One of the great things about current music is that there are so many different artists to choose from and you can find great artists in any genre. I've found that many of the best singers and groups are not very well known among mainstream audiences and therefore, do not get the recognition they deserve. Below, I've listed who I think are some of the best music acts today that more people should be listening to. Some of these artists have more recognizable names, while others are almost completely unknown.
1. The Wild Feathers
This band recently released their second studio album, Lonely Is a Lifetime. Largely unknown to mainstream audiences, The Wild Feathers' music style is alternative rock with traces of classic and southern rock. Their songs are very lyrically complex and the choruses are both powerful and memorable.
2. K'naan
One of my favorite artists of any genre, K'naan blends hip-hop with African music to create a sound that is unique and indistinguishable. You may recognize the remixed version of his hit song "Wavin' Flag", which was heard globally as the anthem for the 2010 World Cup, but he has also made plenty of other outstanding songs. As someone who escaped to America from Somali Civil War, K'naan's music draws upon his personal experiences and brings to light real issues that are facing the world. "Fatima" is about a childhood friend who was killed in the war and songs like "My Old Home" and "Soobax" describe the reality of life in his native Somalia. Despite his horrifying experiences, most of K'naan's songs are upbeat and suggest optimism.
3. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Listening to Vermont singer Grace Potter and her band the Nocturnals sounds a lot like you are being thrown back in time to an earlier era. It's easy to sense the elements of classic rockand blues in their songs. Their styles range from more rock-heavy songs like "The Lion The Beast The Beat" and "Paris" to acoustic-driven melodies like "Stars".
4. Mipso
If you're into modern bluegrass music, Mipso is a band I would definitely check out. This group from North Carolina has released two albums as a quartet and uses a variety of sounds and themes. Since there really isn't anybody else who sounds like them, they provide an interesting and refreshing sound. One of their best songs in my opinion is "Carolina Calling".
5. Ziggy Marley
Ziggy has been carrying on his father's legacy through music for decades. In the past decade or so, he has recorded as a solo artist. He's not exactly unknown, since he has won multiple Grammys in the reggae genre, but if you hadn't had a chance to listen to him, you should start. Ziggy's songs have a nice beat and are often uplifting.
6. Nora Jane Struthers
Struthers' songwriting skills are impressive, which is noticeable just by listening to her lyrics. Although her genre leans more towards a mix Americana and country, one of her best songs it "Let Go", which contains more rock elements.
7. Jason Isbell
Isbell's self-written music is a mix between rock and country. Many of the songs from his solo albums deal with his own personal struggles and contain some heavy themes. I would recommend his 2013 album Southeastern.
8. The Pretty Reckless
This hard rock band is fronted by former actress Taylor Momsen, who brings plenty of emotion to her lyrics. The band uses a variety of different tempos and most of their songs have a fairly dark tone to them. A few of my favorites are "Miss Nothing" and "Under the Water".
9. Chris Stapleton
Stapleton has begun to enter mainstream country radio recently, and won numerous Grammy Awards in 2016, but he has been putting out great records for a while now. He was formerly part of the country band the SteelDrivers and has since performed as a solo artist. Stapleton has a powerful voice and has recorded some of the best country songs out there.
10. Lucy Spraggan
This English singer-songwriter manages to tell a story through her lyrics. She crosses over into different genres, from acoustic pop ("Tea and Toast") to rap ("You're Too Young"). Spraggan's heavy accent can be heard in her songs, giving a nice tone and quality to her voice.
11.Red
12. Lupe Fiasco
Along with Chris Stapleton, he is likely the most recognizable name on this list and certainly doesn't fall under the "little-known artist" category that many of the others do, but I feel that Lupe Fiasco doesn't get the credit he deserves. His lyrics are deep and meaningful and I personally think he's one of the most gifted and underrated rappers around today.
