I have a pretty bad case of insomnia a few times a week, so occasionally I’ll scroll through Spotify and browse the charts and different playlists for new artists. Honestly, clicking on random things in Spotify or YouTube are the BEST ways to find new stuff to add to your playlists because the possibilities are endless. Admittedly, I’ll listen to things when I’m fully awake and wonder what the hell I was thinking, but generally I score with a solid track and keep it.

It’s no secret my taste in music is all over the place. I listen to classic rock in the morning (Boston is my all time favorite band—thanks Dad!), followed by hip-hop or rock in the afternoon or at the gym, then wrap up the day with alternative or whatever country song (few and far between) I’m on at the moment. While the tracks in heavy rotation on my playlist aren’t necessarily new, some are new to me and that’s the great thing about music—it doesn’t die because it’s always new to someone.

Sometimes people ask what I’m listening to, so I’m going to try to post blogs every month featuring songs/artists and hopefully people comes across something they like 🙂 These are tracks on my “Coffee House Mix” to keep me stimulated while I’m working on whatever has my attention that day.

“Wild Horses” by Bishop

I love her voice. I love her indie pop/tech style. Most of all, I love how this track flows and blends different genres with every verse, chorus, and bridge. It’s so different, but it works. Apparently ESPN was feeling it too because they used it in a commercial for the Chiefs vs. Texans wild card game. Bishop is still relatively unknown, but I’m looking forward to hearing more of her stuff.

“Take It or Leave It” by Great Good Fine Ok

This song had me hooked in 5 seconds, seriously. I looked up the music video recently and fell more in love with it 😉 Everyone can use a good pick-me-up song, and this is it for me right now. If it pops up on my playlist while I’m driving home, I’ll take a longer route on purpose and roll my windows down. Perhaps it’s a bit early because it’s definitely a summer playlist track, but you can say you discovered it before all your friends.

 

“Should’ve Been Us” by Tori Kelly

SOULFUL is the one word I would use to describe Tori Kelly. If you haven’t heard of her by now, you’re likely living under a rock because she had a huge year in 2015 and was the buzz of the music world with her performances at the Grammys and VMAs. Not only is she stunningly gorgeous, but she’s also a talented musician and her voice is IN-SANE. Her R&B with a splash of pop sound is unique and compliments her voice so well. I met Tori at a radio event last year and knew she would be an incredible singer, but when she hit those notes during her live performance, there wasn’t a jaw in sight that wasn’t dropped to the floor. The audience had a similar reaction during her award show performances, and I expect the same from audiences on her tour this year, which is coming to Florida in April 😉 Check my calendar for her dates and more!

 

“Youth” by Troye Sivan

Another song that had me hooked in seconds because it’s an earworm and doesn’t go away! His voice is so smooth and calming, and I love watching videos of Troye performing because he’s SO into it and his energy is contagious. I’m big on lyrics and the imagery of this song is the biggest reason I keep listening to it.

Here’s the lyric video so you can see what I mean:

 

“Syndicate” by The Fray

*Fun fact* Isaac Slade was my first on camera interview in 2012, so this band always holds a special place in my life.

It seems like this album came out ages ago, but I still listen to it with the same enthusiasm and can’t get enough. A great friend (Hi, Hovel!) triggered great memories when he said he would always think of me when he hears it. Sometimes life gets crazy with everything I have going on, but The Fray is the perfect band to listen to when I want to chill out.