Today with help from @StelthUlvang from @thelumineers , @brittainashford , @JAdomian + 100s of other people I finished #our50statesproject making a crowdsourced album for every U.S. State to dunk on Sufjan Stevens. Listen to all 53 full albums +2 EPs here!
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Here are the raw numbers of what it took to make this happen, I tweeted a little over 2 months ago asking for people to e-mail me songs for this. Since then I've sent nearly 1000 organizational e-mails, received over 500 songs and spent 4 to 7 hours every day coordinating this.
Though all of these albums were crowdsourced, I put hours into making sure each album track list flowed and sourced dozens of artists to make custom artwork for each album. Heck, even just uploading all 512 songs to Soundcloud and adding metadata took days of work.
And though I originally came up with this idea because I just thought it'd be funny to troll a moderately popular folk musician, having a big project to focus on while under quarantine was honestly really nice and hearing everyone's music was truly a joy.
And the people who submitted songs for this range everywhere from a member of #1 Billboard charting rock group @thelumineers to a bunch of elementary school students who recorded a song with their mom. I'm legit so happy that this weird thing brought so many people together!
Completing Sufjan Stevens' 50 States Project is such a niche thing to spend so much time on and in internet terms, the potential audience for this is so small compared to a topical sketch about COVID or whatever but however this thing does doesn't matter a ton to me.
I'm just happy that for a few months, I got to make a weird project with a bunch of complete strangers and for me, that's not just "enough." It's pretty neat. Anyway, with that out of the way, here's the final 13 albums!
The Michigan album!
Featuring 13 songs by Ryan Hitchcock, King Oaf & The Quarantines, Jason Kaye, Greg Smith, Barton Lewis, ATG, S. Wallace, Micah Zellmer, Jake Luksch, Christopher Fernandez, D'Mello
Album artwork by Ryan Hitchcock
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring 13 songs by Ryan Hitchcock, King Oaf & The Quarantines, Jason Kaye, Greg Smith, Barton Lewis, ATG, S. Wallace, Micah Zellmer, Jake Luksch, Christopher Fernandez, D'Mello
Album artwork by Ryan Hitchcock
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
And though I love each song that is on the Michigan album equally, I've got to give a special shout out to this song by @rjameshitchcock which is a sad ballad about how Sufjan Stevens lied to us.
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Illinois album!
Featuring 11 songs by Ryan Hitchcock, Scott Making Cents, Mike Hughes, Jason Kaye, Alec Wilkes, Michael Geniac, Michael O'Konis, Hot Little Burgers, Katelyn Hempstead, Omar Najam
Album artwork by Ryan Hitchcock
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring 11 songs by Ryan Hitchcock, Scott Making Cents, Mike Hughes, Jason Kaye, Alec Wilkes, Michael Geniac, Michael O'Konis, Hot Little Burgers, Katelyn Hempstead, Omar Najam
Album artwork by Ryan Hitchcock
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
And here's part II to @rjameshitchcock 's sad ballad about how Sufjan Stevens lied to us. It's a very meta song about this project and hearing it for the first time is maybe the happiest I've ever been!
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Arkansas!
Featuring songs by Ryan Hitchcock, Jess Lane, Maddy Peters, Brittain Ashford, Cotter Koopman, Alyse James, Blathan, Dewey Nelson and Matty Margallo, @AlaskanTush, Samuel Fickie ft T. P. Berkholtz, Victor Olivas, DK Reinemer
Art by Maddy Peters
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring songs by Ryan Hitchcock, Jess Lane, Maddy Peters, Brittain Ashford, Cotter Koopman, Alyse James, Blathan, Dewey Nelson and Matty Margallo, @AlaskanTush, Samuel Fickie ft T. P. Berkholtz, Victor Olivas, DK Reinemer
Art by Maddy Peters
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Moon!
Songs by Louie Aronowitz, Stelth Ulvang, Michael Geniac, DK Reinemer, Coley Mixan, Patrick Dugan, @AlaskanTush , Brian Morgan, Ian Zandi, Valerie Bentivegna (& Bruno the Blue Ukulele), Gabe Greenspan, Cat Sonafencé, Harold Moss, Vallury & Butler
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Songs by Louie Aronowitz, Stelth Ulvang, Michael Geniac, DK Reinemer, Coley Mixan, Patrick Dugan, @AlaskanTush , Brian Morgan, Ian Zandi, Valerie Bentivegna (& Bruno the Blue Ukulele), Gabe Greenspan, Cat Sonafencé, Harold Moss, Vallury & Butler
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Moon album features album artwork by @BryansFaces !
Note: The Moon is technically not a U.S. State, but there's a U.S. flag up there so we had to make an album about it.
Note: The Moon is technically not a U.S. State, but there's a U.S. flag up there so we had to make an album about it.
Rhode Island Part I
Songs by Michael O'Konis & Marnina Schon, Patrick Dugan, Omar Najam, Trevor Maloof, Barton Lewis, Jewell Karinen and Allie Kiekhofer, Kaitlin Crow, Harris Markson, Erik Escobar, @AlaskanTush
Album artwork by Nick Gligor
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Songs by Michael O'Konis & Marnina Schon, Patrick Dugan, Omar Najam, Trevor Maloof, Barton Lewis, Jewell Karinen and Allie Kiekhofer, Kaitlin Crow, Harris Markson, Erik Escobar, @AlaskanTush
Album artwork by Nick Gligor
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Rhode Island Part II
Songs by Ellamy Tiller & Ben Helms, Pris Champion of Women, jca, Jess Lane, The Cianci Two, Patrick Dugan, Christopher Levi, Valerie Bentivegna (and Bruno the Blue Ukulele), Mike Hughes, Victor Olivas
Album artwork by Nick Gligor
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Songs by Ellamy Tiller & Ben Helms, Pris Champion of Women, jca, Jess Lane, The Cianci Two, Patrick Dugan, Christopher Levi, Valerie Bentivegna (and Bruno the Blue Ukulele), Mike Hughes, Victor Olivas
Album artwork by Nick Gligor
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The reason Rhode Island is a double album is that I thought it'd be funny for the smallest state to have the biggest album. Also, for the album art I asked @nickgligor to do a parody of Guns N' Roses Use Your Illusion I and II but make it Rhode Island and he delivered!
The Oklahoma album!
Featuring 9 songs by Stelth Ulvang, Ryan Drane, Sam Weller, Weird Al Johnson, asosawelford, Barton Lewis, Jackie Winn, Michael Geniac, Valerie Bentivegna (and Bruno the Blue Ukulele)
Album artwork by Jessamyn C. West
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring 9 songs by Stelth Ulvang, Ryan Drane, Sam Weller, Weird Al Johnson, asosawelford, Barton Lewis, Jackie Winn, Michael Geniac, Valerie Bentivegna (and Bruno the Blue Ukulele)
Album artwork by Jessamyn C. West
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Iowa Album!
Featuring songs by Andrew Murray, Samuel Fickie, Dewey Nelson, Ryan Hitchcock, The Wild Burros of Riverside County (Benjamin Crutcher, Kevin Kablau), Robin Almeter, Brian Is Ze, Maddy Peters, Austin Schauer, Omar Najam
Art by Paul Baker
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring songs by Andrew Murray, Samuel Fickie, Dewey Nelson, Ryan Hitchcock, The Wild Burros of Riverside County (Benjamin Crutcher, Kevin Kablau), Robin Almeter, Brian Is Ze, Maddy Peters, Austin Schauer, Omar Najam
Art by Paul Baker
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
When I first started putting this thing together and was worried about having enough submissions, I briefly considered just taking Slipknot's Iowa album, playing it backwards and calling it "Awoi" for this state and I'm thankful I didn't have to do that!
The Alabama Album!
All songs “written” and hastily recorded by The Glass Shore
Performed by Levi Dittebrandt with
Nick Bevan (rhythm guitar on track 2)
and Joey Safe (Additional lead guitar on track 2)
Album artwork by David L. Puga
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
All songs “written” and hastily recorded by The Glass Shore
Performed by Levi Dittebrandt with
Nick Bevan (rhythm guitar on track 2)
and Joey Safe (Additional lead guitar on track 2)
Album artwork by David L. Puga
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Levi fronts a really great Washington based industrial band. I've been friends with him for a while and I'm so happy that he made the entire Alabama album hastily in like a week. Check out his actual, very good band "The Glass Shore" here!
theglassshore.bandcamp.com
theglassshore.bandcamp.com
The Vermont Album!
Featuring songs by Jacques Boudreau, Billy Ritter, Counterfeit Fake, Ezra Parter, Andrew Murray, David L. Puga, Catherine Durickas, Curtis T. Walrus, Jessamyn West & James Poolner, Barton Lewis, @AlaskanTush
Album art by Andrew Murray
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring songs by Jacques Boudreau, Billy Ritter, Counterfeit Fake, Ezra Parter, Andrew Murray, David L. Puga, Catherine Durickas, Curtis T. Walrus, Jessamyn West & James Poolner, Barton Lewis, @AlaskanTush
Album art by Andrew Murray
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Territories of the United States!
Songs by Barton Lewis, Sam Weller, Daniel Weiss aka Sour Balz, Conger Eel (Benjamin Crutcher, Kevin Kablau), Jewell Karinen & Grace, Josh Fruhlinger, Valerie Vasilas, Analise Nelson and Omar Najam
Art by Andrew Murray
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Songs by Barton Lewis, Sam Weller, Daniel Weiss aka Sour Balz, Conger Eel (Benjamin Crutcher, Kevin Kablau), Jewell Karinen & Grace, Josh Fruhlinger, Valerie Vasilas, Analise Nelson and Omar Najam
Art by Andrew Murray
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
If you're wondering where Puerto Rico is on the Territories album, we made a whole Puerto Rico EP which you can find here. soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
The Utah Album!
Featuring songs by David Charles (feat. Nick Costanza), Gabe Greenspan, Brendan McCay with additional vocals by Becky Sanders, Bri Jones, @AlaskanTush , Andrew Hurt, The Ponderosa Boys, Marcus Koncar
Album artwork by Brian Morgan
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Featuring songs by David Charles (feat. Nick Costanza), Gabe Greenspan, Brendan McCay with additional vocals by Becky Sanders, Bri Jones, @AlaskanTush , Andrew Hurt, The Ponderosa Boys, Marcus Koncar
Album artwork by Brian Morgan
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
And finally, the West Virginia album!
Songs by Kid Chameleon, J Elijah Cho, DJ Sufjan Stevens (aka Ezra Parter) ft. Mosey Moses, Mercedes Hesselroth, Felt Lips, Eric Chad Ho, Norwegia, Jason Summers, Ly Riordan, Mike Hughes
Art by Brian Morgan
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
Songs by Kid Chameleon, J Elijah Cho, DJ Sufjan Stevens (aka Ezra Parter) ft. Mosey Moses, Mercedes Hesselroth, Felt Lips, Eric Chad Ho, Norwegia, Jason Summers, Ly Riordan, Mike Hughes
Art by Brian Morgan
soundcloud.com/ourfiftystates…
That's 53 albums, 2 EPs, over 500 songs total. The 50 States Project is complete and we didn't even need Sufjan Stevens help. All we needed was each other, and the power of friendship with a tiny sprinkle of spite 😀
