New hip-hop and rap songs are hard to find in my opinion because a lot of it is rather poor in quality and smaller artists have a harder time getting recognized. I enjoy many hip-hop artists but I do get rather bored of all the mainstream songs played on the radio over and over again, or the same artists always being featured week after week atop the charts mainly because of their name rather than the actual quality of their work. Below are some rap and hip-hop songs I feel are underrated and if you haven't heard will quite enjoy. There is a nice mix of various artists amongst this list and most of them have other songs I would recommend as well. So if you are looking for more rap and hip-hop look in to these artists if you haven't already.
1. Be A King - E-dubble
2. Caribou Lou - Tech N9ne
3. Colt 45 - Afroman
4. Gangsta'sParadise - Coolio
5. Good Day - Nappy Roots
6. Hood Go Crazy - Tech N9ne ft. B.O.B & 2 Chainz
7. Like Me - Jake Miller
8. Run This Town - Upper West
9. Still Not A Playa - Big Pun ft. Joe
10. Sunrise - Childish Gambino
11. Till I Get There - Lupe Fiasco
12. Tipsy - J-Kwon
These aren't just my favourite underrated hip-hop and rap songs these are some of my favourite hip-hop and rap songs. Let me know which ones you enjoyed the most!
If part 1 of my "Great songs you may have never heard before" didn't have enough to offer I hope some of the songs below in Part 2 will be new and interesting for you. If you haven't seen Part 1 make sure to check it out (See Part 1). There is also a great variety of music genres in this list and these songs which have never gained huge popularity are certainly ones I recommend to everyone.
1. Breezeblocks - Alt-J
Breezeblocks is a song brought to us by British Indie rock band Alt-J and is from their album "An Awesome Wave". Breezeblocks is my favourite song produced by Alt-J along with another song of theirs called "Left Hand Free". Alt-J truly have a unique sound and while I find a lot of their music rather plain and uninviting to the ear, Breezeblocks is certainly an exception.
2. Oceans - Coasts
Coasts are an English rock band and produced Oceans in 2014. I would describe Oceans as an Indie pop song and it is a total jam! These guys haven't received much head way with any of their music yet but I feel like this song may be a huge hit soon enough. Coasts time is definitely coming.
3. Hit It - American Authors
I first heard this song on the playlist of Fifa 14 which had an awesome soundtrack giving us songs such as "Love Me Again" by John Newman or "Magic" by the Olympic Ayres. "Hit It" however was my favourite from the soundtrack and the American Authors proved to be a quality American rock group. You may have heard of them for their hit single "Best Day of My Life" which was a big hit on the radio, but if you haven't heard Hit It yet, check it out!
4. I'm Ready - AJR
This song did manage to reach a high of number 65 on the Billboard American Hot 100 but didn't stay there for long and I feel like most people may have missed it. So I am going to give it some more recognition to make sure everyone knows about it. It's not the best song on this list but still a good one for your library.
5. PaperPlanes - East of Avenue
This song is a little different from the other songs in this list because it is a slow inspirational pop song unlike the others which are more upbeat. I found this one on a Walmart commercial and searched it on YouTube and it doesn't even have 100,000 views. Its simple lyrics and playful melodies give it great feel and makes it relaxing to listen to.
6. Start A Fire - Unspoken
"Start A Fire" produced in 2014 by the band Unspoken is kind of similar to Paper Planes in style and it certainly gives you a feeling that makes you feel inspired and makes you want to go out and seize the day. It feels like the type of song that could be played at a graduation or a wedding and the lyrics are moving. If you are having a bad day this song will definitely give a spark to your day.
7. The Walker - Fitz and The Tantrums
Fitz and the Tantrums are also an Indie pop band and their song "The Walker" is sooo catchy. I use this song as my alarm in the morning because the band starts whistling and then the music starts playing and it makes for a great start to my morning. Love this song!
8. YoungAgain - Hardwell ft. Chris Jones
Hardwell is a House and Electric DJ and Young Again is one of his biggest singles to date. This is another song that I believe in good time will become very popular. Add this one in your Summer 2015 playlist because this song is definitely a keeper. Good vocals and a great beat make for an all around great song. I can't wait to see what Hardwell produces in the future.
I hope you enjoyed Part 2 of my "Great songs you may have never heard before" and if you haven't seen Part 1 Check it out here, Part 1.
I enjoy a great variety of music and I am always searching for more great music and the next big song. As I was looking through my music library, I quickly came to realize I had quite a few songs, all which I really enjoy, and they all had something in common: Each song in the playlist never seemed to become a big hit on the radio or even on YouTube. This gave me a great idea and led me to build this list of songs.
The eight songs I hand picked below make up the first half of a list of songs that I feel have flown under the radar for quite some time and deserve some recognition. You may have heard of some of these before as some are more popular than others but I guarantee you haven't heard them all. There are quite a variety of song genres in this list. So whether you enjoy pop, country or house there is a song in here for everyone. 1. Animal - Neon Trees Out of all the songs on this list, this one and the next one are definitely the more popular ones and I'm sure some of you have heard of Animal by Neon Trees. Never the less this is still an exceptional song. It has a great beat to it and excellent instrumentals. I really enjoy Neon Trees and recommend you check out "Everybody Talks" which is another great song from Neon Trees.
2. Classic - MKTO
As mentioned above this one is also one of the more popular songs on the list. However it still never made it to the top of the charts or to the radio frequently. It falls in to the pop genre and certainly is in line with what is on the radio today. This one might not be for everyone but it puts anyone in a good mood.
3. Dangerous - Big Data ft. Joywave
Dangerous was recorded in 2013 and comes to us from Big Data. It is an Indie rock and electronic song and it has a unique tone to it. I like this one because it is a little slower and not quite as upbeat assume of the other songs on this list however it is still very catchy. This one isn't as popular as the first two songs so give it a shot!
4. I Got U - Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones
I just discovered this beauty the other week. This deep house single is brought to us by Duke Dumont and it is definitely one I put a star next to. This would be a great song for a party or your summer 2015 playlist. It is upbeat and it kind of reminds me of Waves by Mr. Probz from my Summer 2015 playlist. If you haven't seen that already, check it out too!
5. Knee Deep - Zac Brown Band ft. Jimmy Buffett
This is amongst my favourite country songs. Maybe it is because it doesn't even sound that country, it is a good song and certainly my favourite from the Zac Brown Band. It lightens the mood and makes you feel like your only worry in the world is if the tide is going to reach your chair!
6. Reflections - Misterwives
A female artist! Okay take it easy, I know I haven't included many female artists in my lists so far but this song is more than worthy of a shout out. Mandy Lee has an excellent voice and this is a great Indie pop single. It is always a hit amongst my friends when it plays off my phone!
7. The Only Way Is Up - Martin Garrix & Tiësto
This song is extremely new so I would be very surprised if you have heard of it before. Only having been released in May of this year it is a hit that I think would also be a fit in your 2015 summer playlist. I have been liking the house music lately, but how can you not when songs such as this one are being produced. Prior to this song I hand't heard much of Martin Garrix or Tiësto but I have been looking in to them and I recommend you do as well.
8. Up and Away - Can't Stop Won't Stop ft. June
I originally heard this song on a YouTube video for the "Worlds largest rope swing". Afterwards I looked in to it and it is certainly one that inspired this list. Can't stop won't stop hasn't produced to many other singles but don't let that take away from this one. If you are looking for a good pop/ hip-hop song that has flown under the radar that you haven't heard before, this is one I recommend for you!
I hope you enjoyed the first part of my "Great songs you may have never heard before", and if you did check out part 2!
This is the second part to my list of the best 1990s and 2000s inspirational throwbacks. All of these songs are very similar in genre and tone and I believe they match well with the first bunch of songs. You will see some similar artist and some new ones and there is definitely a nice mix in this list. I'm sure some of these will take you back to the summer of 2001, to a high school dance, a graduation or just that number one hit that you played over and over again.
1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Greenday
2. Come On Get High - Matt Nathason
3. Drops of Jupiter - Train
4. Follow Me - Uncle Kracker
5. How To Save A Life - The Fray
6. You and Me - Lifehouse
7. Someday - Sugar Ray
8. Upside Down - Jack Johnson
9. Waiting On The World to Change - John Mayer
10. Your Body Is A Wonderwall - John Mayer
I hope you enjoyed Part 2 of my 90s and 00s inspirational throwbacks. Let me now in a comment what you would like to see next. All of these were male artists, so maybe a list with female artists is over due. Like and comment and share as always if you enjoyed!
These are songs from the the 90's and 00's that we all know and love but may have forgotten or not heard in years. All of these songs are great inspiration and have great tone and soul and come from some our most beloved solo male artists and bands. They were great songs when they first came out and are still popular today. All of the following are favourites of mine and I'm sure they are favourites of yours. I hope you enjoy!
1. Bad Day - Daniel Powter
2. Breakeven - The Script
3. Drift Away - Uncle Kracker
4. Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz
5. Hey There Delilah - Train
6. Lonely No More - Rob Thomas
7. She's so High - Tal Bachman
8. Sunday Morning - Maroon 5
9. Viva la Vida - Coldplay
10. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
I hope you enjoyed these songs, and if you did check out Part 2 for another great list of songs just like these ones. Like and share if you enjoyed it helps me out a ton!
