Remember when MTV actually stood for “Music Television”? No? Well, the ORANGE Music staff does, and we’re still bitter about the change. At a ripe average age of just 20, we might be dating ourselves this week, but we consider these music videos game-changers in a field that is rapidly becoming a dying art.
Fame is fickle. Often the ones who are most worthy of the spotlight will go through their careers without ever reaching it. For some reason or another, these artists have yet to be embraced by the mainstream on the scale that we think they deserve. But at least we know they’re great, and our fingers are crossed.
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.
If you threw a Halloween party that didn’t have a badass playlist, did you really throw a Halloween party? The ORANGE Music staff doesn’t think so. To help you out, we present our top picks for a haunted soiree that’s so devilishly fun, it’ll wake the dead. Spoiler alert: “Monster Mash” is noticeably absent.
Austin City Limits 2014 might be over, but the best weekend(s) of your life don't have to end just yet. Our ORANGE photographers captured the performances that you waited for, cried for and screamed at the top of your lungs for. Relive those sweaty, unforgettable moments in this photo series recapping the best of the festival and the Late Night shows.
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.
Megan Tillman, known as Megz Kelli from the hip-hop group Magna Carda, is recognized for her mastery over a microphone. But not many know the story behind her music.
Vibes are incredibly important. When I go to events, I like to take everything in and base my assessment off of the entire experience. Unfortunately, I was only able to attend Weird City Hip-Hop Festival, Austin’s first-ever hip-hop fest, for one night. Still, that one night showed me what Austin hip-hop is all about.
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.
