Everyone needs a summer soundtrack. In my opinion, it’s impossible to have the perfect summer without the perfect playlist to sing along to with friends. Music can set the tone and mood of every season, and the sunny skies and warm weather call for some fun new tunes.
Are you looking for some new records to listen to on your next road trip, beach vacation, or party? Here are 5 records that’ll make you want to roll your windows down and sing:
1. The Wrecks — Panic Vertigo
Standout Track: “Figure This Out”
The Wrecks are an up-and-coming rock band that you should really get to know. Their debut EP, Panic Vertigo, is a collection of 5 catchy songs that are perfect for any pool party! I love this EP because it’s fresh, honest, and relatable. The first track, “Figure This Out,” is a fun anthem about drunken revelry and trying to navigate through a night full of mistakes and spontaneous decisions. It’s the perfect beginning to the EP and a great record for dancing.
2. State Champs — Living Proof
Standout Track: “Something About You”
I’ve been a State Champs fan since the beginning, and I truly believe this is their best record yet. Living Proof is a series of 13 songs about love, heartbreak, disillusionment, anger, hope, and moving forward from the past. The band’s lyricism is open-hearted and stronger than it has ever been, with each new melody raising the bar. “Something About You” is a track that grabs your attention immediately, and ballads like “The Fix Up” and “Time Machine” keep you emotionally invested. It is revolutionary for the pop-punk scene.
3. Frank Turner — Be More Kind
Standout Track: “Little Changes”
If you’re into acoustic guitar-driven rock music, then Frank Turner is the artist for you. Turner is an alternative singer-songwriter who recently released Be More Kind, with the goal to bring people together through music. He writes about the importance of positivity, equality, and being kind to everyone because we all have more in common than we sometimes believe. It is political in the best sense of the word, featuring tracks like “Make America Great Again” and “1933” that seek to create change rather than complain and argue. It’s an album for this generation and future generations.
4. 5 Seconds of Summer — Youngblood
Standout Track: “Moving Along”
5 Seconds of Summer‘s newest release, Youngbloodis a fun mix of alternative rock and synth-pop jams that is unlike any of the band’s previous releases. If you’re a fan of their more pop/punk style, it may take a while for this album to grow on you, but when it does, you’ll be hooked. It’s full of darker themes, clever hooks, and a new level of maturity that shows that the members are growing up. “If Walls Could Talk” and “Talk Fast” are definitely bad-boy anthems, while “Ghost of You” and “Why Won’t You Love Me” show more vulnerability. Listen to it on your next road trip.
5. Panic! At the Disco — Pray for the Wicked
Standout Track: “High Hopes”
Last, but certainly not least, is Panic! At The Disco’s Pray for The Wicked, a record that fuses Top 40 pop with jazz, rock, and musical theatre influences. If you want an eclectic mix of trumpets, strings, Sinatra-esque ballads and confident dance tracks, this album is perfect for you! It is the cohesive and larger-than-life sequel to Death of a Bachelor, uncovering the truth about life, love, and the music industry. Props to Urie for thinking outside the confines of genre, and just making music that makes people smile. “Hey Ma, I Made It” and “High Hopes” are my favorite tracks.
What are your thoughts on these 5 albums to jam to this summer? What other albums do you think should be on this list? Leave it in the comments down below or hit us up on Twitter: @SpinThoughts
TAGS: The Wrecks | State Champs | Frank Turner | 5 Seconds of Summer | Panic! At The Disco
Email: maggie.spinningthoughts@outlook.com
Twitter: @rockin_mags
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