Declan Galbraith - Imagine

Extending the theme of the previous post of hippie-esque "love everybody" songs, here's a cover of one of the most famous songs of this sort!  This song, originally by John Lennon, has kept popping up in my life lately, so I feel like it's appropriate to post this now.  This singer's voice is SO pretty and pure.  He's 19 now, but at the time this was released he was 10.

Declan Galbraith - Imagine:

A-Mei Chang - 愛是唯一

I had to post music by this immensely popular Taiwanese pop star.  She's basically Taiwanese Pop 101, and she's earned it.  She has lotsssssssss of popular ballads, but I wanted to pick a more energetic song by her, since I plan to post a ballad by her in the future.  Plus, this song was her own composition, and the lyrics are positive and meaningful, with a message of, "Let's all make the world a better place by loving one another," and all that jazz.

A-Mei Chang A.K.A. 張惠妹 - 愛是唯一 [Ai Shi Wei Yi - Love is the Only Thing]:


Edit:  HAHA, I just found out that the MV for this song was censored! Now I HAVE to post it. :-P (I also just think it's just a good MV.) I found the censored and uncensored versions, and am posting the latter; can you guess what got edited out? I'll give you a hint: It wasn't the pregnant lady, the boxer, or the couple in the car.
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/PesIHlQaNiE/

Bajofondo feat. Santullo - Ya No Duele

I found this group with members from Argentina and Uruguay through a housemate's music collection, only a few months ago. This was the first song of theirs I listened to, and I immediately liked it. Their stuff sounds like a fusion of tango and trip hop.

Bajofondo - Ya No Duele [Doesn't Hurt Anymore]:

Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills

More 90s R&B! One of my first albums was this artist's The Writing's on the Wall, which is also still one of my favorite albums. This is one of my favorite tracks from it, though the entire album is pretty strong and I don't think there was a single skippable track as far as I remember. It's no surprise Beyonce has held onto her fame for so long, considering her immense vocal skill.  Ironically, I don't think I ever saw the music video for this song until I looked it up to post for this blog.
Note: I seriously can't find this song on freakin' YouTube in good quality outside of this MV, so deal with it.

Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills:

Deftones - Knife Party

This song getshooocarazayyyy.  The part where the vocalizing builds up to shrieking is so unsettling.  It's freaky & chilling, but I really like it because it makes the track stand out.  I don't think this band is that obscure, but I started to pay attention to their music because of an eerie fanvideo that used a song of theirs.

Deftones - Knife Party:

Liz Callaway - Once Upon a December

This was always my favorite song from the animated film Anastasia.  Evidently the singer does the singing parts of lots of female characters in animated movies, which explains why her voice sounds so familiar.  The choppiness of the video (taken from the scene in which the song is sung) is unfortunate, but it's the best I could find of this version of the song.

Liz Callaway - Once Upon a December:

Stephen Sondheim feat. Edward Sanders & Helena Bonham Carter - Not While I'm Around

This is from the soundtrack of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.  I saw Tim Burton's film version of this play in the theatre, and was impressed by how well the kid who plays Toby could sing.  For a while afterward, I was kinda fascinated by this song.

Stephen Sondheim feat. Edward Sanders & Helena Bonham Carter - Not While I'm Around:

Evanescence - Breathe No More (Piano Solo Version)

I'm pretty sure everyone reading this knows who this artist is, but I don't think this song of theirs is that well-known.  It's one of my favorite songs ever, and it's from before the band got all famous with their album Fallen.  I play this on the piano a lot.  SO PRETTYYYYYYYYY!

Evanescence - Breathe No More (Piano Solo Version):

Miyavi - 阿呆祭 -アホまつり-

I tried to post this like 200 times yesterday, but the website was down so it wouldn't let me.  I guess I'll just post 2 today to make up for it.  Pretend this was posted Thursday, May 12, 2011.

WTH?  How have I gone this long without posting anything by this artist?!  He's one of my absolute favorites because he is, as one fan put it, "insanely beautiful and beautifully insane," and this is one of the first songs I heard by him.  His scratchy voice takes some getting used to, but his energy is incredibly infectious and his musical talent is undeniable.  Somehow, his weirdness is confidence-inspiring and his music has an effect on me like nothing else.  This is one of the first songs I heard by him.

Miyavi A.K.A. 雅 - 阿呆祭 -アホまつり- [Aho Matsuri -Aho Matsuri- - Festival of Fools -Festival of Fools-]:

Jena Lee - J'aimerais Tellement

This is the first song I heard by this French artist.  I like the melody as well her voice (especially on those high notes).  Her music videos are really cool too; they look like something out of a comic book.  (It also seems like they often involve some guy dying.)  I can't embed the MV for this song, but it's here.  Her style has been described as mixing emo with R&B, which I think is an extremely fitting description.

Jena Lee - J'aimerais Tellement [I Would Love So Much]:

Jay Chou - 藍色風暴

Jay Chou is a ridiculously popular act in Taiwan.  He's not my favorite as far as singing goes, but I gotta admit the dude's got talent with musical instruments and compositions.  I love the complexity and layers of this song's instrumental.  It has a funky combination of elements (like Gregorian chanting, opera singing, hip hop-style scratching, electric guitars, Indian-style citar, a string quartet, and... dial tones?) that ends up working really well.
Note:  HD video, ya'll!

Jay Chou A.K.A. 周杰倫 - 藍色風暴 [Lan Se Feng Bao - Blue Storm]:

Natalie Grant - Home

I'm pretty sure I found this song through an mp3 rotation site.  I don't know much about the artist except that she's a Christian singer/songwriter and she started an organization to stop human trafficking after being inspired by an episode of Law & Order.  Funny origin, but great cause.  Supposedly she wrote this song for the girls her organization is trying to save.

Natalie Grant - Home:

Submersed - Hollow

I don't know much about this band, but I came across this song through a spoilery AMV for Fullmetal Alchemist (Ah, what the heck, here it is).  Anyway, I think it's cool that the singer implements falsetto in his rock music.  It sounds really nice and I think it works well in the song!

Submersed - Hollow:

Noma Kumiko - Lilium

This song is the opening theme of the anime series Elfen Lied.  I haven't watched much of the series, but I really like this song and have been trying to learn it on the piano lately.  A translation of the Latin lyrics is provided in the description of the video.

Noma Kumiko A.K.A. 野間 久美子 - Lilium [Lily]:

Se7en & Wheesung - She's Mine

I think I found this song through an mp3 rotation site, but I already knew who both of these singers were at the time.  They're both pretty successful and popular Korean R&B singers.   Their styles are pretty different, though, so I think this collaboration works well.  I'm especially impressed with Wheesung's voice.  Pretty catchy!

Se7en & Wheesung A.K.A. 휘성 - She's Mine:

Delta Goodrem - Lost Without You

I discovered this Aussie artist because I heard the lovely Darren Hayes covering this song (which was actually one of the first solo songs performed by Darren Hayes that I heard) and thought it was lovely, then when I looked it up I found a live performance duet with BOTH of them and was impressed by her singing and piano playing.  Of course, then I looked up her other music and found her original solo version of this song.  And now I totally karaoke to this song all the time!

Delta Goodrem - Lost Without You:


Actually, I'm gonna include the live duet, because I think she sounds better in it even though she reportedly was sick at the time.  Impressive!:

Kouichirou Kameyama - 遥かなる残照 ～「戦国残影」より

This was the ending theme of an anime series that was not particularly good...  In fact, I daresay this piece was the best thing about it.  But I was always really captivated by this music and was determined to acquire it.  It took me forever, but I REALLY wanted this piece and, after some aggressive searching, I eventually found it somewhere on the Internet.  I really don't know how to translate the title well, but I tried my best.

Kouichirou Kameyama A.K.A. 亀山 耕一郎 - 遥かなる残照 ～「戦国残影」より [Harukanaru Zanshou ~ "Sengoku Zan'ei" Yori - Distant Afterglow ~ From "Warring States Traces"]:

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Susan Misner, Deidre Goodwin, Denise Faye, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, and Mýa - Cell Block Tango

It's my favorite song from Chicago! This is from the film adaptation of the play, which is the only version I've seen. Women killing their husbands/boyfriends galore! I really like the wittiness and dark humor of the lyrics.

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Susan Misner, Deidre Goodwin, Denise Faye, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova, and Mýa - Cell Block Tango:

And here's the clip from the movie, because it's awesome:

Mos Def, Pharaohe Monch, and Nate Dogg - Oh No

Wow, this takes me back...  I remember seeing this song's MV playing on TV when I was little and home alone, working on my homework after walking home from school, watching the local music video program.  Those were the days.  I always really liked this song for its overall sound, but its additional significance is that Pharoahe Monch's verse was one of the first moments of my life where I "got" how to listen to hip hop lyrics and appreciate their lyricism.  And I was impressed.  Still am!  R.I.P. Nate Dogg.
Note:  At first I could only find this song uploaded in low quality, but then found this one in HD!!  Hopefully a little profanity doesn't bother you too much.

Mos Def, Pharaohe Monch, and Nate Dogg - Oh No:


And heeeeeeere's the music video that started it all! I really like the style of it... artsy!:

t.A.T.u. - Зачем Я

I know I should get my queer card revoked for posting music by this famous Russian duo that built their career on an exploitative fake lesbian act, but I'm sorry, I really like a lot of their music.  I find this song quite pretty, especially that wind instrument near the beginning--whatever it is.  As for the speaking/rapping part: I asked a Russian-speaking friend of mine to tell me what was going on there, and he said it was just random nonsense.  According to this lyrics translation, it appears to be true.  I heard this song of theirs in an AMV for the very pretty anime Wolf's Rain (which you can watch here).
Note:  This is a very emo video, so beware.

t.A.T.u. A.K.A. Тату - Зачем Я [Zachyem Ya - Why am I]: