It is the dawn of a new year, and 2017 has seen the rise of many new artists and the fall of some, such as the loss of Linkin Park’s lead vocalist Chester Bennington. When we talk about music, the names that usually pop up are those of music giants, also known as mainstream artists. Here is a compilation of underrated artists you should add to your playlist at the earliest, as they will enrich your music tastes and you will have something to show off at parties which barely anyone else must have heard of.
1. Icon for Hire (Alternative rock, pop punk)
“You carved a special place for your pain, so it came back to hurt you every night. You closed your eyes and wished it all away until you disappeared under the knife”.
Most of Icon for Hire’s songs are about teenagers battling depression, anxiety, and other disorders, and coping with self-harm and criticism. The lead vocalist Ariel Bloomer’s melodic voice will speak volumes to you and will comfort you in times of need. Icon for Hire’s songs is not slow, sad or sappy. Instead, they are fast and catchy and will help you connect with the lyrics and will keep you company on a lonely Friday night. Icon for Hire is that one band every 20-something coping with loneliness must have in their iTunes library. Also, if you like Paramore and Evanescence, this band is for you.
Listen to: Hope of Morning, Under the Knife, Iodine, Sorry About Your Parents
2. The Civil Wars (Indie folk, Americana)
“Where she walks, no flowers bloom. He’s the one I see right through. She’s the absinthe on my lips, the splinter in my fingertips”.
Even though the American duo broke up in 2014, they won four Grammy awards together and have two albums to themselves. Joy Williams, the female vocalist, has a voice which will instantly send the hairs on your arms shooting for the moon. The male vocalist John Paul White’s guitar skills will leave you awestruck, even when he is playing three simple chords which add so much to the song.
Listen to: Barton Hollow, Safe and Sound (feat. Taylor Swift), Birds of a Feather
3. Anne-Marie (Pop, contemporary R&B)
“There goes the alarm ringing in my head, like somebody said, ‘Don’t you trust him, no’. Texting from his ex, what did you expect? Now you’re lying here knowing where he goes”.
Anne-Marie’s songs are soulful and will definitely make you happy, even if they have an underlying tone of sadness and sorrow. For instance, her hit single ‘Rockabye’ with Clean Bandit and Sean Paul topped the UK Singles Chart. Her songs will make you feel several emotions altogether.
Listen to: Alarm, Ciao-Adios
4. Beth Crowley (Pop)
“My tongue is a weapon and I’m locked and loaded; when you least expect it, you won’t know it’s coming, and I’ll strike”.
Beth Crowley has gained most of her fan-following from YouTube, and this fan-following of hers ranges across diverse cultures and ethnicities. She is the artist you would want to listen to on a long drive or before going to sleep. Her songs are neither too fast nor too slow, and her voice is as melodious as that of a canary.
Listen to: Warrior, Monster, Red.
5. Lauren Aquilina (Indie pop/folk, soul music)
“So let’s be sinners to be saints. Let’s be winners by mistake. The world may disapprove, but my world is only you. So if we’re sinners, why does it feel like heaven to me?”
Lauren Aquilina gained most of her fame and popularity after she released three singles while still in school. Aquilina not only writes about love and heartbreak, but her British accent eases the pain. An underrated artist, like Crowley, Aquilina gained popularity through YouTube. One of her most famous songs, ‘Sinners’, talks about forbidden love between two youngsters belonging to the same sex. Aquilina brings forth such issues through her soulful music, and this 22-year-old needs to be on your playlist.
Listen to: Fools, Liars, Sinners
