Where do I begin? With a lot of amazing artists across so many genres out there, it was hard to put together my top five. But here we are. The musicians and bands that make it into my personal ranking might switch, depending on the mood I’m in or the vibe I’m going for, but these five never miss.

First on the list is my all-time favourite artist. May I present to you: Louis Tomlinson. Right from the beginning the singer with the strong northern accent has caught my attention. I first discovered Louis when I was about 13 or 14 years old and was introduced to One Direction back in 2012. His high yet raspy voice with that Yorkshire accent was so unique that it stood out to me right from the start. Paired with the band’s lyrics, which were mostly written by him, his voice had shifted something in me I didn’t know was there. Following his musical journey from a teenage boy in a band to a grown up with a clear idea of where his place in the musical world is was quite the experience, as I was growing up right there with him. No matter if I went into my alternative indie pop punk phase or the German gangster rap phase, the one artist that always remained in my playlists was Louis Tomlinson.

Whilst I was outgrowing the bubblegum pop, that I only loved thanks to One Direction, I gravitated more and more towards the alternative rock scene with bands like Arctic Monkeys or artists like Sam Fender – and I was more than thrilled when it became clear with his sophomore album Faith In The Future (2022) that this is the direction that Louis was going in with his solo career as well. To see him become confident in himself and his voice has given me such great joy, especially when I was there to experience it live (and believe me, I have travelled all across Europe way too many times to see this man play live – from One Direction at Wembley Stadium, to Louis playing intimate shows at Pryzm as well as big venues like AFAS Live, Mercedes Benz Arena or the O2).

Another Yorkshire boy going for indie rock/Brit rock, yet totally different. He can sing, he can play the guitar, he can keep the crowd going – Sam Fender simply has got it all. Ever since the BBC has named him as the “Artist to Watch 2018”, Sam has proven time and time again why he rightfully earned that title. From starting off in tiny clubs performing for a handful of people, he has worked his way to the top, headlining the big festival main stages at Reading & Leeds and Glastonbury. Even if you’ve never heard of Sam Fender before – which should be a rare occasion these days – you’ll leave the festival a fan if you’ve had the luck of seeing him play. With classics like ‘Will We Talk?’, ‘Dead Boys’ or ‘Seventeen Going Under’ Sam has found his niche that also gets the big crowds entertained. What more could you ask of an artist? (Except finally getting to see him live – with me living in Germany I’ve had rather bad luck when it comes to seeing Sam live).

Ah yes, the remains of the pop punk phase 15/16 year old-me went through. If there is one act I’ve seen live more than any other band or artist on this planet, it’s State Champs – and for good reason. They’re the love child of old established pop punk bands like Blink-182, All Time Low, and Mayday Parade (who they’re currently opening on tour for). The Albany-based band is who I listen to if there’s energy that needs to be burned. Whether it’s a companion for a run, a work-out, or someone playing in the background whilst I’m raging about everyone and the world: State Champs are who I go to when I need a lot of bass and drums, paired with a catchy beat. They’ve been on tour with the who-is-who of the alternative scene and have played about every festival in the alternative scene from Slam Dunk to Warped Tour. If there was a year where I haven’t seen State Champs live, that was definitely an exception and most likely the years of the pandemic during which they couldn’t tour Europe. Recently, I’ve seen them opening for Mayday Parade, and it was like coming home after a long time finally getting to hear those familiar tunes and lyrics again.

Now, this band is one I’ve been introduced to way too late, but they’re just that good that they’ve quickly made their way into my top five (also, there’s only myself to blame, with one of my best friends having told me for ages how good they are and that I would enjoy their music). The band CAMINO have only released two albums so far, but with 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, it’s clear how good those two albums must be. Sigh, another indie rock recommendation from me. But believe me, you don’t want to miss out on this one, which really is more of a somewhat mixture between indie rock and electronic pop. It doesn’t matter which mood you’re in, the band CAMINO has just the right song for you. Not sure how to tell that certain someone that you might like them a bit more than you’ve led on? Show them ‘I Think I Like You’. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by your emotions? Listen to ‘Last Man in the World’. Need to get pumped up and in the mood for a night out with your friends? Put on ‘Three Month Hangover’. If there’s one thing that’s on my concert to-do list, it’s to go see this band from Nashville live one day.

Now, who would I be to end this list without a worldwide phenomenon. Who better than the one and only Harry Styles? He doesn’t need an introduction, as really everyone on this planet, even my grandma, knows who he is, but let me do it anyways: he’s the popstar of my generation, the popstar of the moment (yes, those are big words I’m throwing around, but I wouldn’t give them to anyone else). Harry Styles has become such a household name that there’s actually people out there who only know him on his own, not knowing he used to be in One Direction (seriously, what?)! He’s got three Grammys to his name and just as many albums: whilst the 2017 self-titled debut album was a first dive into exploring his solo career, sophomore album Fine Line (2019) was what put his career up there on a legendary status. It gave us radio hits like ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and ‘Lights Up’, but also some heartfelt tracks like ‘Cherry’ or ‘Sunflower, Vol. 6’. Though my personal favourite Harry songs are from his latest album Harry’s House (2022): tunes like ‘Satellite’ or ‘Little Freak’ have gotten a special place in my heart and in my all-time favourites playlist. If I ever had to take someone who’s not into live music at all to a concert to show them how great live music can be, I would take them to a Harry Styles concert. Not only is he a phenomenal musician, he’s also an incredible entertainer, making everyone – no matter their age – feel right at home.