I grew up with a mother who regularly went V-Festival (back when it was still good), and two sisters who listened to the likes of Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Nirvana and The Gossip. Therefore, throughout all my life I was constantly surrounded by the indie rock genre as well as a range of other genres, including a lot of hip-hop.

I feel like my childhood had some of best indie bands of them time come out, where as those growing up now definitely have some of the best hip-hop artists, such as Kendrick Lamar and the rest of the TDE members. So, here are some of the childhood songs (2010 and below) that I used to listen to.

Arctic Monkeys.


As some of you may know by now, Arctic Monkeys have been my favourite band for as long as I can remember. I drive around country roads singing along to them with my mother, listen to them on the walk to uni and they are my mandatory session jam. This is a love that has been going on since I was 7/8 years old and they came out in 2002.
The Arctic Monkeys are one of the ultimate and original indie bands and over the years have come so far and grown with their music in wonderful ways. As great as the new albums are, nothing can beat the Fake Tales of San Francisco and I Bet You Look Good On The Dance-floor. They are the very songs that define the Arctic Monkeys and even now these are songs that still sound great today and never get old.

Kate Nash.


Kate Nash was in some ways in a one hit wonder for most but she did actually make a great album that featured the infamous, Foundations. The very song that is most girls ultimate breakup anthem.
Everything about Kate Nash was to die for. Her quirky presence and her music videos were a huge influence and aspiration for young indie kids everywhere. She was a great feminist influence and had great music to go alongside that.

The Kooks.


The Kooks are still one of my favourite bands and I have Naive to thank for introducing me to the band. Who didn't sing along to this little number? It's the perfect song for road trips and drinks on a Friday night.

Paolo Nutini.


I remember listening to Paolo with my sister on Saturdays at home. New Shoes was a great feel good song and alongside Candy, Paolo Nutini was one of the most unique voices I had heard.
Paolo came back strong in 2014 with his new album Caustic Love but lets not forget the albums that made him, Sunny Side Up, was almost like a completely different person to the Paolo we know and love now and listening to his older stuff is so refreshing to hear a more upbeat version of him and his voice.

Maximo Park.


My oldest sister introduced me to this band. I can't say I remember too many of their other songs, although the other day I found a cover of Fade Into You by Mazzy Star that they did and it was great. This song was on repeat for a good couple of months, back when I first knew how to use LimeWire. It's still great song today and the vocals are fantastic.

Lily Allen.


Lily Allen was definitely an icon when I was younger. I wanted to wear dresses and trainers and walk around London just like her... and I guess I kind of do now. Her music was always so uplifting and her grimey and real attitude and lyrics made her even more relatable and likeable.

Gym Class Heroes.


Gym Class Heroes were a band that basically summarised everything I wanted to be. They were quirky, cool and had good vibes with genuinely good and mature themed music. They had a very unique energy and aura to them which made me instantly attracted and is something that makes me still listen to them regularly. even today.

Gorillaz.


Gorillaz hold a very special place in my heart and are very high in my musical books. They are just everything that is great; from their unique image and music videos, to their edgy sounding beats and lyrics. You cannot go wrong with Gorillaz and they are still a band that I listen to on a daily basis and after hearing that they are making more music in 2015, I'm greatly anticipating listening to their sound again.

The Strokes.

The Strokes almost come as a pair with Arctic Monkeys to me. I grew up listening to both at around the same time and both have stuck religiously close to me ever since. The vibe that The Strokes creates, is just something I cannot get enough of. I just wanna get drunk and party every time they come on.

Kanye West.


Kanye's best work was easily done in the early 2000's and I was loving him right from them. American Boy has to be one of my favourite songs, even though it only features him, his part is what I like the most (v proud that I can rap all of his verse). Kanye was no doubt a huge musical influence to my upbringing and continues to be.

Red Hot Chili Peppers.


I always remember Red Hot Chili Peppers being on at my house and constantly on road trips, even more so now. I'm pretty sure they're my mothers and sisters favourite band and they saw them at V-Festival a bunch.
Red Hot Chili Peppers were probably the band that most influenced me and opened my eyes to the rock world (alongside that Tenacious D song). They can do so much with their music and go so many ways and it works everytime.

Nelly Furtado.


Nelly Furtado is a gem and her 'I'm Like A Bird' music video is something I remember constantly watching on television, with the aforementioned Red Hot Chili Peppers videos.
She had a new sound that was quite different from what most girls in the business had and was very lyrically different. Something always drew me to her and her music has become timeless to me and is still a Friday night, house party must have.

Gwen Stefani.


Another great female musician from my childhood is Gwen Stefani. I think I just missed out on her No Doubt days but am eternally grateful for her solo path. Her music was so uplifting and always made me happy when it came on. I could sing along to her songs for hours and basically still do.

My childhood was filled with so much music, like a copious amount, but obviously it would be insane for me to try and list them all, so the above is simply a few of my most loved childhood artists. I hope this brought back some nostalgia for you all and if not, introduced you to some great music.