What’s on my Playlist?

Music is one of the few constants in my life. No matter where I am, how I’m feeling, or what I’m doing, I can always rely on music. My music taste is far from the norm and, quite honestly, is probably pretty similar to your dad’s. What I’m listening to on any given day depends on my mood and can range from punk rock to indie alternative. I’m at least a couple of decades behind with most of my favorite artists, but here are some of my current go-to’s:

1. Concrete and Gold – Foo Fighters https://tinyurl.com/concreteandgold The Foo Fighters are one of the few bands actively producing albums and keeping rock music alive today. Frontman, Dave Grohl, will go down in history as one of the best musicians to ever live. He was the drummer for Nirvana and is now the lead singer and guitarist for the Foo Fighters. This is the only addition to my list that is actually an album, not a song. On September 15th of this year, they released the album Concrete and Gold, and it pushes modern limits while still staying true to their roots. With guest appearances from Paul McCartney and Justin Timberlake, it’s a must-listen and one of my favorite albums this year.

2. “ Back to the Shack” – Weezer https://tinyurl.com/backtotheshack This song is definitely not a new release, but Weezer is one of my favorite bands, and this is currently my favorite song by them. Lead singer, Rivers Cuomo, has pretty much been set in his ways musically for most of his career. He doesn’t stray far from what is familiar to him, and Weezer’s discography follows a similar theme. “Back to the Shack” is basically a song about how Cuomo will be forever partial to rock music and that he doesn’t like the direction modern music has taken, which is a message I personally agree with. If you like rock music and/or Weezer, I’d highly recommend this song.

3. ”The Chain” – Harry Styles (cover) https://tinyurl.com/harrystylesthechain Harry Styles has really made a name for himself as a solo artist this year and has transitioned from “that guy from One Direction” into a well-respected musician. His debut album received outstanding reviews and both his first and second tours sold out in mere minutes. Although I love every song on his album, my favorite song he sings is his cover of the song “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac. He is one of those artists that sounds even better live, and he sings this song as if he wrote it himself.

4. ”Trouble ” – Cage the Elephant https://tinyurl.com/troublecage Cage the Elephant is a fairly new alternative rock band that has gained a lot of attention this year. The lead singer, Matt Shultz, has a very unique voice that really makes all of their songs stand out. “Trouble” is my personal favorite because it is from the soundtrack of one of my favorite shows, Riverdale.

5. ”Lights ” – Journey https://tinyurl.com/lightsmusicvideo Living so close to San Francisco and constantly going to Giants games, Journey was a very prevalent band throughout my childhood. In case you didn’t know, every 8th inning of a Giants home game, Journey is played. If they are losing, you’ll hear “Don’t Stop Believing,” but if they’re winning, “Lights” blares through the speakers. This song is timeless, and living in Monterey, we are so closely connected to Journey (San Francisco natives) that if you somehow haven’t heard this song, you should give it a listen.

6. “ The Man Who Sold the World” – Nirvana https://tinyurl.com/nirvanabowie A list of my favorite music artists would definitely include both Nirvana and David Bowie. This song is Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged cover of “The Man Who Sold the World” by David Bowie. Both Cobain and Bowie are musicians we have tragically lost within the past few decades, but this song is proof that their impact on the music industry will live on forever.

7. “ Love” – Lana Del Rey https://tinyurl.com/delreylove The album Lust for Life was released on July 21st of this year and quickly climbed the charts. Lana Del Rey has been well-known for the past four years or so, but she has never been the center of attention or caved into modern song-writing patterns. Her song, “Love,” is off of her new album and is both very well-written and insanely catchy.

8. “ Ruby Tuesday” – The Rolling Stones https://tinyurl.com/rubytuesdaystones It wouldn’t truly be my playlist if the Rolling Stones weren’t on here somewhere. I honestly can’t pick my favorite song by them, but recently I have rediscovered “Ruby Tuesday,” and I had forgotten how much I loved it. Mick Jagger’s voice takes some getting used to if you haven’t had a lot of exposure to the Stones in the past, but there is a reason why they will forever be considered one of the best bands to ever exist.

9. “ Helpless” – John Mayer https://tinyurl.com/johnmayerhelpless I never used to give John Mayer a lot of credit, but within the past few months, I have fallen in love with his music. He is an incredible singer, songwriter, and guitarist. This song, “Helpless,” is off his newest album and will honestly be stuck in your head for weeks. If nothing else, it helped me realize that John Mayer was a lot more than just Katy Perry’s ex.

10. ”Tearjerker” – Red Hot Chili Peppers https://tinyurl.com/tearjerkerrhcp This last song is genuinely a tearjerker if you’re a music fan; it’s not just called that. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, California natives and frequent visitors to Big Sur, have a legendary repertoire of music. This song has pretty much flown under the radar, but it was written by the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, on the day of Kurt Cobain’s death. His lyrics are deeply emotional and just barely touch upon the empty hole in the music industry Cobain left after his suicide.