Can You Engineer a Music Scene? Huntsville’s Strategy, 90s Nostalgia & 5 Songs That Don’t Suck

What’s up friend!?

Welcome back to Songs That Don’t Suck, where Mark listens to hundreds of newly released tracks every week so you don’t have to. But before we jump into this week’s killer finds, we’ve got a little… Dateline February 12, 2026 situation to unpack.

Huntsville, Alabama Wants to Be a “Music City”

The city of Huntsville has entered into an agreement with Sound Diplomacy for a 12-week study to analyze its music ecosystem and economic impact.

Yes. A music ecosystem audit.

Sound Diplomacy is a global music and creative economy consultancy that uses research and data to quantify the economic and social value of the arts. The goal? Strengthen Huntsville’s identity as a “music city” and chart its next phase of growth.

The mayor has positioned music as part of the city’s economic engine.

And Mark’s reaction?

What the actual f***.

Is there anything less rock and roll than commissioning a consulting firm to manufacture a music scene for quarterly returns?

Since when did scenes need a board of directors?

Can Music Scenes Be Engineered?

The plan includes:

• Appointing a Music Office
• Creating a Music Board of local experts
• Revising noise ordinances and operating hours
• Expanding development around the The Orion Amphitheater
• Measuring economic impact tied to MidCity development

On paper? Strategic. Organized. Optimized.

But here’s the tension:
Can cultural branding and mixed-use developments actually create a thriving music scene?

Or do scenes happen by accident?

What Real Scenes Looked Like (Northeast Ohio, 1990s)

Mark experienced a music scene firsthand in Akron and Cleveland in the mid-90s. No pitch decks. No strategic plans. Just friction.

Some of the defining bands:

• Mushroomhead
• The Waynes
• Anagram
• Axis
• Junkman
• Strip
• Cows in the Graveyard
• Liquid
• Jehovah Waitresses

The Waynes almost got signed. Labels wanted the frontman solo. He wanted the band. They released Long Road Gravity, and for those who were there, it mattered.

The Venues That Built the Scene

These clubs weren’t optimized. They were sticky. Loud. Imperfect.

• Peabody’s Downunder (The Flats)
• The Grog Shop (original location)
• The Phantasy
• Euclid Tavern
• The Blind Lemon
• Ron’s Crossroads
• Annabelles

Some nights? Twelve people in the room.

But those rooms built something.

Record stores smelled like patchouli and mildew. Zines stacked by the door. Flyers everywhere. Bands chalked sidewalks at the University of Akron.

That’s not strategy. That’s friction.

Scenes Don’t Come From Slide Decks

The Seattle scene didn’t come from a chamber of commerce initiative.

The Sunset Strip wasn’t born from economic modeling.

Hip-hop didn’t rise out of Brooklyn because of urban renewal grants.

College radio wasn’t monetized. It was obsessed over.

Scenes are messy. Risky. Built on taste, not tourism dollars.

What Actually Kills Music Scenes?

Mark pivots his skepticism in an important direction.

Maybe cities aren’t the villain.

Maybe the real threats are:

• Rising rents
• Corporate consolidation
• Homogenized radio
• Streaming algorithms
• Viral-first music culture
• Short attention spans
• Get-rich-quick mentality

In late-stage capitalism, music has become data. Cities treat it like infrastructure. A revenue lever.

So maybe Huntsville is playing defense. Maybe they’re trying to preserve space in a time when space is shrinking.

Because that’s what scenes need:

Not audits. Space.

And honestly? Who knows.

Mark’s just a guy with a mic, hoping to find songs that don’t suck.

So let’s get into them.

🎵 This Week’s Songs That Don’t Suck

1️⃣ “Fuck. This. Shit” – Hollerado

Ottawa indie rock with serious attitude. Submitted by Dave R. (shout out to the faithful).

There are moments that channel Tom Petty — especially in the vocal tone and nostalgic lyrical bite.

It taps into that longing for simpler days. No responsibilities. Just school, chores, and whatever chaos you could get into.

The chorus? You’ve got to commit. Full chest. No irony.

A cathartic indie rock ripper.

2️⃣ “The Messenger” – Leith

Switching gears to indie-pop.

With so many technically “good” singers out there, what stands out is tone. Texture. A phrasing quirk that sticks in your head.

Leith’s range moves beautifully between lower register control and soaring choruses. The production gives her voice space to breathe.

When tone + songcraft align? That’s magic.

3️⃣ “Warp and Weft” – Big Big Train

Prog fans, assemble.

If you love early Genesis — especially the Peter Gabriel era — this one’s for you.

But this isn’t nostalgia cosplay.

You get:

• Vocal counterpoint that’ll melt your brain
• A wicked synth solo
• Classic prog structure without drifting into jam-band sprawl

It leans closer to indie rock sonically, avoiding the metal-heavy tendencies of modern prog.

Headphones required. 🎧

4️⃣ “Insomnia” – Crooked Fingers

Genre-defying in the best way.

It opens with fingerstyle guitar. Then:

• Deep, chest-thumping drums
• Electric guitar counter melodies
• Pedal steel textures
• Hammond-style organ swells

The slow, methodical build is gorgeous. The rootsy vocal ties it together.

This one’s about arrangement and atmosphere.

5️⃣ “Television Love” – The Other End

Imagine if The Black Crowes found Joni Mitchell as their vocalist.

Now imagine they’re from Norway.

Bluesy 70s-inspired rock with Americana soul — from the Nordics. Unexpected. Completely welcome.

The production sounds analog. Warm. Intentional.

Highlights:

• Haunting vocal tone
• Rich harmonies
• Fat, glorious snare sound
• Piano and guitar tones that feel timeless

It’s the kind of drum sound you’d beg an engineer to replicate.

Final Thoughts 🎙️

Can cities build music scenes?

Maybe.

Should they try?

Maybe.

But history tells us scenes thrive on:

• Space
• Risk
• Friction
• Community
• Dive bar bathrooms

Whether Huntsville’s approach becomes a blueprint or a cautionary tale remains to be seen.

In the meantime, we’ll keep digging through the noise to find songs that don’t suck.

And this week? We found five.

Go support these artists.
Go to shows.
Buy the vinyl.
And maybe… let the bathrooms stay disgusting.

See you next week.