Daily Discovery: Rooftops Crafts Breezy, Carefree Alt-Pop on New Single

After a half-decade of being a gigging musician, Bryan Ream decided it was time for him to start making music in his own right. Releasing his first single under the name Rooftops last November, it didn’t take long for his breezy, alt-pop sound to start gaining some traction. Now, with three singles and tens of thousands of streams under his belt, Rooftops is back with a fun, sunny single, “I Don’t Care Tonight.”

Videos by American Songwriter

“I wrote this song because I wanted to tell a fictional story based off of true emotions,” Ream told American Songwriter. “The song tells the story of a night out with friends and meeting a girl that completely seduces you with questionable intentions. I hope my fans enjoy all of the additional production and little elements that bring the song to life. It’s a fun song that people can enjoy and jam out to with their friends.”

With shimmering, chorused guitars, a punchy rhythm section and a carefree, summer feeling, Ream is correct in labeling “I Don’t Care Tonight” a “fun song.” Reminiscent of the guitar-clad alt-pop that rose to prominence in the Obama years—à la Walk The Moon and The 1975—the tune feels primed for driving around on a warm evening with the windows down and the radio up. 

In fact, The 1975 is quite a big influence for Ream, along with other indie guitar classics from the 2010s. “‘I Don’t Care Tonight,’ specifically, is heavily influenced by The 1975, but I also take a lot of influence from bands like Brand New, Two Door Cinema Club and Modern Baseball,” he explained. 

When a lot of these bands first came out, their ability to take the classic parameters of alternative music and bring them into the modern world was lauded, both critically and in the hearts of the millions their sounds resonated with. Now, with Rooftops, Ream is proving that this sound has yet to be fully explored, especially in the context of today’s musical landscape. Combining this alternative tradition with elements of ’20s pop hits and his personal sense of melody and style, Rooftops is laying the newest brick in a long, beautiful road.

Watch the visualizer for Rooftops’ newest single “I Don’t Care Tonight” below:

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