Since 1994, local radio station KVRX has played local artists for college students’ listening pleasure. But if the station hopes to keep playing “none of the hits, all of the time,” as their motto proudly declares, they need to make some changes. The station has been running on the same transmitter for 20 years, and it could give out any day.

One of the prerequisites for being a music writer is believing in your own impeccable taste. If we have the potential to influence the public’s perception and consumption of new music, we have to like stuff that doesn’t suck. Still, we’re only human, and we all deserve a few get-out-of-jail-free cards. We can hold on to our favorite guilty pleasures without owing anybody an explanation. It could be worse. It could be Nickelback. 

A proper movie-watching experience goes far beyond the visual appeal. A good soundtrack heightens the viewer’s enjoyment and understanding of the film, articulating the emotional impact of a scene when words might fail. Our favorite soundtracks do just that. They elevate their respective movies from mere entertainment to true art.

Not all great things go well together. Think peanut butter and Sriracha. But sometimes two things blend so beautifully that it's nearly impossible to remember life before the combination. Musical collaborations are no different, and we've compiled a list of artist fusions that are so seamlessly brilliant, they outshine the individuals. They're the peanut butter and chocolate of collaborations, if you will.

This is an enchanted place. No, I don’t mean really cool or fun or eclectic - it’s literally enchanted. Things happen here that don’t happen in the real world. Each member of the ORANGE Music Staff has experienced that pivotal moment that changed their lives forever. It’s a blessing and a curse, really. No matter how mind-bogglingly awesome our celebrity run-ins or community festival experiences may have been, we are now forever spoiled, fully aware of the depressing fact that no other city will ever match the serendipitous beauty of Austin.

From punk to hip-hop, Austin has something for every type of music fan on any given night. Where the show takes place is almost as important as the performance itself. A venue’s ambiance can make or break a live music experience. The ORANGE Music Staff encourages all live music enthusiasts to find the venue that best resonates with them.

We get it. There are a million-and-one places to buy records and other assorted music memorabilia in Austin. But in a city that thrives off of music consumption and appeals to an enormously diverse demographic of listeners, finding a store tailored to one’s taste is easier said than done. To take the stress out of finding the right place to shop and put the emphasis back on the joy of adding a new item to the collection, the ORANGE music staff gives its picks for the top music stores in Austin.

Cover songs: one of the trickiest balancing acts in music. Artists face the tremendous pressure of putting their own stamp on a time-honored classic, while still paying homage to the original. Add extreme skepticism from purists to the mix, and it seems like a no-win situation for musicians simply trying to wear their influences on their sleeves. Still, against all odds, these artists’ renditions manage to not just make the cut, but even surpass the original versions in the eyes of the ORANGE music staff.