Music

Music

Overview

Album Reviews, Concerts, Best of Lists, and What Have You

Article Hosna Alacozy

How Music Brings Movies and Video Games to Life

People don’t always notice how much music is doing in movies and video games—but once you start paying attention, it’s kind of impossible to ignore. It’s one of those things that works in the background, but completely changes how we experience what’s on screen.

Article Sebastian Ibanez-Garcia

The Art of Songwriting

Songwriting is something a lot of people pay attention to, but not everyone really thinks about what goes into it. For me, it’s always felt like more than just making music…It’s always to say things that are hard to explain in regular conversation. Sometimes you don’t even fully understand what you’re feeling until you start writing it down, and that’s where songwriting becomes really meaningful. 

Article Keion Bryant, Host of Talented Radio

The Healing Power of Music: Exploring Music as Therapy

Music functions as one of the most accessible and powerful forms of therapy, offering emotional, cognitive, and physical benefits that reach people of all ages and backgrounds. Its impact goes far beyond entertainment; music has a unique ability to regulate mood, reduce stress, and create a sense of connection that supports overall well-being. 

Article Hussam A.

Kanye West: The Extreme Human Experience

Effectively immortalized in the world of art and creation, the story of Kanye West is woven into the folklore of my generation. His eras and albums run like an on-demand TV show; but for some, they stopped watching a couple of seasons ago.  

Article Alisa Hakim

Tired of Your Couch? Go See Some Bands This Saturday

Not sure what you’re doing this weekend, but if the plan is “sit around and refresh the same three apps,” we have an alternative. There’s a live show happening in Sacramento that gives you a reason to leave the house, hear some music, and maybe remember that people still do things in real life.

Article Eric Duplantier

Schranz… In San Francisco…

On Halloween this year, I was fortunate enough to go to a Factory93 event at Cow Palace in San Francisco. Factory93 is a brand under Insomniac focused on techno music. As a techno fan, I knew this would be a fun event. The lineup was stacked: 

  • Max Gardner 
  • SPFDJ 
  • Klangkuenstler 
  • Dax J 
  • Amelie Lens

It was my first time seeing all of these DJs with the exception of Dax J, who I saw at Dour music festival in Belgium earlier this year.  

Post

Sparky’s Best Albums 2025

We worked hard to find out what our Sac State community was listening to this year. Not only were there veteran and alumni KSSU DJs Manana, DJ Hectic and DJ Audrenism BUT some new additons like DJ Ziney and DJ bluegoose along with some KSSU extended family

All in all, 32 Sac State students helped us determine the shining stars of 2025.

With the introduction of Channel 24, Sacramento’s new midsize performance venue, Sacramento has welcomed artists like Wallows, James Arthur, Denzel Curry and Lane 8.

Article HUSSAM A (DJ BLUEGOOSE)

The Violent Harmony of OsamaSon’s psykotic

The underground’s favorite new trap star, OsamaSon, wants to punch you in your face.

South Carolina’s very own has grown a cult like following in the underground. The rapper of many names— Lil O, Lil O The Destroyer, Drako, Osama, Osa Mason, O, — is regarded by many as the frontrunner of evolution in ‘rage’ sound and aesthetic.

Article Alisa Hakim & KSSU DJs

Why Tune In? KSSU DJs Tell You Themselves

Ever wonder what makes a college radio show worth listening to? On KSSU, no two shows are alike, and that’s the fun of it. Our DJs aren’t here to stick to a script or follow the same old playlist. Instead, they bring their own personalities, passions, and playlists straight to the mic. One hour you might be learning about underground artists, and the next you’re dancing to nostalgic throwbacks. We thought it was time to let our DJs do some bragging of their own, so we asked them to tell us what their shows are all about and why you should be tuning in.

Article Samantha Villagomez

Empire of the Sun Concert Review at the Greek Theater

The first weekend of May, I was definitely “Walking on a Dream” or walking on pins and needles as I endured two back-to-back concerts on Friday and Saturday. Despite the way my feet and voice felt, I was happy to be “Alive” because I got to see Empire of the Sun perform on Saturday in Berkley’s Greek Theater.

Article Sierra Stewart

Local Artist Stuns During Headlining Tour

Jessica Baio, originally from Auburn, California, just finished her first headlining tour across the country. With a following of over 2.4 million on her music TikTok page and 4.4 million on her page with her husband, 23-year-old Jessica Baio stunned on her highly anticipated first headlining tour. 

Article Daniela Torres

Orangeuglad: Junebug Interview

Hello everyone!  

On my show Orangeuglad, I was able to interview a band named Junebug. I recently went to go see them perform at Harlow’s in the Starlet room on March 11th of this year, and they were amazing! If you were not able to catch the interview but are still very interested in learning more about them, I hope this helps! I was able to do the interview with the help of my co-host DJ Nessi (host of Insoundwefindeachother, Mondays at 10AM). The interview aired on March 3rd, 2025.