The 10 most underrated music artists of our time

As many musicians know only too well, some artists never get the plaudits or recognition their music deserves. 

They have a loyal set of supporters and a respectable amount of YouTube views and put on live performances of a lifetime. Still, their music never catches on with a wider audience, for whatever reason. Well, we're here to try and change all that.

Here are 10 of the most underrated music artists to look out for. 

 

1. Låpsley

Hailing from Southport, Merseyside, Låpsley (full name Holly Lapsley Fletcher) combines minimalistic electro-pop with a powerful, extensive vocal range. Not that we like to make comparisons, but it's difficult not to hear similarities with Adele.

As well as being a strong vocalist, Låpsley is an adept producer. She created tunes in her bedroom at 17, using just a Juni Gi synthesiser and her voice. The rest is history—we hope.

She was nominated for the BBC's Sound Of 2015 list and released her debut album, Long Way Home, the year after. 

Låpsley is currently signed to London-based label XL Recordings, whose roster includes (yes, you guessed it) Adele. She's surely one of the most underrated music artists around—you can check out her ethereal sound below.

 

2. Anna of the North

Norwegian singer-songwriter Anna Lotterud, best known by her stage name Anna of the North, is another electro-pop artist with a distinctive vocal style making some serious waves in the music industry. 

In 2017, Anna released her debut album Lovers, featured on two tracks with Tyler The Creator and appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Since then, she's had some big successes—her voice even featured in a 2020 iPad Pro advert. It's easy to see how she's one of the most underrated singers out there. 

Her latest track 'Nobody' is teeming with 80s synth-pop vibes and features retro cinematography. 

We're not quite sure how this video has only got 29,000 views, but we can't see it staying that way for long—she's certainly one of the most underrated music artists. 

 

3. Grizfolk

This five-piece alt-rock band, consisting of members from Los Angeles and Sweden, is more than just a rock band. 

There are folk, Americana, road-rock and electronica elements in Grizfolk's music, making them stand out from the crowd. They're undeniably some of the most underrated musicians of our time. 

They released their debut album Waking Up The Giants in 2016 and have played live on Late Night with David Letterman and Conan O'Brien. They're currently on tour in the US. 

For anyone who's not heard Grizfolk, their track 'In My Arms' featuring Jamie N Commons is a good starting point. It's not as rock orientated as some of their other tracks, but it's very catchy. 

Related: 21 unusual band names you’ll wish you came up with

 

4. The Lake Poets

To be clear, we're not referring to the group of writers from the Lake District during the Romantic era, also called The Lake Poets. We're talking about Martin Longstaff, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from Sunderland.

His voice is enchanting, elegant, and at times a bit fragile, and his music captures all the complexities of growing up in a working-class shipbuilding town in the North East. 

We recognise that each artist is an individual in their own right, but there's definitely a touch of Ben Howard in Longstaff's vocals. He's hands down one of the most underrated music artists around. 

He recorded The Lake Poets' self-titled debut album in Nashville with the help of producer and Eurythmics star Dave Stewart. One of the standout tracks from this album is 'Your Face'. Have a listen…

 

5. Waxahatchee

In the wider context of this list, Waxahatchee are hardly the new kids on the block—but they are definitely one of the most underrated music artists in our eyes. 

This American indie project, named after Waxahatchee Creek in Alabama, was started back in 2010 by American singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield.

In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, Crutchfield remarked: "I would say I'm more emotionally raw than miserable and tortured." We hear this persona come to the fore in Waxahatchee's latest album, Saint Cloud, which received critical acclaim across the board upon its release.

Feast your ears on 'Can't Do Much', and you'll understand what all the fuss is about!

 

6. MUNA

They've seen great success so far, but it feels like just the beginning for indie pop band MUNA. 

Since signing with indie label Saddest Factory Records, the band has gone from strength to strength. But in our opinion, they're still one of the most underrated music artists in existence.   

Their single 'Silk Chiffon' released with Phoebe Bridgers was hugely successful in 2021. Rolling Stone said it was a "buoyant track with an uncharacteristically bright declaration of queer love." It's incredibly catchy, and you can listen to it below.

 

7. Matthew and the Atlas 

This alternative folk outfit from Aldershot has been around since 2009 and was formed by singer-songwriter Matt Hegarty, the band's frontman. Their sound primarily consists of acoustic guitars, accordion, banjo and Hegarty's gravelly vocals.

Not to rush to yet another hasty comparison, but Hegarty has been dubbed the 'British Bon Iver', and it's easy to see why. 

Check out Matthew and the Atlas' live performance of their song 'Elijah', as part of The Mahogany Sessions. If the reverb mixed with Hegarty's voice and fingerpicking doesn't make your neck hairs stand up, we're not sure what will.

Related: The 8 best reggae artists of all time

 

8. Sivu

Sivu, real name James Page, is one of those artists that makes an immediate impression. His music is incredibly intimate on the ear, which is no small part down to his trembling falsetto voice.

Sadly, though, Sivu's days as a recording artist could be numbered. He recently revealed that he suffers from a rare condition called Ménière's disease. This disease of the inner ear causes a progressive lack of hearing. 

However, in an interview with the BBC, he said: "While I can still play music, I'm going to." We hope this continues to be the case.

'Better Man Than He' is perhaps Sivu's best-known song, but our favourite song is 'Childhood House'—a beautiful, heartfelt and nostalgic tune. We think you'll agree. The video for it is very well edited too.

 

9. Raury

The next artist to feature on our list of the most underrated music artists is Raury—a soul, hip-hop, and folk-rock singer from Atlanta. As you may have gathered, he's a jack of all trades.

Raury released his first mixtape back in 2014 and followed that up with his debut album, All We Need, a year later. It features collaborations with RZA, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, and Big KRIT, among others.

For an idea of Raury's style, here's his song 'Trap Tears', featuring Key! This song fuses Flamenco blues and trap music… and pulls it off spectacularly.

 

10. Los Campesinos!

Concluding our list of the most underrated singers and music artists is Welsh indie rock group Los Campesinos!, who have been around since 2006 and have a considerable pedigree, with six studio albums behind them. 

As their frontman Gareth David pointed out: "There are very few bands formed in 2006 that are still releasing records today."

It's a valid point, particularly with the music industry's current state—and there's a good reason Los Campesinos! have survived this long. 

They've adapted their style from twee pop in their early days to be one of indie rock's most consistent attractions—or, as they describe themselves on Twitter, "the UK's first and only emo band".

In an emotional, end-credits-esque move, let's collectively kick back and enjoy 'The Fall of Home' from their album Sick Scenes.

Hopefully, you've enjoyed reading our list and can namecheck the underrated musicians here when trying to make your friends and family feel less musically informed than you.

 

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