1 Music, Ink.: 2015

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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

December Playlist

December Playlist

New viewers - don't forget to check out my YouTube channel (youtube.com/jensenmcraeofficial), my official site (jensenmcrae.com), and my Twitter (@mcraejensen) <3

Unbelievably, we have arrived at my last playlist of 2015. It's been a little chilly here in LA (although of course, it's not a real winter by most standards)...

My fall semester grades came out today, and I did pretty well! Not quite as good as my older brother, but then again, not all of us can graduate a semester early from Harvard with a 4.0 GPA. (Yep.)

In any event, it's time for me to provide you with some tunes that will help you close out the year. I hope you like them! I really did! :)

1. "The Lung" - 4:53
ALBUM: Choose Your Weapon
ARTIST: Hiatus Kaiyote

2. "I Used to Love Him" - 5:40
ALBUM: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
ARTIST: Lauryn Hill

3. "No Pressure (feat. Big Sean)" - 4:47
ALBUM: Purpose
ARTIST: Justin Bieber

4. "Catch & Release (Deepend Remix)" - 3:16
ALBUM: Catch & Release (Deepend Remix) - Single
ARTIST: Matt Simons

5. "Lean On (feat. MØ)" - 2:57
ALBUM: Peace Is The Mission
ARTIST: Major Lazer & DJ Snake

6. "Different Colors" - 3:42
ALBUM: TALKING IS HARD
ARTIST: WALK THE MOON

7. "Cassy O'" - 3:04
ALBUM: Wanted On Voyage
ARTIST: George Ezra

8. "Naked" - 3:22
ALBUM: VHS
ARTIST: X Ambassadors

9. "The Daylight" - 4:43
ALBUM: The Daylight EP
ARTIST: Andrew Belle

10. "Halo" - 3:19
ALBUM: The Morning
ARTIST: Lewis Watson

11. "Divorcée" - 3:29
ALBUM: The Widowmaker
ARTIST: Donovan Woods

12. "The Blower's Daughter" - 4:47
ALBUM: O
ARTIST: Damien Rice

13. "Shallows" - 6:54
ALBUM: If You Leave
ARTIST: Daughter

14. "Blood" - 5:17
ALBUM: If I Should Go Before You
ARTIST: City and Colour

15. "This Is After" - 3:15
ALBUM: Songs for Felix - EP
ARTIST: The Nova Darlings

16. "Samson" - 3:09
ALBUM: Begin to Hope
ARTIST: Regina Spektor

So those are the 16 songs I've been listening to this month. 2015 has really felt like two distinct parts, instead of 12, or 52, or 365...it's truly BC and AC (before and after college). I'd like to think I've grown and changed in some ways. A few weeks ago, I might have said that I hadn't. But now that I'm looking back at where I was on the last night of 2014, and where I am now, I feel pretty good about all the things I've accomplished. I've written a lot of great things. I've let go of childish fantasies that do me more harm than good to harbor. And I'm looking toward 2016 (and turning 19! Cool...) with excitement, not with dread.

Merry early Christmas, and happy early New Year. Talk soon. xo

Sunday, November 29, 2015

November Playlist

November Playlist

Yo, what's up, party people?! November is almost over WHICH MEANS IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS! And though I am Jewish, my Christmas senses are tingling!

Also, I am very excited for winter break. Thanksgiving break was crucial, but now I'm just ready for the big kahuna. You feel me?

Oh, and I could stand to leave 2015 behind. Some great things happened this year, but it felt...so muddled and confusing. The end of 2014 just bled into the beginning of 2015 and I never really got my momentum. I'm already deep in the trenches of spiritual preparation for 2016 (whoa...that's crazy) and I look forward to starting on the right foot. Especially since I sense BIG things on the horizon for my music and my writing. You'll have to stick around and see what happens! ;)

Enjoy my November playlist and coast into that sweet, wintry, final month with me...

OOP! Before I forget - check out "Songs for Felix," the new EP by USC band The Nova Darlings! I'm friends with a couple of those guys and they really know how to make a great tune. Search 'em up on Soundcloud, Spotify, or iTunes (they're everywhere)! And now for the playlist!

1. "Gold" - 3:46
ALBUM: Gold - Single
ARTIST: Kiiara

2. "Lay It All on Me (feat. Ed Sheeran)" - 4:03
ALBUM: We the Generation
ARTIST: Rudimental

3. "Alive" - 4:24
ALBUM: This Is Acting
ARTIST: Sia

4. "Bird Set Free" - 4:13
ALBUM: This Is Acting
ARTIST: Sia

5. "Hello" - 4:56
ALBUM: 25
ARTIST: Adele

6. "Diary (feat. Jermaine Paul & Tony! Toni! Toné!)" - 4:44
ALBUM: The Diary of Alicia Keys
ARTIST: Alicia Keys

7. "Fingerprints" - 4:17
ALBUM: Choose Your Weapon
ARTIST: Hiatus Kaiyote

8. "Take the Box" - 3:20
ALBUM: Frank
ARTIST: Amy Winehouse

9. "Driving in Circles" - 3:29
ALBUM: Confluence
ARTIST: Zane Carney

10. "Tower of Song" - 3:47
ALBUM: Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
ARTIST: Martha Wainright

11. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" - 3:38
ALBUM: Bob Dylan
ARTIST: The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

12. "Half Asleep" - 3:14
ALBUM: Heigh Ho
ARTIST: Blake Mills

13. "Hold You In My Arms" - 5:06
ALBUM: Trouble
ARTIST: Ray LaMontagne

14. "I've Just Seen a Face" - 2:05
ALBUM: Help!
ARTIST: The Beatles

15. "Cold Is the Night" - 3:15
ALBUM: The Oh Hellos - EP
ARTIST: The Oh Hellos

16. "Shine" - 2:59
ALBUM: Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm
ARTIST: Benjamin Francis Leftwich

17. "Between the Bars" - 2:21
ALBUM: Either/Or
ARTIST: Elliott Smith

18. "Count Your Blessings" - 4:05
ALBUM: Count Your Blessings - EP
ARTIST: George Ogilvie

19. "Sink Or Swim" - 3:44
ALBUM: The Morning
ARTIST: Lewis Watson

20. "Petrolia" - 4:11
ALBUM: Don't Get Too Grand
ARTIST: Donovan Woods

21. "In July" - 2:23
ALBUM: Hi Fidelity
ARTIST: Ernie Halter

22. "Wild Things" - 3:09
ALBUM: Know-It-All
ARTIST: Alessia Cara

23. "In Exile" - 3:53
ALBUM: Beggars
ARTIST: Thrice

24. "Hollow" - 3:31
ALBUM: Hollow - Single
ARTIST: Tori Kelly

25. "Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave)" - 2:56
ALBUM: Last of the Great Pretenders
ARTIST: Matt Nathanson

26. "Radio" - 3:31
ALBUM: Labor of Love
ARTIST: Ernie Halter

27. "Don't Wanna Fight" - 3:53
ALBUM: Sound & Color
ARTIST: Alabama Shakes

28. "Ain't That Peculiar" - 2:59
ALBUM: Number 1s: Marvin Gaye
ARTIST: Marvin Gaye

Jeez, didn't realize how long this thing was! Anyway, I hope you enjoy these 28 tunes in the last few hours of November. Time is precious. It slips away quickly. Before you know it, you're halfway through your freshman year of college and you're no closer to figuring out where you belong in the world...or maybe that's just me. I'm feeling good, though. Like I said, big things are on the horizon. Wheels are turning. The universe is preparing for us all.

Talk soon. xo

Monday, November 9, 2015

White Privilege Reader's Theater

INT. - LIVING ROOM - DAY

A, the homeowner, stands in the middle of a room, ankle deep in water. B, the handyman, stands on a raised platform with wheels, carrying a toolbox.

A: Thank you for coming on such short notice.
B: No problem. Ivory Roofers is here to help. Now what seems to be the problem?
A: Well, as you can see, my house is flooded due to a leak in the ceiling. Not surprising, considering how bad the weather has been these days.
B: Whoa, whoa, slow down there.
A: Sorry?
B: I just don't want you to jump to any conclusions.
A: I'm afraid I don't know what you mean.
B: Well, we don't know if there's really a leak in the ceiling.
A: How can you say that?
B: Don't antagonize me, I'm just playing devil's advocate. All I'm saying is that from where we're standing, it's impossible to tell if there's really a leak in the ceiling.
A: My house is flooded. That's a pretty good indicator that the ceiling has been leaking.
B: Flooding is kind of a strong word. There's not really that much, is there?
A: Do you not see the water on the floor?!
B: Try not to get too emotional, it's only water.
A: Surely you wouldn't want to live in a house where you're constantly ankle deep in water. It's damaging everything I own and generally ruining my quality of life.
B: At least you have a home.
A: Excuse me?
B: A lot of people don't even have homes to flood.
A: I mean, sure, but that's hardly the point right now. The point is that my home is flooded, and I called you to fix it.
B: Why do I have to fix it?
A: Well, for one thing, you're a roofer. That's literally your job. And second of all, because your company put the roof up in the first place, so you're really in the best position to fix it.
B: It's not my house. It's your house. Shouldn't you fix it?
A: I'm not a roofer! You are a roofer! Why won't you just fix the leak?
B: Couldn't you just learn to live with it?
A: I've been living with it for some time now, but I'm tired of just "living with it." That's why I called you. The weather has been bad, and--
B: Whoa, whoa, don't blame the weather for your problems.
A: How can I not blame the weather? The only reason there's water flooding my home is because of all the rain.
B: No, there's water in your home because you let it in your home.
A: That literally makes no sense. There is a hole in my roof--
B: Conjecture.
A: --And it's been raining, so there's now an excess of water all over my home. Please just fix it so I can move on with my life.
B: Look, it really doesn't seem that bad. Why don't you just stand on your platform?
A: Sorry, what?
B: As you can see, I've got a platform that I always stand on when things get too wet. Why don't you stand on your platform?
A: I don't have a platform.
B: I guess you could stand on mine.
A: There are no stairs. Could you help me up?
B: Wow, I offer you a spot on my platform, out of the water, and now I have to help you up, too?
A: There's really no other way for me to get up there.
B: That's not my problem.
A: Look. YOU put in the faulty roof. YOU refuse to fix the problems with it. I'M the one that's suffering because of it.
B: Technically, I didn't put that roof in. My grandfather did. When HE built this house, by the way. You really ought to be thanking me.
A: Why on earth should I thank you?!
B: Like I said. MY grandfather built this roof and put a roof over YOUR head.
A: The roof is leaking! And you refuse to fix it!
B: You can't blame me for something my grandfather did.
A: You're being ridiculous.
B: I'm not being ridiculous. You're the one complaining about everything and ignoring all your good fortune. If my grandfather hadn't built this house, you would have nowhere to live.
A: No, I'd just be living somewhere else.
B: But this house is so big and beautiful! It's got plenty of space for you to move around. And it's soundproof. You can say whatever you want as loud as you want!
A: All that would be great if it weren't flooded and all my things weren't water damaged. Why did you even come here if you weren't going to fix my roof?
B: I was trying to help you look on the bright side.
A: You're a roofer! That isn't what I hired you to do!
B: You haven't even paid me yet.
A: Because you haven't done your job!
B: I'm done being yelled at. I'm leaving.
A: Wait! You haven't fixed my roof! What am I supposed to do?
B: Solve your own problems!

B pulls out an oar from the toolbox and unfolds it to its full size.

A: Can I at least have that oar? Jesus, where the hell did you get that thing?
B: My father gave it to me so it's mine.
A: Is your house flooded?
B: No. But all the houses in this neighborhood have water in them. So I'm gonna need this to get around.
A: Are you going to fix the other houses, then?
B: Probably not. Hopefully they'll be more receptive to my help than you've been.

B uses the oar and the rolling platform to leave the house. A sighs and removes a blanket from a nearby couch, beginning - however futilely - to mop up all the water.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

October Playlist

October Playlist

Hey there! Happy (almost) Halloween! October has been kind of a strange month. It feels like it's been October forever. On the plus side, I had my first performance midterm (which went AWESOME, I think!) AND I got to perform an acoustic, original set at Tommy's Place, which is a supercool USC venue - not only did I get to do my own stuff up there, but I was opening for some hella talented upperclassmen. Plus, you know, life happens; people coming in and out of your life, some opportunities fading into nothingness and others coming to the forefront...I know I'm on the precipice of change. It seems like just yesterday I was moving into this dorm, but I'm already for the next step. Am I crazy for thinking that? Or am I just finally growing up and learning to deal with all that life throws at me?

I'm probably crazy.

Anyway, here are the songs I couldn't stop playing this month. I hope you like them as much as I do :)

1. "That Hotel" - 3:14
ALBUM: That Hotel - Single
ARTIST: Donovan Woods

2. "Rylynn" - 5:14
ALBUM: Art of Motion
ARTIST: Andy McKee

3. "Traveling Song" - 3:14
ALBUM: The Fool
ARTIST: Ryn Weaver

4. "On the Way Home" - 3:57
ALBUM: Paradise Valley
ARTIST: John Mayer

5. "My Heart and the Headless" - 3:30
ALBUM: Uniform - EP
ARTIST: Jack Ingram

6. "Hello My Old Heart" - 4:16
ALBUM: The Oh Hellos - EP
ARTIST: The Oh Hellos

7. "One Sweet Love" - 4:21
ALBUM: Little Voice
ARTIST: Sara Bareilles

8. "Husks and Shells" - 3:44
ALBUM: Unmap
ARTIST: Volcano Choir

9. "When That Fever Takes a Hold On You" - 3:29
ALBUM: From the Wreckage
ARTIST: The Wind and The Wave

10. "Tiderays" - 4:57
ALBUM: Repave
ARTIST: Volcano Choir

11. "Circles" - 4:19
ALBUM: Beggars
ARTIST: Thrice

12. "Angeles" - 2:57
ALBUM: Either/Or
ARTIST: Elliott Smith

13. "Alone Together (feat. Marsha Ambrosius)" - 3:59
ALBUM: Alone Together - EP
ARTIST: Daley

14. "Eden" - 4:06
ALBUM: The Blessed Unrest
ARTIST: Sara Bareilles

15. "Love Is a Losing Game (Demo Version)" - 3:44
ALBUM: Back to Black: B-Sides
ARTIST: Amy Winehouse

16. "I'd Look Good on You" - 3:23
ALBUM: Labor of Love
ARTIST: Ernie Halter

17. "If I'm Unworthy" - 4:43
ALBUM: Heigh Ho
ARTIST: Blake Mills

18. "Boys & Girls" - 3:26
ALBUM: Boys & Girls
ARTIST: Alabama Shakes

Here are 18 cool tunes for you to close out this spooooooky month. Question: how are you supposed to tell how people really feel about you? It seems like in college, everybody - friends, romantic interests, collaborators - will be borderline obsessed with you one day only to have no interest in you the next. Maybe I'm just reading too much into things (as usual). Maybe I'm not reading ENOUGH into things (the greatest cinematic plot twist in history). Anyway, I hope you're having a decent year, no matter what stage of life you're in. Transitions are hard. But you get through them. And then you get whatever's on the other side, which is probably pretty cool.

Talk soon. xo

Thursday, September 24, 2015

September Playlist

September Playlist

Hey, squad. I know I've been lacking on posts lately and I'm sorry! When I have more free time, I'll write a bunch and stock 'em up for ya!

College is...well, it's college. I'm having a great time, but it's so busy and stressful and crazy. It feels like I'm living in an alternate universe most of the time. Music is my saving grace. I'm so glad that I'm studying it and that I can listen to it and play it and just be immersed in it all the time.

It's nearing the end of September (already?!) and so it's time for me to show you the songs I've been listening to. Before I do that, though, a couple of Soundcloud links for your troubles:

https://soundcloud.com/mackin-carroll/vampires
https://soundcloud.com/will-joseph-cook/hearse

You won't regret listening, I promise! Now, onto the playlist!

1. "Cecilia and the Satellite" - 3:44
ALBUM: Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness
ARTIST: Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness

2. "The Arrow" - 5:11
ALBUM: Home
ARTIST: Josh Garrels

3. "Building a Ladder" - 5:42
ALBUM: Choose Your Weapon
ARTIST: Hiatus Kaiyote

4. "Fever To the Form" - 4:11
ALBUM: Fever To the Form - EP
ARTIST: Nick Mulvey

5. "Hound Dog (Single)" - 2:52
ALBUM: Hound Dog: The Peacock Recordings
ARTIST: Big Mama Thornton

6. "Uma Thurman" - 3:32
ALBUM: American Beauty / American Psycho
ARTIST: Fall Out Boy

7. "Wonderful Unknown (feat. Greg Laswell)" - 5:02
ALBUM: Lights Out
ARTIST: Ingrid Michaelson

8. "Circle" - 3:30
ALBUM: Radius
ARTIST: Allen Stone

9. "Under the Sun" - 3:22
ALBUM: Sugar Ray
ARTIST: Sugar Ray

10. "The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt." - 3:36
ALBUM: I Love You, Honeybear
ARTIST: Father John Misty

11. "Rockin' Robin" - 2:36
ALBUM: Rockin' Robin
ARTIST: Bobby Day

12. "Neon (Live)" - 5:56
ALBUM: Where The Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles
ARTIST: John Mayer

13. "Miss Me" - 3:41
ALBUM: Andy Grammer
ARTIST: Andy Grammer

14. "This I Know" - 4:31
ALBUM: Picture of Our Youth
ARTIST: David's Lyre

15. "Smile Like That" - 4:22
ALBUM: Radio Music Society
ARTIST: Esperanza Spalding

16. "Miss You" - 3:41
ALBUM: Sound & Color
ARTIST: Alabama Shakes

That'll do it for this month's playlist! I hope your school year is off to a strong start, no matter what grade level you're in. I hope you're hanging out with old friends and making new ones. I hope you're not overthinking things. I hope you're living in the moment. These are all things I need to work on, and so I wish you success as you try your hand at doing them. I believe in you. You can seriously do anything you set your mind to. People are standing with you, even if you can't see them. Keep going. Fight on. Talk soon. xo

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

August Playlist

August Playlist

Coming to you live from the beautiful University of Southern California!

The first week or so of school has been absolutely awesome. I've met some of the most incredible people, I've started taking my (unbelievably cool) pop classes, and in general, I just feel like I couldn't have made a better choice about college.

In true Jensen McRae fashion, it's the end of the month, so I owe you (if anyone reads this...) a monthly playlist. I'll try to get a lengthy, philosophically sprawling blog post about time or growing up on here soon, but no promises. My work load is only going to get crazier from here...

1. "This Is Sally Hatchet" - 3:58
ALBUM: Fear Fun
ARTIST: Father John Misty

2. "East of Eden" - 3:06
ALBUM: Kicker
ARTIST: Zella Day

3. "All Those Pretty Lights (Alternate Universe Version)" - 5:53
ALBUM: The Daylight EP
ARTIST: Andrew Belle

4. "This House Is a Hotel" - 3:31
ALBUM: From the Wreckage
ARTIST: The Wind and the Wave

5. "What Would I Do Without You" - 2:52
ALBUM: Good Light
ARTIST: Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors

6. "All Our Lives (Needy Me)" - 4:17
ALBUM: The Acoustic Deleted EP
ARTIST: Max Milner

7. "Ghosts That We Knew" - 5:40
ALBUM: Babel
ARTIST: Mumford & Sons

8. "Beautiful Goodbye" - 4:18
ALBUM: Overexposed
ARTIST: Maroon 5

9. "Afraid of the Dark" - 3:16
ALBUM: Bad Girls - EP
ARTIST: MKTO

10. "The Way (feat. Chance the Rapper)" - 4:23
ALBUM: You Should Be Here
ARTIST: Kehlani

11. "Art of Letting You Go" - 3:35
ALBUM: Unbreakable Smile
ARTIST: Tori Kelly

12. "So Fly" - 3:38
ALBUM: Perfectly Imperfect
ARTIST: Elle Varner

13. "Barcelona" - 3:09
ALBUM: Wanted On Voyage
ARTIST: George Ezra

14. "Kill Me (And Make It Quick)" - 3:45
ALBUM: Take the World
ARTIST: Amelie

15. "Cheerleader" - 3:00
ALBUM: Young & Free
ARTIST: OMI

That'll do it for now! I have to dash off to performance class in a few minutes, but I hope you give these tunes a listen and enjoy what you hear! My heart and my brain are all over the place these days, but rest assured, the first few days of college are exhilarating and terrifying and amazing. So go forth. Godspeed, readers. Talk soon. xo

Thursday, July 23, 2015

July Playlist

July Playlist

Yo yo yo! The end of July is nearing! In two days I'm going on vacation, and then pretty soon after I get back, I move into my dorm...which is pretty freakin' crazy. The next time I post one of these playlists, I'll be writing from college...WHAT IS LIFE?!

Anyway, I've got a really cool, eclectic mix of songs for you guys this month, and while all 19 of these tracks are perfect for any time of year, I've really loved blasting them in my car, driving around with my friends (like the three times I actually left my room) or just laying in bed, thinkin' about life.

1. "Like Me Slightly" - 4:06
ALBUM: The Acoustic Deleted EP
ARTIST: Max Milner

2. "Unconsolable" - 3:36
ALBUM: Love Songs Drug Songs - EP
ARTIST: X Ambassadors

3. "Burn the Pages" - 3:15
ALBUM: 1000 Forms of Fear
ARTIST: Sia

4. "Psycho" - 4:11
ALBUM: Space - EP
ARTIST: Rozzi Crane

Side note: if you didn't know, Rozzi Crane is an alum of the pop music program at USC Thornton! Way cool! :)

5. "Say Goodbye" - 3:29
ALBUM: Morning Phase
ARTIST: Beck

6. "Don't Wake Me Up" - 3:40
ALBUM: Is Your Love Big Enough?
ARTIST: Lianne La Havas

7. "Coffee" - 4:46
ALBUM: Wildheart
ARTIST: Miguel

8. "American Privilege" - 3:32
ALBUM: Radius
ARTIST: Allen Stone

9. "We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off" - 3:50
ALBUM: Ella Eyre - EP
ARTIST: Ella Eyre

10. "Only Son of the Ladiesman" - 4:09
ALBUM: Fear Fun
ARTIST: Father John Misty

11. "Chivalry Is Dead" - 3:29
ALBUM: Chivalry Is Dead - Single
ARTIST: Trevor Wesley

12. "Only In Your Mind" - 5:18
ALBUM: You Are Here
ARTIST: The Good Hurt

13. "Voyeur" - 3:00
ALBUM: Parachute - EP
ARTIST: Matthew Koma

14. "what's normal anyway" - 3:13
ALBUM: Wildheart
ARTIST: Miguel

15. "Right Now" - 4:23
ALBUM: Seeds
ARTIST: TV on the Radio

16. "Slave To the South" - 3:14
ALBUM: Gutter Gaunt Gangster
ARTIST: The Weeks

17. "I Don't Care" - 3:06
ALBUM: Perfectly Imperfect
ARTIST: Elle Varner

18. "Nuevo Día" - 4:46
ALBUM: Electricidad
ARTIST: Jesse y Joy

19. "Dímelo" - 3:37
ALBUM: Insomniac
ARTIST: Enrique Iglesias

That'll do it for my July playlist! Big things are happening in my life. I mean, there's the obvious, that I'm about to start college, but then there are a bunch of other things that I can feel on the horizon. Nothing is for sure yet, but a lot is coming...I've created so much content, and I think that pretty soon, the world is gonna get to see it. It's just gonna take the right people getting it at the right time. More as this develops. Until then...talk soon. xo

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

June Playlist

June Playlist

Hey all! Sorry this playlist is going up on the literal last day of June but I just kept forgetting to post it! Anyhow, I hope you're enjoying your summer so far and listening to some great tunes. I've got 15 tracks here that I've really been loving all month, so check 'em out and let me know what you think!

Also, life update - I move into college in a month and a half! *incoherent noises* I'm very, very excited and very, very nervous. Pretty much every night I panic. Hooray!

Back to the music. Hope you like it!

1. "Nervous (Live)" - 3:38
ALBUM: Live At Whelans
ARTIST: Gavin James

2. "Colour Me in Gold" - 3:51
ALBUM: Keep the Quiet Out - EP
ARTIST: JP Cooper

3. "Pretty Wings (Uncut)" - 5:10
ALBUM: BLACKsummers'night
ARTIST: Maxwell

4. "I Think I'm Falling For Something" - 3:49
ALBUM: Adventures in Real Time
ARTIST: Dylan Gardner

5. "Paper Crown" - 3:18
ALBUM: Paper Crown - Single
ARTIST: Alec Benjamin

6. "Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met)" - 4:18
ALBUM: Vices & Virtues
ARTIST: Panic! At the Disco

7. "New Constellations" - 4:38
ALBUM: The Fool
ARTIST: Ryn Weaver

8. "Stitches" - 3:26
ALBUM: Handwritten
ARTIST: Shawn Mendes

9. "Oh Siren" - 2:54
ALBUM: Make Your Heart Go
ARTIST: Casey Barth

10. "Give Me Something" - 3:11
ALBUM: Give Me Something - Single
ARTIST: Jarryd James

11. "Freak Caroline" - 5:40
ALBUM: Freak Caroline - Single
ARTIST: Sterling Fox

12. "Work Song" - 3:49
ALBUM: From Eden - EP
ARTIST: Hozier

13. "Au Cinéma" - 4:17
ALBUM: Is Your Love Big Enough?
ARTIST: Lianne La Havas

14. "Heavenly Father" - 4:03
ALBUM: Wish I Was Here (Music from the Motion Picture)
ARTIST: Bon Iver & St. Vincent

15. "Video (Main)" - 4:10
ALBUM: Acoustic Soul
ARTIST: India.Arie

That'll do it for my June tunes! I'll try to post here more as I see fit - maybe some more album reviews or artists profiles - and get my playlists up a bit earlier…that is, if anyone is reading this. Ha HA!

Love y'all. See ya soon. xo

Friday, June 12, 2015

iPod Time Machine

The other day while I was on my phone, I decided to listen to "Right By You" by Justin Nozuka. Suddenly, I was overtaken by an incredibly powerful sense of nostalgia to which I couldn't assign a place or time. It started to come in bits and pieces--I can smell my body wash very strongly, but it's early morning (I know because I feel exhausted). Odd; I usually shower at night. Next comes the swirl of cold air conditioning around me; it must be summer. Then it hits me. I'm sitting in the lobby of Trojan Hall, waiting for the counselors to walk us to breakfast on some day of GRAMMY camp. I listened to that song almost every morning as I sat, one of the first ones downstairs, waiting to go eat.

I don't know about you guys, but I have really strong sense memories with music. When I hear "The Only Exception" by Paramore, I'm reminded of my first few weeks of seventh grade; I can feel the scratchy denim of my new jeans and the slick metal of braces on my teeth. When I hear "Check Yes, Juliet" by We the Kings, I remember freshman year, when I went to Chicago for a choir trip and listened to that song on repeat as I fell asleep. "No One's Gonna Love You" by Band of Horses, "Empire" by Jukebox the Ghost, and the entirety of the Imagine Dragons album "Night Visions" takes me back to sophomore year; I can feel the weightiness of Jane Eyre in my hands, the nervousness I felt as I auditioned for Scene Monkeys for the first time, the sense of accomplishment as I got my learner's permit. And aside from those tangible things--the physical sensations and sights--there's that intangible thing. You know what I mean? Every year just has a feeling. Last year I bought the same brand and scent of deodorant I'd used in ninth grade without realizing it; when I put it on, I nearly fell over, inundated by that ineffable "it" that accompanied everything about Jensen McRae, age 14.

Sometimes it's a good thing. When I hear "Right By You," I smile to myself at the wonderful memories I created last summer. Nonetheless, certain songs and smells bring back not-so-good memories. Everyone has that feeling. That sappy love song reminds you of the one that got away; some random adult contemporary song on the radio just so happened to be playing when you got into a bad car accident; you had the most awkward first slow dance in the world to an otherwise innocuous Top 40 tune (Today Was a Fairytale by Taylor Swift, I'm looking at you.)

I guess that sucks, that sometimes a song, or the smell of rain, or anything else can be ruined for you. But it's also pretty great that those things can preserve something you never wanted to forget. Sure, maybe certain songs and albums and perfumes are on my "do not touch" list, but there are way more that I listen to and, instead of drowning, I just swim for a while. So you know that album you can't listen to without thinking about your ex? Just put it on. Play it all the way through. And remember why you loved it so much in the first place. No one deserves to steal your songs.

No one.

Friday, May 29, 2015

May Playlist

May Playlist

I am done with classes! Huzzah! See ya never, high school!
(Longer post about my feelings on this to come. Don't fret.)

May is very nearly over, which means it's time for me to share the songs I've been listening to this month. I hope you dig 'em!

1. "Do You Remember" - 3:54
ALBUM: Do You Remember - Single
ARTIST: Jarryd James

2. "Here" - 3:20
ALBUM: Here - Single
ARTIST: Alessia Cara

3. "Should've Been Us" - 3:06
ALBUM: Unbreakable Smile
ARTIST: Tori Kelly

4. "Bring Me Home" - 4:58
ALBUM: Bring Me Home - Single
ARTIST: Tori Kelly

5. "Blood" - 5:26
ALBUM: The Recordings of the Middle East
ARTIST: The Middle East

6. "Girls" - 4:14
ALBUM: The 1975
ARTIST: The 1975

7. "I'm Gonna Find Another You" - 2:43
ALBUM: Continuum
ARTIST: John Mayer

8. "Arch & Point" - 3:17
ALBUM: Kaleidoscope Dream
ARTIST: Miguel

9. "Fire Meet Gasoline" - 4:01
ALBUM: 1000 Forms of Fear
ARTIST: Sia

10. "Some Type of Love" - 3:05
ALBUM: Some Type of Love - EP
ARTIST: Charlie Puth

11. "The Fool" - 3:49
ALBUM: The Fool
ARTIST: Ryn Weaver

I hope you enjoy these eleven songs as May comes to an end. I graduate high school exactly one week. I've never been more excited for something to end. And right now, I've got to dash out the door, but you'll see me back here soon. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime - music school. :)

xo

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

April Playlist

April Playlist

Hey, guys! It's bright and early on a beautiful Tuesday morning in April, and I'm at school…so why not throw up a monthly playlist before I have to hustle off to creative writing class?

(What? Write my English paper, you say? Hilarious suggestion! On an unrelated topic, your suggestion privileges have been revoked.)

Enjoy these 9 (gosh, short one this time) tunes as we coast into the gorgeousness that is May in Los Angeles…or, well, whatever you are!

1. "Lonely People" - 3:09
ALBUM: Lonely People - EP
ARTIST: Orla Gartland

2. "Let's Get Started" - 3:27
ALBUM: Adventures in Real Time
ARTIST: Dylan Gardner

3. "Gibberish (feat. Hoodie Allen)" - 3:23
ALBUM: Gibberish (feat. Hoodie Allen) - Single
ARTIST: MAX

4. "Going Nowhere" - 3:34
ALBUM: Reflection
ARTIST: Fifth Harmony

5. "Love Somebody" - 4:09
ALBUM: Love Somebody - EP
ARTIST: Robyn Sherwell

6. "Fair Game" - 3:51
ALBUM: 1000 Forms of Fear
ARTIST: Sia

7. "Bigger Than My Body" - 4:25
ALBUM: Heavier Things
ARTIST: John Mayer

8. "Blindsided" - 5:29
ALBUM: For Emma, Forever Ago
ARTIST: Bon Iver & St. Vincent

9. "Muddy Hymnal" - 2:43
ALBUM: The Creek Drank the Cradle
ARTIST: Iron & Wine

Hope you liked this slightly shorter monthly playlist. I really loved listening to all these tracks, but I can't wait to see what new music I discover in May. Perhaps you've noticed that my little "end-of-playlist" tags no longer contain rambling musings in which I wax rhapsodic about time…but fear not! When my senior year winds down to its official close, there will be a whole post devoted to my thoughts on the passage of time and growing up and…well, college. But until then, I'm gonna keep doing what I always do--writing :) See ya around! xo

Thursday, April 16, 2015

On Lists and Influence

TIME Magazine is always publishing lists of influential people, be it their Top 100 Most Influential People in the World or Top 25 Most Influential Teens or whatever other lists I'm forgetting. These lists contain human rights activists, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, tech innovators--many (but of course, not all) of the best and brightest across all disciplines are named in these elite lists.

However, these lists don't just contain people enacting positive change. From Vine stars to YouTubers to reality TV personalities--all of whom are inarguably products of the inexplicable modern fame machine, these people aren't making quite the impact that people like Rula Ghani or Vladimir Putin are making (for better or worse, in Putin's case). In fact, some would contend that the aforementioned "famous" people are making the world worse with their deliriously high status; some have made more egregious offenses, i.e. racist and sexist remarks, and others are just uneducated and soaking up airtime that might be better dedicated to other subjects.

But before we go burning our copies of TIME, let's consider two things.

1.) Let's define the word "influence."
Influence is defined as "the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself." I would, of course, whole-heartedly agree that Laverne Cox and Hilary Clinton exert and deserve a great deal of influence over our country and our world as a whole. But Kim Kardashian isn't on this list for nothing. First of all, I mention her in conversation almost every single day. Why?! Why on Earth am I talking about Kim Kardashian and her Internet-shattering butt when there is social change to advocate for, music to review, books to analyze--hell, even localized school gossip to engage in? Because like it or not, she does exert influence over us. Without any of us wanting it to happen, Kim Kardashian affects our character, development, and behavior on a regular basis. We take people's opinions on Kardashian and her family to be indicators of education level or quality of character. It's completely absurd when you give it a moment's thought, but through borderline-sociopathic media manipulation on the part of Kris Jenner and the Internet's insatiable appetite for celebrity scoops, we are all subject to the goings-on of even the most mundane aspects of their lives. And if that's not influence, I don't know what is.

2.) Let's remember that these lists cannot make or break the fate of the modern world.
Yes, Nash Grier was put on the same list as Malala Yousafzai, even though he has made homophobic and racist 6-second videos and she risked her life to protect education rights for girls in Pakistan. No, those two accomplishments are not commensurate. But is putting Nash Grier on some list--the contents of which will someday be forgotten--going to erase the long-term effects of Yousafzai's heroism and activism? Of course not. There are thousands of brilliant minds, creative spirits, and brave hearts left off this list every year, and a handful of less-than-stellar candidates who make it on. But the unnamed people who are still doing good work will continue to do good work, even as their triumphs go unsung by the mass media. And some day, God-willing, the Internet and iPhone app celebrities will lose the last glimmers of manufactured influence and fade back into relative oblivion with the rest of us.

So there you have it. That's my opinion on the lists that journalists love to make. I would really recommend you read the mini-bios of the people included on the TIME 100; they're beautifully written and quite fascinating (especially considering I've never even heard of many of the people on the list). If I can leave you with one thought, it's this: there's enough room in the world--and on the Internet--for Kylie Jenner to post pictures of her lips on Instagram and for Jazz Jennings to advocate for transgender rights without all of us losing our minds.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

March Playlist

March Playlist

Hi hi hi! It's the end of March Wheee! Only three days till spring break! MORE WHEEEE!
*breathes deeply*

I am seriously just trying to f(x) out here and make it through this week. Your girl needs a break! This week has been hella stressful and it's only Tuesday. #getmeouttahere

This has been a terribly informal intro, but yes, onto the songs! Only 13 songs in my March 2015 playlist, but they're all really great, varied tunes! Also, if you're interested, I've got some songs coming out in the next couple of months (yes, real songs on iTunes and stuff!) so follow me on Twitter @mcraejensen to stay updated on that!

Also, if you care, I won't be posting a new cover tomorrow, because my voice is still not where I'd like it to be and I'd rather keep nursing it back to health (also I'm almost out of GRAMMY Camp audition videos to post). Speaking of! The deadline to submit an application to GRAMMY Camp 2015 is March 31st, 2015! You should apply if you are a musician, singer, songwriter, aspiring music businessperson, or aspiring music journalist in high school (specifically if you are a rising sophomore, junior, senior, or college freshman)! Please please please apply! Here is a link to check it out: http://www.grammyintheschools.com/programs/grammy-camp/apply

Okay okay okay! Here we go here's the playlist for real yeah yeah!

1. "Love Songs Drug Songs" - 3:39
ALBUM: Love Songs Drug Songs - EP
ARTIST: X Ambassadors

2. "Cardiac Arrest" - 3:02
ALBUM: Language & Perspective
ARTIST: Bad Suns

3. "Heartsigh" - 3:19
ALBUM: Another Eternity
ARTIST: Purity Ring

4. "Smile" - 3:27
ALBUM: Time
ARTIST: Mikky Ekko

5. "Sooner or Later" - 3:56
ALBUM: Young Love
ARTIST: Mat Kearney

6. "Little Numbers (Acoustic Version)" - 3:41
ALBUM: Mutual Friends
ARTIST: BOY

7. "Kaleidoscope Dream" - 4:17
ALBUM: Kaleidoscope Dream
ARTIST: Miguel

8. "Backseat Freestyle" - 3:32
ALBUM: good kid, m.A.A.d city
ARTIST: Kendrick Lamar

9. "Love Is a Verb" - 2:28
ALBUM: Born and Raised
ARTIST: John Mayer

10. "Clean" - 4:31
ALBUM: 1989
ARTIST: Taylor Swift

11. "I Won't Fight It (Hushed)" - 4:12
ALBUM: Black Bear (Hushed) - EP
ARTIST: Andrew Belle

12. "Perth" - 4:22
ALBUM: Bon Iver
ARTIST: Bon Iver & St. Vincent

13. "You" - 4:42
ALBUM: Birthdays
ARTIST: Keaton Henson

That's all for now, folks! Please enjoy this eclectic mix of songs as we conclude the month of March. Yesterday my not-so-little brother turned 13, and tomorrow my dad turns 50, which is super cool and so I am feeling all celebratory. Other than that, I suppose it's the same ol', same ol'. I'm so ready for break, though. I could really use some time off…

See ya next time! xo

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

February Playlist

February Playlist

Hey all! February is winding down so I thought I'd share my favorite tunes this month.
In terms of cool updates, two days ago I had a charity concert with a few of my friends that went really well and raised a ton of money for a great cause (visit justincarrwantsworldpeace.org for more info), and just hours ago I returned home from a college visit at my future home!

*drum roll, please…*

This fall, I'll be attending the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California as a pop music major (with a concentration in songwriting)! I am SO excited! It's been my dream school for over a year now and the company I'm joining absolutely defies description.

If you stuck around through this ranting and raving, please enjoy the 17 songs I just couldn't stop vibing this month! :-)

1. "Pain Au Chocolat" - 3:43
ALBUM: Arts Martiens
ARTIST: IAM

2. "Litost" - 5:21
ALBUM: Love Songs Drug Songs - EP
ARTIST: X Ambassadors

3. "Talk to Me Baby" - 2:59
ALBUM: Confluence
ARTIST: Zane Carney

4. "Scars" - 4:34
ALBUM: Chaos and the Calm
ARTIST: James Bay

5. "Magical Machine" - 4:05
ALBUM: Brutal Romantic
ARTIST: Brooke Fraser

6. "Novocaine" - 3:44
ALBUM: Everything's Coming Up Roses
ARTIST: Night Terrors of 1927

7. "Mess Is Mine" - 3:43
ALBUM: Dream Your Life Away
ARTIST: Vance Joy

8. "I'm On Fire" - 2:52
ALBUM: Battle Studies (Deluxe Version)
ARTIST: John Mayer

9. "The Body Breaks" - 2:43
ALBUM: Rejoicing In the Hands
ARTIST: Devendra Banhart

10. "Eavesdrop" - 3:35
ALBUM: The Civil Wars
ARTIST: The Civil Wars

11. "Undeniable You" - 3:22
ALBUM: Jukebox the Ghost
ARTIST: Jukebox the Ghost

12. "Jealous" - 4:47
ALBUM: Jealous - Single
ARTIST: Labrinth

13. "Careless" - 3:59
ALBUM: Wake the Sun - EP
ARTIST: Little Sea

14. "When the Darkness Comes" - 4:02
ALBUM: When the Darkness Comes - EP
ARTIST: JP Cooper

15. "You Don't Know How Lucky You Are" - 3:48
ALBUM: Dear
ARTIST: Keaton Henson

16. "Upward Over the Mountain" - 5:56
ALBUM: The Creek Drank the Cradle
ARTIST: Iron & Wine

17. "Nobody Love" - 3:22
ALBUM: Nobody Love - Single
ARTIST: Tori Kelly

Hope you enjoy these songs, everybody! 2015 is off to a pretty mellow start, and I guess that's how I like it. School is chugging along as ever, and even though calculus is the actual bane of my existence, I'm doing as I always do, and getting over it. To be honest, the theme of my February has sort of been getting over things, and so I'm extending to you a little suggestion, or a blessing, or a magic spell. Get over something that's bothering you. If you're holding a grudge, or you're stuck in unrequited love, or feeling bummed about a failure that happened a while back…just try to pick yourself up by your boot straps and move on. Trust me, I know how hard it can be; there's a reason that the axiom "old habits die hard" is so widely quoted and referenced. But do yourself a favor and find the positive in something you didn't see before, as opposed to dwelling on a negative. If you're still mad about that thing that happened four months ago, try to think about something you're looking forward to four months into the future, and push towards that. If you're still in romantic love with someone who's taken or totally uninterested, seek familial or platonic love in the arms of the people who are always there for you. If you feel like a loser or a failure from a setback, try to remember the last time you succeeded and focus your energy on activities in which you always triumph. Jeez, that's a long tag I just wrote, isn't it? Anyway. Happy February…and, well, happy March. xo

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Sorry, I Gotta Go See About A Boy

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!

Love is in the air…or pollution. Our planet is languishing before our very eyes! Get your priorities in order, simple humans!

*cough* Anyway.

I am an academic. I am an artist. I am a feminist. I am a sister, a daughter, a student, a counselor, a friend.

But I'm also…a teenager. And even though I pride myself on my strength, my maturity, my wisdom, and my talent, I am also ashamed of my less shining characteristics--specifically, in this case, my romantic naiveté.

Basically, I put every boy I like on a pedestal and, in turn, rob them of their humanness. I set them up to fail me. If he doesn't like me, it's earth-shatteringly disappointing. If he does like me, it's…also earth-shatteringly disappointing, because let's face it, most teenage boys have yet to master the whole Prince Charming thing.

In reflecting on my tendency to Alaska-ize or Margo-ize the boys I like (to borrow a phrase from an an author I like), I have started to see the validity of the other extreme. I literally have a note on my phone containing song lyrics that read, "Love is a lie, God's not alive, and I can't trust a soul." Now, that's not particularly helpful, either. Saying "screw relationships" and giving up on the possibility of romantic love because of a few isolated incidents of heartbreak is equally problematic.

I've spent a lot of my life believing that having a boyfriend would solve all my problems. (Super, hopelessly, unbelievably false.) And in the moment of being rejected or heartbroken--which has happened more often than I would like--I retreat into solitude, believing that there is no point in pursuing romantic fulfillment at all. (Also super duper ridiculously untrue.) Neither of those attitudes is healthy.

If having a romantic relationship is something you want, you shouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed or naive. Cynicism is the enemy of joy. Even though I have experienced more setbacks than set-forwards (yeah, Jensen, keep telling yourself that's a word), I still believe love is real. But as I get older, I'm starting to see--or at least acknowledge that I should see--that love is real. And by that I mean, love is not a fantasy or a movie plot. Love is fulfilling and euphoric sometimes, but love is also frustrating and disappointing, and love is also just average. Love is like life, in that it cycles through periods of ups and downs like anything else.

You might be thinking, who is this 17-year-old girl who's never had a real relationship to lecture me on the nature of love? To that I say…nobody, I guess. But in case you didn't know this already, I'm a reader, and a writer. And being a reader and a writer means going inside of yourself for the stuff you feel and the stuff you have yet even to fathom. I have used the word "love" liberally because I don't think love is restricted to 30-year-olds who built their relationships like houses. I have felt pain and longing and joy and attraction. So maybe I haven't been in love to your satisfaction, but I have been in love to mine. I happen to really like Valentine's Day, because celebrating love, in whatever form it comes, is a thing I think we should do a heck of a lot more often.

Here's my point: you can't let your search for love rule your life. But that doesn't mean you should stop searching. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go see about a boy.

(Just kidding. But I probably will go watch Good Will Hunting.)

Sunday, January 25, 2015

January Playlist

January Playlist

Happy end-of-January, y'all! Second semester has started and senioritis levels are at an all-time high, at least by my estimations. LA is as temperate as its ever been, but technically we are in the dead of winter, and I owe you a monthly playlist.

(Shirking art history studying? Who, me?)
(PS sorry in advance for all the John Mayer Room for Squares stuff. Couldn't quite help m'self.)

1. "Love Song for No One" - 3:21
ALBUM: Room for Squares
ARTIST: John Mayer

2. "Arsonist's Lullabye" - 4:26
ALBUM: From Eden - EP
ARTIST: Hozier

3. "Paper Planes" - 3:19
ALBUM: Out to Sea - EP
ARTIST: Tom Misch & Carmody

4. "Gooey" - 4:49
ALBUM: Gooey - EP
ARTIST: Glass Animals

5. "Supernatural" - 3:59
ALBUM: Mischief Mixtape [2009]
ARTIST: Miguel

6. "Personal" - 3:54
ALBUM: Sweet Talker
ARTIST: Jessie J

7. "Starring Role" - 3:27
ALBUM: Electra Heart
ARTIST: Marina and The Diamonds

8. "Love Me Like You Do (From "Fifty Shades of Grey") - 4:12
ALBUM: Love Me Like You Do ("From Fifty Shades of Grey") - Single
ARTIST: Ellie Goulding

9. "Break Your Heart Right Back (feat. Childish Gambino)" - 4:13
ALBUM: My Everything
ARTIST: Ariana Grande

10. "City Love" - 4:00
ALBUM: Room for Squares
ARTIST: John Mayer

11. "Best That I Can" - 3:30
ALBUM: Dream Your Life Away
ARTIST: Vance Joy

12. "Ghosts" - 3:47
ALBUM: Acoustic - EP
ARTIST: Gabrielle Aplin

13. "Pale Lung" - 4:28
ALBUM: Pale Lung - Single
ARTIST: Robyn Sherwell

14. "Green Eyes" - 3:43
ALBUM: A Rush of Blood To the Head
ARTIST: Coldplay

15. "Beach Baby" - 2:40
ALBUM: Blood Bank - EP
ARTIST: Bon Iver

16. "What If It Was" - 3:23
ALBUM: Unseen - EP
ARTIST: Tayler Buono

17. "If You Ever Want To Be In Love" - 4:00
ALBUM: Chaos and the Calm
ARTIST: James Bay

18. "My Stupid Mouth" - 3:44
ALBUM: Room for Squares
ARTIST: John Mayer

That'll do it for now. January has been an awfully odd start to 2015, but I think I like it. Gears are turning and big things are in store for me. For all of us. As for the present…well, I say live in the moment. I'm just itching to graduate, and I don't buy into the "senior year is the best year of your life" nonsense any more than I did the "high school is the best four years of your life" nonsense. It's not the best. It's not the worst (well, maybe it is), but it's not the best. I've only got four and half months left, so I'm gonna do what I do best: stay home and study. Oh, and write a ton of songs. :)

'Til next time! xo

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Artist Recs 4 U! (Vol. II)

Hey everyone! Happy belated New Year! Time for another round of "if this, then that" situation. I've been listening to a ton of new music, so if you were looking for some new stuff to listen to, you've come to the right place!

1. If you like Coldplay, you should listen to…
  • Zane Carney
  • Foy Vance
  • The 88
  • Keaton Henson
  • Out of Bounds: Jesca Hoop
2. If you like Frank Oceanyou should listen to…
  • Jhene Aiko
  • Jazmine Sullivan
  • AlunaGeorge
  • Kenzie May
  • Out of Bounds: Air Dubai
3. If you like Imagine Dragonsyou should listen to…
  • Local Natives
  • Awolnation
  • Kerli
  • Hurts
  • Out of Bounds: Evanescence
4. If you like Ariana Grandeyou should listen to…
  • Jessie Ware
  • Niykee Heaton
  • Emile Sandé
  • Duffy
  • Out of Bounds: Sara Gazarek
5. If you like Lordeyou should listen to…
  • Zee Avi
  • ODESZA
  • Purity Ring
  • Melanie Martinez
  • Out of Bounds: Katy Tiz
6. If you like Paramoreyou should listen to…
  • Jack's Mannequin
  • Avery
  • Hey Monday
  • Halestorm
  • Out of Bounds: Five Finger Death Punch
7. If you like Taylor Swiftyou should listen to…
  • Mary Lambert
  • Kina Grannis
  • Joe Brooks
  • Kasey Chambers
  • Out of Bounds: Halsey
8. If you like Chris Brownyou should listen to…
  • Childish Gambino
  • Conor Maynard
  • Lil Playy
  • Young Science
  • Out of Bounds: Little Jackie
9. If you like The 1975you should listen to…
  • Brand New
  • The Milk Carton Kids
  • Luke Sital-Singh
  • Fractures
  • Out of Bounds: Wilco
10. If you like The Black Keysyou should listen to…
  • Jack Johnson
  • Andrew Jackson Jihad
  • Anberlin
  • Incubus
  • Out of Bounds: Tove Lo
That's all for now! Hope you enjoy some of the artists I've recommended. And tweet at me (@mcraejensen) if you have any other suggestions!