We’re Thankful to Have These 6 Artists in Our Lives

Music impacts our lives in so many different ways. And sometimes, there are certain artists that time after time, song after song… Well, they just seem to get us. These artists (both mainstream and underground) mean a lot to us, and we wanted to show them a little love on this day of thanks. Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s some of the music that means the most to us.

 

1. Kero Kero Bonito

My favorite artist/band that I am thankful for is Kero Kero Bonito. I stumbled upon one of their songs on YouTube and a friend told me that song was a joke. I didn’t know what he meant, so I listened to it. The song was very catchy and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. I continued listening to their other albums and they quickly became my favorite band. Kero Kero Bonito holds a special place in my heart because they helped me get through my senior year of college (and through this semester too!) and their concert was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. I also got to meet Sarah (the lead singer) after their concert and she was very nice! If you like positivity in your music, give them a listen. – Kevin Luong

 

2. Johnny Cash

An artist I am thankful for is Johnny Cash. I know you would not expect college student to say Johnny Cash but here is my reasoning. Johnny and I share some of these traits. He grew up on a cotton farm in Dyess, Arkansas. I grew up in Salinas, California which is known for growing lettuce, strawberries and artichokes. We have both gone through traumatic events. Johnny lost his older brother when he was 12 years old due to a work related accident. These past six years my grandfather, uncle and aunt passed away during my high-school years which I started my battles with depression and anxiety.

You can hear the pain in his voice when he talked and sang about his brother.  Cash also battled alcoholism and drugs which led him to finally becoming clean and sober in the 1980s. We both overcame obstacles to achieve our dreams. His deep baritone voice is something that is missing in music today. He had an old school vibe about him that no artist has today. He spoke out against war, prison reform and his love for God. My favorite song from him is “When The Man Comes Around.” It was one of his last hits before he passed away in 2003. Johnny Cash overcame the odds to become one of the best selling artists of all time. That is why he is an artist I am thankful for. – Derrick Ow

 

3. Lione

I am thankful for my favorite artist Lione. He is a low key artist, but his music really resonates with me, and I can vibe with it whenever and wherever. I really like chill EDM and one of my favorite songs by him is “Leave This Place.” I do concert photography as a side hobby, and I was super fortunate to shoot a show Lione was opening for. I started listening to Lione’s music when I first got into EDM and it still resonates with me because his songs opened me to a new genre of music. I am thankful that he showed up in my recommended list and thankful that his music is there when I want to listen to it.  – John Fulgado

 

4. The Smiths

I grew up listening to whatever my dad was playing in the kitchen or while he was working around the house. The older I grew the more my dad would start to incorporate some English songs instead of it being 100% in Spanish. One of my favorite songs he would sing to me was called “Esta Luz Nunca Se Apagara” and I would always feel so at peace whenever it was a cold day and he would play it. Later on when I started to speak more English, we discovered that song was actually a cover of The Smiths song, “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”. I was so in love with this version too that my family finally decided to buy me the vinyl for The Smiths “The Queen Is Dead” which included this song and so many more. This is not only one of my favorite vinyls that I own but it soon turned The Smiths into one of my favorite rock bands. Their music is the perfect mix of wanting to play it on a chill drive at night or playing it on full blast in the day time. Not to mention their English accents! You can hear the Smiths’ music  played on all sorts of movies and T.V. shows. They have such a unique sound that it is very easy to recognize their music. This song will always have a special place in my music journey and so will The Smiths. – Leslie Garcia Gutierrez

 

5. Lady Gaga

I’m grateful for artists who have a punk rock attitude such as P!nk, Avril Lavigne, and Kesha, but one of the first artists that comes to mind when I think of who I’m grateful for is Lady Gaga (aka Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). I’ve been following her music since I was around seven years old, my cousins introduced her to me with the song “Paparazzi.” As a kid, I adored her music and her style, but as I got older I got to adore her in a new light. With her most recent album “Joanne” and her role in A Star Is Born (which has amazing music btw highly recommend), she’s the most vulnerable she’s ever been with her audience. For starters she doesn’t have a crazy custom or any exaggerated makeup on. I also respected her even more after watching her special Gaga: Five Foot Two on Netflix. She’s so inspiring and is such a strong and upfront person. I just have so much respect and love for her more as a person than an artist. I’d totally recommend her but I don’t think her music is for everyone since it mostly falls into the pop category, nothing about her old music doesn’t resonate with me, or maybe anyone, on a personal wavelength, but her newer music does for me and might for others too. – Julia Eide

 

6. The Maine

You know those artists and songs that try really hard to be inspirational? The ones whose hearts are in the right place, but ultimately they just come across as frustratingly cheesy and a bit banal?

Well, The Maine are NOT one of these artists. Their music is endearing, life-affirming, inspiring, and genuine without being cheesy in the slightest. To me, their words are believable and heartfelt. Sonically, their music makes me feel something. And that is why they are one of the artists I am most grateful for. When I’m in need of a little bit of hope, I give these Arizona indie-emo-pop dudes a listen. The world is a little prettier with this band in it. Enjoy. – K-3PO

What artists mean the most to you? Share in the comments below! And be sure to find your new favorite artist by tuning in to KSJS at 90.5 FM or ksjs.org/listen!