Live It Your Way: Music, Titanium and No Labels

November 2, 2026

People like to ask what kind of person listens to what kind of music. Goth, emo, alt, metal, country, pop. Pick a box, wear the shirt, learn the rules. I never did fit one, and the older I get, the less I care to try.

Titanium came from the same place. A good friend told me to go listen to the song, and it stuck, because it was about getting knocked down and not breaking. I wasn't the same person anymore, and I didn't want to keep wearing the name of someone I used to be. So I picked one that fit who I am now. That's the whole idea behind it: not fitting in on purpose.

What's Actually On My Playlist

If you looked through my music folder, you'd find a wide mix. It's not one scene, and I'm fine with that. Here's what I keep coming back to:

• Bring Me The Horizon: started heavy and went darker and more electronic. "Parasite Eve" is a good place to jump in.

• Evanescence: big, dark and dramatic. "Bring Me To Life" is still the one that gets people.

• Breaking Benjamin: moody, heavy and melodic. If you only try one band from this list, I'd say try this one.

• Three Days Grace: raw and angry in the way that clears your head.

• Shinedown: big hooks with real weight behind them.

• Starset: cinematic and a little otherworldly, good late at night.

• twenty one pilots: hard to pin down, which is the point.

• David Guetta and Sia, "Titanium": the song behind the name, so it gets the last spot.

There's more in there too, from country to dance floor to old rock. Good music doesn't ask what category it belongs in.

Live It Your Way

You don't have to be one thing. You can be a diesel mechanic, a computer guy, a husband, a goth at heart and a guy who likes a good dance track, all on the same day. The people who try to sort you into a group are mostly trying to make themselves feel sure of where they stand.

For the record, I'm an American, and I believe in American first values. I won't side with communism or socialism. That's where I stand, and I don't need a scene, a look or a playlist to tell me what to believe. You can dress dark, listen loud and still think for yourself.

So crank it up, play what you like, and don't worry about the label. That's what Titanium means to me.

What's on your playlist? Drop a band or a song in the comments. I'm always looking for something new to listen to.

— Titanium