The Musical Influences playlist has a lot of songs and artists on it. These are artists that don’t fit into the Role Models playlist, but still have and continue to influence my music. I like looking up the artist’s/band’s history and reading about what made or broke their music career. I like seeing what legacy they’ve left behind, what techniques they’ve used, how their music is produced, etc.
Like the other playlists, one of the first bands/artist to start the playlist is Huey Lewis and the News. They are one that I’ve wanted my music to sound like since I was young. One of the other artist’s is Hanson. For the music I like to listen to, they are a little newer. I’ve read a lot about this band and find it interesting what choices they’ve made, how they’ve kept releasing music, and have kept an audience.
The next few songs on the playlist after Hanson come from a variety of artist’s including; Kenny Rogers, Katrina and The Waves, Rupert Holmes, and Blue Swede.
There is also Deep Blue Something on the playlist. I’ve listened to their song, Breakfast at Tiffany’s since I was a kid and through some research found out that in recent years they started putting out some new songs.
After this part of the playlist there is songs by The Nationals Parks, The Monkees, Abba, and Steve Perry. Again artist’s like Abba and Steve Perry have been making new music or have teased about releasing new music after years of not releasing any. I got excited when Steve Perry started releasing his new songs and I liked his new album Traces.
Then the playlist shifts into some country with Alabama, Oak Ridge Boys, and Statler Brothers. After these bands are a mixture of artists and songs again including The Rose by Westlife, some Lionel Richie songs, Mac Davis, Beach Boys, Van Halen, Hooked on a Feeling by B. J. Thomas, Friday I’m in Love by The Cure, Hang On Sloopy by The McCoys, Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler, and others.
The playlist ends with Bump of Chicken and Kiss. Bump of Chicken is a newer artist (for the music I listen to) I discovered recently. It seems the rhythm in their songs are sung in the vocals. Usually vocals have the melody. Bump of Chicken’s songs gives me something different to think about on how to put my own songs together.
When I was going back through the list of songs to write these blog posts I was surprised I didn’t have a few more heavy metal artists other than Van Halen, and Night Ranger. I’ve never really listened to a lot of heavy metal, but there are times when I listen to some songs in the genre. In the last couple of years, I’ve been seeing news articles about KISS’s last tour. It’s made me think about the legacy they’ve left.
So, I’ve been influenced by a lot of music artist’s and songs. A theme I’ve found with these artists is having a legacy, making your own choices, keeping an audience, and continuing to release music even as you get old or after a time of not releasing any. It makes me think about the legacy I want to have for my music, choices I might make in my career, how to have the musical skill these artist’s did, and how to survive like these music artist’s have.
