Ten Artists I’ve Become Obsessed With During Quarantine

Posted On March 5, 2021

Samantha Colleran, March 2021

Being in lockdown and the world not being in its proper state, I’ve had a lot of time to do things I always say I never have the time to do. Starting up this blog is one of those things. Listening to new music constantly is also one of those things. I love listening to new music, but usually when I’m doing school work or walking to classes (when that was a thing) I put on music that’s familiar to me. However, writing for this blog has forced me to break out of my musical shell a little and discover some new artists I would have never paid much attention to if I wasn’t actively looking for them. I thought it would be fun to talk about some of the artists I’ve become obsessed with during quarantine to celebrate my 100th blog post! So, without further ado, here are ten artists that have been making the crazy COVID world slightly more bearable! These are in no particular order, let me know if any of these artists are people you’ve also been enjoying during quarantine!

1. Oasis

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been reading my blog for a while. I’ve written about Oasis on multiple occasions, so leaving them off of this list would be cruel. I went through their entire discography, watched their Supersonic documentary, and fell completely in love. I have a really weird fascination with British bands and Brit pop/rock (if you couldn’t tell by half the bands and artists I’ve talked about loving), so learning about one of the greats was a fun little adventure. The sound and the overall feel of their music is incredible. There’s the powerhouse songs like “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova”, the underrated fast paced songs like “Rock n Roll Star”, there’s an Oasis song for any and every mood. 

2. Joni Mitchell 

If you’re an early reader of my blog you know I did a deep dive into Joni’s archive and listened to all of her albums early on during quarantine, and my first ever Sunday Sounds was a song off of one of her first albums. I fell so in love with Joni’s sound and her overall energy, it’s so hard not to get sucked into her world. Joni is such an underrated force in the music industry and the soft rock/folk movement, and taking the time to get lost in her discography and see how she grew as an artist from her beginnings in the late 60s all the way into the 2000s was something really special. Blue is an iconic album for any music lover, and all of her other albums are just as amazing.

3. Red Hot Chili Peppers

This one is thanks to a Christmas gift I got. I love reading about music, and Anthony Kiedis’ autobiography Scar Tissue was among the many music books I got for Christmas. I wasn’t a huge RHCP fan, obviously I liked them and knew some of their songs, but I never knew how they came to be who they are today or any other background on the band. Scar Tissue was impossible to put down, and it sparked an interest in all of RHCP’s music. I started listening to their self titled album and worked all the way up to their most recent release in 2016, The Getaway. I rediscovered old favorites that I remember hearing on the radio or around the house when I was younger, and I found some new favorites along the way. I can also say that without a doubt By The Way is their best album and I will not be taking any criticism.

4. Sam Fender

Sam Fender has been an obsession of mine. His debut album Hypersonic Missiles is one of the best album releases of 2019 and I wish I picked up on it sooner. The title track (and lead single) is one of the most incredible singles I’ve ever heard, it’s really rare that a single is the best song off of an album, but Sam Fender has proven that anything is possible. A modern day Brit pop star and one of the most criminally underrated artists in the US, Sam Fender makes each song on this album sound totally unique, yet they all tie together and make this beautiful collective body of work. Softer moments like “Two People” and “Leave Fast” are balanced out by the upbeat “Dead Boys” and “That Sound”. Fender sings about a wide range of important topics, and each song will make you feel something completely different. It’s an amazing debut album, and if you haven’t listened, what are you waiting for?

5. Charlotte Clark (previously known as ARK)

Charlotte Clark is more than just a touring member of Harry’s band. Her first EP The Shadow In My Company is absolutely wonderful, and her newest EP is even better than the last. Her voice is effortlessly beautiful, and she’s an incredible pianist. Her sound is so fresh and vibrant, yet she draws inspiration from some of the greats, including the previously mentioned Joni Mitchell. Warm Weather, her newest EP, is a five track journey of learning to let go of messy relationships, learning to feel worthy of her position in the world as a female musician, and finding small pockets of joy during times of uncertainty. It’s a fantastic listen, and if you’re looking for some more incredible female musicians to add into your musical rotation, Charlotte Clark should be on the top of your list!

6. Orville Peck

I’m not a country girl, but Orville Peck transcends the annoying twangy country we have today. He draws inspiration from some of the best country artists like Johnny Cash, and with a background in classical training, Orville Peck adds his own unique spin to the world of country. His debut album Pony and his follow up EP Show Pony have been in heavy rotation for me. Orville’s voice is so stunning and powerful, it continues to amaze me how talented he is each time I listen to his music. He also has the added element of mystery by wearing his signature face mask to hide his identity. He’s absolutely amazing, and if you’re like me and you aren’t into country music, definitely give Orville a chance because you’ll be shocked by how much you enjoy his work. 

7. Conan Gray

Conan Gray has been around for some time, but I really only started getting into his music after hearing his single “Wish You Were Sober”. Something about it caught my attention completely, and I fell into a hole of listening to his album on loop (which came out right in the beginning of quarantine), discovering his debut EP, and listening to his one off singles. I absolutely love his voice and his overall sound. Kid Krow covers topics of love, breaking up, anxiety, wealth, and so much more. A number of his songs have blown up on the internet, including the infamous “Heather” where he sings about wishing he were his love interest’s girlfriend, and “The Story” which talks about a number of relationships he’s witnessed and experienced in his life. Conan also recently released a new single called “Overdrive”, which hopefully means a new project on the way! If it’s anything like Kid Krow, it’ll be nothing short of wonderful. 

8. Wallows

I was really hesitant to give Wallows a chance. How could the male lead in 13 Reasons Why actually be a good singer? Well, I was proven completely wrong after listening to their debut album Nothing Happens. I wrote about my favorite song from this album, “Only Friend”, but I must state for the record there isn’t a single bad song on this album. What’s also fascinating is that this album can be listened to on a constant loop since the final track ends the same way the first song begins. The band has also released another project, a deluxe version of their EP Remote, which has also been in my musical rotation as of recent! If you’re into alternative pop/bedroom pop, Wallows are definitely for you! And if you’re not into bedroom pop, still give them a chance! They do an awesome cover of The Smiths “This Charming Man” which was so fun to listen to!

9. Miley Cyrus

I’ve always liked Miley’s music, but Plastic Hearts solidified my admiration for the artist Miley has become. She steps into the rock world effortlessly, like she’s been doing this forever. This album gets better with each listen. She managed to get some of the most incredible artists featured on some of the tracks; from “Billy Fucking Idol” (as Miley calls him), to the legendary Joan Jett, to the Stevie Nicks, and pop’s newest obsession Dua Lipa, Miley gave them all the room to shine. However, it’s obviously Miley who’s the star of the show. From gritty rock moments like “WTF Do I Know?” and title track “Plastic Hearts”, to the more laid back sounding songs such as “Golden G String” and “High”, Miley proves that rock and roll can be loud and powerful while also being emotional and heart wrenching. It’s a beautiful balance and this album has been one I simply can’t get enough of!

10. Machine Gun Kelly

In the few short months since its release, Tickets To My Downfall has become one of my most played albums on Spotify. There’s something so addictive about the sound, and the fact that MGK can switch genres so effortlessly still blows my mind. This album came out right around the time I was just getting back into writing for this blog after my mini hiatus in September, and it flipped a switch inside of me and made me fall in love with new music again. I couldn’t get enough of it, and it even made me want to learn more about Machine Gun Kelly’s roots in rap before he went punk. All of his other stuff was good, but Tickets is still my number one. There isn’t a single bad song on the album, and watching Machine Gun Kelly’s success with this album has been mesmerizing, he even went ahead and turned the entire album into a mini film which I obviously watched and loved. I can’t wait for concerts to come back, MGK is one of the first artists I hope to see and TTMD is an album I know will sound even better live. 

Let me know in the comments who your favorite artist on here is, or if I’ve inspired you to look into a new artist! I can’t believe I’ve written 100 posts in less than a year, but I can’t wait to write more for you all!