Greg Hoy’s Hit Music isn’t just an album—it’s a defiant statement of perseverance, reinvention, and the power of doing it yourself. Born from a personal health crisis that forced the California-based rocker to rethink his approach to music-making, the record is as much a product of physical limitation as it is of creative liberation. With Hoy temporarily sidelined from playing guitar due to spinal arthritis and cervical radiculopathy, he pivoted back to drums—his first musical love—and crafted an album that feels raw, honest, and unmistakably alive.
Recorded entirely between August 2024 and February 2025 (save for one track, “The Wheel,” from 2020), Hit Music was born in a rented room in Pacifica, California, where Hoy would spend mornings drumming after dropping his daughter off at preschool. The concept was simple, yet ambitious: full takes, no digital trickery, and every instrument—drums, guitars, bass, keys—played live by Hoy himself. It’s a throwback to classic DIY ethics, channeling the spirit of Jack White, Phil Collins, and Dave Grohl, while still carving out a unique sonic identity that blends punk energy, alt-rock urgency, and indie-pop charm.
The album opens with “The Simulation,” immediately setting a thematic tone that blends personal disorientation with broader societal unease. It’s followed by “Last Quarter,” which introduces Kelly O’Donohue’s bright horn arrangements—used sparingly but effectively throughout the album. These brass flourishes, alongside Ben Opie’s saxophone contributions, add color and texture without disrupting the gritty core of Hoy’s sound.
Lead single “What, My People?” is a standout—a stomping, fuzzed-out rocker that critiques the digital age with biting irony and swagger. With a riff that feels pulled from a lost glam-rock b-side and a chorus that sticks, it’s both a critique and a celebration of chaos. “The Wheel” shifts gears, offering a mid-album moment of introspection, while “Luck Vs. Fate” and “I Have Frustration” lean heavily into Fugazi-inspired grooves and driving rhythms.
What’s most impressive about Hit Music is how cohesive it feels despite the wide palette of influences. One moment recalls the mathy tension of Don Caballero, the next nods to the pop playfulness of early-80s Genesis. And yet, Hoy’s distinct voice—both literal and artistic—anchors it all. His lyrics are wry, self-aware, and often darkly humorous, poking at modern malaise while never sounding defeatist.
The title track, “Hit Music,” closes the album on a self-referential high, tying the record’s loose concept together. Inspired by an old, cryptic steakhouse sign, the phrase becomes a mission statement. Hoy didn’t set out to make a greatest hits album—he made one that feels like one, brimming with immediacy and personality.
In a time when so much music feels overproduced and emotionally distant, Hit Music stands as a refreshing reminder of the power of instinct, imperfection, and good old-fashioned rock and roll. It’s not just a recovery record—it’s a reinvention, and it hits exactly where it should.
Garth Thomas