I would really appreciate some help. Looking for moving, thoughtful or observant or interesting songs that aren't metal or rap/hiphop

Subdivisions - Rush

Just a shot in the dark considering what you've mentioned you like:

Iron And Wine - The Trapeze Swinger

Alice Coltrane - Turiya and Ramakrishna
No lyrics, but gives me goosebumps, and it sometimes brings me to tears. She was married to John Coltrane.

Nina Simone - Baltimore
Can't say why, but it moves me so that I can't listen to it any more.

Ray Charles (original recording) or Solomon Burke (best recording, imo) - None Of Us Are Free (Until All of Us Are Free)
I keep it in rotation to help remind me that I should care about everyone's fate, not just my pet demographics. If this is your bag, then consider listening to Donnie Hathaway's Someday We'll All Be Free and Eddie Kendrick's My People... Hold On.

Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands (Live)
Can't help but love his grandmother too after listening to this. Window Raisin' Granny by Gladys Knight & The Pips is pretty good too.

Betty Wright - Tonight Is The Night
The singer's personal story about her younger self. (Also the source of a well-known old school hiphop sample.)

Bettye Lavette - Let Me Down Easy
This remix may even be better, depending on your mood and tastes.

Gil Scott-Heron - Whitey on the Moon
But most songs by Scott-Heron solo or with Bryan Jackson will fit one or all three of your key words. Same goes for Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield.

Julia Holter - A True Heart
Just a nice vibe.

Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit
It is very worthwhile to read about the song, but even more so about the life of the person who wrote it.
Trigger warning: Lynching

Billie Holiday - Gloomy Sunday
Trigger warning: Suicide

Try these out and see if anything grabs you. :)

Albums

• Loudon Wainwright III - Last Man On Earth (2001)
• Uriah Heap - Demons & Wizards (1972)
• The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed (1967)
• Spock's Beard - The Light (1995)
• Rick Wakeman - Journey To The Center Of The Earth (1974)
• Ayreon - The Human Equation (2004)
• The Derek Trucks Band - Songlines (2006)

Also maybe from newer artists...

• Daniel Norgren - Wooh Dang (2019)
• Will Varley - The Hole Around My Head (2021)

Treats

• Jesse Roper
• Jonathan Richman
• Listener
• Greyhounds
• Jonathan Jeremiah
• Marc Benno
• Appaloosa
• Ren

The Decemberists- The Mariner's Revenge Song

If you like story telling in song form then you can't miss with The Decemberists. Anything off their albums The Crane Wife or The Hazards of Love is top notch.

The Polyphonic Spree- Section Nine (Light and Day)

Having had well over 100 members-- usually performing with between 17 to 23-- The Polyphonic Spree is an orchestra that plays uplifting rock music. I have seen them play live four times across three states and have yet to leave without a huge smile on my face. Anything from any of their albums will have you beaming.

Brandi Carlile - Turpentine and My Song (This entire album, really.)

Mississippi John Hurt - Coffee Blues (This song is where the band "Lovin' Spoonful" got their name.)

Francis Cabrel - Les voisins (Do you happen to speak French? Cabrel's music is heavily influenced by American folk rock, especially Bob Dylan.)

Lord Invader - Rum and Coca Cola (I like a lot of the stuff on your list, so you might be interested in the original Rum and Coca Cola song that was made famous by The Andrews Sisters.)

Jackie DeShannon - Bette Davis Eyes (This is the original version. A lot of people apparently prefer the Kim Carnes version, but I am not one of them.)

The entire output of John Grant, especially the album Queen of Denmark which he did with Midlake.

If you only listen to one song, make it GMF. I would also give a shout out to his previous band's exquisite cover of Tim Buckley's Song to the Siren

Also maybe you'd enjoy Florence and the Machine, for example Ship to Wreck

..and just for fun Down by the River O by The Levellers Collective

You can’t go wrong with anything by the amazing Tedeschi Trucks Band, but I’m especially in love with Keep on Growing

Joni Mitchell's album, Blue

Oooooh try Neko Case. Maybe start with the Fox Confessor album and then Blacklisted. Really, anything but her first album which I've never cared for. Her more recent stuff is amazing too.

Clearest voice in all of christendom and clever, poignant, observant lyrics. She's just so badass. I can't get enough of Neko.

More mainstream she did a song for one of the Hunger Games movies, and one of her songs is in the soundtrack for The Gift (starring Cate Blanchett).

Is 2010 modern enough? Anathema is a prog rock band that I find particularly moving. I suggest the albums We're Here Because We're Here and Weather Systems.

Hallow Moon - Night Song

Canadian psych rock song about growing up and learning that the world is actually a pretty dark place.

Clear Horizon - Distortion Song

Moody, desolate guitars and distortion from two of my favorite musicians, Jessica Bailiff and Flying Saucer Attack.

Boduf Songs - Unseen Forces And How To Use Them

Growling lyrics, a broken drum machine, and ambient guitars make this track mellow but also foreboding.

Kings of Convenience - My Ship Isn't Pretty

Norwegian folk-pop featuring calming yet dark singing and melodies.

I have no idea of what's a classic or what's popular, but I homed in on thoughtful and interesting and here's some of what I've got haha

First Aid Kit - Out of My Head

On a river, I'm floatin' down the stream
And back again
Like a beggar, on my knees
Am runnin' out of time?

Stuck inside my dreamin', fallin' behind Runnin' on low, does it matter now?
Let me out, out of my mind

Big Thief - Change

Would you live forever, never die
While everything around passes?
Would you smile forever, never cry
While everything you know passes?

Would you stare forever at the sun
And never watch the moon rising?
Would you walk forever in the light
To never learn the secret of the quiet night?

Still like a stone
Like a hill, like home
Still, what I find
Is you are always on my mind

Andrew Bird - Sisyphus

Sisyphus peered into the mist
A stone's throw from the precipice, paused
Did he jump or did he fall as he gazed into the maw of the morning mist?
Did he raise both fists and say, "To hell with this" and just let the rock roll?

l'd rather fail like a mortal than flail like a god,
I'm a lightning rod
History forgets the moderates
For those who sit recalcitrant and taciturn
You know I'd rather turn and burn than scale this edifice, yeah
Where's my accomplice?
So take my hand, we'll do more than stand
Take my hand, we'll claim this land
Take my hand, and we'll let the rock roll

Aldous Harding - The Barrel

Rushed in to hold down your page
And now I sleep 'side words you do not read with me
I hear a song from inside the maze, the very one you made
You shook at the ivory mantle
As a poet, I knew to be gentle
When you have a child, so begins the braiding
And in that braid you stay

First Aid Kit - Lion's Roar

Now the pale morning sings of forgotten things
She plays a tune for those who wish to overlook
The fact that they've been blindly deceived
By those who preach and pray and teach
But she falls short and the night explodes in laughter
But don't you come here and say I didn't warn you
About the way your world can alter
And oh how you try to command it all still
Every single time it all shifts one way or the other

And I'm a goddamn coward, but then again so are you
And the lion's roar, the lion's roar
Has me evading and hollering for you
And I never really knew what to do

https://youtu.be/Vc75pr0UteQ

This song and particular artist have been my jam lately.

The Teskey Brothers - Carry me Home

A very Otis Redding vibe. They’re an Australian band and this song is on their album that just came out a couple weeks ago.

https://youtu.be/4VVmlTElq8Q

It seems like you enjoy a certain type of voice. Try these out.

Caamp - By and By

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo4HVz8aWXE

Jamestown Revival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeOumJQz0kI

Where I Steer - Dexter and the Moonrocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBCN8gSInZ4

If you want some (e: acoustic) guitar-based rock, hopeful but wistful with interesting lyrics, try this:
Amy MacDonald - Mr Rock and Roll

Though I guess they might be considered metal in some respects (definitely metal influence if nothing else), Poets of the Fall is a great band. Been around forever and their sound has evolved a bit over time.

This song: Carnival of Rust, is from one of their older albums;

and this song: Requiem for My Harlequin, is from one of their newest albums.

Different sound, but lyrics that hit pretty hard and do a lot of storytelling.

It’s possible I’ve completely misunderstood the assignment. But here are some suggestions.

I Love You But You’re Making Me Sad - Dolores Forever

I hate love - Kelly Clarkson

Strawberry Sunscreen - lostboycrow

No Roots - Alice Merton (I also like Why So Serious by her.)

You must try The Mountain Goats. Probably their most-known track is No Children, though I frequently find myself paying their album The Sunset Tree. The songs Up the Wolves and This Year are excellent.

Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens is an album that is sort of coming to terms with the death of a parent that you have a strained relationship with and very moving. Easily my favorite thematic album of all time, and likely my favorite just general album of all time.

Does He Love You by Rilo Miley tells a very heartwrenching story about a fucked up love triangle between the singer, her friend and her friend's husband, where they all lose in the end.

Hospice by The Antler is without a doubt the saddest album of all time. About an abusive wife dying and the pain and relief that brings. The first half is the setup of their very dysfunctional relationship, getting an abortion, her getting diagnosed with cancer of the bone, etc. The second half of the album is after she passes. I used to listen to this when I was extremely depressed and God, nothing has ever hit so close to the bone. I full on cried the first few times I listened to this.

Changes - Charles Bradley

The original by Ozzy is moving, but this version is brimming with soul

Tom Petty --- Wildflowers

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss --- Raising Sand

Sturgill Simpson --- Metamodern Sounds In Country Music

Taylor Swift --- Folklore

Everything by Tom Waits up to about '85. After that he pivots into the high-art doom polka that has been his sound ever since; that half of his catalogue is less-guaranteed to be your cup of tea.

I'd submit the following for your consideration -

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - The Night

Yes, they're considered deeply uncool and I dislike the vast majority of their work but I really enjoy this northern soul era track. Really nice bass - a little reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac - The Chain.

Little Feet - Willin

Folksy trucker musings from the road. Definitely hits the melancholic and moving notes for me.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears

Maybe a little on the nose but I enjoy it, certainly an emotional song but not the deepest.

And one a little more modern -

Nerina Pallot - Sophia

A beautiful bittersweet reflection on love lost, stunning vocals

You might find Ripe’s latest album interesting!

Ripe is a funk band with some brass instruments, so they tend to have a pretty unique sound. Their latest album, Bright Blues, is a collection of fun and lively songs that have some heavier lyrics. Some specific songs I like are:

Get Over

The Outcome

Brendan

I would like to suggest Cursive. As in, their entire discography.

"The Lily" by Blanco White.
"Brave New World" by Kalandra

You might be interested in Tamino:
https://youtu.be/lhkaTegZcQ0
https://youtu.be/kYB3FleY2cQ
https://youtu.be/zznlf3ZKQi0
He sounds like a sad angel, darkly beautiful. Or like a modern Orpheus.

Cats in the Cradle - Cat Stevens

It's actually pretty depressing if you think about it

I think you should listen to Tems (granted, I think everyone should listen to Tems).

Free Mind (which I think most suits your request):
https://youtu.be/VDcEJE633rM

Crazy Tings:
https://youtu.be/FlqnBKlHLgA

Damages:
https://youtu.be/TSGbS7G_RyM

Also Feist:

I Feel It All:
https://youtu.be/l-iAS18rv68

Mushaboom:
https://youtu.be/cYF0qU5WSew

1234:
https://youtu.be/ABYnqp-bxvg

My Moon My Man:
https://youtu.be/ltYq-jalYm0

Sharon Van Ettren:

Seventeen:
https://youtu.be/j7sTHoeH0eA

Angel Olsen:

Shut Up Kiss Me:
https://youtu.be/nleRCBhLr3k

Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen:

Like I Used To:
https://youtu.be/5ibj87fwRaM

Great taste in music!

The Chicks "Travelin' Soldier" gets me every time: https://youtu.be/AbfgxznPmZM

Same with Cash's "Boy Named Sue": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z1Ple-qYuU

How about Locket by Crumb?

https://youtu.be/xwP8VWogVDA

It’s a song that sticks out to me as one that is really excellent at creating a visual through both the mood of it’s tune, and narrative lyrics.

Tame Impala, Currents

Disarm by the Smashing Pumpkins

A beautiful pared back acoustic track with a string quartet backing the band as Billy sings of his broken childhood and upbringing.

"I used to be a little boy so old in my shoes, What I choose is my voice,
What's a boy supposed to do,
The killer in me is the killer in you"

For Martha by the Smashing Pumpkins

A very personal track about the death of Billy's mother, Martha (as far as I'm aware, one of the only people in Billy Corgans childhood that treated him well). It's played mostly on a piano with the rest of the band coming in later as the track builds up to a crescendo.

"If you have to go don't say goodbye,
If you have to go don't you cry,
If you have to go I will get by,
Someday I'll follow you, and see you on the other side"

Doomsday by Architects

I know you said you wanted tracks that aren't metal but I just wanted to flag this one. Architects lead guitarist and principal songwriter, Tom Searle, died at the young age of 28 due to cancer. The band took a song they were working on at the time and the drummer, Tom's brother, Dan Searle wrote some incredibly powerful lyrics that cover the gamut of anger, grief and loss.

"They say the good die young,
No use in saying what is done, is done,
'Cause it's not enough,
And when the night gives way,
It's like a brand-new doomsday,
What will be, will be,
Every river flows into the sea,
But it's never enough,
And when the night gives way,
It's like a brand-new doomsday"

The Doomsday Piano Reprise if you haven't heard it is also incredibly beautiful. It changes Doomsday from a rock song that seems to deal with a lot of anger and frustration over the loss of their friend and brother and becomes about the sadness abd acceptance of the loss.

I have found these artists enjoyable:

Iron and Wine
Gregory Alan Isakov
Mandolin Orange
The Steel Wheels