(from left the right) Ryan, Jack, Adam
Three brothers from New York: Adam, Jack, and Ryan, have found a way to translate their anxieties into a transformative listening experience. Their unique sound is paired with their unique style of creation, as the brothers write, mix, and produce their music in their New York apartment, giving a different meaning to the term “house music.” They strive to make their concerts more than just singing on stage. Rather, their goal is to make it a whole experience for their fans. They have released 5 full albums and with each one they have revealed more and more of their anxieties and personalities that inspire their songs.
Living Room (2015)
There have been many sources of inspiration for their unique sound. Growing up and living in such a bustling place as Manhattan certainly played a role. But they also attribute inspiration to the music they listened to with their father while growing up. This included artists such as Billy Joel, the Beach Boys, and Simon & Garfunkel, as well as the frequent Broadway hits they would listen to as well. They strive for a new sound that is born from mixing different aspects from different artists of different genres to create something that has never been heard before.
The Click (2017)
The brothers revealed that the best part of being musicians is not being famous and gaining worldwide recognition, but rather it is the enjoyment they get out of creating their shows. They are motivated to provide a show that seems like it would be fitting for a larger stage because they strive to create an experience that differs from anything their audience has ever experienced. But this motivation also stems from insecurity. The feeling that they cannot just go onstage and be themselves, that instead, they must put on big theatrics. This is just one example of the anxieties the brothers face as they navigate their stardom.
Neotheater (2019)
The influence of social media on their albums is large, as they want their fans to be involved in their creative process. The band is able to release multiple teasers of different songs and let the reactions to those songs determine which songs should be the singles on their upcoming album. This is a unique approach to involving the fans in their creative process, but it helps create a stronger and more intimate fanbase as the individual fans feel as though they are heard by AJR. Without the massive popularity growth that can come with the internet, AJR’s song “World’s Smallest Violin” would most likely not have accumulated over ten billion views. This is one example of a song the band released a teaser for that was then released as the final single before the complete album release of OK Orchestra in 2021, largely due to the positive traction it gained online.
OK Orchestra (2021)
Their most recent album, The Maybe Man, was released in 2023 and was written while their father was struggling with lung cancer. Their creative process for this album allowed them to let their truest emotions and feelings shine through with all of the difficulties they were going through. They wanted to use their music as a medium to share the personal experiences they were facing. The namesake for this album, “The Maybe Man,” is meant to represent the experience of not knowing who you are and the journey one takes to find the answer to that very question. The brothers feel that for them to write about the difficult and trying experiences they encounter can make their audience feel like they are not alone in the troubles that they are facing. In the book, Faith, Hope, and Carnage, Nick Cave explains “that music can draw people out of their suffering, even if it is just temporary respite” (Cave, 24). Through Cave’s musical intentions, he feels that “music can lift us closer to the sacred” (Cave, 30). In his album Skeleton Tree, Cave touches heavily upon these themes of grief and loss. Similarly, AJR released their song “God is Really Real” when their father passed away from his battle with cancer as a way to pay tribute to him and share their extremely personal emotions with their fans.
The Maybe Man (2023)
The ability of a band to convey such deep emotion through music is truly a unique gift and I know it is cherished by many of AJR’s fans. The personality and truth that goes into their music does not go unappreciated and leaves their fans (im)patiently waiting for their next album to be released.
SOURCES:
Cave, N., & O’Hagan, S. (2022). Faith, Hope and Carnage. Canongate.
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Taylor- the candor of this band is very interesting. My book assigned for this class is The Creative Spark, and the communal nature of creation is highly emphasized in it. Your deep connection to the band is perfect evidence of that fact. Their art is a shared experience that binds together the community of the band and its fans. It is interesting to read about the ways in which those relationships influence their creative processes and outputs.
ReplyDeleteNathan, thank you for making a connection to your focus book, as that is not the one I am reading and I think the angle that The Creative Spark takes toward creativity is very interesting to think about. I'm glad that from the post you were able to see how the shared experiences of the band and their fans link them both together to create a tight-knit community.
DeleteTaylor! This post was really interesting. I've heard a bit of AJR's music, but I never really knew much else about them. It was especially interesting to me how they want to create a whole new experience for their fans. From the music that I've heard from them, this does make a lot of sense as I feel it is not like much else that you hear from other artists. I also appreciated how you went into some of their inspiration and life events that influenced their music.
ReplyDeleteTaylor! I really enjoyed your post! Learning about AJR and their dedication to their fanbase was incredibly interesting! Many stars strive to create novel concert-going experiences for their fans. However, most seem focused on producing a spectacle; the bigger, the better. Yet, it seems AJR is devoted to listening to their fans, including them in their decision-making processes, and producing a concert and music that is unlike anything they’ve ever heard. It’s brilliant and sweet that the channel also goes both ways; not only are they actively listening to their fans, but they are willing to communicate their own personal experiences and feelings with them, crafting an intimate glimpse into their own lives, forming a very special connection between fan and artist that most artists do not create with the people who enjoy their art. I love how Nick Cave specifics that love can be utilized as a tool to process and overcome grief, even if it's only a brief break. I believe that art can create relationships and connections and having a supportive community to stand with you in and amongst grief is vital. AJR by communicating personal feelings in their music may have also bolstered their community and surrounded themself with caring and supportive encouragement in a hard time.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard songs quite like AJR's music. Their music is so distinct, with a type of joy that seems to be integral to their work. There must be some repetition that I'm not picking up-- but for example, I'd say that the chorus of "World's Smallest Violin" and "Inertia" are similar-- the backing vocals, maybe? They remind me of campfire songs-- if I went to camp, that is. It seems that AJR is as communal as they sound-- their albums being almost directed by audience appeal is fascinating, especially considering that many other artists would reject that much audience input in their work.
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