ZEDD and Hayley Williams

ZEDD and Hayley Williams. "Stay the Night". Fabulous. Just fabulous.

It's worth a listen. Need I say more?

Marina and the Diamonds

This stumble upon happened while watching an Ellie Goulding music video and this was a suggestion at the end of it.

The first suggestion was for a song called "Lies" by Marina and the Diamonds. I will gladly admit that I'm not as well cultured in music from other countries as I should be, so if I'm a little late to the party on this song, you'll have to forgive me.

After doing a little research, Marina Lambrini Diamandis is a Welsh singer who came second on the BBC Sounds of 2010 poll list to none other than Ellie Goulding. So this girl definitely has some talent.

"Lies" immediately captured my attention by the extremely powerful lyrics and striking music video. Much like Lorde's "Royals", Marina just stares straight at the camera and sings. To me, nothing is more compelling than a singer who doesn't need all of the extra garbage in their video and just puts their music out there.

After scrolling through the comments, people were suggesting that you check out the acoustic version too. I have to say, they're right. The song is even better acoustic.

If you are looking for something a little less depressing and faster paced, she has that too. Check out "Electra Heart". It's still about heartbreak, but the beat is sick!

Oh yea, and there's also a guy in a fox mask in it, which automatically makes me happy because it makes me think of Ylvis.

If you've noticed in the title of all of the songs, they say "Part ##". If you watch all of her videos in order, they tell an amazing story. This concept is currently being done by Fall Out Boy as well. Perhaps it's going to become a new trend?

Not only these two songs (three if you count the acoustic version), but her entire album is worth a listen.

John Newman

John Newman's "Cheating" has been on Vevo for about a month, but has just recently been featured as a current favorite by the YouTube channel.

A few comments on the video have compared John to a male Adele, and I can slightly see the resemblance when talking about the level of emotion in each of their music. Oh yea, and they're both British. So two things in common.

The song's cool sound and John's unique style makes this song worth a listen.

Cher Lloyd

Cher Lloyd's latest single "I Wish" featuring T.I. has a solid beat with a phenomenal sound. The girl has definitely got a hit with this one!

The only problem I have with the song is every time the chorus comes on, I automatically think of Skee-Lo's "I Wish".

Putting that chorus issue aside, Cher Lloyd's "I Wish" showcases her unique voice and T.I. Both of these facts alone make this song worth a listen.

Forever the Sickest Kids

To be honest, this is the first song by Forever the Sickest Kids that I've listened to. Ever. It came up as a suggestion on YouTube and I figured why not give it a listen? So glad I did! "Nikki" is a GREAT song!

I can't compare "Nikki" to their previous work, but I can say that Forever the Sickest Kids reminds me a lot of All Time Low with a little bit of a harder sound. This song in particular isn't punk rock, even though that's how they're classified on iTunes, but it's definitely a sexy rock track.

All I can say is this song is one that you'll want to keep on repeat and it's worth a listen. Need I say more?

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy is having a really great year so far! For starters, "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)" was a massive hit. Their latest single, "Alone Together", definitely has the same potential.

"Alone Together" has the traditional FOB sound, which makes it so great. Also, Patrick Stump has one of the best voices in rock today, so that helps push this song to a whole new level of awesome.

The music video is slightly freaky, I mean he is tortured and then kills people in it, but what video isn't creepy/overly sexual anymore?!
** Suggestion, watch the video once to say you have seen it and then listen to the song again without looking at the computer screen.

"Alone Together" is soon to be another hit for FOB, which makes it worth a listen.

The Veronicas

You may know The Veronicas from their song "Untouched", but to Americans, the rest of their songs/albums have flown completely under the radar, which is extremely sad as their music is phenomenal.

"Everything I'm Not" is from the album The Secret Life of...The Veronicas. They are technically classified as rock artists; however, I would argue the song resembles the pop/rock vibe that Avril Lavigne's music has.

The song deserves more exposure than it's getting currently, so check it out, give them some YouTube love, hit the like button, check out the rest of their music, etc. because "Everything I'm Not" and The Veronicas are worth a listen.

Lorde

"Tennis Court" is by Lorde, the 16 year-old singer from New Zealand who also sings "Royals", and it is excellent! The video is a little weird, mainly the "yeahs", but the lyrics are really well-written.

The beat does remind me of "Royals", but I can overlook the similarities because the girl is so talented. I firmly believe that she will not be a one hit wonder.

Much like "Royals", "Tennis Court" is worth a listen.

OneRepublic

Newish music from OneRepublic is called "Counting Stars". It has been out for months, but it is just starting to get some radio love.

"Counting Stars" wasn't my favorite song the first time I heard it, or the second, or the third; however, lately, it has been growing on me and now the chorus gets stuck in my head daily (for good reasons). The chorus is super catchy and Ryan Tedder has some serious vocal talent!

Ryan Tedder's voice alone makes the song good, but the unique feel to the music makes the song worth a listen.

Bonnie McKee

We already know this girl can sing -- "American Girl" -- but many people don't realize that Bonnie McKee has been extremely present in the music for years. In fact, she has numerous hits, but she never sang them herself.

Bonnie wrote a majority of Katy Perry's #1 songs, including "Roar" and "Teenage Dream".

This video features Bonnie singing a medley of her hit songs. I guarantee you will know each and every one of them, but hearing them by their original author makes them that much greater and makes this medley worth a listen.

Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham isn't for everybody. If you're easily offended, then his music most likely won't be your favorite, but "Nerds" is a great song with a fabulous message. It's got the typical, crafty Bo lines, but in a way that isn't offensive. In fact, the song is all about supporting those who may be victims of bullying, which I find slightly ironic based on the lyrics of the rest of his music...

The message of the song automatically makes it worth a listen.

Avicii

AVICII!!!! Oh how I love thee!

"You Make Me" is his latest song and it is typical Avicii. By that I mean, the song has a strong dance beat and the lyrics are very well written.

The concept for the video is great as well. It takes place in a skating rink, which automatically makes the video awesome, but it also reminds me of one of my favorite musicals, "West Side Story".

In my opinion, anything by Avicii is worth a listen.

Mel B

Mel B/Scary Spice, however you want to refer to her, is back!! "For Once In My Life" is her first single in eight years and will be a part of her third solo album.

The video has some iffy dance moves, but I think that they really go along with the message of just living life for yourself and not caring what others think. And then there's all of that stripping and the awkward moment where she makes out with herself...yea, it's an interesting video...

The song itself is straight up sexy. The girl sounds just as great as ever and I love the beat. It's Mel B, therefore it is worth a listen. It's a great song, therefore it is worth at least two listens.

The Gregory Brothers

Country music is a foreign concept to me. I know a few Carrie Underwood songs, Kellie Pickler has some good ones as well. Oh and Kelly Clarkson, she just released "Tie it Up" a few months ago. That was a good one.

As you can see, my knowledge of country music is expansive...and by expansive I mean I know nothing about it.

Jenna sent me a link to this video of The Gregory Brothers singing Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" and I have to say, it's an interesting take on the original. I like the use of folk/country instruments, but I prefer the tempo of Miley's original version better.

Otherwise, it's a cool take on a relatively new song and it's worth a listen.

Katy Perry

This song is interesting. I can't say that I like it all that much, but it's Katy Perry, so that automatically makes it worth a listen in my book.

"Dark Horse" will be her 6th track on Prism, which is set to release Oct. 22. It features Juicy J and it definitely has a unique sound.

The 1975

My girl Amber introduced me to The 1975 and I have to say, they're pretty great. If you enjoy good music, then you won't be able to get enough of their awesome sound and if you simply enjoy British accents, you will LOVE them.

"Chocolate" is definitely my favorite of their songs (most likely because whenever I walk into the studio, it's on...thanks again to Amber).

Their accents give this song a sound that is indescribable. All I can say is that it is a phenomenal song and definitely worth a listen.

Karmin

Karmin is one of my favorite rising stars and has been for a few years. Most people know them for their single "Brokenhearted", but that isn't what first got them noticed.

Originally, Karmin was a duo who posted covers of songs on YouTube. "Look At Me Now" was one of those covers. Check it out here:

Since "Brokenhearted", Karmin has put out another track called "Acapella". I'm not going to lie, I find one part of the song to be a bit iffy and I personally would recommend re-recording it without the line, but the rest of the song is great! The beat is fun and the story behind the lyrics is a good one as well. "Acapella" is worth a listen, but I would even more so recommend some of their covers.

Kelly Clarkson

WARNING: I am about to throw a mini pity party, but I promise, there is a point to it.

Four days, I've had a migraine and I feel like crap. Yesterday and today haven't been my days. I've spilled two open cans of Diet Coke, cried at work over the silliest things, whined over nothing and have even been annoying myself with all of these daily incidents. Because of this, I feel like it's the PERFECT day to bring out my never fail, feel good, pick yourself back up off of the ground Kelly Clarkson song, and no, it's not "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)".

For true Kelly Clarkson fans, this song is OLD, as it's from her Stronger album. To fans who might not purchase her CD's or to straight up Kelly haters, this song may be unknown.

It is one of my favorites from the album, it's called "The Sun Will Rise" and it features Kara Dioguardi (you may know her from American Idol).

It's an uplifting song that just makes you feel good no matter what kind of day you've had and that's why "The Sun Will Rise" is worth a listen.

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo. What a stud!

He’s a personal favorite of mine, but this song, “Marry Me”, just takes my breath away and makes me tear up because all I can envision is Jordin Sparks hearing the song for the first time on the radio and J-Derulo there on one knee with the most amazing rock in hand.

Ok, so ridiculous daydreaming aside, what an amazing song!! I can’t say this enough, the song is worth a listen!!!

Walk Off the Earth

Since I didn't post yesterday, my bad, I will give you two amazing songs by one fabulous group. Walk Off the Earth released "Red Hands" a year or so ago, but it is just now getting the radio plays it deserves.

For me, their video that caught my attention was "5 Peeps 1 Guitar", which features 5 people playing Gotye's "Somebody I Used to Know" on, you guessed it, 1 guitar.

I have to say, it's pretty impressive!

While searching through some of their other videos, I came across a song called "Red Hands". I figured it was an interesting title, might as well give it a listen. After about a minute in, I realized that I had heard the song on the radio for the past month or so, but I didn't realize it was Walk Off the Earth who sang it.

"Red Hands" uses a xylophone beat in the background, much like "Somebody I Used to Know", but I don't find it quite as annoying. I mean, I love both songs, but I think they utilized the instrument a little better than Gotye did.

Nitpicking aside, I really enjoy this group and anything by them is definitely worth a listen!

Miley Cyrus

Let me start by saying, I am not a Miley Cyrus fan. I, like 99.9% of the world, am not a fan of her VMA performance, but that isn't my only reason for being fully on-board the Miley Train.

When I strip it all down (ironic...you'll understand after you watch the video) and look solely at the music, the girl has some good material. This song, "Wrecking Ball", is catchy and is definitely going to be the next "We Can't Stop", but the video is such a turnoff in my opinion.

I just want to know, who finds licking a sledge hammer sexy? Apparently this girl.

Some advice for Miley, keep your clothes on and rely on your music to tell the story.

Some advice for listeners, turn the song on and close your eyes.

Like I said, "Wrecking Ball" has a great sound and is going to be an extremely successful single for Miley. That being said, it's worth a listen, just maybe not a view.

Lorde

Lorde. The girl is 16. 16!

She was signed to her record label at 14. 14!

CRAZY!! She's like 6 years younger than me and she is already doing more with her life then I ever will!

"Royals" is her latest single and it is phenomenal. Listening to it, you won't even realize she is 16. Her lyrics are extremely mature for her age and the overall sound of the track is just wow. I realize I say that a lot, but this blog is about great music, so I feel like I am justified in saying that often.

"Royals" is a great single that deserves loads of recognition, not just because Lorde is so young, but simply because the song is amazing and it's without a doubt worth a listen!

The Cab

First, let me apologize now for any misspellings as I'm writing this post from my phone and auto correct and I do not have the greatest of relationships.

Second, I apologize for the shortness of this post. I've had difficulty finding an Internet conncection today, so this is the best I can do at the moment.

Tonight's song is from the album "Symphony Soldier" by The Cab. The song is called "Angel With a Shotgun" and it's definitely worth a listen.

Mika

LOVE me some Mika!! "We Are Golden" is on older song, but Mika is an extremely relevant artist. He recently did a collaboration with Ariana Grande. **Be on the lookout for that song on my blog in the near future.**

The video for "We Are Golden" is pure joy. Who doesn't love dancing around in their bedroom in their underwear while singing at the top of their lungs?!? That right there is one of the many reasons "We Are Golden" is worth a listen.

Asaf Avidan

WARNING: This song is...different. Yea, I think different is a good word to use.

Asaf Avidan (don't ask me to pronounce that) classifies his genre of music as folk rock. While I can't say that's exactly how I would categorize it, it's still a cool sounding song.

The song literally has two lines, so memorizing and singing along should be simple. The hard part is getting the correct sound. The vocals in this song are not necessarily unusual, but they're a far cry from Justin Bieber or One Direction.

Oddness aside, I really like this song. While it has been around for awhile, it has still got a vibe that seems almost new school. It's one of those that you just can't seem to get out of your head after listening to it (that may be due to the repetitive lyrics).

Asaf Avidan's unique sound makes "One Day/Reckoning Song" worth a listen.

The Postmodern Jukebox Band

50's style mixed with Top 40 music = awesomeness!
Even if 50's music isn't quite your style, give it a try.

The Postmodern Jukebox Band generally has four members (sometimes with a few special guests added in):
Robyn Adele Anderson - vocals
Adam Kubota - bass
Allan Mednard - drums
Scott Bradlee - keys

First, a song that you wouldn't expect to take a 50's twist: Macklemore's "Thrift Shop". This song has been given a completely new sound that can be best described as freakin' awesome.

Now that you've heard some their abilities with a rap song, check out what they did with Miley's "We Can't Stop". Who would have guessed after the VMA's, this song could be considered classy?!?

Trust me, the song is borderline unrecognizable, in a good way, and it's definitely worth a listen.

Auckland Law Students -- Trust me on this one!

A fun one first, then a serious later.

The video has been removed from YouTube, which is such a shame because the message is awesome. A group of law students from Auckland reversed the meaning and tone to the traditional "Blurred Lines".

The link below will take you to a New Zealand news source who has the video on their page.

SO FUNNY AND DEFINITELY WORTH A LISTEN!!

Check it out here!

Sam Tsui

By now you all know of my love for all things Sam Tsui. He is about to embark on his first tour to Singapore and Hong Kong with Kurt Hugo Schneider (singer and video extraordinaire).

Here is one of Sam's first singles. It's called "Don't Want an Ending" and it's definitely worth a listen:

Gavin DeGraw

Busy weekend means short blog post, but a new song of the day none the less.

New music by Gavin DeGraw is called "Best I Ever Had".

To keep this short and sweet, its lyrics are fun and slightly all over the place, but it's definitely worth a listen.