How To Make A Song Like The 1975, Bleachers, & Jack Antonoff (Nostalgic Indie Pop) | Make Pop Music

In this video, Austin breaks down how to produce a song in the style of artists like The 1975, Bleachers, and other Jack Antonoff produced indie pop projects. We go over how to select the right drum sounds for this style, how to dial in guitar tones, how to layer elements to create large, nostalgic sound scapes, and how to produce and mix vocals like The 1975 and Bleachers.
Watch Our Previous "5 Production Tricks The 1975 Uses" Video:
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My Gear:
DAW: Cubase 11 Pro
Desk: AZ Studio Workstations
Main Microphone: Lewitt LCT1040
Monitors: Focal Shape 65s with Focal Sub6
Interface: UAD Apollo Twin USB
MIDI Keyboard: M-Audio Code 61
Keyboards: Roland Juno DS88, Roland Juno 106, Arturia PolyBrute
Guitars: Fender American Professional Stratocaster, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Taylor 214 CE Plus
Preamps: Heritage Audio HA81A & Audient ASP800
Microphones: Advanced Audio 251, Slate ML-1, Shure SM7B, JZ BH-1, JZ V67, Lauten Audio LA-320, Lauten Audio LA-220, Lauten Audio LA-120, AKG P170, Sterling ST59
Camera: Panasonic G7
Lens: Rokinon 12mm f2
Camera Lights: Neewer LED Light Panels
Timestamps:
Preview 0:00
Intro 0:20
Special Announcements 1:10
Laying Down Kicks and Snares 1:52
Selecting The Right Samples / Mixing The Drums 2:30
How to Get Gated Snares 3:55
Writing A Bassline 5:50
Vintage Arp Synth 6:51
Backbeat Keys 8:22
Texture Arps 10:00
Soft Panned Guitars 11:05
Chordal Guitars 12:42
Plucked Guitars 13:02
THE 1975 GUITAR TONE 14:13
Verse Drums and Percussion Additions 15:20
Key Automation in The Verses 16:30
Verse Guitar Arrangement 16:46
Verse Turnaround 17:40
Chorus Drums and Percussion 17:50
Chorus Bass Tweaks 18:55
Key Additions 19:20
Chorus Guitar Arrangement 19:45
Whistle Top Loop 20:40
Intro Arrangement 21:10
Building Atmospheres And Textures 21:58
Verse Vocal Mix 22:57
Verse Vocal Layering 23:40
Bleachers Vocals 24:20
Saturated Vocals 25:05
The 1975 Stacked Vocal Shout 25:33
Chorus Vocal Arrangement 26:17
Full Song Play Through 26:55
Outro 28:37

[@robarrd]

This is SOOOOO good!!! You need to publish this song for streaming!!

[@MrVleker]

Can't wait to dig in! Love both The 1975 and Jack Antonoff. Both have such a cool and recognizable sound!

[@zoyaerma5562]

Amazing stuff like always Austin! Waiting for the live streams!!🙏🏻

[@ENVE5]

What an exceptional break down and use of very light effects... This is a masterly done video bro! Glad youtube recommended it!

[@mees204]

Omg love this!! you're the best Austin!

[@olilitner]

I’ve been looking for a production tutorial channel that actually makes music I like, and thank god you guys exist!!!!

[@WarmVoice]

Always top tier content. Cheers Austin ✌️

[@SimonMac]

Love this! Thanks for the great insight/ideas

[@iamquietlove]

You're the GOAT for this :) appreciate you Austin!

[@tinysoundmachine]

As a big Jack Antonoff and The 1975 production fan -I think you got the direction right! Jack loves the percs wide like what you did 😀

[@francisgarde]

picking up those drum samples sick tutorial as always Austin!

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you!!

[@skornia8101]

Great video!

[@floris7552]

This is honestly amazing dude

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you!

[@dylanlundgren]

YES I wanted to listen to this song so much haha

[@KordTaylor]

Dude! "Nostalgic Indie Pop" 😂 I have to tell my indie producer kid and his friends about this. Thanks again Austin.

[@MakePopMusic]

We out here making up arbitrary genres my guy!! 😂❤️

[@yuo2409]

You are a rare gem on youtube

[@adam_flash]

This is so freaking good. Sounds exactly like them (specifically She’s American, which is fitting since you talk about American girls in your version). Wouldn’t be mad if they legit finish and record this.

[@deepspacemusicofficial9671]

AMAZINGGGGGG

[@jeremiahmaryland]

This is dope! Can you please make the multitrack available

[@graju8840]

Good job👌👌👌👌

[@soundweird]

so good

[@dafingaz]

Nice!

[@ChrisJohnsonproducer]

Beautifully done friend! you somehow popped up in my feed, which means you’re definitely doing something right! organic search and activity streams are a monster to deal with on KZbin. You’ve really done a remarkable job of laying this out very quickly, and 30 minutes is very quickly for a production of this magnitude. there’s so much here, so much detail, so much expression, so many different tools you’ve used, really quite impressive. you barely mention the songwriting, which is really why this sounds so fantastic. Sonic and arrangement techniques are one thing, but this is just a great song. if you haven’t, I highly advise checking out Scritti Politti, Cupid and Psyche, “perfect way.” I’m sure you’ll be suitably impressed! Beautiful job, extremely exciting, really valuable, and I hope you get one big fucking monster smash hit record soon!! ❤🎉

[@debojyotisarkar72]

RELEASE THIS SONG please it's so melodic ❤😂🎉

[@staromi8589]

Hey Austin love your work .. Can you make a video on how to make Indian Type of Music !! which is soothing and not much of party type but more tilted towards love genre !! PLEASE

[@aaronleung8809]

Can you please include automation in future tutorials like how you approach automating filters volume or effects in all of the song tutorial that you make in the future. I love your music and your production so much

[@leonardosales526]

I love that snare!

[@MakePopMusic]

Thank you! It’s from our Nashville pack! The pack is on sale for $10 this week 😁

[@elliotmonteiro4469]

Hi I love your videos hope you can do one for bands like the killers or someone like muse

[@KBSMusic]

This works really well, dude. I would have cut down on the low/mids on the FM keys, make it slightly brighter sounding. Love the guitar stabs. Perhaps the lead vox is a tad muddy too. Great following your process - thanks 👌🏻

[@MakePopMusic]

Normally I’d mix wayyy brighter than this but their entire album is superrrr heavy in the low mids and there isn’t much sparkle at all. This is actually brighter than almost every record on the album I referenced 😂

[@theotucker1987]

I beg you make this a full song pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[@CobaltOracle]

Loved this video. Found it pretty funny when you called them the 1985 by mistake, anyone else notice? lol

[@MakePopMusic]

Yeah I do that all the time for some reason 😂😂

[@dereksimke9117]

Can’t say that I blame you, it was a good year 😁

[@RestLer-]

Cool bassline

[@NoProblemoStudio]

That's so COOL 😎 The thing that got me most excited tho, is the full song in the end!😮👍 U've never played the whole song for us, right? Or have i gone senile?🤪

[@MakePopMusic]

I normally do on the artist style videos! If you check our videos, we always do time stamps and the play throughs are always at the end.

[@NoProblemoStudio]

@@MakePopMusic Yeah Austin, i do know that. I've been watching ur videos since the first time i lay my hands on LMMS(a free DAW). That's why i said, i might've gone senile😆

[@marcossalcedook]

Muy buen laburo wachin

[@zachpope2672]

Insane work buddy! Just a question , shall I invest in the Slate Digital All access pass? Is Ana 2 good quality?

[@MakePopMusic]

It's honestly a no brainer to me. I use at least 6-10 elements from it in every production. And yes! I love Ana2! We have some free presets for it on our site!

[@AybaLee]

Good 👍

[@ShravanMUSIC-uj3le]

The 1985 is my favorite band

[@MakePopMusic]

Lolol

[@huckwalton2307]

They’re .5% better than The 1975.

[@uprightcorner]

Hi Austin, please do a production which have the tone of NIGHTLY-Wear Your Heart Out Album Thank you very much

[@superlynx98]

Is this song released? It's very catchy

[@thilangaheshan]

❤️

[@vipulvishwas4960]

That is very Good 👍 Seems like nowdays u r making more of nostalgia indie songs...... Can u plz make More songs on Mordern Pop Trap RnB hip hop tracks...... I love your hiphop songs🥰🥰

[@MakePopMusic]

Will do! We did a few recently though! Peep the West Coast hip hop and the Sad Trap Pop videos!

[@vipulvishwas4960]

@@MakePopMusic yes I really love those...... Learnt so much....... And do Vocal chop hiphop tracks

[@jonaselliot7675]

Hello! Do your samples/ plugins work in logic ?? Love your videos!!

[@MakePopMusic]

Yes! Our samples can be used in any DAW and our presets are for Serum (which can be used in Logic as long as you have it)

[@Martinoh99]

Eeee buena data tiraste

[@nicok5630]

“Other than that ... there is is really nothing much here ... “ except 10 plugins on each track - and a zillion flutes just in case the listener gets bored. Ah forgot, some custom soundscapes ! fFunny guy but very very talented. I hope he does some creative work too, not just replicas.

[@MakePopMusic]

I definitely do original works. I am a full time producer, the sound alikes are just fun exercises and our audience loves them!

[@alainpatry]

I really liked your lyrics!

[@amberthestrange]

please do a Remi wolf song!

[@jeffo466]

Anyone know of a cool alternative to that "80's" pedal from the Cory Wong plugin???

[@MakePopMusic]

Tricera-chorus, the chorus in a Roland Jazz chorus amp sim, blue cat has a free chorus. Basically any chorus pedal plugin.

[@JojoModrin]

What's the sample pack ? Not sure to see it on your website!

[@MakePopMusic]

Nashville! It’s there 😁

[@iiinfinity]

“Any thing that Jack does is gonna have arps all over it” True😂

[@amintaskye]

Drop this

[@graju8840]

Vocal prosesing how to🙏🙏🙏

[@andrewjones_fitness]

Can you do a Men I trust style track? I can't be the first to ask

[@swatapijt]

That would be nice!

[@iseeittt]

next how to make music like boy pablo please🤭✌️

[@frooooo2009]

There's an indie band called VICTORS quite similar to this if anyone is looking for recommendations

[@goldenayarn4748]

why dont you release all the songs you make in tutorial videos I would love to listen to these

[@MusokeMSK]

Same! That would be awesome 🙏

[@CJSleme]

Yea I wish he would just have a Spotify account with just his released stuff. I want to be able to enjoy to his productions on my good speakers. Speaking of that, what albums has he done?

[@DionPanduDewantara]

Damn i missed the black friday discount 😢

[@benhey10]

fuck yeah with the SuperSonics hat let's push an agenda

[@MakePopMusic]

RIP to the SuperSonics

[@kiliankraus]

Austin constantly outdoes himself... idk but he does

[@claytonvisker]

SONICS! bro are you from Washington?!

[@MakePopMusic]

I’m not but I’m a huge basketball fan! 😁

[@Squidaniel]

Bro....why is your Keyscape gained up so high??????

[@MakePopMusic]

Because why not?? I just decided to gain stage it there. Doesn’t really matter either way.

[@Squidaniel]

@@MakePopMusic I ask because I am still a bit of a novice but I can’t help but notice so many virtual instruments run SO hot by default Do you play and commit to audio and then gain stage from there? Or do you just throw a gain utility on the track??

[@MakePopMusic]

Nah, keyscape runs lowwww. This patch was coming in at least -18 but maybe even lower so I just cranked it so I didn’t have to do a bunch of makeup gain on my channel

[@Squidaniel]

@@MakePopMusic hmmm maybe it’s MY daw?? I use logic and every virtual instrument defaults to like -0.01 db sometimes. I literally gain down all my virtual instruments by like 10db

[@samporter1564]

😢 p̲r̲o̲m̲o̲s̲m̲

[@MaxSimsMusic]

Kilohearts bundle is actually free for the time being, go grab it!

[@MakePopMusic]

That’s a steal. Love the KH stuff!