The coronavirus pandemic has left us to rekindle a love for music artists in the past few years. Ranging from pop, rock, and even country, it’s been a time for us to show great appreciation for those we love and to discover bands and singers who capture our hearts.

Backstreet Boys 

Performing another iconic tour this year, the Backstreet Boys are hitting the U.S. and they’ll be in Europe with pleasure! In 2022 the group will be doing the DNA Tour. They weren’t just some pretty boy act when they became a group in 1993 and didn’t give up on breaking out into the entertainment world. They are the fire to the music world because their vocals brought out the best they can be.

Westlife

Westlife’s legacy comes from the members’ fantastic harmonizing when they sing their songs. Truth be told, their songs can pull people through both good and bad moments. If you’ve ever been in weeks to months of emotional pain and disappointment, try out their splendid songs. They are at the top of the charts for me and I love how they keep on going to perform music that can hit down the walls that shout for isolation, which allows us to let our hard feelings pour out when we need some comfort and attention.

Spice Girls

Bring the disco ball out and hit that dance floor. The Spice Girls were hip and trendy, and their songs’ promotions stayed that way. Even after they went on an indefinite hiatus in 2000, they reunited several times. Does that mean their music lost its luster? That’s up for debate, but countless fans love these gals for giving people motivation during different times of feeling angsty, anxious, depressed, and questioning moments in life.

KISS

Feel like you need some headbangin’ rock music? Well, not every song by KISS is heavy rock, but those guitars and drums are the perfect combo. Even the keyboards played for some of their songs add a majestic touch. Fans will even wear their white and black make up at the concerts. The glamour of their concerts, from their outfits on stage to the tuning of their instruments, and lighting. There have even been concerts where pyrotechnics brought flames and lasers to the stage for their performances. All these things make KISS galactical. Is it possible KISS is a secret boyband?!

Daniel Powter

Many of us know Daniel Powter’s hit song, “Bad Day” (2005). It’s a childhood song I’ve loved since I was a little girl. Powter’s piano skills make people feel a sense of peace. When I listen to his music, the negative feelings that want to burst out of my heart start to subside. What really makes Daniel Powter the musician others need to hear comes from how humans are sentimental towards themselves and the masses of people in the world. Isn’t it time for us to reflect on the people we interact with and ourselves, pandemic or not?

Steps

Steps is a unisex pop group from the United Kingdom. The group’s namesake comes from their choreography, often showing their steps in the music videos of their songs. With cool steps, there’s something magical about the way the members bring a classic synchronized set of dance moves and wondrous voices that make anyone feel empowered. Nothing feels wrong when you enter the realm of Steps’s music, including their MVs, because you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into a fairytale! They can all enchant the audience in a matter of seconds with the spectacles, and the lyrics are easy to listen to. Corny pop music can make anyone feel alive and nostalgic, so give Steps a chance.

Johnny Cash

The late Johnny Cash was a legend; their country music is full of rich rhythm and lyrics anyone can dance to when his songs come knocking’ at your barn door — er, house, I mean. Cash was a singer-songwriter with a singing voice that makes me think how you don’t need to shout to sing. Cash could do a rap using random words that just make you think that singing with a straight tone of voice was what made him a huge figure from the U.S. Hillbilly or not, you’ll find yourself raising your arms and shaking your body when you hear Johnny Cash’s voice.

Toy Box

With the vocals of Anila Mirza and Amir El-Falaki, Toy Box contributed to a few albums that showed how fun the 90’s music groups were compared to most of the music of our current artists. A friend of mine hates their music, specifically their song “Tarzan and Jane” (1998). BUT! I beg to differ that they can blend in some funny motifs and references with Eurobeat and/or pop. Their first few years together as a trendy group doesn’t mean Miraza and El-Falaki have lost contact with each other, but it took a while before they reunited and came back to be the Toy Box many fans remember from the techno mixes that created such catchy tunes!

These soloists and groups a lot of us grew up with remain a large part of our lives. I know not everyone has gotten a chance to get to know some — maybe even all — of these artists’ music. If you feel blue, lost, need to vent, and unsure of what to do at any point in life, it’s time for you to give these artists’ songs a try.