Alternative and indie genres have become increasingly popular within the last five years or so, with artists getting significantly more air time on the radio and securing spots on several top hits playlists across music streaming platforms. The Backseat Lovers are one such artist, whose 2019 hit song “Kilby Girl,” gained 200 million streams on Spotify and soared to the 39th spot on the Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart. 

The band was formed in 2018 in Provo, Utah. Joshua Harom, the band’s lead singer, was in line at an open mic when he met the band’s guitarist, Jonas Swanson. The two then stumbled across drummer Juice Welch and current bassist KJ Ward, eventually finally forming The Backseat Lovers. In 2018, the band completed in and won a battle of the bands competition in Provo, a month before their self-released first EP, “Elevator Days.” In 2019, they released their first album “When We Were Friends” consisting of nine songs, including hits like “Pool House,” “Kilby Girl” and “Maple Syrup.” 

COVID-19 put a small dent in the band’s growth, but they were able to quickly bounce back in 2021. In July, the band attended and performed at Lollapalooza before embarking on their North American tour throughout 2022. Currently, the band is preparing for their 2023 tour across the United States, with performances in Seattle, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and more. Despite the pandemic, The Backseat Lovers continually gain new fans everyday, including their ever-growing 4.3 million monthly Spotify listeners. 

In October 2022, they released their sophomore album “Waiting to Spill,” featuring 10 new tracks. “Close your eyes,” “Growing/Dying” and “Snowbank Blues” have all been top streamed songs on Apple Music. Their songs are raw, brutal, honest and full of emotion. Josh Harmon uses the album to express his pain over growing older, who he will be when he grows up, what he will accomplish, moving on and coping with leaving things in the past. And these messages are underscored by the album’s incredible acoustics, which eb and flow with each lyric. 

“Waiting to Spill” is a must-stream album for 2023. This year is going to be full of change and will no doubt be rough. Harmon’s lyrics are especially relatable to college students, as we struggle with getting older, on the precipice of leaving our youth behind. The world is a scary place, but Harmon reflects that things will be okay, even if they don’t stay the same. If you’re looking for an album that perfectly encapsulates youthful nostalgia, this is definitely the one for you.