Music affects everyone's life in some way- that's something hardly anyone can dispute. Whether you enjoy making music like I do or simply listening to it, our lives would probably be vastly different without the presence of music in them. But it affects everyone in different ways, because everyone has different individual preferences of what types of music they like to listen to. Personally, I like a lot of different types of music- I've never listened to just one specific category or genre. My favorite songs range from mainstream pop that's on the radio all the time, to country music (don't judge me), to alternative songs most people don't listen to. All these singers or bands I'm going to tell you about have music from many widely different varieties. Some of these musicians are people you may not have heard of at all. Others are ones you've most likely heard of and maybe even heard music from, but probably not beyond the few songs of theirs that have been played on the radio. But all of them have produced music that's immensely improved my life, which is why I'm strongly suggesting anyone who reads this invests some time into their music too.

1. Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots is an alternative or indie-rock type musical duo who does a lot of spoken-word rap in their songs. Now I know most people have definitely heard of these guys- they're not exactly on the DL. However, only 2 or 3 of their songs have been played on the radio, and they've been around long before those songs started getting played on the radio. If you look beyond only their more mainstream songs that have gotten way too overplayed like "Stressed Out" and "Ride", all their other music is pretty amazing. The reason I love their music a lot more than other songs is because they don't sing about what the majority of artists these days sing about such as love songs or breakup songs or songs about sex, partying, alcohol, and the like. Instead, they often sing about serious topics that are more relatable and legitimate for millennials (or at least for me) such as mental health. Not that there's anything wrong with people who do sing about those other topics, but I don't think there are enough artists who write songs about mental health. And not only are Twenty One Pilots' lyrics really clever, but their songs are all entertaining to listen to as well. They may have some deep, emotional songs like "Car Radio" (in which they say "I will try with every rhyme/ To come across like I am dying/ To let you know you need to try to think") but they also have just as many fun and jovial songs as well, such as "Tear in My Heart" (which has lyrics like "The songs on the radio are okay/ But my taste in music is your face"). If this wasn't enough to spark a drive to listen to Twenty One Pilots, they even recently came out with this new song that is going to be in DC's upcoming "Suicide Squad" movie! So, if you're curious about their music, you can listen to all the songs on their most recent album here.

2. MisterWives

MisterWives is an indie pop band from New York. They've only been around for about 2 years and their songs are almost never played on the radio- except one song from their very first album, "Reflections" (which most people have heard before even though they haven't heard of the band)- so it's unlikely that you're familiar with them. But their songs are very catchy, with really captivating lyrics, and the lead singer Mandy Lee Duffy has a lovely voice. Even though a lot of MisterWives' music is more romance-based, unlike Twenty One Pilots, it's often still very empowering. Most of their tunes are fun to jam out to yet still at the same time have great messages. For example, their song "Not Your Way" is a catchy, upbeat song that talks about feminism and gender inequality. Their song "Our Own House" is also a fast-paced, dance-y song that is about being patriotic. At the same time, like Twenty One Pilots, MisterWives also writes songs that we can connect to on a more emotional level, such as "Vagabond", which is one of my absolute favorites and the song that I chose to perform in my recital for my voice lessons that I take at my university. That song will undoubtedly make anyone instantly happier because its goal is to remind us we can make it through tough times. This is what I love about MisterWives' songs- I feel like you can really "feel" their music. On a deeper level than much other music. Their songs can really make you feel as if you're part of the message they're getting across. So, if you want to hear� songs that are both deeply captivating and sounding lighthearted at the same time- what can get better than that?- look no further than this link to MisterWives' most recent album (with also a few of the songs from their debut album thrown in).�

3. Jess Glynne

Jess Glynne is a singer/songwriter from England who does mostly pop or soul music. You probably know of her mainly as the voice featured in Clean Bandit's songs "Rather Be" and "Real Love." Now don't get me wrong, those are wonderful songs, but Jess Glynne deserves to be known as more than just a featured singer in another band's songs because she's extremely talented and has produced several of her very own songs that are just as wonderful as those that she was featured in. There was actually one song of hers called "Hold My Hand" that got pretty popular earlier this year- it was played on the radio quite a bit so you've probably heard it at some point. This song is really great, but Jess has other less-known great songs out there too. One of my favorites is "Don't Be So Hard On Yourself"-- I love this song because, like "Vagabond" by MisterWives, it's a motivational song about staying positive through difficult times. And for every uplifting, upbeat song Jess has, she also has just as many deep and soulful ballad-type songs like "Take Me Home" that can really make you "feel" her lyrics. I think what does that the most is her voice. I have several favorite artists and bands but I haven't heard many who have a voice like hers. Jess's voice reminds me a lot of Adele's (perhaps because they're both British, I don't know) in that it's very soulful and full of heart-- she can flawlessly pull off both belting and hitting high soprano-esque notes, not something many people can do both of. When you listen to Jess's music, it's difficult not to be drawn by the perfect balance of her wonderful voice and empowering lyrics, so you can do just that by clicking here.

4. �Melanie Martinez

Melanie Martinez is an American singer/songwriter from New York (like MisterWives) who has a very arty, alt-pop style of music. Her career took off after her performance on The Voice in 2012. She reminds me a lot of Lady Gaga in terms of physical style- they're pretty similar with their unconventional, "defy society" personalities and fashion senses. As far as her music goes, though, she borders more on the styles of Lana del Rey and Lorde. It's likely that the majority of those reading this wouldn't know of Melanie because only one of her songs, "Pity Party" has been played on the radio and she isn't talked about very much- but she should be because how unconventional she is makes her awesome. I've never heard any other music quite like Melanie's. I like her music for the opposite reason of liking the other artists I've mentioned, though- she produces a lot of emotionally deep songs, but they're all very dark. In fact, I can't think of one song she's written that sounds vaguely uplifting. But these kinds of songs are just as important as the motivational, positive ones, because they remind us that sometimes life is not all fun and games, all while still being relatable and fun to listen to. It may not seem like it at first, but a lot of the topics Melanie sings about are very real issues in many people's lives. For example "Dollhouse", Melanie's first and likely most famous hit, tells the story of a family that appears to outsiders as living a flawless, carefree life, but on the inside they actually deal with a lot of problems such as the father cheating on the mother and the son being a pothead. I personally really like her song "Cake" because it addresses the issue of using someone only for the physical aspect of a relationship, which is something a lot of people who may come across it, especially girls or young women, might be able to relate to. If you want to hear songs that sound depressing yet at the same time intriguing and tell stories, here is where you can check out Melanie's latest album.

5. Carrie Underwood

Now this is someone that anyone reading this will most certainly know of, no doubt about it. Carrie Underwood is a country artist who has been producing music for at least a decade. She's won various awards for her work and lots of her songs have been played on the radio, especially on country stations. Everyone is familiar with at least her most well-known hits like "Before He Cheats." But how many people besides avid country listeners have actually checked out Carrie's music beyond just her famous radio hits? I've actively enjoyed her music since I was in middle school, so I can't imagine growing up without her in my life, but the majority of people I know aren't familiar with many of her songs. Well, I'm letting you know right now that if you decide to get familiar with her songs, they will change your life for the better. Yes, Carrie does sing about romance and heartbreak a lot, which might seem cliche, but she also sings about other very genuine topics that can feel personal to everyone in some way. Such as "Little Toy Guns" which is about how much words can hurt us sometimes and "Smoke Break" which says it's okay to treat yourself sometimes after a lot of hard work. But the main reason I love Carrie's songs so much is because they all tell a story in some way. Especially her newest album, which is literally called "Storyteller." Many of her songs, especially the ones on this album, follow a plotline of some sort involving either herself or fictional characters she's made up, and the way she sings really allows you to feel for the people in her songs, even if they aren't real. She can really make people feel a variety of different emotions from her songs, in ways I haven't felt from other musicians. Some of the stories Carrie tells with her songs are downright sinister, like "Two Black Cadillacs", "Church Bells", and "Choctaw County Affair," which are all about murder (and it actually seemed to me when the song "Church Bells" came out that it was connected in some way to "Two Black Cadillacs"). Some of her songs are very melancholy or emotional to the point where they are difficult to listen to, such as "See You Again", "Temporary Home", or "Just A Dream" (all of which still cause me to tear up whenever I hear them!). And on the flip side, some of Carrie's songs, like "All-American Girl" or "Something in the Water", actually are 100% cheerful and capable of evoking positive emotions. It's really fantastic that a musician has the ability to produce songs of so many widely varying emotional backgrounds- and for such a long time, too! Along with the fact that she can still do this even after being married and raising a child, there are very many things to admire about Carrie.

I could go on for much longer about just these 5 musicians/groups I've mentioned, let alone recommend even more artists to you. But I believe I've provided a great deal of persuasive information as well as resources to go check out their music for yourself while you're reading all this persuasive information. So now I don't see any reason not to look into at least one of the songs I've linked you to (that you haven't heard before)!

I hope I've inspired some to reach out into these artists' music, whether it's as much as I have or just enough so that I've successfully spread the word about some people who damn well deserve it.