Still, despite multi-platinum sales for “ We Are Young” and “ Some Nights”, I have friends who insist that The Format’s “ The First Single” is the best song Ruess ever wrote (and I have a tough time arguing that they’re wrong).īut regardless of whether success came sooner of later for these acts, Arizona nurtured and supported all of them, and their penchants for poppy rock music, in a way that feels a little unusual for a major metropolitan area (did you know Phoenix is the sixth most populous city in the US, with over four million people? Neither did I! Thanks, Wikipedia!) Which is not to say that the area doesn’t have a rich musical culture beyond pop and rock. Albeit never reaching the heights of the aforementioned acts, the seeds of wider stardom were clearly present while you might not know The Format, you’re undoubtedly familiar with fun., the Grammy-winning outfit frontman Nate Ruess formed after hightailing it to New York following The Format’s split in 2008. Of course, not every group has the benefit of timing witness The Format, an indie-pop duo who issued two beloved LPs (2003’s Interventions + Lullabyes and 2006’s Dog Problems) of whimsical, 70’s-inspired pop but never quite found their footing in the mainstream, though they received their fair degree of accolades within the scene. That album, and particularly single “ The Middle”, caught the leading edge of emo’s mainstream breakthrough, a wave they rode to platinum success. And in the early 00’s, Jimmy Eat World caught the same magic as the Gin Blossoms when their beautiful 1999 album Clarity sunk without a trace, the band cut ties with Capitol and recorded their follow-up, the equally excellent Bleed American, on their own. Tracks like “ Hey, Jealousy” and “ Found Out About You” might have been buried in the “college rock” world just a few years prior (indeed, “Hey Jealousy” didn’t catch on with radio until nearly a year after its release) the Gin Blossoms arrived just as alternative became mainstream, and reaped the rewards.Ī few years later, Roger Clyne-fronted power-poppers the Refreshments found buzz-bin success with the cheeky “ Banditos” though their star faded fast, they’ve maintained their popularity in Arizona to this day as their alter-egos, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers. In the early 90’s, the Gin Blossoms ran off a series of massive hits due in no small part to some fortuitous timing. That’s not coincidence - the Phoenix / Tempe / Mesa metro has a long legacy of acts who have found success (and just as importantly, acceptance) making radio-friendly rock music. The Maine are but one of a number of pop-centric rock bands to arise out of Phoenix, Arizona in the late 2000s. The Maine - With A Little Help From My Friends (feat.The Maine - Ho Ho Hopefully (Featuring Eisley).The Maine - One Pack of Smokes from Broke.The Maine - Girls Just Want To Have Fun.The Maine - Do You Remember (The Other Half Of 23).The Maine - While Listening To Rock & Roll.The Maine - Waiting For My Sun To Shine.The Maine - Black Butterflies & Dèjà vu.December first I'm in a foreign state I'm running late, I'm all alone Wishing I was home with you, baby She's got a way of making things okay When she's not around, when she's not around I'm going crazy We like to talk about the plans we make And things we say when we're together I hope for better weather this year But you my dear, need to know This year I want you alone Ho ho hopefully this holiday will make us believe that We're exactly where we're supposed to be And we're ho ho hoping that We all come back and as a matter of fact I know We're exactly where we're supposed to be Together by this Christmas tree We go together like the winter and this sweater And she makes me feel, she makes me feel alive inside And when I look into her eyes I see the blue and green Like christmas lights, like christmas lights oh what a sight She says I've got a way of making everything okay She's not alone, she's not alone, and never will be Ho ho hopefully this year I'll have you alone Ho ho hopefully this holiday will make us believe that We're exactly where we're supposed to be And we're ho ho hoping that We all come back and as a matter of fact i know We're exactly where we're supposed to be Together by this Christmas tree (Don't you know this year I want you alone?) Baby I want you alone Ho ho hopefully this holiday will make us believe that We're exactly where we're supposed to be (exactly where we're supposed to be) And we're ho ho hoping that We all come back and as a matter of fact I know I'm exactly where I need to be With you by this Christmas tree Together just you and me Together by the Christmas tree
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