The radio is something other. I’m sure once upon a time it was amazing, broadcasted a variety of artists and bands, and played more than the same five songs repeatedly but today, it seems, our radio stations are doing the exact opposite of that.

I’m sure i’m not the only one who has been forced to shy away from listening to the radio because it appears that no matter what station is on, no matter the genre, the same handful of music is being played. I like Taylor Swift and Sia and Ed Sheeran just as much as the next, but there has to be something more than those exceedingly popular artists. We need to leave mainstream music behind for a bit and crossover. We need to join the hipsters.

Music is wonderful, and we need to begin to see the beauty of going against the crowd and listening to music for what it is. My intent is that you find a new band that you become wholly invested in because you are purely into the music. Not because of how attractive the members are, or how beautiful their hair is, or how enticing their accent is but because you like what they are trying to say through their music.

These following artists have not yet broken into the mainstream music scene but deserve just as much credit for their art form.

Englishman Ben Howard is indie folk. He is the type of artist that you listen to on a rainy day. He is mellow and calm with his acoustic and electric ballads. His music never seems to try very hard, its almost simple in a way, but it holds weight which is felt through its serenity and his expressive voice as he sings his meaningful lyrics. He is tranquil and you find yourself listening to his songs repeatedly to attempt to understand what he is trying to convey through his almost subdued presentation, it’s interesting. He has released two albums and one EP and is becoming increasingly popular. He goes on tour this summer and his shows are selling out months in advance.  Ben Howard is peaceful and easy, but heavy and powerful. He lets the music speak for him, his guitar especially, he (()))).

Don Broco is an alternative rock band from England. I’d describe them as energetic. You listen to their music and find yourself nodding along to the guitar and the beat and singing along to the catchy chorus.Their lyrics are interesting and guitar riffs are, for lack of a better word, cool. Don Broco is fun, as simple as that. I’d put them in the same category as another English rock band, Lower Than Atlantis, with their heavy guitars but sing-along lyrics. They are somewhat abrasive but after sometime it grows on you and slowly begin enjoying their sometimes forceful aesthetic. The band formed in 2007 and have released a few albums. Their sound has progressed and changed but they are still the great alternative band they were years ago.

The Bad Suns, as opposed to the previously mentioned bands, are from the United States. They are an alternative band and released their debut album, Language and Perspective, fairly recently, as of last summer. Bad Suns are upbeat and enjoyable. Their songs have a strong tendency to put people in a good mood but the music itself never borderlines outright pop or crosses the line of becoming something generic. There is something very authentic and fresh about the band.The music is very easy and carefree and uplifting though some of the topics being sung about are not particularly cheerful. The band is described as having a “retro-indie” vibe, and its true, but it works, and all the elements do come together to create a really amazing and fun first album.

Look these bands up and listen. Maybe you like them and maybe you don’t, but just maybe you begin to see all that there is outside the mainstream music world many of us have a tendency to get stuck in.