When it comes to music, I’m pretty stubborn with my choices, but that’s only because my taste is exquisite. If I’m at a party, yes, I am going to try and steal the aux cord. But I only do so because I care! About music… and you too I guess. This is a role that scares some people. Many say choosing the music and establishing the vibe is “too much pressure” or “too personal”. I jump at the chance to curate the perfect playlist.
However, being a music aficionado is a title that is earned, not given. You have to put in the time. So yes, if you see me scrolling on Tik Tok for hours *ahem*, I’m actually doing research! As we know, Tik Tok is a fabulous resource to discover new music. It’s how I’ve found some of my favorites recently. Something the app is known for is their hyper specific algorithm, and how it expertly aligns with your interests.
For instance, I’ve come across videos that say “If you like (insert artist), listen to (insert different artist)”. This concept totally appeals to me as someone who is always on the hunt for new music. Whenever I see my favorite artists on these videos, I have to check out the referenced songs to see if they measure up.
Here are my reviews of some of my favorite ones I’ve discovered, mixed with some of my own suggestions:
If you like Harry Styles, listen to
Christian Leave: No Use
When I saw this suggestion, I knew I had to give it a listen. I used to love Christian Leave on Vine and I had no clue he made music. This is the song to play when you pretend you’re in a coming-of-age movie, driving in the car with the windows down.
Lunar Vacation: Blue Honey
In the Tik Tok that I saw, the chorus of this song was played and I instantly fell in love. It’s a short but sweet song about the singer not wanting to give up on a relationship yet.
ROLE MODEL: forever&more
This song reminds me of typical Styles’ love song in its message. He’s infatuated with a girl and he uses the song to reminisce over the moments he fell for her. It’s rumored that the song is about his (not confirmed but pretty much) girlfriend, Emma Chamberlain.
LANY: Thick and Thin
LANY is a pretty big name. I feel like most of their songs share the same relationship themes and pop vibes like Harry. The one difference is in their sound: they are more electric leaning, similar to the 1975.
EDEN: gold
EDEN is one of my favorite artists because you can really feel the emotions in his songs. Similar to LANY, he has an electronic sound to his music. His songs create a duality between the beat and the lyrics. This song in particular makes me feel like I’m dancing with my friends at the beach, but the lyrics make me feel like I’m getting over a breakup.
All of these songs are similar to Harry Styles songs, but take it to a different level. They each explore concepts of relationships and heartbreak through their songs, but each artist switches it up with their unique beats. Because Harry is a popular mainstream artist, and very particular, he tends to stick to basic pop sounds and styles. He doesn’t necessarily explore different techniques, so we are only left to the imagination. Thanks to these artists, they fill in the blanks.
