Jason Walker - Down

I came across this song recently through YouTube surfing. I guess this was on the American TV show The Vampire Diaries, but I’ve never seen it myself. Evidently this artist, whom I hadn’t heard of before, has some degree of fame when it comes to dance music, but this song isn’t very dancey.

Jason Walker - Down:

Doll $ Boxx - Take My Chance

My friend sent me this music video and I appreciated the humor because I’ve always found the cutesy little girl act that Japanese female idol groups tend to put on supremely creepy AND obnoxious. They still appear to be a somewhat lolita-kei group, which isn’t my style, but the video is humorous to me nonetheless. I think my friend who sent it to me described it as a “wait for it” video, and I think that’s a pretty apt way to put it.
Note: You can watch in HD!

Doll $ Boxx - Take My Chance:

Pentatonix - Evolution of Beyoncé

This a cappella artist’s medley of hits by Queen B was making the rounds a couple weeks ago. This is similar to the previous song I posted by this group in that it’s a medley of hits by a major artist in American popular music, but this time I happen to be into the music of the artist they’re covering. I have been replaying it so many times! I can’t stop! Soon the versions of Beyoncé songs that I’ll know will be these instead of the originals!
Note: Watching/listening in HD is recommended!

Pentatonix - Evolution of Beyoncé:


You can also watch them performing a different version of their Beyoncé medley live:

Silja - Sokratæsk

This Danish artist seems to make pop music with a bit of an edge to it, which I like. I thought the music video for this song was pretty cool so I’m including it. Before I was able to find a good translation of the title, I guessed it to be “Socratic” since the song seems to make a lot of references to philosophers. I later found an explanation that the title is a portmanteau, consisting of a first part meaning “Socratic” and a second part meaning “beat up”. Since we don’t have an apt equivalent of this in English, I just included both meanings in my translation of the title.
Note: HD available!

Silja - Sokratæsk [Socratic/Beat Up]:

Brown Eyes - True Luv

This is one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite R&B artists. Even though they’ve parted ways now, this Korean duo remains near the top of my list of favorite Korean music artists as well. For some reason this song is entirely in English, but the Engrish on the speaking parts makes me chuckle a bit.

Brown Eyes - True Luv:

Jessie J - Do It Like a Dude

SWEET BABY JESUS, THANK YOU FOR LETTING THIS MUSIC VIDEO EXIST. Those back up dancers, man!!! Anyway… This song is the first I heard by this now-popular British artist, who at the time didn’t even have a Wikipedia page. Someone in one of my classes posted this song’s music video to our class’s Facebook group as a jumping off point for discussion. While I agreed with the conclusion of the discussion (which was, in very simplified terms, that the message of the song is a little silly), I could not stop watching the video. Something about the weirdness of the movements in some of the closeup shots and the lip art had me addicted. Although this song, her first single, doesn’t really showcase it, she has one of the best voices in pop music I’ve ever heard. I noticed a brief moment near the end of the song that hinted at a more powerful voice than this production-heavy song allowed her to demonstrate, so I found a video of her performing this song acoustically and was blown away. Strangely, the acoustic version is self-censored… This version not so much.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Jessie J - Do It Like a Dude:


And here’s the music video:

Siam Shade - Heaven

I heard this Japanese artist years ago, I think through an mp3 rotation site. I then listened to a number of their albums, and for some reason this song stood out to me. I like the energy! The instrumental is my favorite aspect of this song.
 
Siam Shade - Heaven:

Celine Dion - Be the Man (On this Night) (Japanese Version)

I don’t particularly like this song; I just find it funny that this famous Canadian artist has a song with Japanese lyrics. I still don’t know why that came to be, but I thought it was worth sharing this odd discovery I made years ago.

Celine Dion - Be the Man (On this Night) (Japanese Version):

Rhye - Verse

My friend recommended this artist to me. The selling point of this artist for many, including my friend, was that the man who sings lead vocals has a voice that bears a striking resemblance to that of famous female singer Sade.

Rhye - Verse:

Natasha Bedingfield - If You’re Gonna…

I have already posted 2 songs by this famous artist’s brother, but realized I hadn’t posted any by her yet. She has a great voice, but I never looked into her music until today, when I listened to an album by her. I particularly liked this song, whose message is essentially “no half measures.”
Note: Some of the lyrics in the video are wrong, but just ignore that an enjoy the HDness.

Natasha Bedingfield - If You’re Gonna…:

Darin - Playing with Fire

The melody and instrumental aren’t really interesting… It sounds like typical European club music, which isn’t really my thing. But his voice is really nice! I somehow came across this by YouTube surfing. Prior to that, I didn’t know about this artist even though he’s supposedly a pretty big deal in Sweden.
Note: This official lyrics video, which has HD, is pretty cool-looking too, when it displays the word “fire.”

Darin - Playing with Fire:

Blu Cantrell - The One

I just think she has a great voice. I have the album this song is on, and this was one of my favorites from it. I’ve been trying to post this song for ages, but for a long time I couldn’t find it anywhere and I was too lazy to dig through my partially-packed CD collection to find it.

Blu Cantrell - The One:

Ben Howard - Empty Corridors

Nice strings! I can only find this song in live performance form. Fortunately, the artist is fully capable of performing live so this isn’t much of a detriment. I’m not sure where I first heard this song but it’s the only one I’ve heard by this artist so far. I may rectify that soon, though…
Note: Available in HD!

Ben Howard - Empty Corridors:

Nneka - Heartbeat

This was the first song I heard by this Nigerian artist, although it’s not the first song I’ve posted by her. I believe my initial reaction upon hearing this song was, “Whoa.” There’s an intensity to it even though there’s nothing obviously loud or over-the-top about it.

Nneka - Heartbeat:

OneRepublic - Counting Stars

I should have jumped on this bandwagon long ago. Better late than never, though, because this artist released an album this year and I listened to it in its entirety recently, repeatedly. I had already heard their hit “Apologize” when it came out years ago, but when I heard this opening track from their new album (also now a hit on the radio, as I understand) I went, “Wow, the man can sing.” The lead singer is unusually good for this genre of music.
Note: HD listening available!

OneRepublic - Counting Stars:

Anna Dovlatyan - Tell Me

This Armenian artist's song caught my attention when YouTube recommended its music video to me and the title called it “Armenian R&B”… and that’s what it was! I saw some negative comments about the artist for singing R&B style instead of something more traditional, but I don’t really see the problem with singing in a style that speaks to you and that you’re capable of singing. Now, if she did a poor job, that would be another story...
Note: I could only find the music video, but it has HD.

Anna Dovlatyan - Tell Me:

Dúné - Remember

This song reminds me of some of Clazziquai’s music. BUT this is not Clazziquai; it’s a Danish artist whom I’ve posted a song of once before. I haven't heard a ton of music by this band, but when I came across this I was struck by how much I liked the chill instrumental, although I don’t think I would like it as much as a standalone track.

Dúné - Remember:

Juli - November

My friend recommended this artist to me a while ago. I figured, “When better to post this song than in the month of its title?”
Note: Another HD listening opportunity!

Juli - November:

John Newman - Try

My friend recommended this song to me recently. Apparently the British soulful singer/songwriter phenomenon I noted before is not restricted to female artists (Adele, Jessie J, Florence Welch, Duffy, etc.). In fact, when I listened to this song I thought, “Man, boy got soul. Wait… Is he British?” And so he was.
Note: You can listen in HD!

John Newman - Try:

Lee Soo Young - 라라라

I don’t know how popular she is these days, but this Korean artist, when I heard of her music years ago, was everywhere. Her music tends to be quite pretty and on the dramatic side. This video shows an English translation of the lyrics!

Lee Soo Young A.K.A. 이수영 - 라라라 [Rarara - La La La]:

Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II

This is one of the most famous hip hop songs, and a quintessential gangster rap anthem. I heard the instrumental first, years ago when it was used in the movie 8 Mile, and was somewhat mesmerized by it all on its own. It wasn’t until years later that I heard the complete song. There’s something unsettling about the beat itself, but that works seamlessly for the song since its content is unsettling as well—its lyrics describe the violence the song’s narrators are forced to implement in order to maintain status in their dangerous neighborhood of Queensbridge.
Note: Even though this song is from 1994, you can listen to it in HD!

Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II:

Kalafina - Magia

This Japanese artist is yet another project by the anime composer Yuki Kajiura, who created this group of vocalists. Her work is so distinctive that while I was watching the anime series Puella Magica Mahou Shoujo, which used music by this group in its soundtrack (including this song as the opening theme), I recognized the music as the composer’s work.

 Kalafina - Magia:

Hozier - Take Me to Church

I came across this song through its music video. Since then, it’s repeatedly popped up to get stuck in my head. I recommended it to a friend the other day and she found it to her liking too! There's something to be said for lyrics that can make the most banal of subject matter sound artistic.
Note: HD listening, yo!

Hozier - Take Me to Church:

Chidinma - Run Dia Mouth

I came across this Nigerian artist quite recently, and listened to a handful of her songs. She seems quite popular, and I liked all the songs by her I heard. “Dey run dia mouth like wata!”

Chidinma - Run Dia Mouth:

Bishop Allen - Busted Heart

This song was created for (I think) and used in the indie film Private Romeo, which I saw about a year ago. Then I heard it as the ending credits theme of the documentary Bully, which I watched a few months ago. It’s kinda odd, so I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first, but I guess that’s its charm. Everyone compares this song to the work of Modest Mouse, but since I’m not a listener of theirs I can’t really attest to that.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Bishop Allen - Busted Heart:

Assol’ - Без Тебя

Just some nice Ukrainian pop music I came across. It’s nothing amazing, but this video has the Romanized lyrics AND English translations!

Assol’ A.K.A. Ассоль - Без Тебя [Without You]:

Tony Jay & Tom Hulce - Out There

I did not fully appreciate this song from the Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, when I was little. In fact, I didn't even like this song when I was little. Now I'm amazed by how good the singer's voice is. It’s likely that I’ll eventually post practically every song from this movie.

Tony Jay & Tom Hulce - Out There:



Here’s the scene in which the song was used:

Lyn - 사랑했잖아

I’ve been meaning to post a song by this Korean artist for a long time, but had a hard time finding a standout song by her that was available. Even this is pretty typical Korean R&B, but her voice is so nice I’m going with it anyway.
Note: Woo, HD!

Lyn A.K.A. 린 - 사랑했잖아 [Sarang Haettjanha - I Said I Love You]:

Stromae - Papaoutai

I think I just came across this music video and Belgian artist through YouTube surfing, and I did not expect it to be nearly as entertaining as it was! After having the window open and unloaded for probably weeks, I finally watched the music video about a week ago, and I haven’t been able to get the song out of my head since. Just the song by itself is great, because it’s catchy-sounding with an unconventional meaning, and the songwriting seems great, even through the filter of a translation. Not only that, but the music video, in my mind, is what a music video should be: interesting, original, good dancing, and some essence of a story. It even matches the lyrics of the song (which are about an absent father) in an artistic way! If you don’t know French but do know English, I highly recommend checking out the lyrics translated into English: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/papaoutai-papa-where-are-you.html
Note: I also recommend watching/listening in HD!

Stromae - Papaoutai [Papa, Where Are You?]:

Barbra Streisand - The Way He Makes Me Feel

I heard this song in a fanvideo and didn’t even realize that, like the other song by this famous singer I posted, it’s from the musical movie Yentl. Obviously, I’ve never seen it. But that’s fine, because it’s a purdy song.
Note: Yet another HD song!

Barbra Streisand - The Way He Makes Me Feel: