Sammy Wilk

Sammy Wilk, also known as Sammy or Sam Wilkinson is doing his best to break through in the music scene. Much like his friends Jack and Jack, Sam focuses his musical style on rap with a bit of a pop sound. Sammy is a gorgeous 20 year old from Omaha, Nebraska. He gained his fame through the Internet. That seems to be the best place to start now. Some people can make it. Others can't. Sam is definitely one that can. He started to gain a following in 2013 when he started a Vine account. He gained 200,000 followers by the end of the year. He joined towards the end of March. In 2014 he joined many other Vine and YouTube stars on the MagCon tour. He is also known for his charity work with TreatmentForAll and Unite4Good. Not only is he a pretty good artist, he's also a kind hearted person that's using his rise to fame to better the world. You honestly don't see that much anymore except from humbled people like Sam and his friends. Sam has done calabs with Jack and Jack, Wesley Stromberg (Emblem3), Kenny Holland, and DJ Rupp (Dillion Rupp). However, he is most known for his work with Nate Maloley (Skate). This duet is famously known as Sammy and Skate. As a duo the two were signed on to Freshlee Records. In 2014 they released "Nothing to a King", "Signs", and "Party People". They were also on the bill for Magcon performances together as well as tours similar to it. In 2015 they released "Wassup", "Vibe Out", and featured in DJ Rupp's song "Where Art Thou". Sammy's appearances in music videos include "Vibe Out", "Nothing to a King", "Where Art Thou", Wassup", and he featured in "Like That" by Jack and Jack as well as "Fire" by The Balcony.

Skate and Sammy are relationship goals

On to his career as a solo artist. He is signed on to Freshlee Records as a solo artist as well. He released his first single called "Could You Be the One" in 2014. In 2015 he released "Aye Ma" and "Could Be". As for tours in 2015, he did one with DigiTour plus other mini tours and meet-and-greets. 2016 is going to be his year. That's why I'm writing this now. It's not even the third month of the year and he has already released three singles and music videos. "Chase the Day", "Higher", and his latest release, "Turn the Lights Down",
 are going to be followed by a few more singles coming very soon. Sam has also been dropping hints about an upcoming album. So, yes, 2016 is going to be a great year for Sammy Wilk and you should be there for the ride.

King Of The Acapella App

Everybody has seen the acapella videos produced by an extremely cool new app. It basically replaced Vine for uprising singers. And for people just to goof around. One kid stands out from the crowd of consumers. That would be Austin Jones. All of his acapella videos have gone viral! But who is he? He's way more than a singer on an app and another teen heartthrob.
Austin is a 23 year old from Chicago. His musical styling ranges from Alternative to pop. Of course he has mastered acoustic and acapella music. Austin is definitely a musical king when it comes to social media. He has managed to gather 528,400 likes on his Facebook page, which for a fairly unknown artists to the public is pretty good. His Youtube channel has rapidly expanded since he first started it in July of 2007. As of right now he has over 117,295 subscribers and, as of today, 3,551,894 total views. His Vine following is roughly around 248,000.
Austin started his musical journey in 2010. He began writing his own music that year after "tragic events". He didn't go much deeper than that as far as I know. Honestly, I don't care. I'm just glad that he started in the first place! Austin released his first EP, "We'll Fall Together", in July 2014. The EP went to #12 on the iTunes charts and hit #34 on Billboard's Heat Seekers Chart. Not only did he have a very successful debut EP, he also had rather successful singles. He's released "Love Yourself (acoustic), Meds and Beds, and Fly Away. All of the above are available for download on iTunes.
Since Austin had gained such a big following in such short amount of time, Alternative Press invited him to join their 2015 Warped Tour. With this opportunity, Austin was able to expand his fan base and work along side big name artists. Some of those names included a few of my favorites: Black Veil Brides, Pierce the Veil, AS IT IS, Metro Station, and Our Last Night. Of course there were many other names. Those were just a few of my favorites.
However, Austin didn't walk away from Warped with all positives. Austin was caught up in the middle of a scandal. While touring he was accused of asking underage girls for videos of them twerking. When the rumors started, Warped was forced to take him out of the line up along with other social media sensations. He didn't deny the rumors long. Instead he released an apology. Austin immediately apologized for asking for the inappropriate videos. He also pointed out the fact that he was unaware that some of the people he was talking to were underage. Apparently he sent silly videos of him twerking back. He wasn't taking them very seriously. It was fun and games. He apologized for his actions and said that he was embarrassed for his family, friends, himself, and his fans.

Austin's "I Write Sins not Tragedies" cover

I believe the incident has long been forgotten. Warped Tour said that he had done nothing wrong and had taken responsibility for his actions. They weren't ashamed to have him on their line-up and would be happy to have him again. Since then Austin has regained a lot of his fans and fame with the help of the acapella app. His most popular videos are covers of Fall Out Boy, Panic!, and even Sleeping with Sirens. Austin has true talent. He has made some mistakes, but unlike many other stars, he took responsibility. There is no doubt that he is the King of the Acapella App.

Kenny Holland: Musical Homie Hopper?

Kenny Holland is a 20 year old singer and songwriter. He self-describes him self as a pop/rock artist. Personally, he is way more pop than rock, which is why it's "self-described". He hails from Phoenix, Arizona. He was also raised in Michigan. Kenny grew up in a musical family. All of his sisters are gifted as are his parents. He learned to play the piano when he was eight years old. He wrote his first song in the 6th grade about a girl in his class that he was crushing on. He continued to shine during his time in school by performing at almost every school talent show.
Kenny didn't rise to fame from his school performances though. He owes his fame to the lovely Vine app and Youtube. You have to love social media! Kenny had a Youtube channel in 2011, but he only really started getting attention when he started posting 6 second covers on Vine. He was one of the chosen to go on tours for Magcon and Digifest. As of right now, Kenny has millions of loops on Vine and thousands of followers. He has 147,602 subscribers on Youtube and has managed to rack up 2,122,532 views. His most recent success on Youtube was his "12 HollanDays"videos. He posted one video every day for twelve days leading up to the release of his newest single "Lifeline". The videos were posted over the holidays and the single was released on Christmas.
Kenny release his first full length album before he actually released any singles. "Heart and Keys" was released in 2012. It consists of 10 songs that show off his smooth vocals and piano skills. "Less Than Three" was his first single, which was released in 2013. In 2014 he released a second single, "This Dance". Of course I said, he just released his third single "Lifeline". Kenny also dropped the bomb that he has his acting debut in the independent film "Saturday's Warrior" in 2015.

Kenny, Sammy, and Skate

Holland is associated with a wide range of artists. He has opened for both Aaron Carter and The Summer Set. Since he came from Vine and went on Magcon tours, he is close friends with Jack and Jack. He even accompanied the duo on a leg of Jack and Jacks tour. Kenny is also associated with Sammy Wilk, who is a rapper and part of the duo Sammy and Skate. However, he is most known for his friendship with Wesley Stromberg of Emblem3.

Kenny and Wesley 

Wes and Kenny started their own band, "The Balcony". As a group, they released their single "Fire". They even had a music video for it. The two of them were constantly working on music together. They were practically inseparable. This caused Emblem3 fans to attack Kenny with an unbelievable wrath. They believed that Kenny was the reason that Wes stopped working with his brother and spending time with Keaton. When Wes was with Kenny, there was no Emblem3. Kenny literally killed Emblem3. Fans were also upset about the fact that Kenny had "ditched" Sammy Wilk for Wes. They also accused him of taking Skate Maloley's place in Sammy's life. People accused Kenny of choosing his friendships to gain fans. As soon as he got what he wanted, he would move on.
I believe those fans were right. As soon as Emblem3 got back together, Kenny was completely out of the picture. The Balcony won't be releasing music together anytime soon. However, Emblem3 will be! Now Kenny is back to being friends with Sammy Wilk. The two of them did a cover together for his 12 HollanDays. Kenny has also been spotted with Jack Johnson yet again. Personally, I am not a fan of Kenny. I do believe that he has a tendency to use people to grow his fandom. I don't like who he is a person from what I've seen. I feel like he is rather fake, someone who is trying to hold on to any piece of fame that he has. However, there is no denying that he has talent and I respect him as an artist. So, if you want, go check out some of Kenny's songs and videosIf you feel like it! Tell me how you feel about Kenny. Is he a musical homie hopper?

The End of the World.... Tour Starring 5SOS

I am drowning in tears of emotion because my four young boys from Sydney Australia finished their first ever headlining world tour. I think I'm taking this harder than the end of their tours with One Direction. And that was the end of an era! It was two years of 5SOS and 1D. Now 5 Seconds of Summer are off on their own, headlining their own shows around the world. They went from filming in a bedroom with pink speakers, to playing gigs with 12 people, and ended up with a headlining world tour, playing to hundreds-sometimes thousands-of people every night.
If you don't know who 5SOS is, you're going to have to use this awesome thing called Google. I could go on forever over these boys. The basics I can handle. Despite their name, their are only 4 members. Luke Hemmings (guitar), Ashton Irwin (percussion), Calum Hood (bass), Michael Clifford (guitar). All four contribute vocals, but Luke is the front man. Ashton is the oldest at 21. The rest are 19. The band started out with just Luke, Calum, and Michael. Ashton joined shortly before their first gig. The band has released multiple EPs and two full length CDs. They have won plenty of awards in the short amount of time they've been in the spotlight. Most recently, they won MTVs Song of the Summer for the second year in a row. The first was because of their first single "She Looks So Perfect". This year the fuss was all about "She's Kinda Hot". The band has also started their own record company called "Hi or Hey Records". Also, they are punk-rock. Punk-pop is acceptable, but they are NOT a boy band.

As many people already know, they got a huge helping hand from One Direction when they were asked to open for them on their Take Me Home tour. They asked them to come back for parts of their Where We Are tour. So, yes, a good portion of their fan base are Directioners, but 5SOS still has a die-hard fandom that I'm proud to be a part of. The fans are what makes the band. The boys realize that. It's one of the reasons I love them so much. They know they owe everything to their fans and they give back everything they have. They are such down to earth amazing musicians. I honestly can't imagine my life without them in it. They have had a huge influence on me and the person that I am today. I have a lot to thank them for. They always tell their fans that they have a lot to thank us for, but really it's the least we could do.
I was lucky enough to attend one of their concerts for this tour, Rock Out With Your Socks Out. (Amazing name btw!) It was literally the best night of my life. The only time I have ever cried from joy was when my purchase went through for my tickets. The second time I cried because of happiness was when I saw the four of them walk out on to the stage in front of me. They put on the best show I have ever seen. They were bouncing all around, interacting with each other and the crowd, and they never missed a beat. They performed songs that haven't been released yet, their most popular ones, and for the ones that have been there since the beginning they played a few of their originals. They managed to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. The best part was that they didn't hold back and hide who they really are. They were on stage doing what they love and being their weird, funny, adorable selves. They have a special talent that not many people posses.
The best part is that they're using their talent to spread a message, to show support for people who are struggling. They are using their name and talent to raise their voices and shed some light on issues and people that get over-looked. Towards the end of the tour, they announced that they are releasing their second full length album "Sounds Good Feels Good". Along with that, they started a new age. The age of the New Broken Scene. It's something that their fans can get behind, support, and allows them to be themselves according to the band. How many people create something just so their fans feel like they belong to something important? Actually, to show them that they are a part of something important. So, not only was it the end of their first world tour (cue tears), it was the start of something new, exciting, and meaningful. I wish that these boys could've stayed my little secret, but I am overwhelmed with joy that they are making a name for themselves and doing something to make a difference. They deserve the world. They've come so far and learned so much, but we still don't know if it's hi or hey.

Tanner Patrick: Vine Star and Youtube Sensation

Tanner Patrick is a name that not many people know. However, if it is familiar to you then you probably have good taste in music or spend a lot of time on Vine and Youtube or both of course. Here's the basics on him. Tanner Patrick is 24 years old and is a singer/songwriter, musician, and producer. He is able to play guitar (electric and acoustic), bass guitar, piano, and saxophone. Oh yeah, he has an amazing vocal range making for a great voice. Did I mention that he was hot??

Despite what a lot of people think, Tanner didn't start on Vine. He started out on Youtube. He actually got pretty far into his career before he even started posting singing videos on vine. He started his channel in 2011, but has been active in music since 2008. He has managed to get over 800,000 subscribers on his Youtube and has gotten well over 86,000,000 views. Tanner signed up for Vine in 2014. He has managed to collect over 700,000 followers and he has surpassed the milestone of 100,000,000 loops.
So those are the basics. What you might not know about Tanner is the fact that he didn't start out as a solo artist. He used to be in a band with his friends. They called themselves Disco Curtis. The band did pretty well! I wish they were still together now actually! (But I do love Tanner as a solo artist) Disco Curtis signed on to MySpace/Interscope Records. They performed Bambozzle West in California and went touring with bands like Boys Like Girls and Forever The Sickest Kids. Their biggest milestone, playing in 2010 Vans Warped Tour. Sadly, in September 2010, the band broke-up because his friends attended college. Shortly after Tanner announced that he was launching a solo career. Thank God he did!
Tanner debuted his first single titled "Merry Go Round" in 2012. He also released the music video for it that April. It hit 1.3 million views. That's quite a lot for a debut song from an artist like Tanner. In 2013 he released another single called "Sideways Figure Eights". 2014 proved to be a big year for Tanner. He released yet another single, "Satellites" and a music video for it. Not only that, but he had a debut album, "The Waiting Home". All of these are available on iTunes. So are a lot of his covers that he has posted on Youtube, which there are a lot of. If you're not wanting to spend money on iTunes, then you definitely need to check out his YouTube page! So many amazing original songs and covers.
Tanner's talent is what I love the most about him. It was until I started writing this. I did a little background research as I normally do. I found out that Tanner has had some health trouble in his past. He has diabetes, which a lot of people suffer from. What really shocked me was the fact that both of his lungs have collapsed multiple times. He had surgery done and a few days later he was back with his band performing. That gives me mad respect for him! He's had to overcome a huge obstacle to continue his singing career. I mean, lungs are pretty necessary things for doing what he does and life in general of course.
So, there you have Tanner Patrick. An artist who started out as a name on the internet but is soon going to be headlining shows. He's gone through a lot in a short period of time, but he is still following his dreams and killing the game! Everybody needs a little bit of Tanner Patrick in their life.

Calibraska

"Hey it's that guy! Aren't you from vine?"

"Hell nah, I'm from Nebraska get your facts in line."

Two dudes with the same name came from Nebraska and are now killing it in LA. Jack and Jack are two teens from Nebraska, as I just said. Yes, they are well known from their Vines. They broke out in the music world in 2013-2014. They bring a whole new ingredient to pop and hip/hop music. The two of them have managed to mix the two genres perfectly! Don't believe me, check out their EP along with all of their other singles! I've touched on them before, but if you don't know who they are keep reading! :)

Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson is the smaller of the Jacks with blonde hair. He is also known as the rapper of the group. A lot of people say that white boys can't rap. They obviously haven't heard Johnson. He spits fire! Honestly, I think that he raps faster than a lot of the rappers that are all over the airways now. However, that's not a very popular opinion, so I better watch myself. Many people say that they speed up the verses. They can't exactly do that live and Johnson still kills it every time.

Jack Gilinsky

Jack Gilinsky is the other Jack in the duo. My Lord is he a looker! Both of them are pretty fine, but DAMN! Gilinsky isn't much of a rapper. He's a lot better with the actual singing parts of their music. He harmonizes well with Johnson and is a master with echoes. He vocally dominates most of the choruses. Gilinsky has a wide vocal range which is impressive for someone his age and his build.
Calibraska is a perfect example of who they are as artists and what their story is. The first track in California, which is about them moving from Nebraska to California to follow their dreams and that they're never going home. Shallow Love doesn't need much explaining. The title itself does that. The third track on the EP is How We Livin' and basically describes how they are living their life now. The fourth and final track on their EP is Wrong One. Personally it's my favorite, right next to California that is. The last track is pretty chill and is a story about falling in love with the wrong person and how that can fuck with your life and emotions. My opinion on the EP is that it is fricking awesome and deserves a shit ton of credit.
Both of them are very talented vocalists and lyricist. On top of that, they also have great senses of humor. That's actually how they got started--by posting humorous videos on Vine. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that they dabble in dancing. Bottom line is that these guys are talented weather you like them or not. I don't see how anyone can hate them when they're both so kind and down to earth. Their songs are always personal to them and are written from their own pasts and stories. They use it to help and encourage their fans. Not many artists do that now-a-days. So mad respect for that.
Today, Johnson actually spoke up about that. He said that he realizes their music isn't strictly rap/hip or pop, but more of a mix and that they're influences by a lot of different artists as well as themselves. He says that they write music for themselves and for their fans. He has a love for lyricism and Jack & Jack are going to keep progressing in the music industry because it's one of their true passions. They're going to keep doing what they love whether "you rock with it or not. End of story". -Jack J.

New Hollow

I'm a little late on writing this one. I've been a fan of this band for a while, but have never posted anything about them until now. If you haven't heard of New Hollow, I don't actually blame you. I would normally say that you've been living under a rock, but not in this case. New Hollow has been around for a while, 2010 to be exact. However, the group of three friends had been playing together since they were in elementary school. Their first single titled "SICK" was released in 2010 and promoted by the clothing store Justice. On Billboards Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart the single was able to beat out Katy Perry's "California Gurls" for the top single of the year. They also sang the National Anthem at the Thanksgiving Day football game between the Cowboys and the Saints. This was only the beginning for New Hollow. 

Chad, Evan, and Mookie

2011 was a major year for them. They became the first and only rock band in history to perform inside the Ohio State House. They also released their second single "Boyfriend". While it only peaked at #96 on the Hot 100 Chart, it climbed to number 1 on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. "Boyfriend" defeated "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga for the number one spot on 2011 Singles Sales Chart. They released "Airplanes", a cover by B.o.B and Haylee Williams, as a single that same year. Just like the two singles before it, it was able to be named number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. They became the first unsigned band without radio play to have three singles be #1 on the charts. "SICK" and "Airplanes" finished #3 and #4, giving them three spots out of the top 5. 

The first time they got airplay was in 2013. This is when I heard them. Sirius XM was playing New Hollow's fourth single "She Ain't You" while I was on my way to school. The unique sound of Evan West's voice pulled me in immediately along with the rock sound and interesting lyrics. I fell in love with the song instantly. I loved the song, but the band didn't really interest me at that point. They didn't have their other singles available on iTunes, so I was only able to get my hands on "She Ain't You". "She Ain't You" won the award for "Breakthrough Song of 2013" beating out songs like "Say Something" and "Let Her Go". (I cried from pride while typing that...) 

The frontman Evan West. (Click to hear his amazing vocals)

I heard their newest song "Why Don't You Love Me" when I decided to creep on their iTunes page. Like before, I instantly fell in love with the song and had to buy it that second. There was just something about their sound, their vocals. I fell even harder for the band when I learned more about them. After I heard "Why Don't You Love Me" I decided to have a little stalking session. I went on all kinds of social media sites to learn about New Hollow. The first place I went was YouTube. Judging by their sound, I had figured that they were an older group, but I was way off. I was left speechless when I saw how young of a band they actually were. As I watched the video for "She Ain't You" I struggled to comprehend the fact that the voice I was hearing was coming from Evan West. It didn't match his looks at all and took me by total surprise. So, my love for them as individuals and as a group grew.

They've only had one song get massive airplay, but they have managed to dominate the Singles Sales Charts and show the world how much talent they had. Mookie Clouse and Evan West are both 19. The youngest of the band, their drummer--Chad Blashford-- is 18. That means that they were about 14 and 15 when they released their first few singles and 16 or 17 when they came out with "She Ain't You". Does they sound like they're that young? If you say yes, you definitely need some help. I consider myself a music expert, and I never would have thought they were that young. They are amazing, talented, and mature artists for their age. You don't hear of a rock band that consists of teenagers very often. Their different, young, talented, and simply amazing. They deserve to get a lot more notice and I mean A LOT! I've seriously never thought that an artist has been so over looked before, except for Paradise Fears maybe. 

Anyways, New Hollow isn't so new anymore, but they are still a young band with a shit ton of potential. You can tell that just by what they accomplished on their own, without a record label.They deserve to get some recognition in the music industry. 

Paradise Fears

My newest obsession is with a band from Vermillion South Dakota called Paradise Fears. I absolutely love them. I heard one song and fell in love. Every single song is relatable and lovable. Their music style is classified as Alternative, but they are so much more. They can fit in to the pop-punk and pop-rock categories as well. That's just in my opinion though. I honestly don't think anybody could dislike this band. If you do, I say you're crazy. How can you possibly hate a band that came from a small state like South Dakota? Maybe I have a soft spot for them because I'm from South Dakota... Either way, they are still very talented artists.
The band is rather large with six members. Sam Miller- Vocals; Cole Andre- vocals, guitar, samples, and mandolin; Michael Walker- pianos, keys, vocals; Jordan Merrigan- guitars; Marcus Sand- Bass; Joey Russ- Drums. Lucas Zimmerman was a former member who played the drums. The band formed in 2007 while they were all still in high school. Instead of going to college, they all got full time jobs to pay for their recordings. Then they followed pop punk tours to hand out their debut album Yours Truly to fans waiting in line. They managed to sell 24,000 total copies which made the album peak at number 9 on Billboard's uncharted chart.
They have been on tour with many of my other favorite bands including All Time Low, The Summer Set, The Ready Set, Before You Exit, and The Cab. They have of course toured with many other bands as well. In 2012 they went on their own headlining mini tour. The band has released 7 albums/EPs and they have 11 singles available. They also have put up covers of popular songs on YouTube. Their most popular cover being "Payphone" by Maroon 5. The video racked up over three million views. For being a band from South Dakota they have quite a large following and a great fan-base.
I discovered the band through a friend of mine. I wanted to see what kind of music he was interested in. Paradise Fears was one of them. I had to look them up. Like I said before, I heard one song and fell in love with their sound and their lyrics. It all has meaning and moves me in different ways. Some songs give me motivation others make me feel emotions, brining me to the edge of having a crying session. It's hard to pick a favorite song from these guys. It seems like every song they have is beyond exceptional and I can't help but love it. Recently I've had their song "Fight for Me" on replay. I'm also loving "Yours Truly", "Home", "Sanctuary", and "Hear Me Out". Those are only a few though! Their Spotify is my favorite thing to listen to at the moment.

Anybody that loves emotional music and looks for meaning in what they listen to definitely needs to check out Paradise Fears. If you like All Time Low or even a more preppy band like Before You Exit, you will love them too. They have something for everybody. I think music lovers in general will love them simply because they are such great musicians and writers. They aren't exactly old either. They're fairly young. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I have mad respect for anybody that starts their music career young. It just shows how hard they work and how true their talent is. Paradise Fears should be played on the radio. I think they're great enough to become a household name if they get the airtime they deserve. 

Do you know MKTO?

MKTO! I'm in love. I've been in love! MKTO is an amazing band that has had quite a few hits. The first being an instant classic-- "Classic". They also released "American Dream" as a single which did fairly well on the airways. Their most recent is "Bad Girls". I can't get over this song. No, I can't get over this duo! Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller are two very talented people who have a back-up band just as talented as them. Their bassist is David Dudley who was also the bassist for Emblem3. That's beside the point though. MKTO is such a talented duo. Just like every other band I've posted about, they should be getting more recognition. It seems like they're finally getting their name out there because they've been performing on morning shows and making other television appearances, but they're pretty much only known for their singles "Classic" and now "Bad Girls". They have so many other songs that should be climbing up the charts and being played on the radio.
What's special about these two is the fact that they met while filming a television show on Nick. So they didn't even meet through the music industry! They decided to form their group shortly after. Their band name seems easy to figure out once you know their names. It's their initials put together. According them it's more than that. To them it also stands for Misfit Kids and Total Outcasts, just like they were in high school. Wow. That speaks to you now doesn't it? They signed with Columbia Records and ended up releasing their first single "Thank You" in January 2013. I love that song and I wish I would have heard it on the radio as often as I heard "Classic".
They've been on tour with one of my favorite bands, Emblem3, twice and have also accompanied Demi Lovato. In the summer of 2014 they went on their own headlining tour. They have one full length album simply titled "MKTO". They don't really fall in to one genre of music. Most of the time it's a great mix between pop and hip-hop. Basically they have great music that will get you up on your feet and moving. They also have an awesome acoustic song ("Wasted") that features only the vocals of Tony and his awesome piano skills. The duo has been nominated twice for Radio Disney Awards.
I don't know what it is about these two that made me fall in love with them and their music so quickly. They are great people with awesome personalities and a butt-load of talent. I guess that's enough to catch my attention. They don't exactly fit in with a lot of the music that is being played on the radio now, but I think they are going to be part of a movement to change that. Just like almost everybody I listen too, they don't follow the mainstream. It seems like they actually try to stay away from it. That's what I love about them. They put in a lot of hard work and deserve the attention that they are finally getting and then some.

Are You Ready?

"I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready..." The ever so familiar sound of Spongebob flooded the air waves. But why? AJR decided to take a chance and mix that annoying, but catchy, Spongebob Squarepants sample with their own music to create the hit song titled "I'm Ready". It's the one that took the world by storm and turned the attention of the music world on them. They followed up their first single with another hit called "Infinity", which just so happens to be my favorite. They have also produced one full-length album titled "Living Room" along with several EPs.
It seems like these three brothers are on to something with their different and unique sound. It has been described as 'eclectic', which means deriving ideas, styles, and/or taste from a wide and diverse range of sources. Digging deeper in to their musical style you can tell that they have influence from many different genres including: pop, foo-wop, electronic, and dub step. They have said that their musical influences as far as bands go range from The Beach Boys to Vampire Weekend and Fun. I find that interesting and pretty cool for some odd reason.
AJR is composed of three brothers: Adam (24), Jack (17), and Ryan (21). Hopefully you can see where they got their band name from now. They started the band of brothers in 2006, so they're not exactly new to the music industry. They are simply just getting the attention now that they so rightly deserve. They started out as most bands doing, busking and doing covers of popular songs and posting them on Youtube. Since then they have performed on Good Day New York, Live with Kelly and Michael, and VH1's Big Morning Buzz. Both of their singles have been on Sirius XM radios hit stations and placed in their countdowns a number of times.
Other than the fact that these three are brothers and their sound is a little different, what makes this band so special? Well, for starters they are a completely do it yourself band. They write, record, produce, and mix all of their own stuff in their living room. I'm guessing that's where they got the title for their first album. Adam plays bass guitar and sings. Ryan plays the ukulele, keyboard, and vocals. He also does a lot of the producing. He has written and produced two songs with Andy Grammar. The youngest of the three, Jack, seems to be the most well-rounded when it comes to instruments. He plays guitar, melodica, ukulele, percussion, and the sample machine. On top of all of that, they all like to dabble in the making of their music videos. Apparently a majority of their music video for "Infinity" was directed and produced by the brothers.
These three have an endless amount of talent. It makes me so happy to see that the music world is actually recognizing somebody that is doing something different. They aren't following the crowd in any way, shape or form. Their songs aren't about drugs and partying. They don't do everything in a professional studio and have other people do all the hard work for them. They do everything themselves. I actually think that's something that not a whole lot of people know. They're not made of the same material as every other performer and artist. They're different. And I like it. Judging by their fast growing success, a lot of other people do too.

Hollywood Ending

Recently I've had a lot of sad songs on repeat, but after this album was released I had to switch it up. Hollywood Ending released their first full length, self-titled album. The album is roughly 38 minutes long with 10 amazing songs! If you're looking for something to play as loud as possible and lose control, this is the perfect album. Every song makes you want to get up and move, just rock out along with them. Most of the songs are upbeat, except for one. Every album needs that slower ballad though, right? 

They start out with a catchy song titled "Zero Gravity". It's fun, upbeat, and about heartbreak. They put a fun spin on it and compare it to being out in zero gravity, hence the song title. I believe that this track shows their creativity. It's a great example of the type of music they like to produce and gives you an example of what the rest of the album will sound like, which makes it the perfect opening track. 

The second song on the album is "Breakthrough". It's one of my favorite tracks. Once again, this is upbeat and a prime example of the type of band they are. It's one of the second longest songs on the album, but I'm alright with that because I love, love, love it! The song is about trying to get a girl that's with the wrong guy. The right one is obviously them and they give plenty of reasons why. 

"Courtney Love" is the third song on the album. It's my favorite song because it's fast, fun, and relatable. The first time I heard it, I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face! They showed a lot of personality in this song, which might by why I like it so much. When I say it's relatable, I don't mean in the normal way that song are relatable, like with feelings and what not. It's relatable because it describes a living with bad luck, which is my life! I almost forgot to mention the echoes in the back which are absolutely hilarious.

"Love You Now" has a slightly different sound than the first few. It just shows how flexible they are when it comes to their music. They don't stray far from who they are though. It still has that Hollywood Ending sound that a lot of people are discovering and becoming obsessed with. At this point in my life, I really relate to this song with what I'm going through. I have it on repeat with my other sad songs, but I'm at least able to jam out to this one like a mad women! 

Cameron, Chris, Tyler, Danny

"Perfect" is the song that they released a lyric video for in order to promote the album. It's like the single. I'm in love with this song to. I wish more artists wrote songs similar to this. A lot of songs are about how people look, but they're not like this one. The message is different in a way. You'll have to listen to understand. 

The 6th song on the album is "Fade to Blue". It's the favorite track for band member Dan Geraghty. This one also has a pretty different sound compare to the rest of the tracks on the album. It's not slow, but it's more of a chill song. You can still totally jam out to it, just not as hard core as the others. This song is yet another one that I can easily relate to relationship wise, which is probably why I love it so much. 

"Come on Come on" is the seventh track. To me it's definitely one of the jamming. It's something that I would play when I need to burn off some energy. The sound is similar to All Time Low. If you're a fan of ATL, you'll most likely enjoy this song.

I mentioned before that there was one slow song on this album. That would be this one. "Ghost" is considered the ballad of the album. I'm in love with this song. The first time I heard it, I was honestly shocked by the lyrics. They are deep and meaningful when you really listen to it. Some of it seems pretty simple, but if you look at the deeper meaning, it makes it so much better. This is just another song that shows how versatile they can be with their music and their lyrics. I love it soooo much. It's also the longest song the album. 

"Hypnotized" is their hard core rock song in my opinion. It has kind of a old school vocal sound to it in some parts, which makes it interesting to listen to. It's not hard to figure out what the song is about after listening to the first few seconds of it. It's a different kind of love song if you know what I mean. Every album needs one of those songs though too. It's still extremely fun! 

Always having fun and being themselves = Major brownie points

The last song on the album is the perfect song to close with if you ask me. Their is a tempo change that took me by surprise, so it will most likely take others by surprise too because of it's placement. The lyrics in this song are pretty blunt, which I like. It's a realistic break-up song. When you think about it, there's not that many of them out there. 

If you don't know who Hollywood Ending is, you definitely should go look them up. They have plenty of music out. You're bound to find something that you like by them. They started out on Disney's Next Big Thing, but they have evolved so much from them. They are an awesome, young band. I always think it's amazing when people my age are out doing stuff like this. They're aren't the most well-known band on the planet. I think they need some more recognition. They truly are amazing and deserve all the love they can get. They're true musicians and amazing people.

Spencer Sutherland

This is the day and age to break in to the music scene by using the Internet. In my opinion, Spencer Sutherland will be the next big thing to come off of YouTube. He's got the personality, the looks, and most importantly the talent. His quickly building his fan base by posting covers of popular songs, like R-Kelly's "Ignition". He's also posted covers of "All About That Base", "Waves," "Bang Bang", "Fancy", "Talk Dirty", and "Chloe". One of his most popular videos was one that he stared in the with close friends Emblem3 in their cover of "Sugar". I wrote a whole blog about it previously. It's obvious he covers every genre. 

Not only does he have the talent, but he has the connections. As I just mentioned, he is friends with Keaton and Wesley Stromberg. I'm not saying that's what is going to get him places, but it certainly helps to be close with somebody that is in the business. Not only will they be able to give him pointers and help him along they way, but they can also help promote him. One simple tweet with his video attached can get the video thousands of views, giving it the possibility of being noticed. That's exactly what happened to 5 Seconds of Summer. They are now one of the most popular bands of the year. It all started with a single tweet from a One Direction member. Along with his friendship with Emblem3, he has shared the stage with Ariana Grande, MKTO, and Austin Mahone. So, he's already gotten his name out there. 

Spencer is a self taught musician as well. Nothing is more impressive than that. It takes a lot of time and talent to teach yourself to be a good singer and songwriter. He is 22 years old and has mastered the musical art of song writing. He is a co-writer on Emblem3's album Forever Together. Not only does that give him more exposure, but it shows off more of his talent. He released an EP, Unveiled, in January on Itunes. It consisted of four original songs. He has also released a single, "Nothing Can Hurt Me".  

Spencer  is not only a star in music though. He is a star in the modeling industry. He is signed with Ford Models New York. Yep, he can be one of the boys on your Hollister bag. He totally has the body for it. His cheek bone game is strong! Don't believe me? Maybe you should check out his Youtube channel or possibly go follow him on Twitter or Instagram? Sounds like a good idea to me. I believe we need to keep a close eye on this kid. He is going places. Someone with as much talent as him deserves to be recognized on a stage bigger than Youtube. 

The Star From Downunder!

Cody Simpson! This kid is amazing! His style of music changes all the time, but you can hear how closely related all of his music is at the same time. This 18 year old Australian singer has a humongous fanbase that spans across many different countries. If you say you haven't heard of him before, then you have been living under a rock. LIVE A LITTLE! Cody Simpson has been all over the place! He started his career on Youtube. That seems like a great place to start a career now-a-days. You're able to build a fanbase before  you even really have a career. It's pretty awesome.
Anyways, Cody put out an awesome first CD, but he didn't catch the eyes and ears of many Americans until his hit single "Pretty Brown Eyes". Let me tell you, this song is my shit! Every time I hear it I have to rock out. Not to mention it reminds me of summer and I also have brown eyes, so I like to pretend the song is about me. (JK!) After that he's made plenty of killer appearances on TV. He's been on So Random!, Good Morning America, Ellen, Ridiculousness, and Dancing with the Stars. He's also release more hit singles like "Surfboard" and his most recent "Flower". He has also been lucky enough to do a duet with the one and only Justin Bieber. I'm not a Justin fan, but I love their duet "Home to Mama".
Most of Cody's songs are chilled and relaxing. They usually involve instruments of some sort, including Cody's favorite--Guitar. The reason I love Cody so much isn't just because of his stunning good-looks and amazing personality. It's not his enchanting accent either. It's actually his musical talent. I decided to write this blog about him while I was listening to his song "Flower". I thought that it was Valentine's Day and it's a great love song. It's an all around great song anyways, but still. At first I didn't have much of an urge to listen to Cody's new song, but when I heard it, I wish that I had listened to it earlier. I love, love, love it!

I know I'll never be the apple of your eye

But I pick you a flower if you like

I know I'll never be the stars up in your sky

But I'll pick you a flower if you like

She loves me, she loves me not

She says she love me has she forgotten that she loves me

Love me one more time

I know I'll never be the apple of your eye

But I can pick you a flower if you like

'cause I meet you down by the end of the road

Where the sunset glows and the garden grows

I got one pair of shoes with 20 holes in the toes

And I would walk 20 miles just to get to those blue eyes

If you will smile for me to my surprise I would stay for a while to see what comes next

Or we could take off our clothes and have long conversations in french

That last line had me laughing at loud while still appreciating the greatness of the song! If you want to appreciate it in all of it's glory and get the humor in that line, then you're going to have to watch the video or listen to the actual song because it's how it's performed that makes it so funny! Anyways, check out Cody Simpson because he's a very talented kid. He deserves everything that he's working for! 

Shawn Mendes: The breakout star of Vine

It may be odd for me to say this because he's only 16 years old, but I am in love with this kid! I mentioned two other popular viners, Jack and Jack in my last post. Now it's Shawn Mendes turn to shine! He is such a heartthrob, so adorable and sweet. There is no doubt that he will make your heart melt. He has a heart of gold and a great personality. The best part about this kid is his talent. He is the only vine star to actually fully break out from vine and into the music scene. He has already released a best selling EP on iTunes and is now releasing a full album. As soon as he announced that the album was available for pre-order, it sailed straight to the top, bumping down major artists like Taylor Swift.
Shawn started his career posting 6 second videos of him singing popular songs. Every once in a while an original would show up in his feed. He gained thousand of followers. He became a member of the Magcon family and also went on other tours as well. The more he put out, the bigger his fandom got. (That sentence sounds weird, but I don't feel like changing it.) Eventually he put Life of the Party. The song was a huge success. Everybody ate it up. Not only is he an amazing singer, but he is also instrumentally gifted. He can play the piano and the guitar. His song writing skills are pretty kick ass too. I can't believe I almost forgot to mention that.
His music is nothing like you hear on the radio now. It's all relaxing instruments and has an acoustic, chill vibe to it.
That's not the only type of track he can produce though and his most recent single "Something Big" proved just that.This song was wildly popular as well. It was even played in football commercials to promote the games for the week. I remember first hearing it play on the TV. I stood in silence staring at the TV until the commercial was over. Then I freaked out yelling that it was Shawn's song playing. My parents, who are used to my fangirling, shrugged their shoulders and went about their business. It was at the moment I realized just how big of a star Shawn was going to be. He wasn't going to be my little secret anymore.
Now he's releasing a very anticipated album. All of the songs are original and, so far, have reflected how independent of an artist he is. He likes to do things on his own and doesn't follow the crowd either. If you pre-order the album now, you'll automatically get a few downloads to get a preview of the record. I've loved the songs released so far and I cannot wait to hear the rest of the album. To me, the most impressive thing about Shawn Mendes' success is that fact that it all started at such a young age. He's 16 now. He was even younger when all of this started. Having such a great success story to share at his age is unbelievable.
I've learned a lot from this kid. Even though he is younger than me, I would say that he is a role model for me. Everyone can learn something from this talented teen. I learned that I need to start doing something with me life. Honestly, I haven't done much with mine. That's not all though and it's not nearly the most important thing either. Shawn has shown everyone that if you follow your dreams and believe enough that anything can happen. All you have to do is put a 6 second video of yourself on Vine and you'll shoot straight to the top. (Results will vary)
Congratulations to Shawn Mendes! I can't wait to hear your first album! It will definitely be worth the  listen.