique way.
Harvey
Nobody knows what I see
Nobody knows I’m waiting
Waiting for you to call“Harvey” by Her’s
- “Marcel,” is a song that explores the feelings of longing and introspection over past relationships.
Slow down
I wanna love you tonight“Marcel” by Her’s
- “She Needs Him” explores the feelings of emotional dependency and connection with another
My heart takes up all my strength
No more can I think of them
No more can I hold her in my thoughts
Don’t say that she needs him
That she needs him“She Needs Him” by Her’s
- “Dorothy” focuses on the idea of longing for a love interest
- “Blue Lips” explores feelings of emotional disconnectedness or sadness.
She likes to think of you
As somebody else
Now, don’t be oh-so-sure
That you know what’s next
There’s something on her chest“Blue Lips” by Her’s
Overall, Her’s as a band focuses on deep, introspective, emotional concepts in their music, and I absolutely love every part of it.
Her’s passed away in a tragic car accident in 2019 while on tour in the United States. May they rest in peace, as their music continues to reach and touch many.
5. Mac DeMarco
I don’t remember exactly how I stumbled upon Mac DeMarco, but I love his stuff! His music is somewhat similar to Strawberry Guy’s. I would describe his music as lo-fi, dreamy, personal, casual, coffeehouse, conversational, musical, gentle, quirky, and real. It’s perfect for winding down and studying, background music for cooking or reading, or for contemplating emotions on a late-night drive. It’s hard to choose just one song, but I have a few I would recommend if you are wanting to get a good feel for him
- “Heart To Heart” is just a genuinely dreamy and melancholic song highlighting the importance of emotional vulnerability and connection. It’s just a good classic of his that never dissappoints.
Know it seems so quick and easy
Sentimentally assumed
Walking parallels
Heart to heart
To all the days we were together
To all the time we played a part
In each other’s lives
Heart to heart“Heart to Heart” by Mac DeMarco
- “For the First Time” is a nostalgic, reflective song about falling in love
- “Chamber of Reflection” is absolutely beautiful, one of Mac DeMarco’s most classic and well-known songs about self-reflection, self-realization and the beauty and pain of growth.
- “Moonlight on the River” paints a beautiful scene for introspection and emotional depth
- “Watching Him Fade Away” is a more sad and specific song about watching someone you care about change or growing apart from them/them growing away from you, whether in a platonic or romantic sense. It’s a beautifully devastating song.
I haven’t got the guts to call him up
Walk around as if you never cared in the first place
But if you never call, you’ll end up stuck
Thought another chance to tell him off right to his face“Watching Him Fade Away” by Mac DeMarco
I could list many more, but these are perfect songs to start with if you are wanting to know more about Mac Demarco.
Okay, I am going to stop this post here but I will definitely be making more installments about my favorite artists and taste in music! These are in no particular order and I hope you enjoy these artists as much as I do!
Life with Liv! 
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