Rule the school and its airwaves with artists that remind one of a simpler time, a time when feudalism was still at its prime and a king and queen ruled over vast territories. Artists like King Charles, Lord Huron, Empire of the Sun, and The Good, the Bad, and the Queen remind us of that age. By listening to these royalty inspired artists, you too can rule the school with their monarchy inspired, rocking tunes.

King Charles has one of the most unique sounds in the music scene today. The English singer-songwriter has a cheerful, bouncy sound that he gives substance to with a distinctive, rough voice. Junior Chelsea Hayashi says, “His combo of a rough voice and sweet harmonies make a superb sound,” and freshman Eli Streiff says King Charles is the “best musician on Earth.” Some of his best songs on his newly released EP Mississippi Isabel are “Love Lust”, which starts with pianos and harmonies and finishes with a rock section that will make any listener dance, and “Mississippi Isabel”, which had so much bounce and “la la la’s” it’s almost campy. He tones down the campiness though with edgy guitars and sick harmonies in other songs on the EP. King Charles, it is safe to say, sits on a throne in the indie genre.

Lord Huron captures the hearts of many through his use of hazy guitars and, his signature instrument on his recent EP Mighty, steel drums, which reminds one of a mysterious Caribbean island, perhaps where locals go to rock out. Lord Huron’s sounds seem light enough to lift you out of your seat and carry you to a place where slide guitars and smooth voices can soothe any qualms about school or life. Some noteworthy songs on Mighty are “The Stranger,” perhaps the best song on the EP which Saam Maroofi says reminds him of “the end of a really good movie where everything turns out alright and the camera just zooms out.” With steel drums, whistling, and slide guitars, “The Stranger” promises sounds not likely heard from any other artist. “When Will I See You Again,” the last song on the EP, leaves the listener with a sad feeling, similar to the one you will have knowing the EP is over, with melancholy lyrics and notes. Lord Huron sets up his kingdom somewhere between alternative and indie.

While mildly popular at Tam, Empire of the Sun is mainly known by their most popular song, “Walking on a Dream,” also the namesake of the album, this band has much more to offer than one hit. Once you get over the fact that they sing through their noses, you can concentrate on the great music and songs which will have you dancing and singing soon enough. Most of the songs on the album Walking on a Dream stick to your brain like flies to fly paper. You’ll find yourself humming the tune to “Standing on the Shore” after listening to the chorus only once and the world will seem to tilt and move as you move your head up and down to “Half Mast” which is a throwback to some of the better electronic music of the 80s. While their sound has been likened to early MGMT, Empire of the Sun does have its own unique sound and fits in with the alternative pop genre.

The Good, the Bad, and the Queen, is a band that sounds very different from the above artists. The Good, the Bad, and the Queen are a blues-rock group with lead singer Damon Albarn (of Gorillaz). Although in reality the band is unnamed, most call them The Good, The Bad, and the Queen, due to the name of their debut album. Their music has a rocking mixture of organs, guitars, and a hazy sound that can only be brought by Albarn. The best songs on the album by far are “Kingdom of Doom” which sounds far away through a fuzzy wall of white noise with rough vocals and grainy distortions. “Northern Whale” offers soft vocals and harmonies paired with repetitive piano riffs and intermittent sounds of electronic whales. Junior Julianne Ashby says she loves them because “they can appeal to a broad audience. And of course you gotta love the vocals.” The Good, the Bad, and the Queen, blend a bluesy sound with an electronic wall of haze which creates an incredibly unique and impressive sound.