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Comments (1-30) of 38 Add your comment
Joan Osborne always puts on a good show. I saw her in 96 at The Ritz (gone now) in Raleigh and again at the Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill. Her show at the Ritz was the sexiest, most sultry show I have ever seen.
Rachel Yamagata = awesomeness, she needs to get more recognition
Eva Cassidy – even though she’s been gone for years, that voice? Never goes out of style or gets old.
Nikka Costa. I’m sometimes wish she would be bigger than she is here, but I guess I like her as my own little secret, selfish as I am…:)
i’m a pop music fan, so this may make some bloggers dismiss me, but stacie orrico continues to go unnoticed. sure her last CD went mainstream, but that CD had about 6 potential pop hits, and her new CD “beautiful awakening” is one of the best pop records i’ve ever heard. yes she is just a “pop” artist, but her pop music has content and is easy on the ears. she also has a subtle, lovely voice. scoff if you will, but she should be much more popular.
i didn’t think i had enough room to mention my other underrated choice, anastacia. again, throw-down pop music and one hell of a voice. she’s royalty in englend, but she barely scratches the surface in her home country. it’s a shame she isn’t at superstar status here, because she is one fine performer.
Way underrated:
RES, Rashaan Patterson, Cree Summer, Kina Cosper, Alana Davis
Josh Ritter. A great musician with gorgeous, literate songs and a terrific live performer. Not sure what to call his music (alt-folk?) but he totally deserves to be huge. (A video for the unconvinced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqLssKusGzM)
Oddly, I understand he’s a major hit in Ireland.
This is a blast from the 80’s, but I always wondered why Maria Mckee didn’t become a star. She was with Lone Justice in the 80’s; she’s made solo records for the better part of 20 years now. Her biggest claims to fame lie in a pair of covers: some dude named Sharkey(?) took her song ‘A Good Heart’ to number 1 in England, while the Dixie Chicks covered her ‘Am I only the one who ever felt this way’ on their CD Home. EW’s Chris Willman wrote the liner notes on her greatest hits CD(which is ironic, considering she never had any hits!). Check out her music everyone! Go Maria!
Oh, a more recent ‘cult fave’ would be Fiona Apple. Well worth checking out her music too, everyone.
I could not agree with you more about Meshell. Her album Bitter plays in consant rotation in my life. Part of me wants to keep her low key cause her shows are amazing and very affordable. Another candidate would be Mint Condition, a true black band that has been together making music for over 10 years. I love them in a way that is unholy.
First things first: I have totally mixed thoughs about my “secret” artists getting little or no recognition from the mainstream. In one corner is my feeling that “my” artists will be lessened or somehow diluted by success, that the mainstream attention will render them less than what they are. Also, on a personal, selfish level, it makes me strangely proud or special feeling to know I’ve tapped into something amazing yet largely undiscovered.
On the other hand, it can be hard for me because I can’t believe that the world is so deaf to the genious I hear! How is everyone not listening and falling in love like I am?!? It can be vindicating, and yet, disappointing when one of my favorite “underground” artists is suddenly popular.
Such a double-edged sword, eh?
1. Murray Lightburn and The Dears. Their music has not been seen on the Top 40. However, everytime they make an appearance, the college and mid thirties crowds pack the club.
2. Any industrial/EBM group on the Metropolis records label especially Assemblage 23, VNV Nation, and Apoptygma Berzerk. Pure energetic dance music.
i know she’s not cult or underground as she gets tons of indie press, but i can’t believe jenny lewis isn’t a star of the household name order. her work with rilo kiley is good, but her solo work is fantastic, and she has great style and stage presence. plus hello, she was in Troop Beverly Hills!!
I’ve been a fan of MeShell for years. Frankly, I wish she was a little less under the radar. Can’t she have just a little of the fame Amerie/Ciara/Pussycat Dolls/Fergie is wasting by just churning out the same old boring songs?
The number of underrated artists out there is amazing, but some of my favroties are The Roots (one of the best live shows you’ll see), Lupe Fiasco, Dead Prez, Karl Denson, Shemekia Copeland and Talib Kweli.
I love the honey brothers, and I loved them even before Adrien Grenier became more famous. I love their performance and music, and they are so laid back which is very good. I kinda want them to stay low key, just because I’m selfish and really want their music to be enjoyed by true fans and not those who just like them because of adrian.
totally agree with the rachel yamagata and stacie oricco mentions. yes me’shell’s “bitter” is one of the most amazing albums EVER. fiercely intimate, intricately crafted and writen with such resonance… ditto on rahsaan patterson as well… and calvin richardson… and corrienne may (NOT corrine bailey rae, she makes me want to put the record OFF)
she also has an amazing track on the soundtrack and in the end credits for Don Cheadle’s new film, “Talk To Me” – called “Compared to What”
Anggun, amazing voice from Indonesia who also sings in French and English. Best reggae is Jason Wilson & Tabarruk, Jason is brilliant. And check out cd Another Day by the Dutch band Racoon, and singer songwriter Ainslie Henderson from Scotland deserves more recognition in my opinion. All super secret favorites in my book.
I will never for the life of me understand why Meshell Ndegeocello never became a bigger star. IF THAT’S YOUR BOYFRIEND is a classic.
If that’s your boyfriend
If that’s your boyfriend
If that’s your boyfriend
He wasn’t last night.
Well I don’t know if she counts as underground…cause she’s up and coming…but KATE NASH is amazing!! She’s like a cooler, catchier Lily Allen (and I love Lily Allen).
Eric Himan. He’s released five or six studio albums, and I never heard of him until this year. Great indie rock sound tinged with a generous amount of folk. Chris Dallman is another one. I’d love to see these guys have Top 10 hits.
Fool of me is such an awesome song, it breaks my heart every time I hear it, she’s great!
someone mentioned anggun!!! i thought i was the only person who knew who she was. not only was she stunningly beautiful, but her debut CD was phenomenal. newcomer chrisette michele is also wonderful, pick up her CD now!!
props for mentioning RES and Kina Cosper. Both of their albums are both so touching and empowering. Most don’t know Kina was the “replacement” in the R&B group Brownstone, but her solo LP (a complete departure) was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
And Rahsaan Patterson has one of the silkiest voices ever. Just came across him during an iPod shuffle moment last night.
I also have to saw Fiona Apple is one of the more “popular” underrated artists. I think her in your face eccentricity tends to scare people off, but she is still brilliant.
Yes! Another fan of Anggun! How is she not more well known? I love her latest Luminescence album (especially the song Go, I think from one of the International versions?) Such a beautiful voice. People need to know she exists!
more to add to my list: Sarah Bettens, Sugababes, Juanes, Musical Sniper, Bitty McLean, Beres Hammond, Alizee
going to check out a lot of these suggestions from you all. What a fun way to discover new musical gems.
okay… i love me some me’shell “can i buy a vowel please” n’degeocello… but can we please have a better picture of the girl?
and yes, ellipsian, i am with you… i feel the exact same way.
Ingrid Michaelson. They’ve played a few of her songs on last season’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” Her album “Girls & Boys” is amazing, great melodies, ethereal and sweet. Think Suzanne Vega. I agree with the mentions for RES and Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley. Great singers. Also check out Shea Seeger if you like Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.
Jann Arden-very popular in Canada but not so much here in the US. She has a great voice.