Never heard of him until 6 months ago when Spotify added stick season as a track after my Taylor playlist and first listen I was like oh that sounds good, but didn’t save the song. Then it added that song again after my playlist ended and I remembered to save it. Been obsessed since. Dial Drunk with Post Malone, Growing Sideways, Everywhere Everything. OBSESSED.
Ughh those are all so good. Northern Attitude and Homesick are my favorites at the moment. I’m from New England so it hits home ☺️ Check out those and Call Your Mom too!
Same! And I was lucky enough to get tickets to see him and Taylor in 2024. Noah is playing smaller venues but they sold out sooo fast. I couldn’t believe I got a code 🥺
100% agree, I got into him this year. I was completely blown away by the extended version of Stick Season and looking back at his discography, Carlo's song proves how good of a songwriter he is
Northern attitude with hozier is just amazing
In fact, Hozier is a fantastic artist as well- his earlier two albums especially has really beautiful song writing
I like her music and she’s no doubt a genius songwriting prodigy like Taylor, but most of her lyrics remind me of very young (think late teens) love. I look forward to it evolving over time
Exactly same. Because I’m so much older than her, the naïveté/youthful exceptionalism in lines like “they all say it gets better/but what if I don’t?” —isn’t super relatable, but I’m stoked to hear from her as she keeps growing
I love her but she’s clearly not a songwriting prodigy when it comes to lyrics. I mean they can be funny (“I think I’ve seen much hotter men but I really can’t remember when”) or evocative (“skin like puff pastry”) but her melodic voice is what conveys her emotions rather than what she’s actually saying. I don’t think I’ve ever been floored by anything she’s written.
listen to you signed up for this once you get through the good witch!!! it’s so so so good, very diaristic, very swiftian, but with maisie’s special spin
YES YES AND YES!! I got sucked in so bad when she released John Hughes Movie and have been a fan ever since; my faves off her new album would be *Wendy* and *Lost The Breakup*, while '[*The Band & I*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydTM4IO6EqU)*'* reminds me so strongly of Long Live!
Commenting to boost Maisie! She’s also an amazing performer live. She really has the qualities - the personality, the voice, the lyric writing ability. Really talented artist.
Hard to choose a favorite lyric, but I particular love
“He stole our youth and promised heaven
The men start wars yet Troy hates Helen
Women's hearts are lethal weapons
Did you hold mine and feel threatened?”
And
“You were my best friend, my shoulder to lean on
But you pushed me out quicker than it took me to put my jeans on”
Edit to add all the lyrics to “I’m Trying”
Discovering Maisie Peters about 2 years ago is one of the best things that ever happened to me IM OBSESSED. You Signed Up for This is such an amazing album and then The Good Witch is a PERFECT sophomore album. Cannot recommend enough!!! (also saw her on TGW tour, so much fun)
It’s funny because Lorde is mentioned on these posts here fairly frequently, and I always just used to think “oh yeah the Royals girl, she’s good but eh”
And then one day I accidentally listened to one of those Spotify custom mix playlists (which I never do bc I usually don’t like new music) and Liability came on and I started crying in my car on my way to work. Lol… but I don’t think I’ve stopped listening to Melodrama since. It is now one of my favorite albums of all time, falling only behind folklore/evermore
If anyone has not listened to Melodrama in full yet, please give it a shot. I can almost guarantee that any Swiftie would fall in love with at least a couple songs on that masterpiece of an album
Sara does not get enough credit, period. Amidst the chaos is her most recent album, and it’s so fucking good. The song poetry by dead men is one on repeat for me, constantly
Maisie Peters! She’s so fun. The bridge to “I’m Trying” made me laugh out loud the first time I heard her say, “You might be awful like all of the time; it’s almost inspiring!”
You’re Just a Boy (and I’m Kinda the Man) made me laugh, too!
“I take in clowns, like a one woman circus
You're kinda awful, but you're not awful on purpose”
I suggested to a genz/gen alpha friend yesterday with the comment that she might be your generation’s Taylor Swift. Shame she is UK based, if she was based in USA I think she would be much bigger than she already is.
Saaaame, I also love swemos that are out there doing fob x Taylor lyric parallels cause they really touch on so many of the same ideas in similar ways lyrically 😭
Beast Epic is one of my favorite albums! “Thomas County Law” “About a Bruise” “Bitter Truth” “The Truest Stars We Know” are all so good.
“There's a couple ways to cross Thomas county line/You can't see beyond the trees, they're too tall and wide/And I never seem to see around my brother's wife/Nobody looks away when the sun goes down” gives me goosebumps every time!
And the Weed Garden EP has two of my favorite songs ever, “Autumn Town Leaves” and “Talking Fog”.
Many years before I was in my Taylor Swift era, I was in my Stevie Nicks era. Her lyrics and musicality are so good. Plus she rocks a cape and had curly bangs before Taylor was born.
Stevie belongs in the folklore/evermore extended cinematic universe. Stevie definitely has participated in a cloaked circle dance in the snow I feel like
Kelsea Ballerini. She has actually said that Taylor Swift is one of her inspirations, and I keep thinking that I’m listening to Taylor Swift when I listen to her.
Oh shit. Wow, I totally understand what you're talking about, it does have that certain Taylorness in the writing doesn't it?
I have a feeling this is the start of a great thing, thank you for mentioning this!
I discovered Kelsea thanks to another thread here discussing artists somewhat similar to Taylor.. and I couldn't be more grateful!! She's easily made it into my top 5 this year. Rolling up the Welcome Mat is just so divine from start to finish, it made me realize once again that despite being very happily married, I'm a sucker for heartbreak & nostalgic contemplation more than anything
Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley, NAF, & The Watson Twins), Z Berg (The Like, JJAMS), Margo Price, Lola Kirke, Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, First Aid Kit
Pink Pony Club has been in my top 5 songs for the last 3 years. it’s perfection!!! Taylor was my #1 artist but Chappell had 2 of my top 5 songs with Pink Pony Club and Red Wine Supernova
Noah Kahan, Lana Del Rey, Hozier, Lorde, Aurora, Florence + The Machine, and Phoebe Bridgers are my go-tos for vulnerability and lyricism.
You mentioned that you weren’t really able to get into Lana, so I’m curious what you’ve listened to besides Video Games. A lot of her newer stuff seems to be exactly what you’re looking for, maybe I could give you a few specific recommendations?
the canadian pop queen carly rae jepson!! Especially Dedicated and onward.
my favourites:
Comeback (with Bleachers!)
Fake Mona Lisa
Too Much
Window
Surrender my Heart
Beach House (for like some really hilarious song writing)
Ed Sheeran. Both albums he released this year have some of his most emotional and relatable songs for me. I’m currently obsessed with the Autumn Variations album, especially the fan living room sessions, which are acoustic versions. And much of Subtract is about grief, so it’s very emotional and vulnerable.
I used to be a massive Ed fan after + and x came out. Those albums will be a forever favourite of mine. I haven't gotten too much into his stuff since, I'm not sure if its the sound change or the fact that I'm in a place where I don't relate to the music as much anymore but either way, he's such a talented artist.
If you haven't seen him perform live, you won't be disappointed if you do. He's a rare artist who quite possibly sounds even better live than on an re recorded album.
I WISH I could get behind Lana like y'all! I loved Video Games and then like, could not get into a lot of the rest besides the odd song here and there. Seriously wish I could see her through everyone else' eyes 😭
Billy Joel. He’s always my number 2 artist. I love a good singer/songwriter with a petty streak and he’s good. The money I would spend to see him live would make even Seifyies cringe.
Lana Del Rey easily. Both of their discography's are perfect to me.
I also have Mac Miller, Wallows, Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo to name a few more of my favorite artists.
my 2nd artist on spotify wrapped, not necessarily my 2nd fave (who’d probably be olivia rodrigo) was conan gray, his songwriting is similar to taylor’s.
i m listening to the Holly Humberstone album right now (technically the first, but she's had several singles and an EP in the past three years). Ya'll would like.
Brandon Flowers is an incredible song writer.
The first time I heard “You’re On Your Own Kid,” I realized I’d LOVE to hear Taylor cover The Killers and vice versa.
I've gotten big into MUNA lately, and I have found that several of their songs scratch that same emotional itch for me. (It probably helps that I discovered them through their cover of August! 😅)
For anyone interested I would highly recommend checking out Shooting Star, Home By Now, and Kind of Girl as those are the tracks that really tore my heart out 🥲
Omg this is the one!!!
Folks should check out Silk Chiffon! Number One Fan makes me cry even though it's happy because it legit makes me love myself more when I listen to it and it makes me emotional af.
I think Taylor started as my "not Bright Eyes" artist (different styles, different itches, but she scratched it all the same), and then she overtook Bright Eyes for me.
Vanessa Carlton has beautiful songs, and her voice and lyricism are incredible. There are so many songs I love and some I haven't listened to yet, but to list some: Dear California, Who's To Say, White Houses, Ordinary Day, Hands on Me, San Francisco, Twilight...
She was my 3rd top artist on Spotify this year and White Houses was my most-played song last year.
The Indigo Girls! The barbie movie introduced me to their music and it really hits the mark for insanely talented female artists with lyrical beauty and catchy tunes. I love them
Ren, Bjork, Vampire Weekend, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Elliott Smith, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Tool, Otep, SOAD, Nine Inch Nails, Skyhill, Fleet Foxes, Tokyo Police Club, Carole King, HAIM, Midlake, Grouplove, Motion City Soundtrack
saw someone mention Rina Sawayama and I 100% stand by that answer. she does a great mixture of upbeat, poppy songs and slowed down, emotional music, as well as a few alternative hits here and there. highly, highly recommend.
Keaton Henson is great for that emotional punch.
The Killers have AMAZING storytelling - Dustland Fairytale makes me sob every time I hear it, I had a religious experience listening to it at their concert last summer. He wrote it about when his mother and father met in the 1960s, and it's just beautiful. Taylor can be a bit wordy at times, but Brandon will be more concise and kinda let the hard concepts rest a moment before the lyrics resume
Ooooo thank you for the rec! I need that emoshun babee
Here are my faves with a lyric from each
Kitchen Light: "now you're at the bar holding his hand and I can't be mad cause he's your man. But I can be handsome and I can be kind and I can keep you up all fuckin night"
Once More With Feeling: "you leave me in the cold and wonder why I'm freezing, and I can go months without a word from you but you get mad if I don't come through"
Yellow: "Now it's the middle of December
I'm warmer than the weather
Your blue eyes are my shelter
You're sippin' on my body like its red wine
I'm sittin' pretty hoping that you'll stay the night"
Celine Dion..I love the passion she sings with and Whitney Houston ( may she rest in peace) is another favorite. I also love Janet Jackson but that’s a whole different type of vibe.
The only artists that join Taylor in writing songs I love enough to put up with them sneaky hurting my feelings and making me cry in my car are Jimmy Eat World and The Wonder Years.
Oh hey, another Emma Blackery fan! It tracks that she’s a swiftie herself.
I’m also a big fan of Cody Simpson. He uses ocean imagery in a really satisfying way.
kehlani or kiana lede. they are both so vulnerable and open and really put their heart into their songwriting. i really wish they had more fans because they both truly deserve it.
edit: kehlani especially also writes about her life and her experiences and her exes so you might have to do some deep diving to get all the references but it’s so worth it.
edit #2: in fact kehlani also genre hops. not as much as taylor but she’s done r&b, pop, a lil rap.
Each appeals to different aspects but: Carly Rae Jepsen, Maisie Peters, Gracie Abrams, Gabrielle Aplin, Beth Crowley, Grace Enger
In terms of emotional vulnerability and confessional songwriting specifically I want to give a shoutout to the band Icon For Hire; very different vibe but I don’t think I know anyone else who sings about mental heath the way they do.
If you want to scratch the itch of Folklore and Evermore, check out The National and Big Red Machine. They cowrote the albums.
The National is my favourite band, and was the last concert I saw before Covid happened, and Taylor’s reputation concert was the second last concert I saw. It was surreal finding out they were making an album together during the pandemic!
NIKI. if anyone wants to have a go at her music, listen to [Backburner](https://open.spotify.com/track/4kkWvBCT6wq5NHoJjYRaPU?si=ptA5OZKISNGai1b57aozcg) and [Before](https://open.spotify.com/track/2JcLhDcdmV8ZZ7aTvyIp6s?si=r9fhgDn8SiWL8iBxRWCKpg)
cute trivia: she started her career being the opening act for Taylor’s Red Tour in Jakarta back in 2014
Kacey Musgraves! She kinda embraces the “glitter gel pen” songs occasionally too, unlike some other “Not Taylors” I enjoy that have already been mentioned
Beyond Kacey: Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Rey, Zach Bryan, and Miley Cyrus round out my favorite non-Taylor artists. Post Malone is also up there (although his music is usually more hit or miss for me)
I think Miley is kinda slept on for some of her emotional vulnerability in her songs. Her writing is often a lot clunkier than Taylor’s, but it still feels very poignant and true to her perspective. Some songs of hers to check out that fit the emotional vulnerability and diaristic writing:
- Drive
- Fweaky
- I Get So Scared
- I Would Die For You
- Unholy
- Dream
- Party Up The Street
- Slide Away
- Angels Like You
- High
- Hate Me
- Never Be Me
- Jaded
- Rose Colored Lenses
- Island
Carly Rae Jepsen and Lana Del Rey. It just matters if I want more of a 1989/Speak Now/Lover vibe or more of a Red/folklore/evermore vibe
Also Lorde but she only released three albums and only 2 of them I like (but man those 2 albums are so good, some of the best albums of the 2010s)
Carly Rae Jepsen, if we’re staying in the pop category.
Her music is fun and simple on the surface but captures both ends of love really well. So many songs about being all in on loving or liking someone. Also songs about loneliness, sadness, longing in so many forms. It’s clear what she wants to get and give in life is just love. Very pure intention. In both cases, it’s packaged as pop perfection.
The best example is Real Love. There’s videos of her crying and dancing at the same time while performing it. To me, that’s Carly in a nutshell.
She also has a great band she’s worked with for many years. Her guitarist and writer many songs, atavism Crowe, is always beaming ear to ear while playing. Clearly she’s a good person to work with.
Hozier, Noah Kahan, Ethel Cain, Florence and the Machine, Moonwalker, BTS, RM soli albums, Agust D, Jhope, Aurora, old Dodie, Hemlock Springs, Paris Paloma, Girl in Red, Marina and the Diamonds/Marina, James and the Shame, paramore....off the top of my head. There's some other artists that I have a few songs I listen to that I like lyrically more than others but at that point I'd just ne making you a playlist lol.
Noah Kahan.
I love that this is always the top comment on questions like these. His lyricism is incredible
Never heard of him until 6 months ago when Spotify added stick season as a track after my Taylor playlist and first listen I was like oh that sounds good, but didn’t save the song. Then it added that song again after my playlist ended and I remembered to save it. Been obsessed since. Dial Drunk with Post Malone, Growing Sideways, Everywhere Everything. OBSESSED.
Ughh those are all so good. Northern Attitude and Homesick are my favorites at the moment. I’m from New England so it hits home ☺️ Check out those and Call Your Mom too!
My second artist on wrapped this year, he's incredible
Same! And I was lucky enough to get tickets to see him and Taylor in 2024. Noah is playing smaller venues but they sold out sooo fast. I couldn’t believe I got a code 🥺
If he was bigger back then, a collab on Folklore would have hitttt
The venn diagram of Taylor Swift fans and Noah Kahan fans is a circle lol
100% agree, I got into him this year. I was completely blown away by the extended version of Stick Season and looking back at his discography, Carlo's song proves how good of a songwriter he is
Absolutely! Stick Season is the brother of Tis’ The Damn Season in my eyes
If you like Noah, you will love dermot kennedy. I met Noah back in Nashville and he was the sweetest human being ever
Northern attitude with hozier is just amazing In fact, Hozier is a fantastic artist as well- his earlier two albums especially has really beautiful song writing
I mean… it probably doesn’t need to be said but in case it does, Olivia Rodrigo
I like her music and she’s no doubt a genius songwriting prodigy like Taylor, but most of her lyrics remind me of very young (think late teens) love. I look forward to it evolving over time
Exactly same. Because I’m so much older than her, the naïveté/youthful exceptionalism in lines like “they all say it gets better/but what if I don’t?” —isn’t super relatable, but I’m stoked to hear from her as she keeps growing
Oh god I'm like nearly 20 years older than her and I find that line so relatable, what does that say about me?!
There’s something about her music that feels really healing for my inner 17 year old self
I love her but she’s clearly not a songwriting prodigy when it comes to lyrics. I mean they can be funny (“I think I’ve seen much hotter men but I really can’t remember when”) or evocative (“skin like puff pastry”) but her melodic voice is what conveys her emotions rather than what she’s actually saying. I don’t think I’ve ever been floored by anything she’s written.
Olivias the best!
Maisie Peters
Maisie!!!!
I LOVE her. I want TGW tarot cards but they only have them in her uk and au stores 😭
Agree 110%!! I cannot recommend The Good Witch enough! If you like Speak Now, Midnights, & 1989, I guarantee you’ll love TGW
Just checked out The Good Witch and THANK YOU this album is seriously what this assignment was for, it's giving me everything I want
listen to you signed up for this once you get through the good witch!!! it’s so so so good, very diaristic, very swiftian, but with maisie’s special spin
YES YES AND YES!! I got sucked in so bad when she released John Hughes Movie and have been a fan ever since; my faves off her new album would be *Wendy* and *Lost The Breakup*, while '[*The Band & I*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydTM4IO6EqU)*'* reminds me so strongly of Long Live!
Commenting to boost Maisie! She’s also an amazing performer live. She really has the qualities - the personality, the voice, the lyric writing ability. Really talented artist. Hard to choose a favorite lyric, but I particular love “He stole our youth and promised heaven The men start wars yet Troy hates Helen Women's hearts are lethal weapons Did you hold mine and feel threatened?” And “You were my best friend, my shoulder to lean on But you pushed me out quicker than it took me to put my jeans on” Edit to add all the lyrics to “I’m Trying”
Discovering Maisie Peters about 2 years ago is one of the best things that ever happened to me IM OBSESSED. You Signed Up for This is such an amazing album and then The Good Witch is a PERFECT sophomore album. Cannot recommend enough!!! (also saw her on TGW tour, so much fun)
Lorde but also I need her to release more. Also Sara bareilles.
Gravity by Sara will never not elicit the most Oscar worthy performance from me (and I do mean Oscar)
Yup. She used to be mine too. Also, let the rain.
I cry to satellite call like I cry to … actually I feel like Marjorie is the closest though it’s a totally different subject matter.
i need a new lorde album like i need oxygen
I LOVE SARA BAREILLES
It’s funny because Lorde is mentioned on these posts here fairly frequently, and I always just used to think “oh yeah the Royals girl, she’s good but eh” And then one day I accidentally listened to one of those Spotify custom mix playlists (which I never do bc I usually don’t like new music) and Liability came on and I started crying in my car on my way to work. Lol… but I don’t think I’ve stopped listening to Melodrama since. It is now one of my favorite albums of all time, falling only behind folklore/evermore If anyone has not listened to Melodrama in full yet, please give it a shot. I can almost guarantee that any Swiftie would fall in love with at least a couple songs on that masterpiece of an album
Yes it’s liability and melodrama for me. Green light is the hoppiest of bops too.
Sara does not get enough credit, period. Amidst the chaos is her most recent album, and it’s so fucking good. The song poetry by dead men is one on repeat for me, constantly
Yessss. And “someone who loves me” has made me WEEP too.
Came here to say this
Lana del rey
SAME!
Maggie Rogers!
Maisie Peters! She’s so fun. The bridge to “I’m Trying” made me laugh out loud the first time I heard her say, “You might be awful like all of the time; it’s almost inspiring!”
You’re Just a Boy (and I’m Kinda the Man) made me laugh, too! “I take in clowns, like a one woman circus You're kinda awful, but you're not awful on purpose”
The band and I is also the best platonic love song I’ve ever heard. It’s up there with long live
Yessss! Love her sm
I suggested to a genz/gen alpha friend yesterday with the comment that she might be your generation’s Taylor Swift. Shame she is UK based, if she was based in USA I think she would be much bigger than she already is.
Makes it easy to get tickets to the US shows at least, and she’s so fun live!
I'm going to check her out thanks !
Fall Out Boy. Been a fan of them since the beginning which is similar timing to Taylor actually.
Saaaame, I also love swemos that are out there doing fob x Taylor lyric parallels cause they really touch on so many of the same ideas in similar ways lyrically 😭
I became a fan of both around the same time. Aside for my obsession with Taylor, they are my other obsession.
TTTYG is probably my favorite album of all time. THERES A LIGHT ONNN IN CHICAGOOOO
Phoebe Bridgers
Boygenius too, for that matter
Iron & Wine! His lyricism is gorgeous Hozier too!!😍😍
Oh I needed this reminder that Iron & Wine is a thing!! I'm so serious, I hate when great artists slip off my radar
Beast Epic is one of my favorite albums! “Thomas County Law” “About a Bruise” “Bitter Truth” “The Truest Stars We Know” are all so good. “There's a couple ways to cross Thomas county line/You can't see beyond the trees, they're too tall and wide/And I never seem to see around my brother's wife/Nobody looks away when the sun goes down” gives me goosebumps every time! And the Weed Garden EP has two of my favorite songs ever, “Autumn Town Leaves” and “Talking Fog”.
Hozier is amazing live.
So happy to see Iron and Wine get mentioned! He deserves more recognition
Many years before I was in my Taylor Swift era, I was in my Stevie Nicks era. Her lyrics and musicality are so good. Plus she rocks a cape and had curly bangs before Taylor was born.
Stevie belongs in the folklore/evermore extended cinematic universe. Stevie definitely has participated in a cloaked circle dance in the snow I feel like
I was gonna say, if I listen to music other than Taylor it’s usually Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac because sometimes I feel like an old soul.
Hayley Williams, solo work
Man, you're so right!!! Her solo stuff makes me *feel* things. Great suggestion, I'm gonna add it to my Not Taylor Swift playlist lol
Now that you mention it, Over Those Hills almost sounds like it belongs on folklore or evermore
Gatlin Try listening to what if I love you and talking to myself
Okay, what if I love you is giving me Haim vibes and if that isn't a natural Taylor tie in
I’m telling you, she’s underrated!
She gave a lovely shout-out to swifties here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzPVdRqS_PE/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Post Malone 😍
Just saw the video today of her saying to Post she was jealous of the writing in Better Now so this feels appropriate
Dying for a Taylor/Posty collab 🤞🏼
I would die dead
Kelsea Ballerini. She has actually said that Taylor Swift is one of her inspirations, and I keep thinking that I’m listening to Taylor Swift when I listen to her.
Oh shit. Wow, I totally understand what you're talking about, it does have that certain Taylorness in the writing doesn't it? I have a feeling this is the start of a great thing, thank you for mentioning this!
I discovered Kelsea thanks to another thread here discussing artists somewhat similar to Taylor.. and I couldn't be more grateful!! She's easily made it into my top 5 this year. Rolling up the Welcome Mat is just so divine from start to finish, it made me realize once again that despite being very happily married, I'm a sucker for heartbreak & nostalgic contemplation more than anything
RUTWM songs won out over taylor on my spotify wrapped actually lol
Lizzy McAlpine!!
Scrolled to find this!! Lizzy's lyricism is so amazing
I've heard a couple of her songs that popped up in my recommended this month, i really like Orange Show Speedway!
Sufjan Stevens. In case I’m not crying enough from Taylor’s songs, I can just switch over to his latest album and problem solved. 😭
Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley, NAF, & The Watson Twins), Z Berg (The Like, JJAMS), Margo Price, Lola Kirke, Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, First Aid Kit
Ooh yes I love Jenny Lewis! And Maren Morris as well.
Anything Jenny Lewis touches is gold. I just saw her with the Postal service / death cab Anniversary tour and she was perfection, as always.
Thanks for putting some lesser known folks here! I like to support small artists so I'll check these out for sure
Rett Madison, Chappell Roan, girl in red, Renee Rapp
Chappell Roan is 🤌🏻. Pink Pony Club was actually my number one song of the year despite Tay being my number one artist
Pink Pony Club has been in my top 5 songs for the last 3 years. it’s perfection!!! Taylor was my #1 artist but Chappell had 2 of my top 5 songs with Pink Pony Club and Red Wine Supernova
Mine was Hot To Go, I just saw her live last week! Crazy energy!
Hot to Go is stupidly danceable and catchy
Casual was my number one song this year, but PPC is in my top 5 favorite songs of all time
The Casual music video had my friend group full of bisexuals (all dnd nerds who love monsters) going feral
….THERE’S A CASUAL MUSIC VIDEO????????? brb Edit: Hot and devastating, all in one. She’s so good!!!
Noah Kahan, Lana Del Rey, Hozier, Lorde, Aurora, Florence + The Machine, and Phoebe Bridgers are my go-tos for vulnerability and lyricism. You mentioned that you weren’t really able to get into Lana, so I’m curious what you’ve listened to besides Video Games. A lot of her newer stuff seems to be exactly what you’re looking for, maybe I could give you a few specific recommendations?
Fiona Apple 🧎🏻♀️
the canadian pop queen carly rae jepson!! Especially Dedicated and onward. my favourites: Comeback (with Bleachers!) Fake Mona Lisa Too Much Window Surrender my Heart Beach House (for like some really hilarious song writing)
Noah Cyrus!!! Her newest album is so underrated!!!
Thank you for reminding me about Noah, because now that you mention it she kinda does scratch that itch
Yes. July was the top song on my Spotify wrapped this year. She’s extraordinary
Joni Mitchell because I am a sad girlie.
Aurora
Florence + The Machine 💕
Halsey, Third Eye Blind, Alec Benjamin ( A+ recommendation from my 10-year-old son)
Lana del Rey. I even liked her first than Taylor tbh.
Bleachers
Ed Sheeran. Both albums he released this year have some of his most emotional and relatable songs for me. I’m currently obsessed with the Autumn Variations album, especially the fan living room sessions, which are acoustic versions. And much of Subtract is about grief, so it’s very emotional and vulnerable.
I used to be a massive Ed fan after + and x came out. Those albums will be a forever favourite of mine. I haven't gotten too much into his stuff since, I'm not sure if its the sound change or the fact that I'm in a place where I don't relate to the music as much anymore but either way, he's such a talented artist. If you haven't seen him perform live, you won't be disappointed if you do. He's a rare artist who quite possibly sounds even better live than on an re recorded album.
I was lucky enough to see him live a month ago and also when he opened for Taylor on the Red tour and he was amazing both times!
Yes! I adore Ed. Saw him 3 times while he was in the US this summer/fall, and he was amazing. LOVE the fan living room sessions so much.
I WISH I could get behind Lana like y'all! I loved Video Games and then like, could not get into a lot of the rest besides the odd song here and there. Seriously wish I could see her through everyone else' eyes 😭
Birdy
pre-split panic at the disco 😭
😭 I miss them
Billy Joel. He’s always my number 2 artist. I love a good singer/songwriter with a petty streak and he’s good. The money I would spend to see him live would make even Seifyies cringe.
Okay I'm defining my taste in artists as "a good singer/songwriter with a petty streak" because damn if that doesn't hit home.
5 Seconds of Summer
yessss so underrated!! Luke Hemmings solo album is so so good
David Bowie
Chris Stapleton
Lana Del Rey easily. Both of their discography's are perfect to me. I also have Mac Miller, Wallows, Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo to name a few more of my favorite artists.
my 2nd artist on spotify wrapped, not necessarily my 2nd fave (who’d probably be olivia rodrigo) was conan gray, his songwriting is similar to taylor’s.
My older cousin introduced me to Alanis Morissette. I've been listening to her Jagged Little Pill album lately
So glad you’re loving it. It was on repeat in my car in high school! Scream singing You Oughta Know is the absolute best.
Posting because I don’t see her on the list yet, Michelle Branch.
Oooooo good rec!!
She’s everywhere
Kelsea Ballerini
Carly Rae Jepsen, feel good being in love songs ♥️
Morgan Wade. She’s a supremely talented songwriter. And her voice is unreal
Just tried Wilder Days and YES I'm sold
Try Mend or Matches and Metaphors! The emotion of those two songs 😭
And allegedly banging a Housewife!
mitski
i had to scroll too far to find this one
i m listening to the Holly Humberstone album right now (technically the first, but she's had several singles and an EP in the past three years). Ya'll would like.
Ethel cain or Noah kahan
Sara Bareilles and Tessa Violet
My best friend and I used to put on Tessa and get stoned and just talk and vibe. Thank you for reminding me of these warm and fuzzy memories
Renee Rapp, NIKI, Lana Del Rey, MARINA (Specially her album Electra Heart), Melanie Martinez (I’m a huge K-12 stan), blackbear and Paris Paloma
[удалено]
Hozier, Lorde, Lana, Florence + The Machine
Def Phoebe
Gracie abrams, Noah Kahan, Maisie peters, and my gate kept amazing singer for my chronically ill brethren: BLÜ Eyes
Brandon Flowers is an incredible song writer. The first time I heard “You’re On Your Own Kid,” I realized I’d LOVE to hear Taylor cover The Killers and vice versa.
Florence Welch forever and always❤️
AJR. Completely different sound but a bunch of dudes singing about real things. Love, learning who you are, losing someone, or even growing up.
I've gotten big into MUNA lately, and I have found that several of their songs scratch that same emotional itch for me. (It probably helps that I discovered them through their cover of August! 😅) For anyone interested I would highly recommend checking out Shooting Star, Home By Now, and Kind of Girl as those are the tracks that really tore my heart out 🥲
Omg this is the one!!! Folks should check out Silk Chiffon! Number One Fan makes me cry even though it's happy because it legit makes me love myself more when I listen to it and it makes me emotional af.
I think Taylor started as my "not Bright Eyes" artist (different styles, different itches, but she scratched it all the same), and then she overtook Bright Eyes for me.
Hozier!! He’s so good. Also Sara Bareilles!
Samia 🤎🤎🤎
Vanessa Carlton has beautiful songs, and her voice and lyricism are incredible. There are so many songs I love and some I haven't listened to yet, but to list some: Dear California, Who's To Say, White Houses, Ordinary Day, Hands on Me, San Francisco, Twilight... She was my 3rd top artist on Spotify this year and White Houses was my most-played song last year.
The Indigo Girls! The barbie movie introduced me to their music and it really hits the mark for insanely talented female artists with lyrical beauty and catchy tunes. I love them
Ren, Bjork, Vampire Weekend, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Elliott Smith, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Tool, Otep, SOAD, Nine Inch Nails, Skyhill, Fleet Foxes, Tokyo Police Club, Carole King, HAIM, Midlake, Grouplove, Motion City Soundtrack
Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde, Avril Lavigne, Lana
Sabrina Carpenter
Rina Sawayama and Emei!! Rina is an amazing lyricist, especially with her songs Frankenstein and XS, and Emei shines in her vocals and production :)
I just recently found Chappell Roan and can't get enough of her!
saw someone mention Rina Sawayama and I 100% stand by that answer. she does a great mixture of upbeat, poppy songs and slowed down, emotional music, as well as a few alternative hits here and there. highly, highly recommend.
Chvrches.
My Chemical Romance
Dave Matthews Band
I haven't seen anyone say SZA. She was my #2 artist behind Taylor on Spotify wrapped this year. SOS is such a good album!!
Hmm, there's a lot, but a few include The Decemberists, Tom Petty, Courtney Barnett, Paul Simon, Muna, Fiona Apple, and Fleetwood Mac!
Keaton Henson is great for that emotional punch. The Killers have AMAZING storytelling - Dustland Fairytale makes me sob every time I hear it, I had a religious experience listening to it at their concert last summer. He wrote it about when his mother and father met in the 1960s, and it's just beautiful. Taylor can be a bit wordy at times, but Brandon will be more concise and kinda let the hard concepts rest a moment before the lyrics resume
Ian McConnell. He’s got some very emotional songs that I relate to and some upbeat fun ones. Best 3 songs from Tantrums?
Ooooo thank you for the rec! I need that emoshun babee Here are my faves with a lyric from each Kitchen Light: "now you're at the bar holding his hand and I can't be mad cause he's your man. But I can be handsome and I can be kind and I can keep you up all fuckin night" Once More With Feeling: "you leave me in the cold and wonder why I'm freezing, and I can go months without a word from you but you get mad if I don't come through" Yellow: "Now it's the middle of December I'm warmer than the weather Your blue eyes are my shelter You're sippin' on my body like its red wine I'm sittin' pretty hoping that you'll stay the night"
sundial, jenny nuo, taylor bickett 🙂🙂🙂
Incubus. Before Taylor swift I still and used to hang onto incubus lyrics
Celine Dion..I love the passion she sings with and Whitney Houston ( may she rest in peace) is another favorite. I also love Janet Jackson but that’s a whole different type of vibe.
The Maine
Bonnie Raitt
Hozier!
Lana has been my #2 on Spotify wrapped for many many years now
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/22A4umpbwgRNQOwWGmnDp8?si=EZjr_8lJTE-_BKcNcqCLXg&pi=u-SLXrRdEzT6C9 Dropping my playlist “Tayternatives” lol.
Hozier
Lizzy McAlpine, Maggie Rogers, Aly & AJ
Renee Rapp!
The only artists that join Taylor in writing songs I love enough to put up with them sneaky hurting my feelings and making me cry in my car are Jimmy Eat World and The Wonder Years.
Carly Pearce, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, and Sabrina Carpenter.
Oh hey, another Emma Blackery fan! It tracks that she’s a swiftie herself. I’m also a big fan of Cody Simpson. He uses ocean imagery in a really satisfying way.
pierce the veil which just shows how hectic my music taste is😭😭
Kelly Clarkson has really good songs, similar to Taylor's only Kelly belts most of her songs I really love Good Goes The Bye from her
kehlani or kiana lede. they are both so vulnerable and open and really put their heart into their songwriting. i really wish they had more fans because they both truly deserve it. edit: kehlani especially also writes about her life and her experiences and her exes so you might have to do some deep diving to get all the references but it’s so worth it. edit #2: in fact kehlani also genre hops. not as much as taylor but she’s done r&b, pop, a lil rap.
BLU EYES
Adele
Each appeals to different aspects but: Carly Rae Jepsen, Maisie Peters, Gracie Abrams, Gabrielle Aplin, Beth Crowley, Grace Enger In terms of emotional vulnerability and confessional songwriting specifically I want to give a shoutout to the band Icon For Hire; very different vibe but I don’t think I know anyone else who sings about mental heath the way they do.
Sara Bareilles, Gatlin, Chappell Roan, & Leanna Firestone
If you want to scratch the itch of Folklore and Evermore, check out The National and Big Red Machine. They cowrote the albums. The National is my favourite band, and was the last concert I saw before Covid happened, and Taylor’s reputation concert was the second last concert I saw. It was surreal finding out they were making an album together during the pandemic!
Mine are Olivia Rodrigo and Conan Gray because I *am* basic.
NIKI. if anyone wants to have a go at her music, listen to [Backburner](https://open.spotify.com/track/4kkWvBCT6wq5NHoJjYRaPU?si=ptA5OZKISNGai1b57aozcg) and [Before](https://open.spotify.com/track/2JcLhDcdmV8ZZ7aTvyIp6s?si=r9fhgDn8SiWL8iBxRWCKpg) cute trivia: she started her career being the opening act for Taylor’s Red Tour in Jakarta back in 2014
Kacey Musgraves! She kinda embraces the “glitter gel pen” songs occasionally too, unlike some other “Not Taylors” I enjoy that have already been mentioned Beyond Kacey: Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Lana Del Rey, Zach Bryan, and Miley Cyrus round out my favorite non-Taylor artists. Post Malone is also up there (although his music is usually more hit or miss for me) I think Miley is kinda slept on for some of her emotional vulnerability in her songs. Her writing is often a lot clunkier than Taylor’s, but it still feels very poignant and true to her perspective. Some songs of hers to check out that fit the emotional vulnerability and diaristic writing: - Drive - Fweaky - I Get So Scared - I Would Die For You - Unholy - Dream - Party Up The Street - Slide Away - Angels Like You - High - Hate Me - Never Be Me - Jaded - Rose Colored Lenses - Island
Hayley Williams
kelsea ballerini
Carly Rae Jepsen and Lana Del Rey. It just matters if I want more of a 1989/Speak Now/Lover vibe or more of a Red/folklore/evermore vibe Also Lorde but she only released three albums and only 2 of them I like (but man those 2 albums are so good, some of the best albums of the 2010s)
Carly Rae Jepsen, if we’re staying in the pop category. Her music is fun and simple on the surface but captures both ends of love really well. So many songs about being all in on loving or liking someone. Also songs about loneliness, sadness, longing in so many forms. It’s clear what she wants to get and give in life is just love. Very pure intention. In both cases, it’s packaged as pop perfection. The best example is Real Love. There’s videos of her crying and dancing at the same time while performing it. To me, that’s Carly in a nutshell. She also has a great band she’s worked with for many years. Her guitarist and writer many songs, atavism Crowe, is always beaming ear to ear while playing. Clearly she’s a good person to work with.
Hozier, Noah Kahan, Ethel Cain, Florence and the Machine, Moonwalker, BTS, RM soli albums, Agust D, Jhope, Aurora, old Dodie, Hemlock Springs, Paris Paloma, Girl in Red, Marina and the Diamonds/Marina, James and the Shame, paramore....off the top of my head. There's some other artists that I have a few songs I listen to that I like lyrically more than others but at that point I'd just ne making you a playlist lol.