Some music to give you some inspiration with your music making (or music enjoyment!).
Radiohead have been around longer than I have and they've tried lots of different styles of music over the years. OK Computer is still one of their best albums, but In Rainbows is very good as well. The lead singer, Thom Yorke, also has his own solo material.
Other favourite tracks: Nude, True Love Waits, Sit Down. Stand Up
A classic band that weren't around for long! Nirvana made grungey rock music that still sounds great today. In Utero is another great album. The drummer, Dave Grohl, went on to form his own band Foo Fighters.
Other favourite tracks: Come As You Are, Lithium
One of the world's most notable guitarists! Jimi Hendrix made some funky, soulful music and then set fire to his guitar. Electric Ladyland is great but Are You Experienced is also brilliant.
Other favourite tracks: Crosstown Traffic, Are You Experienced?, Hey Joe
Christopher gave me a Portishead album after getting sick of hearing rubbish music blaring out my speakers. Dummy is eerie and mysterious, but has some amazing music on it. Their self-titled album, Portishead is also excellent.
Other favourite tracks: Sour Times, Wandering Star, All Mine
Basement Jaxx made a lot of sessions doing homework a lot more enjoyable! They're all 00s dance although they still put an album out now and then. Probably one my first ventures into dance music and I still listen to them today.
Other favourite tracks: Bingo Bango, Do Your Thing, Mermaid of Salinas
One of the best known electronic acts in the world, Daft Punk have a lot to answer for in dance and electronic music. They started in the 90s and have continued making great music since. Homework and Human After All are both great albums too.
Other favourite tracks: Robot Rock, Crescendolls, Around the World
Justice popped up in the middle of secondary school for me and I played this album to death. Some of the most interesting electronic music even today, it feels funky and glitchy all at once. Their whole discography is worth a listen and other artists on the same label (Ed Banger Records) like Mr Oizo and Busy P are some of my favourite artists still today.
Other favourite tracks: Phantom Pt. II, DVNO, Civilization
Foals were also a favourite at secondary school, when they started out, they made twitchy "math rock" that had lots of interesting rhythms. These days they release slightly more normal rock music which still sounds brilliant. Total Life Forever, the follow up to this debut, and their latest album are both good listens too.
Other favourite tracks: Spanish Sahara, Two Steps Twice, Sunday
Your Dad introduce me to Arcade Fire when I was about your age! They've been making huge, lush, rocky, orchestral music for over a decade now and have some brilliant albums that are really worth listening to. This debut and Neon Bible are my favourites.
Other favourite tracks: My Body Is a Cage, Ocean Noise, The Suburbs
James Blake is one of my favourite artists of this decade and might be interesting for you if you're looking to make music with computers and loop pedals. A lot of his early music is just him looping and pitch shifting his voice, playing piano and playing drum machines. His latest album, Assume Form was excellent and incorporates hip-hop a lot more.
Other favourite tracks: Life Round Her, CMYK, Can't Believe The Way We Flow
Aphex Twin is another master of electronic music. Well known for producing weird music and even weirder music videos, he's also very prolific and has made some beautiful electronic music. Drukqs is strange but great, and this album, Selected Ambient Works 85-92, is one of my favourite albums.
Other favourite tracks: Fingerbib, Avril 14th
One of my favourite rock bands, they make noisey rock and frontman Josh Homme has a distinctive voice. Their albums ...Like Clockwork, Era Vulgaris, and Songs For The Deaf are still on regular rotation in my house.
Other favourite tracks: No One Knows, Fairweather Friends, The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret
They've only released two albums in 18 years because they use so many samples of other peoples music to create their own totally different tracks. The Avalanches are a great example of electronic music mashing up old music to make something new and interesting. It goes to show you can make pretty much any sound into music!
Other favourite tracks: Frontier Psychiatrist, Colours, The Noisy Eater
I've not mentioned a lot of hip-hop because it's notorious for being quite sweary as a genre (which your parents probably wouldn't appreciate me suggesting). However, A Tribe Called Quest don't swear a lot and are some of the most revered artists in the game. Midnight Marauders is my favourite album, with its funky flowing instrumentals and great vocals. Still maybe keep this one in headphones though...
Other favourite tracks: We Can Get Down, Electric Relaxation, Lyrics to Go
I could go on for hours but the above will probably get you started a few honourable mentions though:
Glass Animals, Jamie XX, Gorillaz, Blur, Pulp, Jon Hopkins, Lianne La Havas, Moby, Little Dragon, Pink Floyd, Royal Blood, Talking Heads, Muse, and Four Tet
Happy listening!