Windows rolled down, volume on high and hair blowing in the wind; that’s the feeling of music in the summer. There’s no school, no bedtime and no alarm jolting you awake even before the birds are! Because of the carefree and liberating lifestyle we teenagers live in during the summer, the music that blares through the speakers in our cars during our months of freedom becomes the token of the summer’s memories.
Down Under’s very own Iggy Azalea slayed the music industry this summer, on charts and radio station’s alike. It seemed as if every time you’d turn the dial, your ears would either pick up the familiar tunes of “Fancy” or “Problem.” (“Problem is Ariana Grande’s song but Iggy accompanies her on the track.) I’m almost sure that you know exactly which songs I’m talking about! After the release of her first ever single in America, Iggy quickly rose to superstardom, also becoming the first artist to have songs at #1 and #2 on the Billboard charts simultaneously since the Beatles in 1964. She is also the first ever woman to accomplish this feat, you go girl!
Speaking of Aussie’s, Sydney-born band, 5 Seconds of Summer (FINALLY) released their debut album this past July. The four boys with ages ranging from 18 to 20 spent almost three years working on the self titled album. They also co-wrote some of their songs with rock/alternative music legends All Time Low and the Madden Brothers. 5SOS (an acronym of the band’s name given by their very own fan base) came quickly into the spotlight after One Direction’s own, Louis Tomlinson, tweeted his admiration of the four boys, who were once just YouTube musicians. After that, their number of subscribers and their popularity took a huge step forward, and before anyone knew it, they were opening up for One Direction on their 2013 world tour.
Before you get any funny ideas, 5SOS ARE NOT A BOY BAND. Their genre is an enticing mix of pop, punk and rock. The album they dropped this July is nothing short of amazing. The three years put into the recordings are apparent, with the depth the music and lyrics hold. My favorite songs include “Long Way Home,” “18,” and “Never Be.” These tracks, and basically the whole album, are totally worth a listen. That is, if you haven’t already gotten your hands on this gem.
Songs on the radio tend to range in rudeness. Let’s not forget the heinous song “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke that plagued the radio last summer and poisoned our brains for 3 minutes every hour. This summers “rudeness” was different, in the most literal way. The track “Rude” by Magic! was definitely a staple song of the summer. The reggae feel and diverse storyline of the track was a refreshing contrast to the typical electronic bass drops of popular music we’re used to. That is until the radio decided to play the song 10 million times an hour. (Which is completely possible, trust me I’m really good [terrible] at math.)
To top it all off, two INCREDIBLE albums were revealed this summer, (one actually being an EP). The first, Ed Sheeran’s “X” came mid July, and it was as groundbreaking and perfect as expected. Ed has a style like none other, and his diverse sound and voice carry this new album flawlessly. Songs you must listen to include ALL OF THEM. But most importantly “Runaway,” “Thinking Out Loud,” and “Bloodstream.” (Basically, just listen to the whole thing, you won’t be disappointed.) The second “album” was the EP “Trxye,” by Troye Sivan, another Australian, YouTube born artist. (Go Internet Aussie’s!) The five tracks of musical excellence included in the EP have a similar sound, but it’s so fresh and well done that it leaves you craving more songs from Sivan. The best track by far is “Gasoline.”
When skin is golden and hearts are alive, the music that sweeps through our minds all summer long must be nothing short of incredible, and 2014 didn’t leave us hanging. Whether it be an album or song, the tunes we listened to this summer will forever hold onto the adventures we had and the memories we made.
