Tunes to Think About

High Hopes for 2014’s Music Scene

Priscilla Ng

Staff Writer

    After a year of new artists and surprise albums, attention is turning towards new music releases for the 2014 year.

    American High students anticipate some of their favorite returning artists that will be making comebacks in the upcoming year.

    “Young the Giant’s album Mind over Matter just came out earlier this week [January 21],” senior Lanna Tau said. “One of my favorite bands, The Neighbourhood, also just released the cover art for a new album. The title and date aren’t out yet, but I’m excited for when it does drop.”

    The Neighbourhood was one of the fastest rising bands of 2013, largely due to their hit single Sweater Weather, which peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 14.

    “I’m really looking forward to whenever their album comes out,” senior Karen Ku said. “They just announced that their drummer [Brian Sammis] was leaving the band, but with their spring tour and album, I hope that this will be a good year for them.”

    Other students, while not particularly interested in specific artists, are hoping for more artists to venture into new genres.

    “A lot of people started listening to EDM last year,” sophomore Ryan Tang said. “Maybe it’ll get even more popular this year.”

    It was also a big year for boy bands like One Direction, whose single Story of My Life hit number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100. However, not all people want to see a repeat of this in the upcoming year.

    “Sorry to offend anyone, but I don’t really like the new trend of all the boy bands,” senior Cindy Peng said. “I’d like to see more R&B style music, or really just something different from the songs playing on the radio.”

    Some students are even looking to other countries for new songs and artists.

    “2NE1 and Big Bang [Korean groups under YG Entertainment, the same company that Psy is from] are supposed to be coming out with new albums sometime this year,” senior Sanjana Naik said. “I listen to any kind of music, no matter where its from.”

    No matter what genre, artist, or language, 2014 is shaping up to be a big year for music.