I've been a fan of Ben Rector for the past few years, and the love has only grown stronger with each album he releases. I remember when I first heard "When A Heart Breaks" playing in a stationery store and thinking, "Who is this man and why does he make me have so many feelings?"

Sometimes I assume that everyone knows the artists I listen to, so I'm always shocked when I find someone who isn't aware of the greatness that is Ben. While part of me wants to be a little selfish and hope that Ben stays somewhat low-key and secret, I also want everyone to know just how fantastic his music is.

Here are five reasons why Ben Rector is the most underrated artist of our time:

1.) He's independent and has no major record label promoting him. All of his hard work is self-made, which is completely awesome; with this success, he has sold over 250,000 albums and 2 million downloads. ON HIS OWN. What?

2.) In 2011 Billboard called him a "gimmick-free pop nobody" and there's really nobody better to be called a nobody by, am I right?

3.) His social media presence might be my favorite of any celebrity, and never fails to get me through that "bored in class" rut (sorry, Mom and Dad). Some of my favorites include:

4.) He donated all of the proceeds from his album The Walking in Between to build a well in Zambia through World Vision.

5.) He performed an entire song with Dave Barnes, Steve Moakler and Andrew Ripp about loving ice cream (please watch it here).

His newest album, Brand New, is pure art. Here's my thoughts on each track:

"Make Something Beautiful" - A sweet nod to return to simplicity. It's only about a minute and a half, but shows that he's interested in making art that means something.

"Brand New" - This is one of my absolute favorites by him ever. It makes me think of every best day I've ever had, and I highly suggest you listen to this on a fall day with the windows rolled down. Euphoria can be reached, friends. It makes you want to fall in love and laugh and dance and hug everyone around you.

"Paris" - Very vintage feel, like 50's diner dates and drive-ins. If you want to witness sugary sweetness, watch the music video. This isn't one of my favorites, but those of you who are feeling couple-y and in love would probably really enjoy it, and it really reminds me of my parents.

"Favorite Song" - Filled with one-liners from hit songs and cliches that make me wish I had someone to sing to. However, not cliche in the slightest. The background vocals feel a little 90's in a cool throwback way.

"The Men that Drive Me Places" - Be still, my heart. I first heard this during Tour de Compadres this summer and it was a magical experience. It's a rare thing to hear an artist talk about feeling humbled by his success. As if there was any more reason to love Ben, this song is another.

"Fear" - If I could tattoo an entire song on myself, it would be this one. Fear is something that resonates with me a lot, and he talks about feeling like something inside himself refused to run away. My favorite line says, "I heard the Lord in California and I remembered who I was, and I learned to dance with the fear that I'd been running from". Basically, I want to shout this song from rooftops and tell my fear to get lost.

"Note to Self" - If I'm being honest, I forget about this song in the midst of "Fear" and "The Men that Drive Me Places", but when I hear it I'm reminded of why it's so reflective. In my interpretation, it's Ben's advice to pretty much everyone/himself to worry less and love others well, and that everything up until this point has turned out okay.

"Like the World Is Going To End" - Probably in my top five. No lie, I listened to this and grabbed my best friend to go on a Sunday drive just because I was feeling sentimental about quality time. Feelings, man. If you want to make a point to be more intentional about relationships, or you just want to justify eating that extra dessert, this is the song for you.

"Crazy" - This song is what convinced me that Ben and I could be friends in real life. His quips about Netflix and making pasta make me feel quite at home. The sarcasm and humor in this song is on point, and while it might not be filled with heart-jerking lyrics or intricate guitar solos, I can dig it.

"Almost Home" - This gives fans a look into Ben's journey, and it's cool to hear his perspective on the ride he's on. His definition of home is both reflective and hopeful, and I am really looking forward to hearing him play this in Nashville soon.

"30,000 feet" - What is it with Ben and songs about people he meets en route? This song makes me want to hug my grandparents. One of my favorite things about his songs is the focus on relationships and loving people, and if you get what I'm saying, this song feels like wearing a sweater.

"More Like Love"- This is another one of those songs I forget about due to excitement over the peppy songs, but boy does this track have heart. Best listened to on a rainy day while feeling sentimental.

Brand New took Ben from a self-proclaimed "nobody" that Billboard wrote about to a guy at the number one album spot on iTunes within the first week of its release. After listening to Brand New, I feel that all Ben really wants is to create art that resonates with people and then love them well. And just for that, I will always be a fan.

For more Ben-related greatness, check out @IPhotoshopBen!