If you like Charlie Puth, you might like AJR
Like Charlie Puth, AJR has a unique sound and honest lyrics. AJR, which stands for the members of the band, brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan, makes most of their music in their living room, layering intricate melodies and adding unconventional instrumental sounds. AJR’s sound is difficult to describe because each song on their recent album, “The Click,” has its own flavor. However, AJR leans toward the alternative-pop genre with light electronic melodies, classical instruments and punchy beat drops. Similar to Puth, AJR’s song lyrics highlight their vulnerabilities. Their biggest hit off “The Click” was “Weak,” which reached Billboard’s Top 100 songs. “Weak” repeats the lines “I should stay strong. But I’m weak, and what’s wrong with that?” and the song details how they give into vices they know they shouldn’t. Although AJR’s music is a fun listen for its distinct sound, their lyrics also have deeper universal meanings that say “What Everyone is Thinking,” the name of their tour.
New hard rock bands
I Prevail
Like any rock band, I Prevail is composed of the standard heavy drums and distortion guitar, but this post-hardcore band also stretches the rock genre by adding elements of pop and EDM to their music. Though the band’s instrumental is pretty consistent with upbeat and catchy rhythms, heavy guitar and drum hits, the vocal diversity of lead singer Brian Burkeheiser provides a range of melodic ideas and clean singing which is balanced out by Eric Vanlerberghe’heavy, rhythmic shouts. Likewise, both of their albums have a variety of themes, with newer feels through EDM beats and drops to more hardcore styles with dissonance and distortion that gives rock its chaotic nature.
However, unlike many metal bands, I Prevail’s lyrics are scarce of profanity and carry a stronger and more positive message. With almost poetic lyrics, songs like “Scars” enforce the idea of using one’s past and the things that one goes through to build their current self and standing for themself, while “Face Your Demons” bring the message of confronting flaws and fears to improve oneself.
Bad Wolves
With their debut album “Disobey” having only dropped in February, Bad Wolves is a relatively new group. However, they have already gained a lot of traction with their metal cover of “Zombie” by The Cranberries. Bad Wolves focuses on intricate and chromatic guitar riffs and slides and fast-paced rhythms and drum hits. In addition, Tommy Vext, the lead singer, has an exceptionally rich voice that somehow fits in the midst of the metal music. The band focuses on social issues in their lyrics, such as their song “Officer Down,” which draws attention to race relations and police violence, while the inequality of the gap between the rich and poor is a recurring theme in many of their songs.
Amber Mark might interest fans of SZA
Amber Mark provides something familiar with her soulful blend of pop and R&B. While she is now based in New York, growing up in a range of places such as northern India, Berlin and Brazil has inspired her music, making it both fluid and difficult to categorize under one genre. Her music is deeply personal — besides being inspired by an incredibly “nomadic” upbringing, her debut EP, “3:33 AM,” released in 2017, is influenced by her mother’s death, with each song exploring a different stage of grief. Though each song explores heavy emotions, the subject matter is contrasted by bold beats, catchy lyrics and an overall upbeat mood she creates through her work. Her music is dynamic and complex, yet laid back enough to listen to at any time of day, anywhere.
IRL — The new One Direction?
Though they’ve been a musical group for less than a year, In Real Life, or IRL, is on the rise. Formed on the ABC reality television show “Boy Band” last year, members Brady Tutton, Chance Perez, Drew Ramos, Michael Conor and Redwood City native Sergio Calderon have been as busy as ever promoting their singles. Fans of One Direction, particularly those who love their debut album “Up All Night,” will enjoy IRL’s dynamic, tuneful songs. The group itself brings as much energy to the stage with their wide range of musical ability and diverse backgrounds, attracting a broad audience with their flair for pop rap and use of Spanish in some of their singles.
If you like Halsey, you might like Hayley Kiyoko
Listening to Halsey’s music feels empowering because of its raw emotion and her stunning voice, which Hayley Kiyoko’s music echoes. Both a part of the LGBTQ+ community, Halsey and Kiyoko are activists in their own right, discussing their sexualities in their music. Kiyoko’s recent hit “Curious” explores her jealousy of a girl who has been getting close with a guy, leading her to question “I’m just curious, is it serious?” between staccato beats. Throughout her recent album “Expectations,” Kiyoko’s airy voice rises above the background instrumentals, which often feature drums and guitar, but not much else. The minimalist instrumentals only further exaggerate the power of Kiyoko’s words and the discussions she presents in her music.
Highly Suspect — a suspiciously hot band?
Highly Suspect brings dirty rock back, singing about the artists’ lifestyle in Brooklyn, complicated family and romantic relationships, and The lead singer, Johnny Stevens, has voiced his intention to continue developing and changing the band’s sound and incorporating more and more genres in their music, but as of now they still hold that dark blues grunge feel that many thought were lost with the disappearance of the ‘90s.
