Did you know listening to Classical music can help you study better for tests? Well, it really does. I found this out last January when I was studying for exams. In fact, there is a station on Pandora that is called ‘Classical for Studying’. This station plays a genre called Classical Crossover. It is regular pop music like Rihanna or Green Day played without vocals and only with instruments like pianos, violins, and cellos. By listening to this station, I found the 2cellos.

The 2cellos is a Croatian cellist duo that became famous by posting a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” They have covered songs from Nirvana, Rihanna, Coldplay, and Kings of Leon. So far, they have released 2 albums with artists featured like Naya Rivera and Elton John. They have also been featured in Season Three of Glee, playing “Smooth Criminal” for a number done by Santana (Naya Rivera) and Sebastien (Grant Gustin).

Recently, they went on tour, and they did a show in DC. I had the pleasure of going and experiencing the awesomeness that is the 2cellos. The show was completely sold out, and every seat in the house was full. By the end, everyone was out of their seats and jamming out to Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit.” After the concert, you could wait in line and meet the band to get merchandise signed. Luckily, I was near the exits and was able to get a really good spot in line. It was really awesome meeting them, and they are super nice. It was a really awesome concert.

Another band that is worth listening to was their opening band, A Great Big World. A Great Big World is a fantastic band whose whole message is positivity and self-worth. Their songs are a lot of fun and have recently been playing on the radio and rising up on the charts. Their song “This is the New Year” was featured in season 4 of Glee. If you haven’t listened to them yet, I highly recommend checking them out.