You’ve probably heard of all of these artists at some point. They all have hits that they’re known for, but a lot of their music is seriously underrated.
1. Lily Allen
Summary: She’s an English singer who has released three albums over the past three years. She took a break for a few years but was featured in a P!nk song and eventually released her third album Sheezus in 2014.
Why she’s awesome: Her lyrics are unapologetically sarcastic and crude, yet her music is catchy. She has no problem calling out the pitfalls of Hollywood and the treatment of women in the industry through her music.
2. Marina and the Diamonds
Summary: If you like indie pop artists such as Florence and the Machine, then this is one artist to follow. She only rose to prominence a few years ago with her album The Family Jewels in 2010, but her album Froot came out last year.
Why she’s awesome: Her music creatively explores human nature and she has a pleasant voice similar to Florence Welsh and Regina Specktor. Not to mention she has killer fashion.
3. Sara Bareilles
Summary: This woman is one of my favorite singers of all time. Everyone remembers her summertime jam “Love Song” from 2007, which is her biggest hit to date. You’ve probably also heard “Brave” from her Grammy nominated album “The Blessed Unrest” in 2013. Besides releasing five albums over the past decade, in recent years, she’s been a judge on “The Sing-Off”, went on tour with OneRepublic, written a book, and scored a musical!
Why she’s awesome: She’s got a naturally beautiful voice no doubt, but her main asset is her songwriting. Her lyrics reflect her vulnerability and insightfulness in matters of life and love. It’s hard not to instantly fall in love with her music when you hear it. Give her most recent album What’s Inside: Songs from Waitress a listen and you won’t be disappointed.
4. Adam Lambert
Summary: Most people have probably heard of him. He was the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol and has had three albums since. He’s also been active in supporting LGBT rights and recently toured with Queen.
Why he’s awesome: He’s probably one of the best vocalists in current music. He was also openly gay at a time when it wasn’t as accepted and had no problem with his extreme artistic and stylistic choices despite the many critics he dealt with.
5. Carly Rae Jepsen
Summary: You may be surprised to see her on this list; we all remember the mega-annoying megahit “Call Me Maybe” which skyrocketed the Canadian to fame. She released an equally catchy tune “I Really Like You” last year, and an amazing third album...which no one listened to.
Why she’s awesome: I admit, I wrote off her music pretty quickly too, but Emotion is honestly a great album and not enough people have come to appreciate her evolving sound. For those eternally suffering from nostalgia, the album has heavy 80’s pop influences. For those looking for something fresh, her new music does not disappoint.
6. Colbie Caillat
Summary: After being rejected by “American Idol”, the California-born singer kept on singing and got her first hit with “Bubbly” in 2007. Her second album Breakthrough was nominated for a grammy, and she’s had a total of five albums now. Her most recent hit, “Try” came out last year.
Why she’s awesome: Her music is fun, cute, and happy. It’s hard not to love her catchy songs, especially songs like “Try” which deals with the pressure all girls feel to look a certain way.
7. Little Mix
Summary: The girl group was formed on The X Factor, and went on to win the 8th season, becoming the only group ever to do so. The girls have recently released their third album. While they’ve been fairly popular in Europe, they haven’t achieved the same level of recognition in the US.
Why they’re awesome: It’s always hard for girl groups to become popular. Girl groups have to have great music, choreography, and image, and they’ll still be less popular than boy bands. Little Mix is talented though, and their sound is different from Fifth Harmony’s, so you should definitely give them a listen to diversify your palette.
8. Rachel Platten
Summary: Although the 34-year-old singer has been in the industry for over a decade, she’s struggled to make a name for herself until “Fight Song” came out. She’s released three albums and had a recent hit in “Stand by You”.
Why she’s awesome: She’s the definition of resilience. Even though she’s been producing music for a long time, it took her nearly ten years to gain recognition. She wrote “Fight Song” when she was considering quitting music but had to convince herself to continue doing what she loved even if it meant doing it for herself. I think we can all be a little inspired by that.Being in the industry is hard; it takes a strong dedication to music to stick it out even through tough times. We should all appreciate these artists who may not have mainstream success, but stay true to their music!
