Sara Jackson-Holman - Cellophane

Thank you, Netflix series Orange is the New Black, for another likeable song in your ending credits. This artist, whom I haven’t heard other music by, has a rich, jazzy voice mixed with a modern sound.

Sara Jackson-Holman - Cellophane:

Woodkid - Run Boy Run

Someone at my company uploaded this song as an audio file to our system, and that’s how I heard it. I didn’t realize this French music artist also dealt even more prominently with the world of visual art, directing music videos and working as a graphic designer in addition to writing and singing songs. This song’s music video is apparently the sequel to the previous music video I posted by this artist.
Note: Judging from the two music videos I’ve seen for his songs, which I assume he also directed, there’s a particular aesthetic to his signature style. You can watch in HD!

Woodkid - Run Boy Run:

Fever Ray - Now’s the Only Time I Know

I heard this Swedish song on a German soap opera that I watched years ago and have been reviewing lately. That show supplied me with lots of music to look into, but I didn’t notice this song until my episode reviewing yesterday because it was used to accompany a scene had skipped past previously.

Fever Ray - Now’s the Only Time I Know:

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce

This song just sounds kinda cool. I don’t know any other songs by this artist, and I can’t even remember how I heard it. It may have just been through YouTube surfing. It’s rock with a bluesy feel.
Note: Here are the lyrics in HD!

Elbow - Grounds for Divorce:

Yolda - Eski Resim

I noted down this Turkish artist some time ago because I liked her singing style. However, when I looked up her songs they have a Western-style folk flavor, which isn’t exactly to my liking. Finally I came upon this song, which is much more obviously folk leaning toward Eastern-style, and is more my taste.

Yolda - Eski Resim [Old Pictures]:

Brown Eyed Soul - 시계

Ballads are extremely popular in modern Korean music, and as much as I love a good slow song these can end up sounding pretty bland and cliché after a while. For some reason, though, this Korean ballad was a standout track to me on this R&B artist’s first album.

Brown Eyed Soul - 시계 [Shikye - Clock]:

Natalie McCool feat. Bernard Butler - Thin Air

I posted a song by this artist a while ago and then virtually forgot about her. Fortunately, a recent episode of Hollyoaks reminded me of her existence when it used this song as the intro music to an episode. Moments of this song, she sounds to me like a pleasant combination of various other female singer/songwriters I like, including Tori Amos, Florence + the Machine, and Sarah McLachlan.
Note: I could only find the official music video, and it’s in HD!

Natalie McCool feat. Bernard Butler - Thin Air:

Eminem feat. Royce Da 5’9” - Renegade

Renegaaaaaaaaaade! Em’s essentially boasting about how adept he is at offending people, and Royce is doing the typical braggadocio thing in terms of physical intimidation. Fun fact: Back in the day Em and Royce were friends and made this track, then they got in a feud and Em redid this song by collaborating with Jay-Z and replacing the Royce parts with Hova. RUDE. Supposedly Em and Royce are cool again, in case you’re wondering. Obviously, there’s profanity, violence, and other stuff intended to offend—because that’s the point. The song's not here to make friends.
Note: It’s old, but has HD!

Eminem feat. Royce Da 5’9” - Renegade:

Tessanne Chin - The Messenger

When I came across this artist’s album on YouTube recently, I didn’t know anything about her, including that she is the winner of season 5 of the singing competition show The Voice. When I learned that, though, it didn’t come as a surprise. Somehow, she seemed like the type who would do well on that show. Although she competed on the American version of the show, the soulful singer is actually from Jamaica. Hence the reggae!

Tessanne Chin - The Messenger:

Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers, and Tony Jay - The Bells of Notre Dame

What a way to kick off a kids’ movie. My friend and I like to quote this song to each other, “Ring the bells, bells, BELLS, bells, BELLS, BELLS, BELLS, BELLS.” And of course the end of the song is one of the best moments of the whole movie. “Bells of Notre… DAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!”

Paul Kandel, David Ogden Stiers, and Tony Jay - The Bells of Notre Dame:

Sia - Don’t Bring Me Down

This Australian artist just released her 6th album, and it’s full of potential hits. Although she’s currently being thrust into the very mainstream spotlight, it’s relatively late in her career. This track is from a previous album, as a reminder that she’s actually been at this for years, and while her most recent album showcases how powerful her voice can be in song after song, much of her older music is like this: lowkey and with vocals barely above a whisper.
Note: HD listening!

Sia - Don’t Bring Me Down:

Rise Against - Disparity by Design

I really like the lyrics of this song. They’re meaningful and poetic, but not to the point of obstructing the message. They rail against the socioeconomic gap in the U.S. that is only getting worse, and the erroneous (or willfully deceitful) narrative people are presented with about the upward mobility of all Americans being in direct proportion to how hard they work. “We pulled these bootstraps so hard that they broke.”
Note: The lyrics are helpfully displayed in the HD video.

Rise Against - Disparity by Design:

Flyleaf - Fire, Fire

You don’t have to be Christian to enjoy this Christian artist’s music. The band has a good sound, and there’s something commanding about Lacey’s voice. My first impulse was to interpret the lyrics as referring to teenage rebellion, but I don’t really know and it seems like no one else does either. Interpretations range from deadbeat fathers to false prophets to 9/11.
Note: Yay, HD!

Flyleaf - Fire, Fire:

Novastar - Mars Needs Woman

I liked this Belgian artist’s whole album Almost Bangor, but somehow this song ended up being the most memorable to me. Although I haven’t listened to the album in a few years, I can remember this song fairly clearly while the others I don’t.
Note: HD listening available!

Novastar - Mars Needs Woman:

Inga & Anush - Իմ անունը Հայաստան է

Let’s get into some Armenian folk music now. In case it’s not obvious, this song’s a patriotic piece about how awesome Armenia is. The artist is composed of two singers who are sisters. The music video makes it look like the song was intended as an anthem for some event, but I’m not sure what.

Inga & Anush A.K.A. Արշակյան քույրեր - Իմ անունը Հայաստան է [Im Anune Hayastan e - My Name is Armenia]:

Peter Anthony Red - Climb

This artist is actually another pseudonym for the emcee Tonedeff. In addition to hip hop, he has a fervent love for different kinds of music and is a self-professed fan of piano-based singer/songwriters like Rufus Wainwright and Tori Amos as well as new age and trip hop artists like Portishead and Enya. Eventually, he released an EP under this nom de plume as a way to express this less hip hop-oriented musical side of himself, using his self-taught singing, piano-playing, and composing abilities.
Note: You can listen to the clearly new age-influenced track in HD!

Peter Anthony Red - Climb:

Juli - Wenn Du Lachst

Heyyyyyyy, it’s been a while since I posted something in German, eh? I was looking for music by this artist to post, and came across this pretty ballad. Do let me know if the title’s mistranslated so that I can correct it!
 
Juli - Wenn Du Lachst [When You Laugh]:

Maverick Sabre - These Days

OMGGGGGGGGGG, I’ve been trying to track down this song for YEARS! I heard a live performance version of it in the background of an episode of Hollyoaks years ago, but it was muffled and people were talking over it, so I couldn’t make out enough of the lyrics to look it up. I’ve tried many times over the past few years to find it but was never successful, until tonight, when I decided to give it another shot. This time I caught just enough of an uncommon phrase in the lyrics to find it, so I’m feeling quite victorious right now. Interestingly, I thought to myself as I was searching, “This sounds like a male Paloma Faith,” and when I found the song on YouTube it recommended a Paloma Faith song to me as a related video.
Note: Found in HD, too!

Maverick Sabre - These Days:

Joan Baez - Where Have All the Flowers Gone

I just heard this calming song in the ending credits of an episode of the popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black. The artist is a noted activist in addition to her music career, which was appropriate because the theme of the episode it was used for was social activism. This song is a cover; the original is by Pete Seeger and has been covered many times, by various artists.
Note: HD listening, despite the oldness of the song!

Joan Baez - Where Have All the Flowers Gone:

The Civil Wars - Disarm

I made a note to look up music by this artist a little while ago through a music recommendation post, but then I ended up not having to go out of my way to do so because then I came across this song by them through a fanvideo. This is a cover of a song that’s originally by Smashing Pumpkins.

 The Civil Wars - Disarm:

Emily and the Woods - Never Play

I heard this song on the excellent British series In the Flesh a few days ago. It has that effortless indie quality to it, but it manages to not annoy me. The somber, brooding mood and slightly dark imagery suits the series as well.
Note: HD listening, yo!

Emily and the Woods - Never Play:

Jurassic 5 - A Day at the Races

I went to a concert of this hip hop artist a week ago. They put on a great show, but I wasn’t familiar with much of their music so I didn’t have the benefit of song recognition. I like that this group sings in addition to rapping. In the live performance, I couldn’t hear the particular lyrics very well, so I gave their music a listen with headphones to better appreciate it and it left me wondering why I didn’t get into them sooner. The rhyme scheme of this track in particular impressed me. There's some profanity.

Jurassic 5 - A Day at the Races:

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

I first heard this song through a cover of it (on Glee) and liked it already—the cover was good. Later I heard the original version by this artist on the radio, and liked that one too, which isn’t surprising because it’s friggin’ Kelly Clarkson.
Note: You can listen to her powerful voice in HD!

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger:

Brinck - N.Y.

It’s pop rock with electronic influence, with just the right mixture of each. I’ve been meaning to look into more music by this Danish artist, but keep forgetting. I’ve liked almost every song I’ve heard by him so far, though.

 Brinck - N.Y.:

Frou Frou - Must Be Dreaming

A single AMV, the much-lauded “Euphoria” by Koopiskeva, was my introduction to not only this song, but also this music artist AND the anime series RahXephon. All three things, it turns out, are excellent, so I have a lot to thank that AMV for.

Frou Frou - Must Be Dreaming:



Here’s the AMV through which I first experienced the song, which is recommended viewing even if you don't normally watch AMVs:

John Newman - Love Me Again

In another installment of British singers with inexplicably soulful voices, I present you with this new artist. I just listened to his debut album Tribute, which I discovered through the album opener that it is so titled because the album is intended as the young songwriter’s way of paying respect to the soul artists who came before him. Even without the introductory track, the influence of soul music of decades past is clear, as many of tracks, including this one, have a decidedly old school sound to them in their construction and instrumentation.
Note: HD, yo!

John Newman - Love Me Again:

Supearls - Fame

Say what you want about the superficiality and manufacturedness of Korean pop music, but the artists tend to be able to genuinely sing well. I don’t know a thing about this… girl group? Duo? I don’t know, but apparently they were competitors on one of the many singing competition TV shows in Korea, KPop Star. I came across this track on YouTube, and it’s a cover of a song from the musical Fame (which I haven’t seen in any form).
Note: It’s K-pop, which means it’s available in HD.

Supearls A.K.A. 秀Pearls - Fame:

Daichi Miura feat. Utamaru - No Limit

I swear, I thought I posted this song years ago! But I guess I never got around to it. Better late than never! Seriously weird, though… Anyway, this is one of the first songs I heard by this artist, long before I heard the other two songs I’ve previously posted by him. I found it so catchy and danceable. Which makes sense, since this artist is a dancer.

Daichi Miura A.K.A. 三浦 大知 feat. Utamaru - No Limit:

Meaghan Smith - Friends Like You

In a previous post I commented on the scarcity of songs about traitorous friends, and immediately afterward stumbled across this song about just that! I can gladly say this isn’t a problem I have much experience with. This song has an upbeat, old school sound to it.
Note: Typography lyrics videos are fun, especially with HD.

Meaghan Smith - Friends Like You:

Poets of the Fall - Carnival of Rust

I made a note a long time ago to eventually post this song, which I first heard who-knows-where, and then totally forgot about it. Then, only a week or two ago, I heard it again in a fanvideo and didn’t even realize it was the same song I’d noted down ages before, but at least was consistent in my liking it, since I noted it down again.
Note: Hey, hey, HD, eh?

Poets of the Fall - Carnival of Rust:

Vienna Teng - Level Up

A friend, who’s a longtime fan of this American artist, recommended this recently-released music video and commented on the presence of breakdancing as a point of interest to me. It also has other forms of dance, and is a pretty good MV overall! Even without listening to the lyrics, you can pick up on the song’s message of encouraging the listener to fight to overcome adversity. A positive attitude may not solve your problems, but it can make it easier to cope with them.
Note: You can listen and watch in HD!

Vienna Teng - Level Up:

August Alsina - Testify

Autobiographical R&B! This discovery is another result of YouTube recommendations. Describing his rough past, the lyrics are akin to the content that you’d commonly find in hip hop, but delivered in a melody and a voice like silk. Much of this artist’s album Testimony deals head on with his less-than-wholesome history, which is not exactly uplifting but is refreshing in a genre dominated by love songs. This album opener, which almost functions more as an introduction than a typical song, as it lacks a real chorus until the very end, outlines August’s rough upbringing and explains where he comes from—knowledge which is alluded to in later tracks throughout the album. There's some profanity. Like the artists in my last two posts, he’s a young songwriter as well—all 3 are around the same age!
Note: HD is preferable!

August Alsina - Testify:

Bridgit Mendler - Top of the World

I never heard of this artist before her album was recommended to me by YouTube, but upon a bit of research I learned she’s one of those Disney stars. She writes her own music, though, so props. From what I’ve heard so far, most of her music sounds like pretty typical pop music, but this song stood out to me right from the get-go because of the way she uses her voice in the beginning of the song and the slightly audible reggae influence. It turns out I’m not the only one who picked up on the reggae influence, as others have noted reggae a running theme through much of her music.
Note: Here’s an HD video to listen to!

Bridgit Mendler - Top of the World:

Sam Smith - Like I Can

Is it too early to be posting another song by this artist? Too bad, because I’m still addicted to his album. Plus, I was encouraged to post this specific artist now by a friend who’s just started to get into his music too. For once, the upbeat song on an album may be my favorite from it. The same friend who encouraged me to post another song by him also informed me that she heard 4 of his songs on the radio in one day. Especially for a young artist who just started out, and especially for a British artist making airwaves in the U.S. with a first album released about a month ago, that’s pretty impressive. I don’t listen to the radio so I didn’t realize he’d already gotten that big in the U.S., but if he’s already getting that much exposure, it seems like this crazy kid’s gonna make it!

Sam Smith - Like I Can:

Clazziquai Project - I Will Never Cry

I can’t believe I’ve only posted two songs by this Korean artist! I quite like a lot of their songs, and a lot of them are relaxing without being boring because the singers’ voices are so smooth and tightly controlled. Sometimes everyone just needs to CHILL OUT, so why not do it with this song?

Clazziquai Project - I Will Never Cry:

Mitch Lewis, Lauren Zakrin, Israel Curtis, and Laura Curtis - Dream and Shout

It’s Independence Day, but I can’t think of good American-themed songs so I am posting a song about a political revolution… just in France instead of the U.S. Close enough! This parody song took one of the worst radio hits I’ve ever heard and made it tolerable. Based on the abominable Will.I.Am and Britney Spears song “Scream and Shout,” this parody changes the lyrics to narrate the story of the extremely famous musical Les Miserables. I’m not cultured enough to have seen the theatre performance, but I did fortunately manage to see the 2012 film version before seeing this video, so I could understand the references.
Note: This is actually a parody of the original music video, so it’s meant to be watched, not just listened to (and in HD).

Mitch Lewis, Lauren Zakrin, Israel Curtis, and Laura Curtis - Dream and Shout:

Katyna Ranieri - Oh My Love

This song was used in the movie Drive, which I watched a few months ago. This song was composed by Riz Ortolani, who was the singer’s husband. They are both Italian, but the song is in English.
Note: Although the song’s old, it has HD!

Katyna Ranieri - Oh My Love:

JbDubs - I Hate My Job

I do not, as the song title suggests, hate my job. However, today work was pretty stressful so I thought it would be a good time to post this video, which serves to lift my spirits because it’s both silly and impressive at the same time. (It also happens to be a day after my one-year anniversary at my job.) I think I read somewhere that the artist is from the Boston Ballet, which explains his limberness and choreography skills.
Note: The video’s in HD, with some seriously impressive moves.

JbDubs - I Hate My Job:

Candice Glover - Die Without You

YouTube recommended music by this artist to me the other day, and I hadn’t heard of her. So I took a listen to her album, and all I can say is, “Dang!” Girl got a voice on her. Evidently she was a winner of the singing competition show American Idol, which, as I’ve said before, I’ve never watched. I can’t say I was crazy about the lyrics of the songs on her debut album Music Speaks, but her expertly-controlled voice makes up for that.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Candice Glover - Die Without You:

Neil Patrick Harris & Matthew Morrison - Dream On

I just have this to say: NPH, why are you so great? What did we mere mortals do to deserve you? This duet cover of Aerosmith’s classic by the same name is from an episode of the TV show Glee alllll the way back in season one in which NPH guest starred… so he could sing this song and hit that crazy high note. *_* No wonder he just won a Tony Award.
Note: HD, woooooooo!

Neil Patrick Harris & Matthew Morrison - Dream On:


Here’s the scene from the show:

Mary Lambert - She Keeps Me Warm

Even if you haven’t heard this song before, it probably sounds familiar if you’ve turned on your radio sometime within the past year. That’s because this artist is the singer of the memorable chorus of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s marriage equality anthem “Same Love,” which played on the radio over and over. She ended up building an entire song of her own off her oft-heard chorus, and thus this song came to be. Of course, it was playing on one of the contingents in the parade today. Happy Pride!
Note: This official music video has HD, and is SHO CUTE.

Mary Lambert - She Keeps Me Warm:

Sodagreen - 我好想你

I got this artist’s second album back around the time it came out and really liked it. Then, somehow when I wasn’t looking, the Taiwanese band went and released 7 more albums and seems to have graduated out of “indie” status and into full-blown mainstream exposure levels. Yeesh. So now I’m way behind because I have only listened to 3 of their albums. The album this song is from is their 9th and most recent. The end of this song gets a good deal more dramatic than I’m used to hearing from them, as I think of their music as generally light and acoustic. It was also the theme song of a movie I’ve never seen, Tiny Times 1.0, which stars a KOREAN singer, Jaejoong, whose music I’ve posted under the names Dong Bang Shin Ki and JYJ.
Note: Praise be to the HD uploader!

Sodagreen A.K.A. 蘇打綠 - 我好想你 [Wo Hao Xiang Ni - I Miss You So]:

Dresden Dolls - Good Day

I probably should have delved more into this artist years ago when I first came across their music and liked it. But I didn’t! Oh well; better late than never. Their music relies on a piano and Amanda Palmer’s voice, and it works. A lot of it also has a dark tone to it, and could even be characterized as off-kilter and unnerving. But that makes it interesting! Their lyrics tend to be interesting, but there is some profanity.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Dresden Dolls - Good Day:

The Cliks - 1000 Violins

I saw this Canadian artist perform live almost exactly 5 years ago. Up until today, all their music I’d heard was from up until that time, so when I listened to this song, released only last year, I was taken aback by how much the lead singer’s voice has changed. I dig the production on this track, and judging from the few tracks I’ve heard from the band’s most recent album I think their newer music is more to my liking than previous releases.

The Cliks - 1000 Violins:

Baby Dee - The Only Bones That Show

I heard of this artist very recently through an artist recommendation thread on a music website. From what I read about her, she seems multi-talented as she acts as vocalist, composer, lyricist, and musician for her own music. In short, she does everything herself. Props! I’ve now listened to a handful of her songs, and while many of them are of the soothing, melancholy style I tend to like, this more uptempo song stood out to me. It’s kinda odd, but I like that. The unusual lyrics are compelling, and the instrumental is appealing, especially that bass near the beginning!

 Baby Dee - The Only Bones That Show:

Pentatonix - Evolution of Music

I recently decided I wanna see these guys live, if I get the chance. They’re all SO talented individually, and sound magical as a group. I think this video is the first I ever saw of this popular a cappella group. It’s kinda funny that in this day & age there exists a popular a cappella group, but there you have it. This track isn’t so much a song as a medley (like the previous posts I’ve made of this artist), only this time it’s not a medley dedicated to one particular artist but a variety of music spanning across centuries (with an obvious concentration on the past few decades) meant to showcase different styles.
Note: HD listening is recommended so you can hear each of their voices better!

Pentatonix - Evolution of Music:

Jessie J - I Miss Her

Aghhhh, her voice is so amazing!!! The song’s melody isn’t that captivating to me, but her voice is lovely and powerful. As for the lyrics, they are pretty depressing but honest. They’re clearly describing a loved one who’s physically alive but mentally gone, as with dementia or a coma. I heard there is an interview that reveals that this song is, indeed, about her grandmother with Alzheimer’s.

 Jessie J - I Miss Her:

Fischerspooner - Cloud

I’m no expert on music genres. They’re practically meaningless to me and have always seemed nebulous, especially when getting into the nitty gritty subgenres that people get offended about others mistaking. Electro is a genre I know even less about than some others, but I keep seeing this artist characterized as that so I’m going to go ahead and say that’s what they are and further assert that they are probably one of very few electro artists I’ve posted.
Note: HD listening is here!

Fischerspooner - Cloud:

Emilie Autumn - Take the Pill

From the very beginning of this song it sounded promising. My friend who was listening to it with me, also for the first time, immediately had her ears perk up when the song started. Then the lyrics kicked in and it got even more interesting because of its unusual subject matter. It’s clearly narrating the events of a mental hospital through the commands of the staff there. Insanity seems to be a recurring subject for this American artist, so it’s not very surprising coming from her. There’s some profanity, and it’s kinda disturbing (especially if you’ve been institutionalized, I imagine). Also, it yet ANOTHER weird coincidence in artist I’ve been posting lately, when I looked up this songwriter’s music it post tonight, I saw that she is performing in my area tonight.
Note: TAKE YOUR PILL in HD!

Emilie Autumn - Take the Pill:

Eli Lieb - Safe in My Hands

I’ve seen this artist’s name floating around before, probably on the Internet, but never looked into his music. Evidently he’s one of those newfangled YouTube celebrities who does covers as well as writes and performs his own original songs. This is one of those original songs, and he might be about to blow up bigtime because it was used in a commercial, which I just saw today. (That’s how I came across this song.)
Note: HD listening is available!

Eli Lieb - Safe in My Hands:

Vanessa Carlton - Carousel

Time for some piano-based pop! I heard about this artist the way virtually everyone else on earth did: through her hit “A Thousand Miles.” I still like that song, but in the interest of diversity I’m posting a different song by her, and from a different album. I didn’t even hear that many songs by her on the radio so I didn’t realize this was a single when I picked it.

 Vanessa Carlton - Carousel:

We Are Smug - Hot Tub Blues

Can’t believe I never posted this song before… Introducing this song to people without context is fun, because the way it goes is this: I play the song for someone, and she goes, “This is a weird song, but I like it!” I go, “Wanna know who the singer is?” She goes, “Sure, who is she?” I say, “Remember Savage Garden, from the 90s?” She goes, “Yeah, I remember them!” I go, “This is the lead singer of Savage Garden.” She goes, “Wait… The lead singer was a guy…” I say, “Yes. This is him.” She goes, “NO!” in disbelief. Once I did this to a classmate, and that same night she downloaded the artist’s album, later taking it to class to play for other students and do the same thing to them that I’d done to her. Yes, this vocalist is Darren Hayes, in his experimental side project with songwriter Robert Conley. He has publicly stated that this track doesn’t use any digital tricks to distort his voice into sounding womanly; he really can sound like that on his own. There’s a little profanity and implied violence, I guess?
Note: You can listen to the old-timey lady vocals in HD!

We Are Smug - Hot Tub Blues:

Kal Lavelle - Shivers

I came across this Irish artist through the previous song I posted that she was featured in. That was a low-key dancey electronica track, but all the solo music I’ve heard from her so far has been acoustic folk music. I’m not wowed by her voice, but the instrumental and melody of most of the songs I've heard by her seem like they would grow on me the more I listen to them.

Kal Lavelle - Shivers:

Le1f - Wut

I’d normally give my typical “parental advisory” for this hip hop song, but the lyrics are so difficult to understand I might not even need to bother. There’s something about the sound mixing and the artist’s voice that make the lyrics hard to hear, which is a shame because they’re pretty darn good from a technical standpoint. This song deals quite a bit with the emcece’s identity as a black gay man in New York, how he’s subject to fetishization and stereotyping. It’s too bad he got embarrassingly bitter over the success of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and started publicly accusing them of plagiarizing this song to make their hit “Thrift Shop,” even though the only things the two songs have in common are the presence of rapping and the presence of saxophone.
Note: Fortunately, there’s this helpful typography video in HD to make the lyrics easier to identify!

Le1f - Wut:



Given the lyrical subject matter, the song reached surprising levels of mainstream exposure. You can check out how this song was used in a cool advertisement people were circulating not long ago:

Madonna - Nothing Really Matters

At the time I listened to the album this song is from, Ray of Light, I enjoyed it (more than I anticipated, as it wasn’t what I expected from this iconic pop artist) but I didn’t realize it was well-received by critics. I also read that this album helped bring electronic music into mainstream American popularity, but by the time I came across this album (well after it was released) I had already fallen in love with a few electronic music albums.
Note: Unsurprisingly, this song is here in HD.

Madonna - Nothing Really Matters:

MayDay - 2012

Another weird coincidence! I was listening to music by this Taiwanese artist today to try to pick a song from their extensive discography, and discovered they’re playing in my area this very night. I already attended a concert of theirs on New Year’s, and the stadium very much resembled that of the concert they show in the music video. The song's lyrics paint a not-so-optimistic picture of the future, alluding to humanity's insistence on marching toward their own destruction--a sentiment I've found to be resonating with me more and more lately.
Note: This official music video not only has HD quality available, but you can also turn on the English subtitles!

MayDay A.K.A. 五月天 - 2012:

Tracy Chapman - Say Hallelujah

This is a rather chipper-sounding song for such typically somber subject matter. The artist is essentially celebrating death, treating it like it’s not such a big deal, and it’s a chance for those who passed on to be relieved of their pain and for those they left behind to be reminded to be grateful for life.

Tracy Chapman - Say Hallelujah:

Sigur Rós - Flugufrelsarinn

Today is the 15th anniversary of the release of this Icelandic artist’s album Ágaetis Byrjun. I didn’t even know that until just now when I, by coincidence, saw an announcement about it on my FB Newsfeed, and IMMEDIATELY before that I was listening to that album for the first time in years because I was planning to post a song from it today. Freaky! Anyway, I used to listen to this song when I was trying to drown out background noise long enough for me to fall asleep. I don’t think it ever worked, but at least I was listening to nice, relaxing music while I was awake.
Note: You can let the song lull you in HD.

Sigur Rós - Flugufrelsarinn [The Fly’s Savior]:

Charice - Titanium

You may already be familiar with this hit song as performed by its original artist and recently posted singer, Sia. Despite liking much of Sia’s music, I actually didn’t care for that version. When I decided to give this Filipina artist’s new album a listen, I didn’t realize it was a cover album, but I quickly realized it once I saw this hit on the track listing. This version is more ballad than club hit, which is probably why I prefer it to the original. I’m used to hearing this artist belting out power notes, which are awesome, but it’s nice to hear a softer tone from her as in this song.
Note: Available in HD!

Charice - Titanium:

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times

I’m not an expert on song lyrics analysis. A lot of the time I have to look up the meanings or consult the suggestions of others, but THIS time, for this song, I felt I understood it on my own. It’s about various conflicts going on at international levels, calling for drastic societal change in response to all the things wrong with the world. It could even be suggesting we are kept fixated on working harder to distract us from the real problems and to stave off revolution by instilling the false hope that our efforts to improve the situation aren’t in vain.

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times:


For a revised version and an eloquent explanation as to the reasoning behind the revision, see this live performance in Russia:

Ana Carolina - Leveza de Valsa

This song REALLY sounds like it’s from the soundtrack of some movie. The cinematic strings are what do it, I guess. Then when the piano really kicks in it feels like I’m watching the ending credits of some intense thriller movie or something. Anyway, it’s beautiful.
Note: Woo, found it in HD!

Ana Carolina - Leveza de Valsa [Levity of Waltz]:

R. Kelly - Sign of a Victory

I had no idea this artist did the song used in the FIFA World Cup 2010. It’s weird how this artist’s work oscillates between dirty party songs and inspirational beautiful songs.
Note: Listen to the sound of victory in HD!

R. Kelly - Sign of a Victory:

Sia - Chandelier

This artist’s music videos have a knack for making me feel both weirded out and impressed at the same time. I think everyone recognizes that Sia sounds remarkably like Rihanna at the beginning of this song, which is also interesting because Sia writes songs for Rihanna all the time. Supposedly this song/video are about how the artist felt when she was a child, often left home alone. Also, I wouldn't have known this were it not for YouTube comments, but evidently the dancer featured in the video is on the reality TV show Dance Moms. Girl can dance!
Note: This is the official music video, with HD! Hope it doesn’t creep you out too much.

Sia - Chandelier:

Wang Lee Hom feat. Jin the Emcee - 盖世英雄

In an interesting combination, this song involves two Chinese-American artists, one who went into Taiwanese music to make his fame and became a huge sensation, the other who stuck it out in the U.S. and carved a name for himself in the American underground hip hop scene. One raps primarily in Mandarin, with some English thrown in; the other raps primarily in English with some Cantonese thrown in. On top of that, the song mixes the modern styles of R&B, Taiwanese hip hop, American hip hop, and traditional Chinese opera.

Wang Lee Hom A.K.A. 王力宏 feat. Jin the Emcee - 盖世英雄 [Gai Shi Ying Xiong - Heroes of the Earth]:

La Roux - Let Me Down Gently

I haven’t listened to a ton of songs by this artist. The majority of what I did hear I wasn’t crazy about. I didn’t hate them, but they just weren’t my style. I decided to look into some of the music that’s just been released and found this first. I immediately could tell this moody track was more to my liking than previous music, despite the retro sound (which I normally don’t care for).
Note: HD!

La Roux - Let Me Down Gently:

Tanner Cohen & Wendy Robie - Audition

Here’s a second song I liked from the indie musical movie Were the World Mine. The lyrics (like with the other songs in the movie) take lines and inspiration from Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, hence the old-fashioned English and magical imagery. The movie’s characters perform the play, and this song is the main character’s audition for a role in it.

Tanner Cohen & Wendy Robie - Audition:

Goldfrapp - Pilots

This hyper-mellow song is a bit unnerving in sound, but I believe that’s the intention. I listened to the whole album this song is from, Felt Mountain, today, and the whole thing is pretty much like this. It’s also highly ranked in some lists of top albums for the time period. If the songs are so similar, why did I pick this one, then? Those especially high notes near the end caught my attention.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Goldfrapp - Pilots:

Sam Smith - Make It to Me

Through YouTube surfing, I came upon and made a note of this artist’s music about 9 months before his debut album came out, which happened only a little over a week ago. I also had heard a song that featured him on vocals when a friend posted the music video a little while ago, but since the production was so heavy it was hard to hear his voice and I didn’t care for it (and didn’t realize it was the same singer I’d found on YouTube on my own). Shortly after the release of his album, a friend of mine invited me to the singer-songwriter’s upcoming concert so I looked further into his music to see if he had more songs I liked. Not only did I confirm that he’s excellent live, I’ve become addicted to his album.
Note: HD listening available!

Sam Smith - Make It to Me:


If you want evidence of his live abilities, check out this performance:

Temper - Success

Not even gonna front like there’s no shallow component to me liking this hip hop artist… She looks and sounds and like if Eve were a stud. I came across her music videos on YouTube. This was the first one I came across. This has the typical things people are offended by in rap (profanity, drug references, etc.).

Temper - Success:


If you are shallow like me or wanna check out the Eve resemblance, you can enjoy the official music video:

Vertical Horizon - We Are

I did NOT realize this artist was still around. One of the first albums I ever owned was Everything You Want by this band. That’s also the only music I know by them, so that’s what I’m posting again. Unlike last time, though, the song I’m posting by them was not a single. This was the album opener.

Vertical Horizon - We Are:

Christina Aguilera - Hurt

This song is a favorite to sing at karaoke, despite the high bar this popular artist sets with her vocals. It seems like this song is about her father, and the official music video reinforces this point. Side note: I recently came across an article that charted and ranked the vocal ranges of the most popular artists, and I remember Christina was near the top of the ranking and may have been the top-ranking female singer.

Christina Aguilera - Hurt:

The Colourist - Little Games

I found this song through a music recommendation column. Despite the spelling of the name of the artist, they’re American. At the start of this song, it sounds like the typical style that does nothing for me, but once the chorus kicks in it’s more my style.

 The Colourist - Little Games:

Walk Off the Earth - Cheers (Drink to That)

This artist of YouTube fame became well-known through their cover of Gotye’s overplayed hit “Somebody That I Used to Know.” When I saw this song being promoted in a music column on a website, I didn’t realize it was the same duo who’d done that cover, though. This song is originally by Rihanna, and has a little profanity.
Note: This is a live performance, and in HD!

Walk Off the Earth - Cheers (Drink to That):

World Order - Permanent Revolution

I meant to post a music video by this Japanese artist, but forgot to--until a video of theirs was shown at Fanime, that is! Like Kazaky, they’re more of a dance group than a music group. Their style is characterized by slow, carefully-synchronized, robotic motions in public places. This video features them in Korea. Look at those guys, single-handedly (or 12-handedly) improving Japan’s relations with Korea and China, 2 countries that don’t have the best relationship with Japan. It’s a feel-good video, too, because it has a nice meaning.
Note: I recommend listening AND watching in HD!

World Order - Permanent Revolution:

Marina & the Diamonds - Oh No

I heard this song in an AMV that I saw yesterday at the anime convention I’ve been at this weekend. I heard of this artist right when she first debuted, through the music video for her first single "Mowgli’s Road," but didn’t care for it. I’m glad that since then I’ve heard a number of songs by her that are much more to my liking.

Marina & the Diamonds - Oh No:

You Me at Six - Forgive and Forget

I heard this song on the British show Hollyoaks. I really dig that little vibrato the lead singer does. This is the only song I know of by them, but I plan to look into more.
Note: You can listen in HD!

You Me at Six - Forgive and Forget:

Jessie J - Who’s Laughing Now

In light of me attending a nerdy convention, I am posting this song of nerd revenge by this immensely talented artist. I appreciate that she has a variety of subject matter in her songs. This one, clearly autobiographical, is about being bullied as a child and coming out the victor through her current success.
Note: I think the official HD music video is a must.

Jessie J - Who’s Laughing Now:

Hyde - Perfect Moment

I just came home from an event where they played a song by this mega-popular Japanese rock artist, reminding me of his existence. I’m not the biggest fan of his voice, but he makes some lovely songs, including this one. It feels like I’m watching the end of a movie when I listen to this song, because it paints a vivid picture and describes a specific moment while implying a backstory. The lyrics are so rich, because with only a few simple words it expresses the complexity of putting a miniscule fragment of time into the context of eternity.
Note: It’s surprisingly difficult to find mainstream Japanese songs in good quality, but somehow I knew this song would be available in HD.

Hyde - Perfect Moment:

Miranda Lambert - Mama’s Broken Heart

I found this song first through my friend’s blog, where she had a post promoting current country music songs she liked. The sassy lyrics appealed to me. I later found out my mother liked the song because of its baldfaced rejection of the (by my standards, old-fashioned) convention that dictates women should maintain a prim & proper appearance while keeping their feelings pent up so they don’t seem hysterical or overly emotional. Later, another friend, who doesn’t typically listen to country but also found the song funny, sent it to me as a recommendation. Fun fact: This hit song was written by the country artist whose solo music I posted recently, Shane Mack.
Note: I’m using the official music video, which has HD, because it adds… attitude.

Miranda Lambert - Mama’s Broken Heart:

Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport

I've already posted a couple songs by this trip-hop group, as well as songs by its leader singer Chris Corner, A.K.A. IAMX. I had heard/seen their name many times before, but only listened to their music when I heard this song in a fanvideo.

Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport:

Kate Havnevik - Castaway

Music by this Norwegian artist reminds me a lot of Imogen Heap’s music. This song isn’t the best example of that, but it sure sounds nice. This is good music to chill to, and the undulating beat reminds me of ocean waves, which is probably intentional.
Note: HD listening is available!

Kate Havnevik - Castaway:

MC Sniper - Gloomy Sunday

If this isn't a tragic-sounding hip hop track, I don't know what is. It’s like it’s trying its hardest to be as much of an acoustic downer as possible. I do love them violins, though! I remember listening to this song years ago and my dad overhearing and asking what violins were doing in rap music. I said, “There are tons of rap songs with violins,” he made a pun about too much violins/violence in rap music. Har har.

MC Sniper - Gloomy Sunday:

Vas - Mandara

If you’ve been following my music blog for some time (or just music in general) then you might recognize this artist’s vocals as those of Azam Ali, another artist I’ve posted music by in the past. So far, I’ve posted music by her as a solo artist and in her group Niyaz. This is her project collaborating with Chris Ellis. The music tends to be new agey world music with a variety of Middle Eastern and South Asian influences.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Vas - Mandara:

Dominik Joker - Если Ты Со Мной

A little Russian-language R&B fo yo earholes. When I was looking for Russian music, this artist’s name kept popping up. I guess he’s a big deal, especially since his Wiki page attributes a number of titles (poet, composer, arranger, etc.) to him.

Dominik Joker A.K.A. Доминик Джокер - Если Ты Со Мной [Yesli Ty So Mnoyi -If You're with Me]:

F(x) - NU ABO

OK, I actually don't really like this song... Heck, I don't even really like this group. They're your typical poppy Korean girl group... with one exceptional element: OMGAMBER!!! Yes, my one reason for watching this video repeatedly is the group's Taiwanese American rapper, Amber. Actually, I remember that before my classmate posted the link to this video on FB, my friend recommended them to me, saying their music was mostly not my style, except the rapper was awesome. Right she was. Interestingly enough, she is by far and by numerous measures I’ve observed the most popular member of the group—among Americans, that is. In Korea, when I told my coworker that Amber was the only member of the group she was shocked, claiming that in Korea nobody liked her because she’s “like a man”. The very trait that makes her the favorite among Americans, her tomboyishness that sets her apart, is evidently the cause of her unpopularity among Koreans.
Note: As this is a K-pop music video, naturally it’s in HD.

F(x) - NU ABO:

Revolverheld - Unzertrennlich

I heard this song on a German soap opera because the show used it repeatedly for one particular couple; it practically became their theme song. Sehr dramatisch, ich weiss. (Feel free to correct me on my German, haha!) Lately it’s been stuck in my head, and the lyrics are simple enough that I actually understand most of them, even with my very cursory knowledge of the language. Simple lyrics may not sound like a flattering description, but they sure make me feel accomplished!

Revolverheld - Unzertrennlich [Inseparable]:

Yelyena Yesyenina - Мир без тебя

I came across this song while YouTube surfing for Russian-language pop music a little while ago. It starts out sounding kind cinematic, then turns into a more conventional-sounding pop ballad with a bit of Eastern European flavor mixed in.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Yelyena Yesyenina A.K.A. Елена Есенина - Мир без тебя [Mir Byez Tyebya - World Without You]:

Ed Sheeran - I See Fire

I’d heard music by this artist before, including an entire album, and liked it, but I didn’t hear this song until my friend pointed it out to me. It’s from the soundtrack of the recent movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. What a gorgeous theme it is! I love the layering of the singer’s voice in two different octaves.
Note: HD listening recommended so you can hear the details of its gorgeousness!

Ed Sheeran - I See Fire:

Ilaria Graziano - Dew

Another song composed by the talented Yoko Kanno with one of her signature go-to vocalists, this song was used in the soundtrack of the anime series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. This Italian artist is often utilized as the vocalist in the Japanese composer’s music. I love the song’s mysterious feel.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Ilaria Graziano - Dew:

Exo-K - Mama

A colleague mentioned that she liked this song, and I later realized I hadn’t heard it. I saw it listed on a website’s article about K-pop videos and decided to check it out. Now I get why my colleague was such a fan of the song. It’s certainly much more epic-sounding than I had expected. I appreciate that the lyrics are about something other than what I typically hear in K-pop (love songs); they are lamenting the state of the world today, in which people are disconnected from one another.
Note: This HD video has a translation of the lyrics, which is helpful. Some sources translate the word in the title as “Your Highness,” while others interpret it as the same thing it means in English, mother. I honestly don’t know what to think; since I’ve seen the official title written with English letters I’m inclined to think the latter, but this video’s translation uses the former.

Exo-K - Mama:

Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi - Tightrope

The music video for this song, which I found on a NewNowNext playlist, was my first exposure to this talented artist, and her suave dance moves and classy attire won me over almost immediately—her voice and lyrics were just icing on the cake. It’s a song of motivation; don’t let your haters get your down, and keep doing your thing. The featured hip hop artist was one half of the famous duo Outkast, which is quite an endorsement.
Note: Listening in HD is recommended!

Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi - Tightrope:


And here’s the music video:

3rei Sud Est - Alaturi de Ingeri

I think I found this song by this Romanian group through an mp3 rotation site. It's not amazing or anything, but I like it. I think this group is basically a Romanian boy band.
Note: You can listen to the song in HD.

3rei Sud Est - Alaturi de Ingeri [With the Angels]:

The Tiny - Closer

I heard about this Swedish artist through a music recommendation column on a blog. It’s a simple song, but it serves its purpose. Pretty much any song sounds richer with the inclusion of cello. It’s just unusual enough to be interesting, and just conventional enough to be pleasant to listen to.
Note: You can listen to the song in HD!

The Tiny - Closer:

IAMX - Volatile Times

In another installment of Chris Corner’s bitterness, I present this song! It’s about being fed up with the ridiculousness of society and wanting people to wake up and realize the corruption around them. There’s some profanity. This song (and entire album, as a matter of fact) helped keep me sane while I myself was feeling quite consumed with cynicism.
Note: I recommend listening in HD!

IAMX - Volatile Times:

Etwas - Halt Mich

I discovered this band when I heard one of their songs used in a German soap opera. For a while, I kept visualizing the lead singer as resembling one of the show’s characters, even though I knew that was ridiculous—maybe their voices were similar or something. It was to the point that when I saw what this band’s lead singer looked like for real and that she looked nothing at all like the character, I was disappointed. Quite silly.

Etwas - Halt Mich [Hold Me]:

Wordsworth - Shoulder

This hip hop artist should probably get more recognition than he gets. His music is largely about daily life—nothing too extreme or outlandish—but this means it’s relatable to a lot of listeners. This song is meant to convey a message of comfort and consolation, taking into account the variety of situations that could generate feelings of distress. As opposed to telling the listener to put a brave face on, it encourages the listener to let his or her emotions out and seek out someone to talk to rather than bottle everything up.

Wordsworth - Shoulder:

Park Ki Young - My Favorite Song

I finally get to post this song!! I’ve wanted to put this song up for years, but never could find a high-quality version anywhere. That changed today. The downside of trying to promote lesser-known songs is that they can be pretty difficult to find… Anyway, this is from the first album by this artist I owned, which I found through a Korean music message board back around the time the album came out. I really like the cello parts.

Park Ki Young A.K.A. 박기영 - My Favorite Song:

Daichi Miura - Delete My Memories

I’ve liked this Japanese R&B artist since I first heard his early singles. He seems like a manufactured pop product type, since he’s a singer whose popularity largely comes from his dancing skills, but it turns out his talents go beyond that, as he often writes his own music and lyrics, and choreographs his own dance routines. Enjoy the Engrish!

Daichi Miura A.K.A. 三浦大知 - Delete My Memories:

Meaghan Smith - Have a Heart

I looked up this song when I saw the artist listed on a music website. This song is pretty boring for me, but the music video is interesting. The guy is so good at the robotic movements!
Note: This is the official music video, with HD quality.

Meaghan Smith - Have a Heart:

Placebo feat. Michael Stipe - Broken Promise

This song, according to interviews with the band members, is about a lovers' quarrel in which one guy had cheated on the other, so the cheated-on guy resolves to hurt his partner by also cheating. The guest artist, playing the role of the “first cheater,” is the lead singer of the band R.E.M., in case you didn't know. I like the opening piano sequence of this song, and after figuring out how to play it on the piano I ended up making a (admittedly basic) piano arrangement of the entire song, which I play sometimes.
Note: You can listen in HD, but I don’t recommend having the sound up too loud because the song switches between quiet and noisy.

Placebo feat. Michael Stipe - Broken Promise: