By Silvana Smith | Alumni Contributor
This February, I traded in online dating for some online songs. Yep, I’m single, but I’m not alone. Like many others, I’ve flocked to online communities where I can find other bitter people just like myself during this month of love and romance. Although many turn to memes for comfort on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram, I find my solace by jamming to online songs with the fellow brokenhearted on all kinds of platforms. From Myspace and Limewire, to the rise of Soundcloud to Bandcamp and even (ugh) Tik Tok, people have long been going online to find their next favorite breakup song. So in the spirit of my true loves (music and the internet), I’ve made a list of anti-love songs about heartache and angst from artists who have all built their fanbase online or had their songs first gain popularity exclusively on social media.
From converting YouTube to mp3 to streaming music on Spotify, from 2000’s emo to the bedroom pop of today, music culture and discovery has evolved with the internet and all its incarnations. Although the platforms might change over the years, people have always been able to find both music and community online. So where’s a better place to go to wallow in your singlehood this February, than with other bitter-hearted music lovers?
february; beach bunny
Although I found this band through their music videos produced by the uber-talented everybody’s baby filmmakers, this band was discovered by many through their song “Prom Queen” that became super popular to use in the background of Tik Toks. However you might have found them, I can tell you with certainty that every song that this Chicago-based solo-project-turned-band has released is power pop gold *chef’s kiss.*
Their song “February”, aptly named, is the perfect song to kick off this playlist. In fact, the band just released their debut album Honeymoon on Valentine’s Day as a way to reclaim the holiday and be excited for the month, despite how “a major part of [frontwoman Lili Trifilio’s] brand is hating on February.”
Sometimes, you just find comfort in the fact that eventually this month will end because “any day’s better than February.” It’s dark and cold, the holidays have long past, January already screwed you over, and to top it off; you’re single. Thankfully, the month is almost over. Look on the bright side! You’ve got Beach Bunny’s entire new album to soothe your bitterness.
online songs; blink 182
Once upon a time, in 2001, during the days of instant messenger and AOL screen names (and even before Myspace) there was a band called Blink 182. At the height of 3rd wave emo and the pop punk scene of the early 2000’s, the band wrote yet another song about a girl named Josie. Although the band is still kicking around today, this song about a bitter breakup and the online ramifications of romance (pre-Facebook) is a nice nostalgic reminder of when instant messenger was the 3rd space for teenagers to mingle in, a space that social media now occupies. However much time has passed since, and however many websites have come and gone, this song is still a breakup jam. Anyone else remember those anti-music pirating commercials during that time? They went a little like “you wouldn’t steal a car?!” lol throwback to downloading songs illegally; those were good times.
killing boys; halsey
Ever wonder why every Tumblr girl ever looked like 2015 Halsey? It’s because Halsey was a Tumblr girl herself. Although she didn’t become a musician because of Tumblr, a lot of her fanbase found community in Tumblr and so did she, under the username se7enteenblack. Having gained a large following on the site, she often blogged about her favorite bands and posted lyrics on the platform.
Halsey even posted lyrics to her blog from her song “Colors” pre-release and the line went viral.
“You were red, and you liked me because I was blue
But you touched me, and suddenly I was a lilac sky
Then you decided purple just wasn't for you”
Since then, she’s definitely evolved from her tumblr roots and so has her sound. “Killing boys”, off her latest effort Manic, features a much more mature production than her earlier songs but still maintains her alt pop hooks. And, in very tumblr fashion, the songs starts off with a sound clip from the movie Jennifer’s Body, a cult favorite that has found much love in the Tumblr community. Because just like every other Tumblr user, at the end of the day, she’s a fangirl too. With lyrics like “Tell me have you ever keyed a Ferrari before?,“ the bop is the perfect song about revenge for anyone who wouldn’t mind killing one of their exes.
sitting pretty; bears in trees
“Yeah I watch BoJack when I’m sad too, what else is there to do?”
How bands market themselves to new audiences has definitely changed with the times as fliers and ads at local record shops have evolved to Instagram promos and pre-rolls ads on youtube. The decline of local music scenes with access to the world wide web and the disappearances of music stores have had bands finding new ways of reaching new listeners. As bands have to rely more on streaming and algorithms for exposure, they’ve had to use social media to guerrilla market their music for cheap.
In the case of bears in trees, a small indie band from the UK, they found me-- not the other way around. Like many other super small bands on Instagram and Twitter, they started following me on social media in hopes that I would look at their page and check out their music—kind of like the modern day equivalent to handing out CDs after gigs. And it worked. When they followed me on Twitter, I scanned their page, read some of their memes and eventually added some of their songs to my Spotify. It wasn’t their music that drew me in initially, it was the type of humor and their relatable online presence that made me want to be a part of their fan community. Specifically, it was a tweet about 2013 tumblr culture that had me hooked (lol). And who can’t relate to watching BoJack when you’re sad anyways?
decoy; paramore
Although Paramore’s rise to pop punk stardom was at the height of Myspace music culture, this band also built a large fanbase through the old blogging site livejournal. Used by the likes of Fall Out Boy and other emo teens, both the band and the lead singer, Hayley, would post blogs and chat with fans online. As teenagers themselves, the band was able to connect with fans on an equal platform and form a close bond with their fans who were going through some of the same growing pains as they were. Although now a social platform of the past, fans today can still remember a time when everyone shopped at Hot Topic and bands would post updates longer than 250 characters.
For the purposes of the playlist, I chose to include the song “Decoy,” a b-side from their RIOT! era, that many fans could only listen to online or at shows. Additionally, its cheeky and unapologetic lyrics about not being in love with a current partner make it the perfect pick for anyone who feels like “love’s forgotten you.”
crisis actor; heart attack man
Hi! It’s me, Silvana, from Heart Attack Man, here to tell you to listen to this band. The meme you have just read (sorry, inside joke) is actually how I found this band on Twitter. As one of the first artists I found solely because of Twitter, I fell in love with their online personality before their music. Although not always the best formula for knowing whether or not I”ll also like their music sound, Twitter is a pretty good gauge on how well I’ll relate to their lyrics. Many followers even confess to only following the band online and not listening to anything. Whether or not it increases listeners, Twitter has definitely helped the band form a close-knit community. The lead singer, Eric, is frequently tweeting updates and often responds to/retweets fans daily, creating lots of inside jokes and a casual way for the band to ask for feedback on things like merch and setlists and get to know their own community.
If anyone wants to memorize your Miranda rights for a school test, or just have a lot of angst to release this month, the song “Crisis Actor” is for you. Lyrics like “Fuck” and “Slowly rotting on the inside” and “You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided for you” really get you in the romantic mood right?
feal like crab; hot mulligan
Although Hot Mulligan (the #1 hot new band) is also another favorite band Twitter account of mine, this band was actually one of the first bands I discovered completely through Spotify’s recommendation. I was a very late adopter to spotify and streaming in general (I held onto illegally downloading YouTube mp3s to my iTunes library as long as I could before making the switch late 2017) and I usually found my music through YouTube recommended music videos and the opening bands my favorite artists would tour with. Spotify Discover and Spotify’s daily mixes really opened up a whole new door for discovering music for me—completely outside of any sort of community and solely based on genre and an algorithm.
Ironically, the very platform that exposed me to this underground band is exactly what’s hurting a lot of smaller bands financially by drastically underpaying artists per stream. Problems like these actually led Hot Mulligan to delete and reupload all their songs under new publishing rights in an attempt to earn more for their music. Whether it be the music industry that’s getting you down or the love in the air that you’re not a part of, this song about feeling like crap could be the perfect cathartic tune to jam to while feeling alone and useless and you “don’t think [you] can fake it.”
checkmate; conan gray
Conan Gray has been making YouTube videos since he was in grade school. Now, hundreds of videos later at age 20, he’s sold out headlining shows, toured with Panic! at the Disco, and is set to release his debut album next month. Over those years, he gained over a million subscribers uploading videos about art, plants, music, and his daily life as a high school kid just trying to make it out of his small town in Texas. Songwriting was just another creative outlet he shared with his YouTube community and, after he uploaded his first song Idle Town, the support he got from his audience allowed him to continue with music and eventually have it as his full-time job.
This song was the first one I had heard of his, and I instantly had it on repeat for days. As a cynic when it comes to love, the indie pop bop decorated with fast, punk guitar riffs and angsty lyrics had me hooked. Whether you’re sick of love games or fed up with love in general, this song will make you dance. For anyone who’s ever been played or wronged by their crush, this song offers a solution that any heartbroken kid can relate to; revenge.
“Set fire to your lawn, just like you did to my heart.”
1-800-DATEME; mxmtoon
mxmtoon, the stage name of a 19-year-old girl from the bay area named Maia, posted the first song she ever wrote on one Valentine’s Day during high school called “1-800-DATEME”. She uploaded it to Soundcloud on a whim that night (in the recording, you can hear her ask her online audience “so if you relate, give it a like.”) It quickly went viral, and she later started posting ukulele tutorials and other quirky, musical videos on YouTube, quickly building a rapidly growing and dedicated fan base. Back in 2019, mxmtoon released her debut album, The Masquerade, filled with similar unlucky-in-love themes and uke tunes.
Although I found her on YouTube (through similar artists like Conan Gray and Cavetown) a lot of her younger fans found her through her viral Tik Toks. Some fans are even surprised to find out she also makes music and that she made YouTube videos about the ukulele before the app even existed. As a non Tik Tok user brand of millenial, it has been interesting for me to see how the younger generation has created new facets of music culture and discovery. Still, however you find her music, mxmtoon’s relatable lyrics and catchy songs are something you don’t want to miss out on.
“It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m lonely and single. But it’s better this way, I don’t like to mingle”
boys like you; dodie
Her latest single “Boys Like You” is the ultimate fuck you song about fuck boys. This song is for anyone who knows their taste in boys is bad for them, but falls for them anyway. “Watch me fall for every damn stereotype.” As the most evolved track since her ukulele days on YouTube, the 24-year-old has come a long way from her teenage days as a YouTube vlogger and musician. With more and more artists originating from YouTube, it seems that for this new generation of artists, building an online fanbase is a necessary first step to being able to break into the music industry. However, having spent nearly a decade on YouTube, the internet is definitely not a get-famous-overnight viral trick some boomers might think it is. Acquiring over a million subscribers, the british creator has made videos about mental health, style, tour life, even general musings about growing up and has built a community of viewers who watched for her personality more than anything else.
Often working with other YouTube creators to produce music videos and song collaborations, it is evident to see just how powerful YouTube is as a community and audience. As a long time viewer and listener, it’s been exciting to see an artist evolve and get bigger, to be able to tour and release new music, and to have a backlog of videos to relive the progress.
sweet tooth; cavetown
Friends with both Conan Gray and mxmtoon, Cavetown is a fellow YouTube musician who has also grown into a great producer as well (and actually helped produce mxmtoon’s album). With a new album to be released next month, it is cool to see artists not only bond with their audience online but connect with fellow online artists as well.
With his own very distinctive sound, Cavetown’s intricate alt pop bops are super catchy with lyrics that are perfect for anyone who is hard-core crushing on someone who may not like them back. “I like you, say it back.” Lovesick and moody, “Sweet Tooth”, is a song about the self-doubt that can creep in when falling for someone. “Feeling sick of myself, think I’ll try to be someone else.” Nothing like some good unrequited love to make you feel shitty about yourself, right?
my boy; billie
Christened with a viral Soundcloud single at the age of 13, Billie Eilish is the alt pop artist of the new generation. Born and raised in the world of social media and not old enough to remember Myspace, one of Billie’s primary ways to interact and connect with fans was through Instagram. With listeners who are similar in age, she has long had a reputation for being close with her fans and taking a down-to-earth approach to fame. However, being super open and present on social media can be a double-edged sword, especially in this day and age. When you’re so open in public, some people can feel like they know everything about you or feel more entitled to judge you. Either way, it can leave you more vulnerable to bullying, baseless criticism, or online hate. Billie has recently stated she’s completely stopped reading comments on Instagram for the sake of her mental health.
This song is about a boy who doesn’t treat his girl right and doesn’t accept her for who she is. In a similar spirit to having trolls harass you online, if someone isn’t treating you with respect, it’s time to say goodbye. “If you want a good girl then goodbye.” Whether you need a social media break or it’s time to break up with your boy, it’s a good reminder that when something’s not working, sometimes it’s best just to hang it up. Also the line “my boy loves his friends like I love my split ends and by that I mean, he cuts them off” is a whole ass mood, so please enjoy:)
white flag; clairo
As one of the most successful artists of the bedroom pop movement, Clairo was plucked from the freshman class of Syracuse University and skyrocketed into indie pop stardom. Her first viral song, “Pretty Girl”, found its popularity on Soundcloud, one of the main platforms for homemade (recorded in their bedroom) musicians to release their music online for free and gain an audience without any of the common barriers of entry to the music industry. Although artists of various genres can find success and momentum this way, many indie pop artists on soundcloud take on the low-fi sound of at-home music production. This new bedroom pop sound has created a whole new subgenre of alternative pop that is recognizable in the distinct tones of trailblazing artists like Clairo.
I chose to include “White Flag” to close out this list not only for its signature Clairo sound and melodic tones, but also for her relatable, lonely lyrics.
“I was fifteen when
I first felt loneliness
Cut my hair
Only listened to Elvis”
Because just like me and anyone else who came to this list in search of solace, we turn to music when we’re alone. Because really, we’re not alone. We’re all just the same bitter emo kids listening to music.
To listen to our honorable mentions and bonus tracks from other artists who made their start online, please check out our full playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/29SBVnFLgMpUFkV2CoVO0b?si=NRxEWP--Qu-HCA23Qc01CA
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