In today's web-centric music world, a band or an artist can go from playing concerts in their garden to concerts at The Garden with just one catchy hit single. So often, we hear that single played over and over on the radio and on TV commercials ad nauseam, and forget that the artist usually has an album or two out that they want their fans to listen to as well. Here are a few victims of the one-hit wonder phenomenon that deserve to have their music heard!
1. Foster the People
You probably heard "Pumped Up Kicks," the really chill, indie-vibe song about a school shooting (yep, check out those lyrics) back in 2011. But did you know the rest of the album it appears on sounds completely different? FTP's "Torches" is full of quirky pop/rock songs with much more variety to their choruses and much less depressing content (for the most part). Their latest album, "Supermodel," deals with some heavier themes like capitalism and drug abuse, but still keeps it catchy with songs like "Best Friend," a disco-esque chart about tripping hard on consumerism:
2. Alex Clare
"Too Close" made white girls everywhere think they were into dubstep for a few months, but since then, we haven't heard another soulful note from Alex Clare. His LP "The Lateness of the Hour" is full of EDM-heavy songs like "Too Close," but Clare's incredible vocals really shine on this acoustic ballad that closes the album;
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3. Florence Welch
The clubs couldn't get enough of Florence Welch's song with Calvin Harris "Sweet Nothing" when it was released, and you'll still here it on Top 40 radio every now and again. Maybe the underrated success of "Dog Days are Over" three years earlier had something to do with it, but Florence was on top for a good part part of 2013 before quietly disappearing from the public consciousness to put out her two most recent albums, "Ceremonials," and "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful." The latter was just released on June 1 and is the perfect blend of the sonorous grandeur of "Ceremonials" and the simple wit of her debut album "Lungs." Check out the lead single "What Kind of Man," a four-on-the-floor rock anthem about a boyfriend that Flo should probably just let go.
4. The Neighbourhood
The Neighbourhood's black-and-white, moody aesthetic spoke to the old souls of the Tumblr generation and the melancholy slow-burner "Sweater Weather" rose to the top of the charts in the winter of 2013. Much of their debut album, "I Love You.," resonates with the same kind of slow motion-nightmare vibe, but the songwriting is consistently poignant and intelligent. The visually arresting video for their song, "Afraid," told from the perspective of a narrator with depression and anxiety, is definitely worth a listen:
5. Gotye
Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" was virtually inescapable between 2011 and 2013. It won the Grammy for Record of the Year and the Billboard Music Award for Top Hot 100 Song, among other accolades, and has been covered by countless artists, including Ingrid Michaelson and Sam Tsui. But before the song's insane success, Gotye had been in the game since 2001, releasing dozens of singles and EP's. "Making Mirrors," the album on which "Somebody That I Used to Know" is featured, went on to win the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, and for good reason; it is the product of years of experimentation and growth as an artist, and showcases everything Gotye has to offer as a musician and a person with a clever way of conveying feelings to which we can all relate. Listen to the '80s-inspired bonus track on "Making Mirrors," "Dig Your Own Hole," below, and the next time you hear a catchy song on the radio, remember to check out the artist that made it. You just might find an artist that's worth more than a one-hit wonder!
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