39 votes

Let's share some obscure forgotten tunes (<20K plays/views)

Posted by CosmicDefect (edited )
Tags: ask.recommendations, songs, musicians

I'm looking for weird or obscure music that few folks have given a listen. To keep things interesting, I'll try and post stuff I've stumbled upon and liked rather than cruising newly uploaded stuff. The 20K plays limit is a soft limit and is not cumulative, so just check the numbers one platform like Spotify, YouTube Music or whatever. If it's obscure on one platform, it's probably, though not necessarily, obscure elsewhere too. I'll just be using YT Music numbers.

  • Depois do Escuro - Kalouv at 377 views. Brazilian post-rock band. Not well known at least in my music circles. This song just slaps hard. It deserves more attention.

  • The Search - Dougie MacLean at 8.9K views. Scottish folk artist. Some of his stuff is much better known: one of his tracks for the inspiration for the Last of the Mohicans theme). This whole album was made the Loch Ness Monster Exhibition and is much better than it has any right to be for a tourist attraction.

  • Sólin Mun Skína - Rökkurró at 9.3K views. Icelandic pop and rock band. I like the lead vocal artist a lot. Edit: Their VEVO channel puts this one at 41K views, so it breaks my rules a bit. Oh well.

  • Modulus - Marcus Fjellström at 733 views. Swedish composer and artist who did mostly moody and surreal dreamscapes and ambient music. Sadly he passed away in 2017 after composing the score for the tv show The Terror (one of the few excellent survival horror shows). Not really "easy listening" but I'm really impressed with his work and wanted to share it.

  • Misery Needs Company - Lovedrug at 2.1K views. Indie/alt band. Great song. Simple as that.

  • The Lunar Effect - Kebu at 19K views. Kebu, a Finnish keyboardist and composer, does lots of old-school synth and electronic work like you'd find in the tradition of Jean Michel Jarre. Edit: The live performance of this song has like 300K views... so I really shouldn't include it here.

  • Summoning Lesser Demons - Ivar Tryti at 10.1K views. Ivar is a regular on the synthesizer discord which is how I found his stuff. He's a wizard with Elektron synths/samplers and gear so I keep up with his releases.

If you're having trouble finding stuff <20K (I know I did when searching my history!) then increase the threshold to say 100K. If anybody has a good way to find rarer stuff, ideas are welcome. :)

71 comments

  1. [4]
    Maxi
    Link
    Little happyhells - Truman Falls (60 views) an upbeat rock/popish style British band, neutral accent on singer. The whole album with the same name is great! No idea why they’ve stayed so obscure....

    Little happyhells - Truman Falls (60 views) an upbeat rock/popish style British band, neutral accent on singer. The whole album with the same name is great! No idea why they’ve stayed so obscure. They e got around 10k listens on Spotify.

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      This is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for: Good stuff that just flew under the radar entirely. Thanks!

      This is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for: Good stuff that just flew under the radar entirely. Thanks!

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        Maxi
        Link Parent
        I found this around five years or so ago in the early days of Spotify’s machine learning experiments. Since then I feel like their algorithms have become worse and now just recommend covers of...

        I found this around five years or so ago in the early days of Spotify’s machine learning experiments. Since then I feel like their algorithms have become worse and now just recommend covers of popular songs or the stuff I already listen to (I guess that is what most people want?).

        The algorithms of the 2016ish era worked pretty well in helping to discover this type of under the radar but good music.

        3 votes
        1. CosmicDefect
          Link Parent
          I don't use Spotify, but there's been a similar degradation of discovery on YT. The algorithms seem absolutely against recommending less popular stuff, if possible, but I find I can "force" the YT...

          I don't use Spotify, but there's been a similar degradation of discovery on YT. The algorithms seem absolutely against recommending less popular stuff, if possible, but I find I can "force" the YT algorithm to recommend less known stuff if I just keep scrolling down the sidebar (not on the homepage) which pops up when you watch a video. YT also straight up ignores search queries eventually recommending stuff based on your view history and not the search terms after just a few (maybe dozen) recommendations which is infuriating.

          3 votes
  2. [2]
    click
    Link
    Building to a Moment - 121 Views Pretty hype music for a trailer or dramatic tv/movie moment

    Building to a Moment - 121 Views Pretty hype music for a trailer or dramatic tv/movie moment

    3 votes
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Ooh, nice find. In that vein of "cinematic" scores, this track A Planet to Conquer - Phil Rey Gibbons (5.3K views) hits the spot for me.

      Ooh, nice find. In that vein of "cinematic" scores, this track A Planet to Conquer - Phil Rey Gibbons (5.3K views) hits the spot for me.

  3. [7]
    Snowblood
    Link
    I'm horrible with figuring out genre names so excuse my bad descriptions. 45acidbabies - Just in Rot 16k views, Pop/Punk/Rock mashup group Lando Chill - Peso 1.3k views, Chill Hip-Hop Redrum -...
    • Exemplary

    I'm horrible with figuring out genre names so excuse my bad descriptions.

    45acidbabies - Just in Rot 16k views, Pop/Punk/Rock mashup group

    Lando Chill - Peso 1.3k views, Chill Hip-Hop

    Redrum - Time Trip 3 Views (Holy crap didn't realize they were that unknown) Japanese Trip-Hop

    Long Arm - The Branches 1k views (though there is a version with 11k), Chill/Ambient/Jazz

    Dated-Monolith 10k Views, Dark Lo-Fi

    Icicle - Cold Fear 452 Views, "Cold" Drum n' Bass

    Linguistics - Free Speech 9k Views, Hip-Hop

    Principleaure - Hexagonal Dab 18k, Club Music

    Thelonius Martin - Afternoon Swim 7.6k Views, Instrumental/Sample Hip-Hop

    Trent The Hooligan - Tuck It 6k Views, Rap/Hip-Hop

    2 votes
    1. [4]
      CosmicDefect
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      You're just dropping gold here; I liked them all. Wow. After listening a bit, let me pick out some more from these same artists: The Branches (feat. Teknical Development Of Obba Supa) - Long Arm...

      You're just dropping gold here; I liked them all. Wow. After listening a bit, let me pick out some more from these same artists:

      Edit: I'm going to make a playlist out of this entire thread and share it later.

      1 vote
      1. Snowblood
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        For The Branches song for whatever reason the album I have doesn't have the vocal version so I just posted the version I know, I do enjoy both though. I def "cheated" a bit for some of the others,...

        For The Branches song for whatever reason the album I have doesn't have the vocal version so I just posted the version I know, I do enjoy both though.

        I def "cheated" a bit for some of the others, if the song I wanted to post was over 20k I just found another that wasn't just cause I really liked the artist.

        I also really love songs that sample old radio/movies, don't know what it is about it but it'll instantly make me like a song.

        Edit: Couldn't remember the name but found it, here is a song from an album full of chill, sample heavy songs.

        1 vote
      2. [2]
        MadCybertist
        Link Parent
        If you do, please tag me and let me know I would love to listen. Thanks.

        If you do, please tag me and let me know I would love to listen. Thanks.

        1 vote
        1. CosmicDefect
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          You got it chief. I was going to do it today, but people keep resurrecting the thread adding more songs. I want to wait until at least until nobody adds anything for a few days.

          You got it chief. I was going to do it today, but people keep resurrecting the thread adding more songs. I want to wait until at least until nobody adds anything for a few days.

    2. [2]
      philosurfer
      Link Parent
      Really liked all of those as well, you have amazing taste! Would you happen to have a last.fm or somewhere else you share what you listen to? Would love to get more recommendations from you!

      Really liked all of those as well, you have amazing taste! Would you happen to have a last.fm or somewhere else you share what you listen to? Would love to get more recommendations from you!

      1 vote
      1. Snowblood
        Link Parent
        Thanks! And sorry for the later reply. Don't really have any way to easily share my stuff but I can make a list of some music that I wanted to include but didn't fit the criteria or I forgot about...

        Thanks! And sorry for the later reply.

        Don't really have any way to easily share my stuff but I can make a list of some music that I wanted to include but didn't fit the criteria or I forgot about it.

        Hip-Hop

        Captain Murphy - Duality Full Album

        Cadence Weapon - Grim Fandango

        Bishop Nehru - Taserz

        Durrazo - Clockwork

        Chester Watson - Wicked

        CunninLynguists - Oneirology Full Album

        Danger DOOM - A. T. H. F. Probably only relevant if you grew up on adult swim like I did

        Danger Mouse - Born-A-MC

        DJ Krush - Tragicomic Japanese Hip-Hop

        Experimental/Ambient

        Forest Swords - Ljoss

        Daisuke Tanabe - Before I Forget Full Album

        Ed Harrison - Annul IMO one of the best video game soundtracks of all time, made for a hl2 mod

        Drum n' Bass/Jungle

        Dimension - FABRICLIVE.98 Full Album

        Camo & Crooked - Dreams

        Blu Mar Ten - Damage

        Other

        Bohren & Der Club of Gore - Maximum Black Detective Noir music

        Casualties of Cool - Moon Ambient Blues Rock

        Chelsea Wolfe - Vex Metal(ish) song

        Chromatics - Closer to Grey EDM Dream Pop

        Cinephile - Into Nothing Trip-hop

        Elliot Power - Murmur Trip-hop

        Toonami - Black Hole Megamix If you ever watched Toonami this should bring some nostalgia

        DJC - Shock Around The Clock Horror movie samples turned into music

        EELS - The Deconstruction Indie

        Ghostpoet - Dopamine if I DO Alt-Rock

        Gonna stop there for now, I'll add more later.

  4. Halfdan
    Link
    The Coconuts - Hats Off to Citizen K - 70s funky stuff (Found on a single I bought because I liked the cover) Penny McLean - Midnight Explotion - Garish and vulgar pop blast Passion Orange -...

    The Coconuts - Hats Off to Citizen K - 70s funky stuff (Found on a single I bought because I liked the cover)

    Penny McLean - Midnight Explotion - Garish and vulgar pop blast

    Passion Orange - Saltcracker - Only song from the Back In the Box CD I could fínd on youtube

    Billy Nayer Show - One Winged Man - Neat song, I think I have the digital album somewhere

    2 votes
  5. [2]
    Trobador
    Link
    view - Croissant Chicago Projector - Tenchio ochitasemiwomiteiru - Sleeping Pola Supercollider? I Just Met Her - Good Game

    view - Croissant Chicago
    Projector - Tenchio
    ochitasemiwomiteiru - Sleeping Pola
    Supercollider? I Just Met Her - Good Game

    2 votes
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      The Sleeping Pola recommendation led me to this wild music video they did for a different song (also under 10K views).

      The Sleeping Pola recommendation led me to this wild music video they did for a different song (also under 10K views).

  6. tomf
    Link
    I know ditching reddit is all the rage, but /r/vintageobscura is an excellent source for these gems.

    I know ditching reddit is all the rage, but /r/vintageobscura is an excellent source for these gems.

    2 votes
  7. [2]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Nice find -- obscure songs by well-known artists still counts. I adore little simple synth tracks like this.

      Nice find -- obscure songs by well-known artists still counts. I adore little simple synth tracks like this.

      1 vote
  8. [2]
    debleb
    Link
    So here's my favourite extremely obscure album. 150~ views. This is Mean Old Elephant, the self-titled album of a band who only ever made this album and never found a record label. Only around...

    So here's my favourite extremely obscure album. 150~ views.

    This is Mean Old Elephant, the self-titled album of a band who only ever made this album and never found a record label. Only around 1000~ copies of the disc were printed to be given away in promotion of Philips' new CD ink printing capabilities. This video containing the full album is likely the sole upload of the album on any variety of website or app, although I've shared MP3 files I received from the person who found the CD on Soulseek for anyone interested in having the individual songs.

    On that topic, the album was found in a thrift shop by a CD-collecting internet user who then discovered that there was no trace of it on the internet. I found it while browsing their site and was intrigued by this story, so I went to listen to it, and I found that it's actually pretty awesome. I almost wonder why they never succeeded in getting a record deal. You can read the story of Mean Old Elephant in the comments of the Youtube video; one of the band's former members came across the video and posted it there.

    Enjoy.

    2 votes
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Wow, this album is pretty freaking great. It's not too long and is very well done. Not a wasted song on it. The story by the band member is pretty awesome too and makes the whole thing even...

      Wow, this album is pretty freaking great. It's not too long and is very well done. Not a wasted song on it. The story by the band member is pretty awesome too and makes the whole thing even better. Reposting it for posterity:

      No problem! I'm a little blown away that anyone found it, took the time to post it, and actually enjoyed it!

      The CD was never released or sold. We tried to get a record deal from it but received nothing but rejection letters. I wish I had kept them; some were pretty hilarious. The project started as a 16-track home recording with Mark and Jim to get Jim's songs on tape. They brought me in later, as Mark and I had been recording together since we were teenagers. Jim liked how the music was turning out, so he decided to get it mixed at Royal Recorders in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We recorded and mixed nights while Survivor worked during the day on their "Too Hot to Sleep" record.

      There was no cover art. We had the CD manufactured through Philips Corporation. And at that point, CDs never had ink printing on them. So they asked us if we were interested in having artwork on our CD, and we said sure. So as part of that agreement, Philips printed about 1000 CDs to be given away at NAMM to promote their ink printing capabilities. From what I recall, the Mean Old Elephant CD was one of the first to have this—maybe the first for Philips. I don't really remember. But it was such a novelty at the time that we didn't want to cover it up! hahahaha.

      For the planned narrative, we intended Mean Old Elephant to be a constructed publicity stunt, but it hinged on us getting a record deal which never happened. Remember that this was around 1987 before anyone did this sort of thing: a real-life Spinal Tap, but all fake.

      We planned to release four records in addition to this EP. "Mean Old Elephant," "Snazzy Outfit," "Eww Those Smelly Priates," and "The Brown Album." The first record, "Mean Old Elephant," was to be an earnest, uplifting, happy folk record. Super innocent, almost naive. Songs about flowers, birds, and sunny days.

      Then, because the first record was such a massive, multi-platinum success, we indulge in all of the excesses of superstardom (this is all part of the constructed narrative). We get so full of ourselves and record "Snazzy Outfit." A bold, colossal production; think Tom Jones goes to Las Vegas. We have a 20-piece band, backup singers, guest appearances, and the whole nine yards. "Snazzy Outfit" makes us the biggest band in the world. We have a 747 with our faces on it.

      So, of course, it would be time for our musical "Eww, Those Smelly Pirates." We planned this to be an absolute, multi-million-dollar disaster. Our record company gave us carte blanche. No one told us no. We get so self-indulgent that everything is a complete mess: production overruns and rumors about a pending catastrophe. We're also pushing the limits of self-destruction. We're all fat and bearded, getting arrested for pubic intoxication and other PR disasters. Our egos take over, and we start getting obnoxiously mean and unreasonable. The musical is a total disaster. It's a laughingstock, closed only after a day, and the band members are now feuding, blaming each other publically for this phenomenal failure. We become mortal enemies and communicate through meaderies and the press.

      Because of contractual obligations, we needed to record one final record; "The Brown Album." This record became a collection of unfinished songs that plunged into studio arguments. (Think The Troggs studio argument, if you haven't heard it, look it up. Classic stuff). At this point, we're incapable of playing or writing music. We're threatening each other and planting false stories about each other in the press. And because "Eww, Those Smelly Pirates" was such a disaster, we're all in debt and no longer enjoy the trappings of success that we were used to. The Brown Album gets shelved but then leaked and becomes a curiosity among collectors. Because the members of Mean Old Elephant were so publically toxic and had a failure of such magnitude, no one will touch us. We all fall into obscurity and become paranoid musical recluses. In the tabloids are spottings of us looking unkempt and crazy, the music version of Bigfoot.

      We didn't do that because we never got a record deal. No one thought it was possible. So we ended up starting a recording studio called Pachyderm that's still in business 33 years later.

      Thank you for asking! I never wrote any of this down before, but with you asking, I did. So thank you for your curiosity. This meant a lot to me. - esanderson624 (Eric Anderson)

      Great find!

      2 votes
  9. ku-fan
    Link
    The Feds - A Touch of Panic None of the songs in this album have reached 4 digit view counts as of this post. They're a rock/punk band that was big in the Kansas City and Dallas scene about 10...

    The Feds - A Touch of Panic None of the songs in this album have reached 4 digit view counts as of this post.

    They're a rock/punk band that was big in the Kansas City and Dallas scene about 10 years ago. A Touch of Panic is their only published album and while not officially disbanded their last concert was around 2017.

    2 votes
  10. [3]
    hydrachia
    (edited )
    Link
    There are lots of old Filk songs that fit in this category; a few of them got popular, but there are a bunch that are very obscure. (The fact that there weren't that many good recordings on the...

    There are lots of old Filk songs that fit in this category; a few of them got popular, but there are a bunch that are very obscure. (The fact that there weren't that many good recordings on the internet until recently doesn't help their popularity.)

    (If you like those, some of the more popular songs from the same albums may be of interest; Some of my favorites: Pushin' the Speed of Light (~500k), Some Kind of Hero (~500k), and Hymn to Breaking Strain (~280k))

    Sorry for the edits, I accidentally posted this half-way through finishing it... I should really draft these somewhere other than the actual comment box...

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      You've unlocked a new genre for me: Sci-fi folk music! This is cool. Totally different genre, but it reminds me in spirit of We Lost the Sea's album Departure Songs which is a post-rock dirge...

      You've unlocked a new genre for me: Sci-fi folk music!

      Minus Ten and Counting - Apollo Lost (1983) - a bit over the limit at ~38k views, but it's a good song so I'll include it anyway. It's a song mourning the end of the Apollo Program. (With renewed interest in moon missions / the Artemis program, it may have some cultural relevance again)

      This is cool. Totally different genre, but it reminds me in spirit of We Lost the Sea's album Departure Songs which is a post-rock dirge mourning the Challenger disaster.

      1 vote
      1. bytesmythe
        Link Parent
        You might also like Marc Gunn, who frequently does geeky Celtic-style music: Sci-Fi Drinking Songs - An album covering a variety of sci-fi franchises As Long As I'm Flyin' - Songs about "Firefly"...

        You might also like Marc Gunn, who frequently does geeky Celtic-style music:
        Sci-Fi Drinking Songs - An album covering a variety of sci-fi franchises
        As Long As I'm Flyin' - Songs about "Firefly"
        Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits - I think this one is probably obvious

        He has several other albums (often themed), but those are the major sci-fi/fantasy ones.

        1 vote
  11. [7]
    Benson
    Link
    Well I actually have two recommendations. They’re both rock operas that do megaman themed music. And I think they’re pretty awesome. Two songs to try out: The Megas, I’m not the break man...

    Well I actually have two recommendations. They’re both rock operas that do megaman themed music. And I think they’re pretty awesome.

    Two songs to try out:

    The Megas, I’m not the break man

    Protomen: breaking out (however if you’re willing to listen to an entire album to get in the mood “the stand” from their other album is much better)

    1 vote
    1. [6]
      CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      The Protomen are among my favorite bands and I've listened to Act I and II countless times. They're a bit more popular that my play/view restriction allowed, but I'm happy to shill for them...

      The Protomen are among my favorite bands and I've listened to Act I and II countless times. They're a bit more popular that my play/view restriction allowed, but I'm happy to shill for them whenever the opportunity arises. Waiting for Act III has been torture though.

      1 vote
      1. [5]
        Benson
        Link Parent
        Have you listened to the megas as well? I don’t like them as much, but they’re still pretty good.

        Have you listened to the megas as well? I don’t like them as much, but they’re still pretty good.

        1. [4]
          CosmicDefect
          Link Parent
          Yeahhhhhhh... and in theory I should love them. But I just bounce off hard because every time I listen to them, I'm just thinking "I could be listening to the Protomen instead." I don't think this...

          I don’t like them as much, but they’re still pretty good.

          Yeahhhhhhh... and in theory I should love them. But I just bounce off hard because every time I listen to them, I'm just thinking "I could be listening to the Protomen instead." I don't think this is quite their fault however, but because I listen to Protomen so much, the various playlist algorithms assume I should like the Megas and slot them in which has trained me to be annoyed whenever they crop up in my feed like a Pavlovian response.

          One day I will give them a fair shake and listen through their stuff wholesale and see if my opinion changes.

          1. [3]
            Benson
            Link Parent
            I’ll give you a more solid suggestion. When you have a moment later, just listen to history repeating part one and two in order. If that doesn’t do it for you, you probably just won’t like them...

            I’ll give you a more solid suggestion.

            When you have a moment later, just listen to history repeating part one and two in order.

            If that doesn’t do it for you, you probably just won’t like them that much.

            The protomen are indeed the better sounding group. But the megas is still pretty good.

            1 vote
            1. [2]
              CosmicDefect
              Link Parent
              Thanks for the tip. I will try this later as I have a feeling my dislike is a me problem, not a them problem.

              Thanks for the tip. I will try this later as I have a feeling my dislike is a me problem, not a them problem.

              1. Benson
                Link Parent
                It’s more than likely. Just thought I’d recommend two songs in order to try. That way it’s not something you keep putting off since it would take an hour or two.

                It’s more than likely. Just thought I’d recommend two songs in order to try. That way it’s not something you keep putting off since it would take an hour or two.

                1 vote
  12. Lucid
    Link
    STUTS - Wisteria 8.8k views Japanese hiphop/boombap/chillhop, he has a few songs with a lot of plays but doesn't really get a lot of attention outside of Japan afaik.

    STUTS - Wisteria

    8.8k views

    Japanese hiphop/boombap/chillhop, he has a few songs with a lot of plays but doesn't really get a lot of attention outside of Japan afaik.

    1 vote
  13. scot
    (edited )
    Link
    Drums & Tuba - Brain Liaters (3.3K views) from the 2002 album "Mostly Ape". The songs start slow and twist and beat into rocking psychedelic / progressive journeys resembling a lot of today's more...

    Drums & Tuba - Brain Liaters (3.3K views)
    from the 2002 album "Mostly Ape". The songs start slow and twist and beat into rocking psychedelic / progressive journeys resembling a lot of today's more popular neo-psychedelic bands like Kikagaku Moyo or King Gizzard. Not sure why these guys never took off. Maybe because they use a tuba for their bass instrument?

    Arcwedler - What Did You Call it That For? (3.9K views)
    1993 grunge, think loud raw guitars backing up traditional alt-rock vocals. Sounds a bit like early Nirvana or like something that could've been on the "Singles" soundtrack alongside Screaming Trees. They just never seemed to make it up from the underground.

    1 vote
  14. ZarK
    Link
    Forgotify is a Spotify web player that will select songs that have zero plays: https://forgotify.com/. Could be useful for your quest!

    Forgotify is a Spotify web player that will select songs that have zero plays: https://forgotify.com/. Could be useful for your quest!

    1 vote
  15. Astrospud
    Link
    Katamine - Lag The main reason this didn't get as much notice was this was his one and only album, there is little info on it, but the little info I recall hearing was that he partially influenced...

    Katamine - Lag

    The main reason this didn't get as much notice was this was his one and only album, there is little info on it, but the little info I recall hearing was that he partially influenced Elliott Smith or vice-versa. It's in a similar vein but the lyrics go much darker. The original review that got me on to it described it as acoustic metal, but I don't think that does it justice. It's still on my top 20 albums of all time but doesn't get much notice and I hope it doesn't go the way of the dodo.

    1 vote
  16. [2]
    annieversary
    Link
    thatcherblackwood - laurel which has 16K listens. Incredible song, experimental mix of alt-rock and color bass. It's a beautiful song.

    thatcherblackwood - laurel which has 16K listens. Incredible song, experimental mix of alt-rock and color bass. It's a beautiful song.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Wow, that felt like a journey. Great share.

      Wow, that felt like a journey. Great share.

  17. [2]
    Hobofarmer
    Link
    Bikeride - Hole In My Eye 234 views I found this band on an FTP site in 2006 or 2007. The album was amazing, and this is one of my favorite tracks from it. It's got such a raw, weird vibe and is...

    Bikeride - Hole In My Eye

    234 views

    I found this band on an FTP site in 2006 or 2007. The album was amazing, and this is one of my favorite tracks from it. It's got such a raw, weird vibe and is still one of my favorite albums to date. The band is almost completely unknown and won't be getting much traction anytime soon, I recently found out the singer and songwriter passed away from cancer in 2007 soon after the album's release.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      This one is very good. That catchy part bit at 0:27 sold me on it.

      This one is very good. That catchy part bit at 0:27 sold me on it.

      1 vote
  18. [2]
    JPhikes
    Link
    From Minneapolis, the wonderful Ashtray Hearts are one of my favorite bands ever. Dreamy, atmospheric Americana - they call it “apartment music” and for whatever reason it just seems like a...

    From Minneapolis, the wonderful Ashtray Hearts are one of my favorite bands ever. Dreamy, atmospheric Americana - they call it “apartment music” and for whatever reason it just seems like a perfect description.

    Their album Perfect Halves is on YouTube. My favorite track is Valentine, with a total of 876 views, but you really can’t go wrong with the whole album.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      I'm definitely going to listen to the whole album. I got Fleet Foxes vibes from them which also does folk rock and Americana.

      I'm definitely going to listen to the whole album. I got Fleet Foxes vibes from them which also does folk rock and Americana.

      1 vote
  19. Bal
    Link
    Tucker Theodore - I Wasn't Waving It's a song I really love, but one that has achieved little to no success by any metric. With 556 views on Youtube, it seems to be his most popular song, though...

    Tucker Theodore - I Wasn't Waving
    It's a song I really love, but one that has achieved little to no success by any metric. With 556 views on Youtube, it seems to be his most popular song, though it isn't on Spotify (not that it would matter that much with 12 monthly listeners). It's hazy, haunting, depressing but somehow comforting. Would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in abstract, folk-influenced indie music.

    1 vote
  20. [2]
    vicaphit
    Link
    The Wet Darlings - Bicycle Columbus, Ohio band that I really enjoy.

    The Wet Darlings - Bicycle

    Columbus, Ohio band that I really enjoy.

    1 vote
    1. coatlol
      Link Parent
      Listening to this was transcendent. Was NOT ready for her beautiful voice!

      Listening to this was transcendent. Was NOT ready for her beautiful voice!

      2 votes
  21. [2]
    WhiskeyJack
    Link
    Everlasting Fire - IronFlame I was looking for metal artists that sound similar to Iron Maiden and kept getting suggestions of things like Megadeth and Metallica which wasn't really what I was...

    Everlasting Fire - IronFlame

    I was looking for metal artists that sound similar to Iron Maiden and kept getting suggestions of things like Megadeth and Metallica which wasn't really what I was looking for since they were more thrash metal, and since Iron Maiden is just labelled as "Heavy Metal" I was struggling to find something similar as they have quite a unique sound.

    Then I stumbled across these guys and I'm surprised this song only has 5.2k views they're quite good, If you're a fan of Iron Maiden give these guys a listen, it has the same sort of epic and dramatic feeling.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      It's uncanny how similar this is to Iron Maiden. Good find.

      It's uncanny how similar this is to Iron Maiden. Good find.

      1 vote
  22. [3]
    rubaboo
    Link
    How about this bad boy, OP? The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet. No one knows who the artist is. It's the subject of an ongoing internet search. Recorded from a German radio station in the 80s.

    How about this bad boy, OP?
    The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet.

    No one knows who the artist is. It's the subject of an ongoing internet search. Recorded from a German radio station in the 80s.

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Nice. This doesn't fit the letter of the post, but certainly is in the same spirit. That's crazy how popular this song got because nobody knows who made it. It's like a musical version of the...

      Nice. This doesn't fit the letter of the post, but certainly is in the same spirit. That's crazy how popular this song got because nobody knows who made it. It's like a musical version of the Voynich manuscript.

      1 vote
      1. rubaboo
        Link Parent
        Yeah, interpreted soft limit pretty liberally, haha.

        This doesn't fit the letter of the post

        Yeah, interpreted soft limit pretty liberally, haha.

        1 vote
  23. [2]
    nomadpenguin
    (edited )
    Link
    Stolen Violin - Romance at the Petrol Station This is the solo project from Jordan Ireland of The Middle East. The Middle East was an Australian indie folk band that gained a small amount of...

    Stolen Violin - Romance at the Petrol Station

    This is the solo project from Jordan Ireland of The Middle East. The Middle East was an Australian indie folk band that gained a small amount of recognition from their song "Blood" which ended up in the movie Crazy Stupid Love. Following that, they released their first and only full length album, which, from what I can tell, flopped pretty hard due to being too weird and experimental (i.e. too good).

    Jordan Ireland released a solo EP in 2017 as Jordan Ireland with Purple Orchestra which is beautiful, lush, atmospheric and ambiguous. In 2020 he put out an album with fellow Australian band The Ocean Party as Pop Filter, which actually included a reworked version of Romance at the Petrol Station.

    But his 2013 release as Stolen Violin is my favorite, with Romance at the Petrol Station as my standout track. It's just full to the brim with bittersweet nostalgia ending with a quiet catharsis of roomy drums and fuzzed out cassette tape.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      I really appreciate the biography tidbits. It's interesting to see the trajectory of a band and their work. I think I prefer the Stolen Violin version more (both are good!) since it's more...

      I really appreciate the biography tidbits. It's interesting to see the trajectory of a band and their work. I think I prefer the Stolen Violin version more (both are good!) since it's more ethereal and dreamier. I got Sea Power (née British Sea Power) vibes which is a band I really like.

      1 vote
  24. marcellerusu
    Link
    https://youtu.be/eDSPGPaNjig Trachimbrod “Leda” Mix of shoegaze, & emo. I’ve listened to this album 100s of times. One of the best in the genre.

    https://youtu.be/eDSPGPaNjig

    Trachimbrod “Leda”

    Mix of shoegaze, & emo.

    I’ve listened to this album 100s of times. One of the best in the genre.

    1 vote
  25. DanBC
    Link
    Here's a short list The Fizzbombs - Surf Around Noisy lo-fi Scottish indie pop. I love this kind of stuff. See also Christine's Cat - Your Love Is a small bird (featuring Nick Navari) All my...

    Here's a short list

    The Fizzbombs - Surf Around Noisy lo-fi Scottish indie pop. I love this kind of stuff. See also Christine's Cat - Your Love Is

    a small bird (featuring Nick Navari) All my friends are fakes A cute indie pop song from someone who seems pretty cool and it's really catchy.

    Anna Tivel Alleyway (little orange room sessions) I love small, intimate, folksy sessions. She's captivating.

    Band À Part - Contra Toda Previsión - Elefant records excel in this kind of sweet, perhaps twee, gentle gentle indie pop.

    Cliff Johns - Goofy If you were a UK kid in the 1980s you would have heard lots of this type of music from shows like Vision On (I really encourage you to read this wikipedia article because it was a fantastic programme).

    Colby T. Helms - LeAnne Feels like Colby is always on the verge of breaking through, but never quite there, which is a shame because he's great and his songwriting is IMO amazing. Them lyrics.

    Ditty - Garden A female vocalist, not much production, folky - I'm a sucker for stuff like this.

    Miriam Makeba - Holilili Her voice is amazing, and this song is effortlessly cool, and it's the song that can always get me dancing.

    Gems in the Rough is a great channel and the often turn up music that I like. Each year they have a competition and that's a really good way for me to find new music. Here's one example: Jack Landis - Float Away

    Katz - (Ladybird)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTfkDxAC21M] Rollicking indie pop

    I'm cheating with this one because it's got 21k views, but come on, it's great. Swinging Addis - Tessassategn Eko There's a bunch of Ethiopian music from the 1970s that's this driving funk but more fun.

    Young Marble Giants - Man Amplifier Other people know genres and I don't, I suck at that kind of stuff. I think this is lo-fi post-punk but what do I know? I love Young Marble Giants because they're just a bit weird.

    1 vote
  26. [3]
    HCEarwick
    Link
    Sleepy Eyes of Death- Final Heart Beats Black I have no idea how I stumbled upon this song but all these years later it's still one of my favorites. https://youtu.be/zL6q7VFqsRg

    Sleepy Eyes of Death- Final Heart Beats Black

    I have no idea how I stumbled upon this song but all these years later it's still one of my favorites.

    https://youtu.be/zL6q7VFqsRg

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Someone put in the comments, but I got M83 vibes from this. Good stuff -- and was the video like a Star Trek TOS riff?

      Someone put in the comments, but I got M83 vibes from this. Good stuff -- and was the video like a Star Trek TOS riff?

      1. HCEarwick
        Link Parent
        I was thinking Star Wars, The girl in the vid looks like a combination of Luke and Leia.

        I was thinking Star Wars, The girl in the vid looks like a combination of Luke and Leia.

        1 vote
  27. [2]
    phale
    Link
    Tuvalu was a Finnish progressive rock band that was active during the 00’s but never got any mainstream attention even in their home country. They recorded three great albums that I still listen...

    Tuvalu was a Finnish progressive rock band that was active during the 00’s but never got any mainstream attention even in their home country. They recorded three great albums that I still listen to.

    Tuvalu - Viimeiset hetket ovat käsillä

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Great find. I'm really digging them, and I think I'll add them to my playlists. Also, I'm a sucker for synth arpeggios (5:35) no matter how often I hear them.

      Great find. I'm really digging them, and I think I'll add them to my playlists. Also, I'm a sucker for synth arpeggios (5:35) no matter how often I hear them.

      1 vote
  28. JuDGe3690
    Link
    A few of my favorites: Music to Me by Bill Staines (17k listens Spotify; 12k plays YouTube, albeit from a 1991 album). I love the chorus: Did I ever tell you your name was music to me, Did I ever...

    A few of my favorites:

    Music to Me by Bill Staines (17k listens Spotify; 12k plays YouTube, albeit from a 1991 album). I love the chorus:

    Did I ever tell you your name was music to me,
    Did I ever show you from the start?
    Did I ever know you would fly, oh fly away,
    Did I ever offer you my heart?

    Chipmunk with a Death Wish performed by Dan Maher (originally performed in the '90s by a band named The Wailing Strangers, whose original album is nowhere online). It's a humorous song about those chipmunks who dart in front of your car.

    Driving in the Car Across Wash. by Mise (a local Pacific Northwest band). I love the little chorus riff in this one, as well as the lo-fi sound.

    1 vote
  29. FrillsofTilde
    Link
    The Spinecrackers - Valerie's Gone -87 views Toronto ska band from the late 90s early 2000s. The album doesn't capture the energy of their lives shows but this song was my fav. They also do a...

    The Spinecrackers - Valerie's Gone -87 views

    Toronto ska band from the late 90s early 2000s. The album doesn't capture the energy of their lives shows but this song was my fav. They also do a great version of Turning Japanese

    1 vote
  30. [2]
    psi
    Link
    joie. - mother mary. (18 views), an all-woman dreampop group. Think Warpaint as a point of comparison. Sadly they never released any content besides this one album. I saw them live once. It was...

    joie. - mother mary. (18 views), an all-woman dreampop group. Think Warpaint as a point of comparison. Sadly they never released any content besides this one album.

    I saw them live once. It was just a small showing at a bar, maybe a few dozen people total. They played last, after a noise musician and another band whose sound and genre I've completely forgotten. Despite being a three piece group, joie. managed to create this deeply layered music that filled the room. But halfway through the show they blew out an amp, and that was the end of it.

    1 vote
    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      Good share. The lead singer reminds me a bit of Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine. That story has the exact melancholic energy level I'd expect from a dreampop band falling apart......

      Good share. The lead singer reminds me a bit of Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine.

      I saw them live once. It was just a small showing at a bar, maybe a few dozen people total. They played last, after a noise musician and another band whose sound and genre I've completely forgotten. Despite being a three piece group, joie. managed to create this deeply layered music that filled the room. But halfway through the show they blew out an amp, and that was the end of it.

      That story has the exact melancholic energy level I'd expect from a dreampop band falling apart... Ouch, but thematic.

      1 vote
  31. gleamingyeets
    Link
    I used to like this band named ‘Society’s Plague’ a lot. I’m still surprised they never hit, especially in the era they were in https://youtu.be/IxvvlRYA8-Q

    I used to like this band named ‘Society’s Plague’ a lot. I’m still surprised they never hit, especially in the era they were in

    https://youtu.be/IxvvlRYA8-Q

  32. quarkw
    Link
    Technically pop music, so not weird but obscure Astronaut - Stereophones (19k views) I think this song was on a what.CD (RIP) compilation, but I’ve enjoyed all of their other songs too. There was...

    Technically pop music, so not weird but obscure
    Astronaut - Stereophones (19k views)

    I think this song was on a what.CD (RIP) compilation, but I’ve enjoyed all of their other songs too.

    There was a summer where I had the chorus stuck in my head but couldn’t for the life of me remember the song/artist. I thought it was some radio hit, but no-one I asked was able to identify it. The next time I came across it in my library shuffle I definitely paid attention to the title/artist then!

  33. ricewind
    Link
    OWEL - Float (10k views) chilling and beautiful song. 3776 - January (17k views) very weird but I like it for some reason.

    OWEL - Float (10k views) chilling and beautiful song.

    3776 - January (17k views) very weird but I like it for some reason.

  35. Another_KnowItAll
    Link
    2.1k views Band is Dawn Heist and this is their song Zenith. Very firmly in the Djent category of Rock and Metal. I don't think they're even together anymore and they only released 2 albums but...

    2.1k views
    Band is Dawn Heist and this is their song Zenith. Very firmly in the Djent category of Rock and Metal. I don't think they're even together anymore and they only released 2 albums but the first one (with this song) is one of my all time favorites that literally no one knows about.
    https://youtu.be/D7sY1oAQ8yw

  36. just_another_guy
    Link
    Big Ass Truck - Theem From - Indie rock/funk from Memphis, late 90s. There are a few uploads of this song on Youtube and maybe overall they're at 10k views. I saw this video possibly the only time...

    Big Ass Truck - Theem From - Indie rock/funk from Memphis, late 90s. There are a few uploads of this song on Youtube and maybe overall they're at 10k views. I saw this video possibly the only time it was aired on MTV and loved it not just because of the music, which if you've seen any of my other posts is a bit different that where my tastes typically lie, but because of the absurd plot going on.

  37. [2]
    zoroa
    Link
    Both bands self describe as "jazz punk". I'd say both songs lean more to the punk side than jazz Crimes That Bring Me Joy - KUU! (Spotify, YouTube) 947 Views 333 - Vernon Jane (Spotify, YouTube)...

    Both bands self describe as "jazz punk". I'd say both songs lean more to the punk side than jazz

    1. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      That Vernon Jane song goes hard. Lol.

      That Vernon Jane song goes hard.

      <sup><sup><sup>_nice!_</sup></sup></sup>

      Lol.

      1 vote