New Music to Fall For: Buttoned's Pick
What a month it has been in the music world!! We’ve been blessed with new releases from 21 Savage, Parker McCollum, LANY, and the man who shaped our highschool years: Bryson Tiller. Our aux game has been graced with these new releases, and it only goes up from here. Travis Scott is rumored to be working on his latest album. Madison Beer’s album is dropping in the near future as well as Swae Lee, Tobi Lou, and many other hot artists.
Each genre of music has something different to offer. You can’t just be a rap person or just a country person; and if you are, you may want to reevaluate your decision. Different genres provide different sounds, feelings, and emotions. We’re going to talk about the three top genres at the moment: rap, country, and alternative.
RAP
21 Savage & Metro Boomin: SAVAGE MODE II
On October 2, 21 Savage released a sequel to his famed Savage Mode album. The expectations for this album were set very high, given that the first album is what brought 21 Savage to prominent fame. In my personal opinion, 21 delivered and he delivered well. This album is banger after banger, and your aux game will be better for playing a song from this album. A few faves are Runnin, My Dawg, and Slidin.
Bryson Tiller: A N N I V E R S A R Y
Our highschool hero has made the ultimate return after a 5-year break from releasing a new album. As soon as I pressed play on this album, I was taken back to my freshman year of highschool. This album has been critiqued for sounding bland, basic, and anticlimactic. I must say that I would agree with these critiques if listening to this wasn’t so nostalgic. Bryson Tiller’s “Don’t” shaped all of our teen years, and if you disagree you are lying to yourself. My faves from this album are Outta Time, Inhale, and Years Go By.
PARTYNEXTDOOR: PARTYPACK
Ooooh baby, this album is FIRE! If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly suggest you do so. Partynextdoor has been a personal favorite of mine for years, but his popularity is below average. His smooth beats and rough voice, paired with the symphonies and features, make for the absolute best songs. He does not disappoint. My faves from this album are Cuffed Up and Don’t Do It For You No More.
COUNTRY
Parker McCollum: Hollywood Gold
While I admit that I’m not a die-hard country music fan, Mr. McCollum does tug at the heart strings. He does a great job of providing genuine country music that isn’t too back-roads. Even if you hate country, this man’s voice makes it bearable. McCollum has risen to fame in recent years and has done nothing but deliver beautiful music. My personal faves from this album would be Pretty Heart and Like a Cowboy.
Luke Combs: What You See Ain’t Always What You Get
Luke Combs is another great example of a country singer that does it just right. His instrumentals are astounding, and his vocals are even better. His catchy tunes make the strongest of country-haters whistle along. And as if his music isn’t great enough, he is an admirable celebrity who maintains regularity and stays humble. A few of my faves from this album would be Cold as You and Six Feet Apart.
Jon Pardi: Heartache Medication
Jon Pardi has to be my favorite country singer at the moment. His voice is the closest thing to a country angel. Pardi’s music reflects raw and genuine emotion - one thing that draws me to country music. He doesn’t hold back when writing music, and that’s what I love about him the most. His latest album has a variety of bangers, but a few that I’m a fan of are Tequila Little Time, Ain’t Always The Cowboy, and Don’t Blame It On The Whiskey.
ALTERNATIVE
LANY: mama’s boy
LANY is a renowned alt band that SERVES sounds. Even if you don’t keep up with alternative music, you’ve definitely heard of them. This was the band that brought us ILYSB back in 2015 and have continued to produce beautiful and ethereal music ever since. LANY not only comes with the lyrics, but the beats behind the words are what make the song. It is angelic, to say the least, and if you’re not already familiar, you better get your queue updated. A few faves from this album would be anything 4 u, good guys, and cowboy in LA.
Boy Pablo: Wachito Rico
I feel like PABLO! This man is talented, innovative, and dreamy. His ethereal beats will have your heart melting in the first 6 seconds of his songs. His sad-boi songs will have you wishing you had something to be sad about and that’s no lie. Boy Pablo is definitely underrated but maintains a seat in the top 100’s month after month. If you haven’t already, add his latest album to your playlist and get to vibing. A few of my faves from this album are hey girl, i hope she loves me back, and honey.
Peach Pit: You and Your Friends
You cannot get any more alt than Peach Pit… well you can, but Peach Pit is truly IT. This band provides beautiful music album after album and have topped themselves with their latest drop. If you are a fan of alternative and appreciate prevalent instrumentals-- these are your guys. Some may be turned away from alt due to the overwhelming instrumentals behind the lyrics. I can personally attest that Peach Pit does a great job of incorporating strong instrumentals while maintaining a focus on the lyrics. This is another band that expresses genuine emotion - a characteristic I find most attractive in music. They sing of love, loss, desire, and euphoria-- what more can you ask for? My favorites from this album are Figure 8, Shampoo Bottles, and Psychics in LA.
Written by: Kirsten Allbee
Photos by: Kharis McFarland
Edited by: Josie Gruber