MetroLyrics Blog

After briefly looking at the Billboard Top 100 list, I’ve come to a conclusion: we need better pop music in our lives.

Lately, I’ve come across a number of  phenomenally talented female artists, who I hope might be the answer to this predicament. It’s nothing against the current ladies of pop, but, honesty, I’m so tired of hyper-Auto-Tuned junk, that if I have to hear “Your Love Is My Drug” one more time this summer, I’m gonna puke.

So, as a result, I’ve put together a little list of worthy lady candidates – some of which you may or may not know about – that I hope might be waiting in the wings to take over the airwaves and rescue us from our current wave of bland cookie cutter pop.

Florence and the Machine

The name Florence and the Machine can be misleading. Although it might sound like the name of a full performing band, it’s mainly a single woman operation. Florence Welch takes on the lead singing duties, and employs sessional musicians from a range of different styles where she sees fit.

Born and raised in the UK, Florence Welch’s music is truly unique. Her skills saw critical praise with the release of last year’s debut album, Lungs. Just recently, the 7^th album single “Cosmic Love” has been gaining some steam, with a feature on the hit TV shows Grey’s Anatomy and So You Think You Can Dance, and she continues to pick up speed with a recent contribution to the soundtrack for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It’s a good possibility you’ll be seeing more of her in the very near future.

Here’s the video for her single, “Cosmic Love.”

Sky Ferreira

Although this young lady has yet to release a studio album, it’s done nothing to stop the buzz that she’s getting. Taking a quick glance through some of her online interviews and profiles will give you a bit of a taste of what she’s all about. At the age of 17, she’s clearly already honed her LA trashy-art-glam look, and has already held down jobs as a model and actress on top of her singing. Last year, she signed to EMI and has already lined up some promising producers for her first album, which reportedly include Bloodshy & Avant, Paul Epworth, Neon Hitch, Dallas Austin, Greg Kurstin, among others. The online rumor mills have been buzzing about Sky for a while – one claims that she made Michael Jackson cry with her voice –

I came across the video for her first single “One” off of the upcoming album. It’s a SUPER catchy pop jam, and I won’t be surprised if it takes off pretty quickly. Have a look at it below, and admire the windmill hair!

Ellie Goulding

The second Brit to crack the list, Ellie Goulding, released her first full-length debut album, Lights, on March 1^st of this year. Topping the BBC’s Sound of 2010 poll, she’s seen success in the UK, but it has failed to transfer to the North American music scene to date. Not only does she have some very catchy tracks, but she is prime material for a DJ dance remixes; a quick search for her name over at the Hype Machine quickly confirms this.

Check out the video for her newest single, “Guns And Horses,” below. I’ve also included links to two of her other videos if you like what you hear (and see for that matter).

Under The Sheets

Starry Eyed

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae is crazy good. I mean that. Last month she released her latest album, The ArchAndroid, and I promise you, you’ll be seeing it on a lot of best of 2010 album lists (including mine). She isn’t exactly poppy, but her Prince inspired Hip-Hop/R&B/Funk style tunes are something to enjoy, nonetheless.

Check out the video below for her song “Tightrope” feat. Big Boi, and be sure to check out her album ASAP.

Marina and the Diamonds

Marina Lambrini Diamandis is the voice behind the stage name, “Marina and the Diamonds.” She found fame after finishing second on the BBC’s Sound of 2010 Poll, right behind, fellow list-mate, Ellie Goulding. Earlier this year, she released her debut album, The Family Jewels, and has been releasing a number of hits to some European success. She release her album to the US audience in March, but has yet to see superstar success, so spread the word!

Check out the video for her single, “I Am Not A Robot” below.

Just like her contemporary, Ellie Goulding, she is also a remixer’s dream come true. You can check out some of them here if you like.