If you’re a pop fan, there’s no question that you’ve heard of Robert Pattinson. The former “Twilight” star has been appearing in a string of successful movies, having delivered blockbuster hits such as 2012’s “Twilight” and 2016’s “Good Morning Britain.”
While he may not be a household name, you’d be hard-pressed to miss Pattinson. With his pale, freckled features and effeminate appearance, he doesn’t exactly blend into the crowd. But even among his celebrity peers, he stands out. For instance, consider a comparison between him and actor Harry Styles, who plays his on-screen love interest in “Twilight”:
“Twilight” and “Harry Styles” are two very different movies. But even more different than that is the actor behind the scenes. Rob’s dreamy, soft-spoken nature clashes with Harry’s more hardened approach. Which one will you root for?
While it’s not uncommon for celebrities to be musicians or singers, it’s still a bit of a shock to see a Hollywood starlet put a spotlight on her musical side. But over the past few years, it’s become clear that Pattinson is serious about his musical career. And thanks to his growing discography, he’s finally ready to let the world know about it.
To celebrate his 25th birthday earlier this year, we got the chance to learn more about Pattinson and his love for music. In the interest of saving you the trouble of going through all the articles on our site, we’ve collected a definitive list of his songs, his favorite band, and even a music video that explores the artist’s influences. So, read on, and enjoy. (Pattinson)
The Definitive List of Robert Pattinson Songs
While it would be easy for us to just list off his greatest songs, the truth is that he hasn’t put out an album yet. So, until then, this is as close as we can get to a definitive list.
As previously mentioned, Pattinson has been making waves in the pop world with his soft-spoken way of speaking and angelic looks. But it wasn’t always that way. Once upon a time, the British actor was part of a goth band named Four Year Strong. Here, they are performing at the Slam Dunk Contest in 2010 (one of the earliest mentions of Pattinson’s involvement in music):
The group’s sound was heavily influenced by the post-rock band Mogwai. And it shows. In both cases, you’ll hear this buzzing, high-pitch howl that sounds both like an electric guitar and an insect.
Despite their rock influences, the band consisted of mainly musicians from Dublin and London. And it shows. Dublin, like many other European cities, has a rich history of traditional Irish music. And it shows in Four Year Strong’s rootsy sound.
We’ll let you listen to some of these songs below. But if you want to find out more about the band and their influences, visit their MySpace page. And be sure to check out their album, Four Year Strong (2010).
The Definitive List of His Favorite Band
Before he became an international superstar, Robert Pattinson (aka Mr. Pattinson) was just a guitar-playing geek with a dream. He attended the London School of Economics and Law, and after graduation he found work as a lawyer. It wasn’t long before he decided that he wanted to pursue acting instead.
While he was training to be an actor, he formed a band with some of his LSEmates. They called themselves The Dirty Unicorns and released a self-titled EP in 2010. The band consisted of lead singer James Thompson, guitarist Andrew Maclaurin, bassist Neil Maclaurin, and drummer Martin Elliot. This was just the beginning for a group that would go on to become one of the most in-demand touring artists in the UK. The band’s sound is characterized by its jangly guitars and bright horns. It’s a style that wouldn’t go unnoticed by Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, who had this to say about the band:
“They had this sort of Floyd-like, pastoral, psychedelic feel to their sound that I find really fascinating,” he said. “It’s so refreshing to hear music that isn’t afraid to embrace its own weirdness.”
Despite the praise, the band was still relatively unknown in the United States at the time, which is why Waters described their sound as “refreshing.” It wasn’t until later that year that they would release their first single, “Baby I’m Bored,” on vinyl. A video for the song would premiere on YouTube and Vevo in March of 2011 (a month before the release of their first album, “Dusk and Winter”). In the meantime, the band was keeping busy. They had already released a demo of “Baby I’m Bored” in 2010, but the song had only recently started gaining a following in the UK when it was featured as “Criminal Minded” on Episode 2 of the second season of the hit comedy series, “The Inbetweeners.”
The Essential Musicians Who Influenced Pattinson
The most in-demand touring artist in the world today has a lot to thank his old bandmates for. As he explained in a recent interview with NME:
“I was in a band with these guys for about four years, and we spent all our time in our rehearsal rooms just learning how to play music. We would just listen to as much music as we could and learn about different sounds and what made them tick. It was the most fun thing you could have as a teenager. It was basically creating a playground for ourselves.”
This is hardly surprising; the band was one of the most innovative and influential acts to emerge in the wake of the ‘80s wave of British post-punk. They were also one of the biggest bands in the UK at the time, selling out venues across the country. And it seemed like everyone wanted to be a part of it. Guitarist Maclaurin even went so far as to credit their success to luck, as opposed to talent:
“There’s no question that we’re incredibly lucky to have found a niche in a scene that was going through a bit of a revival, especially as it coincided with us being teenagers and wanting to have fun,” he said. “It’s almost like we found a golden ticket and were able to pursue our dreams. We didn’t really see it that way at the time, but looking back it’s easy to see that we were indeed blessed.”
According to the band, it all started with Thompson. A classically trained pianist, he introduced them to the world of post-punk with his arrangements of Joy Division and New Order songs. Later on, the group’s sound would evolve with the help of their guitar hero, Nigel Dick. Dick had started out playing in glam bands in the ’70s, but had since moved on to become a solo artist. Thanks to his encouragement and unique brand of guitar playing, the band was able to fully realize their potential. And now, it appears that they never stopped dreaming. In their own words, “We’re just getting started.”