For the past four years, my goal was to listen to as many new bands as possible, specifically rock and alternative bands. At first, it seemed impossible for me to transition over to those genres because I’ve always gravitated towards mainstream music. Therefore, I found myself struggling to find a list of bands that I could add to my playlists. After several years of searching, I have finally found five bands that I really like and that I think you will enjoy too.

5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer is an Australian pop-rock band that consists of four members. The members are Calum Hood, Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, and Michael Clifford. Their most popular songs are “Amnesia” and “She Looks So Perfect,” and the band has been an opening act for One Direction and Hot Chelle Rae. In the summer of 2018, 5 Seconds of Summer also released their third studio album Youngblood, which ranked the No.1 album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.

One of my favorite songs from the Youngblood album is “Valentine.” All of the 5SOS members had their own interpretation of what “Valentine” meant to them. To Michael, he believes that “Valentine” is the “ultimate Valentine’s Day song.” He also explains that it “encapsulates the type of mood and feeling that you (want to feel) on Valentine’s Day.” On the other hand, Ashton thinks this song represented a “lazy love that feels free.” He mentions that “it’s a (type of) love that meets in the middle and there’s no expectations.” Overall, this is one of my favorite songs by 5SOS, and I think it will add a great addition to your playlist.

Furthermore, 5SOS’s career began in 2011 but I didn’t listen to any of their music until they released Youngblood. In my opinion, 5 Seconds of Summer did a great job with their new album. Therefore, I’m looking forward to their future music and I can’t wait to see what else they have in stores for their fans.

Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons is a pop, indie, and alternative rock band that’s from Las Vegas, Nevada. The members of Imagine Dragons consist of Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman. In my opinion, what makes Imagine Dragons so unique is their approach to music because they do not identify their music in one specific genre. In fact, they strive to become a “genre-less” band.

My favorite song by Imagine Dragons is “Whatever it Takes.” This was my favorite song because this song can be interpreted in multiple ways. To me, I see it as a motivational song that everybody needs in their life. According to Songfacts, Reynolds explained that “Whatever it Takes” was about overcoming something significant in his life, which was inspired by his recovery from something in his past. Reynolds continued to explain that “Whatever it Takes” also talks about achieving one’s goals and dreams. If you really want something in your life, you will do whatever it takes to get it.

Overall, I have developed a new-found respect for Imagine Dragons and I’m looking forward to their future music. I also recommend some other songs from Imagine Dragons, like “Radioactive,” “Natural,” and “Believer.”

The Pretty Reckless

Most people have probably heard of Taylor Momsen because of her former role in the hit TV show Gossip Girl. Although Momsen started her career as an actress, she eventually grew out of the acting scene once she left Gossip Girl in 2011. After leaving the show, Momsen focused full-time on her music career. The Pretty Reckless is a four-member band that consists of Taylor Momsen, Jamie Perkins, Ben Phillips, and Mark Damon.

The Pretty Reckless has been around since 2009 and they have released three studio albums. The Pretty Reckless has also shared that their music was influenced by Nirvana, The Beatles, and Oasis. Furthermore, their music can be categorized in hard rock, post-grunge, and alternative rock.

One of my favorite songs by TPR is “Take Me Down.” I recommend this song because it has a classic rock ‘n roll sound. To me, this is the type of song that you would listen to if you were driving down Route 66 or if you were going on a road trip. “Take Me Down” was also inspired by the blues musician and songwriter Robert Johnson.

Black Veil Brides

Black Veil Brides is an American rock band that’s based in Hollywood, California. This band began their music career in 2006. The members consist of Andy Biersack, Ashley Purdy, Jake Pitts, Jinxx, and Christian “CC” Coma.

According to Metal Riot, Biersack shared that Black Veil Brides band name came from the devotion that a nun would have to the Catholic Church. He continued to explain that when a nun becomes a nun, she marries God while wearing a black veil.

If I can recommend any song from BVB, it would have to be “In the End.” To me, “In the End” is about living a life with purpose and fulling everything that you want to do in your life before you die. Although this song can be interpreted in many ways, I do believe that this song shares a strong and positive message that can be influential to younger audiences. Therefore, I highly recommend this song to everybody who needs a push of strength and positivity in their life.

Pierce the Veil

Pierce the Veil is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The members of the band consist of Vic and Mike Fuentes, Tony Perry, and Jaime Preciado. So far, Pierce the Veil has released four full-length studio albums and their most popular music video is “King for a Day.” As of November 2018, the music video has over 101 million views. On July 2018, Vic revealed that he was working on the band’s fifth album.

I’m a big fan of Vic Fuentes, who attended San Diego State University (Go Aztecs!), which is the college I go to. While being a student at SDSU, he found himself enjoying a concept that he learned from his sociology class. That concept then led to Pierce the Veil’s band name. According to Songfacts, Fuentes shared that Pierce the Veil’s name derived from the term “pierce the corporate veil.”

In addition, Pierce the Veil’s musical style has been described as post-hardcore, pop punk, experimental rock, emo, and metalcore. Although I enjoy most of Pierce the Veil’s music, I do have my top three favorites that I would recommend to you. I would recommend “King for a Day,” “Circles,” and “Bedless.”