Right now, in June 2025, these are my 6 favorite musical artists. They are the musicians that I listen to all the time and explore all their albums (instead of just liking one or two songs). They are not ranked in any particular order. I love them for different reasons and listen to them at different times and when I’m in different moods. I’ve shared four songs from each. (Please know that to pick just four songs is an almost impossible task. I agonized over this way more than I should have.)
Leon Bridges
I’m always in the mood for Leon Bridges. The first song I heard from him was “Bad, Bad News” and I fell in love instantly. From there, I kept adding songs to my playlists until I realized that he could do no wrong in my book. Better yet, he has collaborated with two of my other favorite artists (Khruangbin and Kacey Musgraves).
Khruangbin
Although I don’t quite know how to say this band name (or spell it without looking it up), I LOVE their music. The first song I heard that made me a fan was “A Calf Born in Winter.” I went exploring from there and loved everything I discovered. And what’s better than two of my favorites teaming up (see “Texas Sun” below—a collaboration between Khruangbin and Leon Bridges). Perfection!
Kacey Musgraves
Since I first heard “Slow Burn” on the radio and had to find out who was singing it, I have fallen in love with Kacey Musgraves. I adore her gorgeous voice, her songwriting, and her worldview. I was lucky enough to see her in concert during the Deeper Well tour, and she was amazing! (Bonus: The album has a bonus track that is a duet with Leon Bridges, “Superbloom.” Love it!)
Kendrick Lamar
My son is a huge fan of Kendrick Lamar and wanted to attend his first concert ever at a Kendrick Lamar show. I told him I’d go with him. Anyway, to prep for the concert, my son gave me a crash course in Kendrick Lamar’s music, and I slowly but surely fell in love. The concert we went to was in support of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (which ended up being my overall favorite album). However, my playlists are all very heavy with Kendrick Lamar songs—all the way from good kid, m.A.A.d. city to GNX. I really admire how he mixes it up from album to album and thinks about a throughline or story for each album. An amazing artist.
The 1975
The first song I ever heard by The 1975 was “Chocolate.” I loved it so much that I sought out the album and fell in love with the entire album. (Seriously, their first album is A+ and I’ve yet to tire of it.) I continued to follow their music and always find something to like.
Nightmares on Wax
Like Khruangbin, I love the diversity and variety of Nightmares of Wax. I can listen to multiple songs and never know what to expect. The first song I ever heard was “Morse” and that led me down a rabbit hole that I’ve never climbed out of yet. Great music for late nights.
