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.

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.

Spotlights drench the Mohawk’s indoor stage in blue on Oct. 22, and Angela Calderon and Taylor Ortman ascend the steps to take their places for the evening. A switch flips, and they put on their alter egos, LIONGRL and G-Monk. Through the power of compromise, the “hip-pop” duo has wedded their favorite genres to craft a sound all their own.

Honey bees fly in circles outside Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery, moving from the brim of Nathan Wilkins’ hat to the flowers behind Claire Puckett’s chair. Puckett props her legs up casually in Wilkins’ lap, and the insects create an enchanted, buzzing halo around the couple. Both musicians belong to different Austin-based bands — Puckett to Mother Falcon and Wilkins to Hikes. A budding power couple in the local music scene, Wilkins and Puckett are currently collaborating as the folk-inspired duo named Ponca.

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.

Locals gathered at the Empire Control Room for Ditch the Fest Fest on the weekends of Oct. 4 and Oct. 11. Creative collective Raw Paw organized the event, bringing together musicians from around Austin to put on a two weekend show of non-stop loud music.

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.