A list of music that you’ve never heard of or have forgotten about that still rocks

So, just a quick note. I think that an artist or album or song being “underrated” or “overrated” is majorly subjective. But, if I put a song on here that you think got exactly the right amount of fanfare, let me know why you think that. I’d love to hear your opinions.

But there are a lot of artists that I think should get more recognition. Most of these are pop artists, and I know that pop music gets a lot of flak. I think I’m about to write a story about why judging people’s music tastes is lame, so if you want to read some ranting on this topic, look out for that.

Anyway, I have liked these artists for a while now, so I hope you find a song, album, or artist that you can have a new appreciation for, whether you are just hearing of them for the first time or have known of them for years.

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1. Jon Bellion- Glory Sound Prep

The first album on this list is from Jon Bellion. I first discovered him when he performed a song on this album called “The Internet” with a band called Lawrence, who I love.

This album is so good, and it just doesn’t get enough love. I think that most people know Jon Bellion by his song “All Time Low” on his album The Human Condition. And I know a lot of times, when someone has an album that becomes super popular, people lose track of the artist after the hype dies down.

But this album has such a good message of not letting the world and the success you might find in it distract you from what really matters. It has some really great songs. Check it out!

2. Tori Kelly- Funny

So, this is the album that I first listened to of Tori Kelly’s, and this song has always been a favorite of mine. The most popular songs on the album Unbreakable Smile are “Nobody Love”, “Should’ve Been Us”, and “Hollow”, which is also one of my favorites. I like all of these, but to put a live recording in a purely pop album? Iconic. I love it.

My favorite version of this song is on YouTube at one of Tori Kelly’s concerts. She sings it acoustically with Mateus Asato accompanying on the guitar, and it is so dang good. They do this thing at the end where Mateus plays and Tori mimics it, and then Tori sings and Mateus plays it, and it is amazing. Definitely check that version out. I linked it, also.

3. Kat Dahlia- Crazy

I first heard this song a bit after it came out in 2014, and it was so catchy. This is one of the only songs that I liked but didn’t play it so many times that I got sick of it.

There are just random times, though, that I really want to listen to this song, and when I do, I remember why I liked it so much. It’s so good.

4. LÉON- Hope Is a Heartache

This is one of my favorite Leon songs. I really like this whole album, but this is one of my favorite songs off of it. It’s sad but somehow makes you feel good. The second verse builds the song up and makes you want more. Which you get.

LÉON’s voice is great, as always, and really drives home the sadness and desperation she feels. Such a good song.

5. Jessie Ware- Say You Love Me

Jessie Ware has a lot of good songs, but I hardly see them anywhere. And they should be. Her album Tough Love is one of the first vinyls I ever bought. She also has a lot of good songs on her album after that called Glasshouse.

But, “Say You Love Me” is definitely one of my favorite songs of hers. I love the stripped-down guitar sound, and then later the more electric sounds that are added. And her voice sounds amazing, as always.

6. Noah Kahan- Growing Sideways

This song kind of snuck up on me. When I discovered Noah Kahan’s album Stick Season, I was obsessed. It’s like every song is gold. I would very nearly consider it a no-skip album for me. The only reason I didn’t put the entire album in this list is because I wouldn’t really consider Stick Season unpopular, with Noah being nominated for a Grammy this year because of it.

But I would say that this is not one of the most famous songs on the album. It wasn’t even one of my favorites until I just really started liking it. The lyrics, the rhythm, the hook. It’s sneaky good.

7. Elyssa Smith- Jealous

This one is actually a Christian song, and it is so, so good. It’s from Jesus’ perspective, and it’s about that He is jealous for us, and it really shows how much He loves us.

And Elyssa’s voice is so honest and real and pure. The bridge creates such an image and elevates the song. It really reiterates Jesus’ love.

So, if you’re into that kind of music, or even if you’re not, you should give it a listen.

8. Maya Delilah (feat. Samm Henshaw)- Breakup Season

I love the vibe of this one. If you haven’t heard of Maya Delilah, she is a crazy good guitar player. She’s also a great singer, and I really like the music she’s put out. She does these videos on YouTube called Table time with Maya Delilah, and it’s where she freestyles on her guitar, usually while sitting on a table. It’s so good.

But this song is a perfect mix of her guitar playing and her singing. Her and Samm Henshaw’s voices go really well together, and if you haven’t heard of Samm Henshaw either, you should definitely listen to his song, “Broke”. Which I’ll talk about next.

9. Samm Henshaw- Broke

I think I first heard of Samm Henshaw when he sang with Tori Kelly on an Instagram live she was doing during the pandemic. His voice is amazing, and so is this song. It’s so catchy. I don’t really have much to say about it, to be honest. It’s just a really good song.

10. Sara Bareilles- Basket Case

I love Sara Bareilles. There are so many of her songs that I could have put on here. I’ll probably write a story about my favorite songs of hers later. But I was trying to think of songs that hooked me from the beginning, and this was one of them.

One of the things that makes Sara Bareilles’ music so great is the lyrics. This one tells the story of her being a “basket case” without someone, and she paints the picture so clearly.

Featured photo by blocks on Unsplash