David Deyl - Akorát

I’m not actually that crazy about this artist. OK, so I just wanted to post Czech music. I think I found this guy by YouTube surfing.

David Deyl - Akorát [I Just]:

Yoko Kanno feat. Ilaria Graziano - Pearls

Mon Dieu, I looooooove this song. I heard it during a screening of the Cowboy Bebop video game at Fanime Con and loved it instantly, so I made a note of it to look it up later. After a bit of searching I eventually found it and made it the only Italian song whose lyrics I have memorized. This is one of my favorite songs to sing!

Yoko Kanno A.K.A. 菅野 よう子 feat. Ilaria Graziano - Pearls:

Godsmack - Awake

I remember years ago my friend who was a fan of this band recommended their music to me, but warned me that I might not like it because I might find the vocals "scary." Can you feel my eyes rolling? Anyway, this song was on my self-made CD compilation of various hard rock/metal songs I listened to in middle school.

Godsmack - Awake:

12 Girls Band - 茉莉花

My assigned Chinese name is the same as the first part of this song’s name, so when I’ve told people my Chinese name they would start singing this very famous Chinese folk song to me. I learned it first when part of it was used in a Gary Cao song, and have heard it numerous times since, although I hear it’s banned in China now because of its association with the Jasmine Revolution. *rolls eyes* Anyway, this is a modern version performed with traditional instruments by this popular cover artist.
Note: Watch/listen in HD!

12 Girls Band A.K.A. 女子十二楽坊 - 茉莉花 [Mo Li Hua - Jasmine Flower]:

Shane Mack - Lie to Me

The genre isn’t what I typically listen to, but I think this artist's voice is pretty. I would consider this country artist’s voice to be androgynous since, when I heard his songs used throughout the American movie Shelter, I thought the singer was female. Upon looking into the artist, though, I discovered this was not the case. He sounds to me like a cross between Jason Mraz and Tracy Chapman.

Shane Mack - Lie to Me:

Elvira T - Всё Решено

I came across this artist while YouTube surfing recently. Man, what’s with Russia and the emo-sounding music lately? Not that I’m complaining.

Elvira T - Всё Решено [Vsyo Ryeshyeno - All Resolved]:

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Shamas-ud-doha, Badar-ud-doja!

I learned of this artist years ago when my dad was playing radio stations on his TV, and a song by this artist popped up. I thought it was beautiful, and my dad’s then-GF informed me that the artist was a very prominent Pakistani singer. He is widely considered to be the most important singer of the qawwali genre ever.
Note: I tried to find the title of the song in the original text, but couldn’t confirm it so I’m just gonna keep the romanized version rather than risk getting it wrong on my own guess.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan A.K.A. نصرت فتح علی خان  - Shamas-ud-doha, Badar-ud-doja!:

Nneka - Soul is Heavy

I found out about this Germany-based Nigerian artist through a music column on a blog, and liked the few songs I heard, but wasn’t eager to post any of them. Later, I was listening to a hip hop mixtape and found myself loving this song on it, only to discover afterward it was the same artist!
Note: This is the official music video, and it’s in HD.

Nneka - Soul is Heavy:

Brett Anderson - Hymn

This artist is British, but I heard this song in a German soap opera...  >_<  That’s some beautiful ish, man.

Brett Anderson - Hymn:

Melanie Fiona - It Kills Me

OMGGGG that voice! I discovered this artist when she was the featured singer on another artist’s track and was entranced by her awesome voice.

Melanie Fiona - It Kills Me:

Entwine - Still Remain

My housemate recommended this Finnish artist to me. This band sounds pretty good! Not much more to say.

Entwine - Still Remain:

Shannon LaBrie - Calls Me Home

I only recently came across this song, probably through a fanvideo or something. I thought the song was pretty enough for me to make a note of it, although I’d not heard of this artist before. Her voice is lovely, and it reminds me a lot of Maria Mena’s voice.
Note: Listen in HD!

Shannon LaBrie - Calls Me Home:

Dave Porter - Breaking Bad Theme

I came across the full version of the opening theme song of the brilliant TV series Breaking Bad on Tumblr. Before, I had only heard the version on the show, which lasts only a few seconds, but this full version sounds even cooler!
Note: Available in super hi-def!

Dave Porter - Breaking Bad Theme:

Garbage - Androgyny

As a fan of androgyny, I am fond of this song. I believe I acquired this song years ago through an mp3 rotation site. So catchy!
Note:  The video has an Italian translation of the lyrics.

Garbage - Androgyny:

Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram - Somewhere Out There

You can file this under “songs from movies I watched in childhood that I remembered clearly throughout life despite forgetting the movie plot.” Neither of the official versions of this song (the one from the film diegesis, and the film ending theme—this one being the latter) have singing that I like, but I always thought the melody itself is so pretty.  I didn't really know who either vocalist was before looking them up for this post, but evidently Linda Ronstadt is a country singer, and James Ingram is a soul singer, so it's kind of an interesting collaboration.

Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram - Somewhere Out There:

Serj Tankian - Borders Are

I guess the political themes become even more transparent in the solo work of System of a Down’s frontman. The premise of the song seems to be that national borders are false divisions between people and are manipulated and maintained by the powerful few to their own ends. (Notice that the border between the U.S. and Mexico is the last to go.)
Note: The official music video is simple but effective, and lends itself to the songs's meaning, so I’m including it.

Serj Tankian - Borders Are:

Maria Gadú - Sonhos Roubados

Finally I have a Brazilian song!  The genre of music this artist makes isn't my favorite, but I REALLY like her voice. At this point I’m not sure, but I think I found her through a music recommendation thread on a website.

Maria Gadú - Sonhos Roubados [Stolen Dreams]:

Bloodgroup - My Arms

Not crazy about the vocals, but I quite like the instrumentation component of this track I found while YouTube surfing for music.

Bloodgroup - My Arms:

Muhsinah - One

This doesn’t sound far off from the kind of music that plays on the radio constantly, but less autotuned and obnoxious.

Muhsinah - One:

Basim - Nok Af Dig

Niiiiiiice R&B voice. I discovered this Danish artist while cruisin’ the Tubes of You. I came across a music video of his first and thought he looked really young, so I looked up his bio and found out he was only 15 when he became known for competing on the TV show X Factor, and is only 19 now.

Basim - Nok Af Dig [Enough of You]:

Ofrin - Dry

This is interesting. I’m not sure how to feel about it, but it’s interesting. It’s kind of a weird collection of sounds. I came across this Israeli/German artist by YouTube surfing.
Note: Yet another song in HD!

Ofrin - Dry:

Brother Ali - Rain Water

This is just one of the many excellent songs by this very talented hip hop artist. This track is about various struggles in life and how we all just have to get through them. It has profanity.
Note: Yessssss, found in HD!

Brother Ali - Rain Water:

Kaitlyn K. - Who Do U Think U R?

I don’t normally do these posts, but this was so awesome I had to share it. The student body at Cypress Ranch High School in Texas contributed to an anti-bullying campaign with this music video they made, which was almost all shot in the same take and involves the participation of tons of students and clubs and must have required a ridiculous amount of coordination. The song was written and performed by a student of the school, too. The way they filmed this is so impressive and I think they did such a great job!
Note:  Watch it in HD!

Kaitlyn K. - Who Do U Think U R?:

Nobuo Uematsu - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Main Theme

I never owned video games so I never played Final Fantasy, but when I saw the trailers for the video game-based movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, I FREAKED OUT. The animation was so gorgeous I knew I had to have it. Contributing to the visual beauty of the animation was the aural beauty of this freakin’ song, which was also featured in the trailer. It drove me to acquire the sheet music to it and practice it frequently even though I never got good at playing it.
Note: Listen in hi def!

Nobuo Uematsu A.K.A. 植松 伸夫 - Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Main Theme:

Clare Maguire - Last Dance

My friend sent me this song by this artist, though I came across her and this song before that somehow I can't recall. I like the strength in her voice. Supposedly this song is about Michael Jackson.
Note: Listen in HD!

Clare Maguire - Last Dance:

Huang Yida - 臭男人

I think I discovered this Singaporean artist through an mp3 rotation site, but later paid more attention to his music when my friend showed a music video of his to me. (Funnily enough, that friend reminds me a lot of him in a number of ways, even though she’s a girl. Other people have noted their uncanny similarities as well!) This song was the opening theme for the Taiwanese drama series Devil Beside You, which I never saw. This song is just cool.
Note: The video has a picture that doesn’t seem to fit the song (it’s from the drama), but at least it’s in HD!

Huang Yida A.K.A. 黃義達 - 臭男人 [Chou Nan Ren - Jerk]:

Soumia - Quand Tu N'es Pas Là

I found this artist while searching for French music artists. I don’t believe this was the song I found first, but when I looked for more of her music as follow-up I especially liked it.
Note: There’s a hi-def option!

Soumia - Quand Tu N'es Pas Là [When You’re Not Here]:

Declan Bennett - 15 Minutes

This artist’s very audible British dialect entertains me. :D I found out about this artist through an article on a website, I think sometime within the past year. He has some nice downbeat songs, but I opted for a more upbeat one this time; I especially like how fast he recites the lyrics in the beginning.

Declan Bennett - 15 Minutes:

Bana - Half Pain

I heard this song while watching the anime series Witch Hunter Robin, as it’s the ending theme. This is one of my favorite anime theme songs. I also like the visuals for the ending credits, which fortunately are displayed in this video.
Note: The video has HD AND a loose English translation of the lyrics!

Bana - Half Pain:

AFI - Prelude 12/21

I’ve known of this artist for a long time, though I never really got into their music. I heard this song much more recently, though, and thought it sounded cool despite its shortness. I think my friend sent me this song last year because he thought I’d like it.

AFI - Prelude 12/21: