Songs You Should Hear | Underground Music Collective

Category Archives: Songs You Should Hear

UnderDog Releases: Abundance, Keen Observations, and Whispers

Posted on December 30, 2025 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

As the world has been turning, we’ve been celebrating this incredible year, and getting ready for what’s next, the UnderDogs have been hard at work churning out new material here in Q4.

Let’s check out what some of the members of our community have been up to lately…

Artist: Amelia Ray
Video: Pretending to Read
Released: December 4, 2025
What you should know: The visual companion to Amelia’s July single, ‘Pretending to Read’ was filmed and recorded at San Francisco’s Women’s Audio Mission. Ever-attentive to detail — this song recalls all of her observations from behind a book during a train ride — Amelia has us attempting to decode the symbolism behind the stack of books In addition, her expressive performance behind the microphone has us hanging on every lyric — making us believers that, aside from what’s taking place in front of her eyes, our protagonist has a lot to process.

Artist: Kelsey Muse
Song: Whispers
Released: November 14, 2025
What you should know: As promoted on The Quinn Spinn (and released as a direct purchase-only single last month prior to hitting streaming platforms), “Whispers” is about letting the people keep talking as you carry about your business. Society might make a lot of noise, but moving with purpose holds the key to drowning it out.

Artist: Yonna Jones
Song: ABUNDANCE
Released: October 17, 2025
What you should know: As ‘SUNRISE’ greeted us with the promise of a new day earlier this year, ‘ABUNDANCE’ represents high noon in the realm of new opportunities. Jones’ delivery is lightning-quick on the track, and her confidence shines as she makes it clear that her success is not just possible; it’s inevitable.

Songs You Should Hear: Challenging Nashville’s Conventions

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

We couldn’t let you step all the way into the weekend without some new tunes, could we?

The three songs here — while all unique from a sonic standpoint — have one thing in common: they challenge Music City’s status quo. Whether providing commentary on Lower Broadway’s culture, or testing the limits of what country music “should” be, there’s plenty for you rebels to dive into this week!

Artist: Gloom Girl MFG
Song: Batshitlorette
Genre: Punk/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: If you’ve been to downtown Nashville, you can probably already tell what this one is about, based on the title alone. If you haven’t, well… we’re pretty much the bachelorette party capital of the world right now — for better or worse.

‘Lead singer Paige McKinnon says: “‘Batshitlorette’ is a dogfight. Picture the Greasers vs. the Socs, except make it the Nashville Locals vs. the Bachelorettes. In this song, we’re at play with the idea of local insularity in contrast with bachelorette party mayhem here in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a song that is both dead serious and absolutely absurd all wrapped up in an epic punk package. On brand with the EP, we can’t help but expand our grief and frustration beyond our city walls, and turn it into a bigger declaration: Ignore the future of our youth, and you will pay the consequences.”

Artist: Jess Antonette
Song: Three Two One
Genre: Pop Country
Why You Should Hear It: Inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey, this sultry, smoky tune “delves into the theme of bold exploration of sexuality in a genre widely known for its reputation for more conservative ideologies.”

About the creative process, Jess tells us: “The weekend before we got into the writing room, I had just watched Fifty Shades of Grey. I was never interested in seeing it, but figured I’d give it a chance. What struck me was that I personally felt the soundtrack didn’t quite match the essence of the movie. When my co-writers and I got into the writing room together, I thought it would be fun to try something completely different from anything I’ve done before in my artistry. I wanted to take listeners on an unexpected journey, pushing the bounds, a topic that is not seen or common in country music. Fortunately, my co-writers were fully on board with the idea. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous. Despite being outgoing and expressive, I usually don’t talk openly about my sexuality. Writing these lyrics with two of my platonic guy friends made for a ton of awkward giggling, but it was super fun. And no, I don’t have a ‘red room,’ but it was fun to play this character.”

Artist: Surtsey
Song: Knot to Force
Genre: Alt-Country
Why You Should Hear It: Rich vocal harmonies, well-crafted guitar arrangements, and some beautiful pedal steel experimentation are the salient features of this prime cut of Americana. From their new EP, Nothing Doing, this is far from your run-of-the-mill country song, as it offers a well-read assessment of the human condition.

“Lyrical references involve the universal human experience of not forcing things that aren’t meant to be or out of our control, derived heavily from Alan Watts’ books, excerpts, and lectures,” said frontman and songsmith Joe Bassa.

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

Songs You Should Hear: The Return

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

It’s been a little while since we’ve done one of these, hasn’t it?

Yet, with excellence all around us, it’s clear that many of the submissions we’re receiving deserve a deeper dive. And so, today marks the triumphant return of Songs You Should Hear!

Get started with these, and be ready for more on the way, every Friday at UMC!

Artist: JT Loux
Song: look into my eyes
Genre: Indie Rock/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: The course of true love never runs smooth — and it can be made even more complicated when you’re loving from a distance. Underneath this tune’s prevailing warmth is a clear and present longing, inspired by the reality of “loving someone, but they are 2,000 miles away.”

Artist: Rex & The Rhythm
Song: Umbrella
Genre: Hip Hop/Soul/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: Who’s ready for some April showers? This tune’s breezy sonic landscape juxtaposes well with its lyrical content, artfully illustrating the conflicting emotions experienced after a breakup.

“‘Umbrella’ is about a relationship abruptly ending, even though the forecast appeared to show clear skies and warm weather,” Rex said.

Fun fact: Rex has had the opportunity to open for artists including Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Ashanti, and Lauryn Hill — and, after opening up this “Umbrella,” it’s easy to understand why!

Artist: Spence Brown
Song: By My Lonely
Genre: Hip Hop
Why You Should Hear It: If you’ve ever dealt with haters, this one is for you. Brown has proclaimed this fiery new track the “anti-hater anthem”; and with how hard this one goes, it might just provide the push you need to overcome doubt.

Brown says, “As an artist, it’s always hard to deal with haters, but if you can remind yourself that what you do is good at the end of the day, you can just laugh it off. Personally, I’ve always had a hard time dealing with haters, so I made this song to remind myself that it doesn’t matter what other people think. I can get this done without their opinions!”

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

Songs You Should Hear: What’s Happening from Coast to Coast?

Posted on November 17, 2023 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

This week, we’ve been hyper-focused on our homecoming to Bethlehem, PA, which TAKES PLACE TONIGHT AT STEELSTACKS!

OK, we’re just a little excited. Can you blame us?

Nonetheless, there’s still an entire musical world outside of our hometown at our fingertips, and we want to be sure we remain tapped in to all that is happening elsewhere. Fortunately, we did just re-launch a music blog, and the indie musicians of Earth have responded by giving us plenty of choice cuts to sink our teeth into.

Here are just a few of those selections. It’s time to HEAR WHAT YOU SHOULD!

Artist: Jon Worthy
Song: Things Are Looking Up
Genre: Alt-Pop
Why You Should Hear It: At first blush, it sounds like Worthy is flexing his pop muscles on “Things Are Looking Up.” Keep listening, however, and you’ll behold an artist painting from a multicolored palette. Cosmic keys and a steady-marching vocal cadence give this single the alternative edge you may expect from the likes of MGMT and Grouplove, while funk-infused guitars weave around a pulsing backbeat to give the listener a reason to dance.

As for the message? Worthy had this to say: “It’s a tough atmosphere to be an artist today, with constantly being able to compare yourself against other artists on social media. While it’s a good thing to measure yourself and what you’re doing compared to other people, it can be extremely overwhelming to see people potentially doing better than you, and doing things you wish you were doing. ,Things Are Looking Up, is about trying to cut off that negative energy and look on the bright side; dropping the bad emotions for positivity and reflecting on a difficult journey, but remaining hopeful for the future.

Artist: The MOTOR CONTROL
Song: Get Down!
Genre: Indie Rock
Why You Should Hear It: Have you ever wanted someone you can’t have? The Motor Control’s Eric Deneen has, and here, he captures the hopeless optimism of a man aiming to please the apathetic object of his affection.

Sonically, “Get Down” delivers a strong hook; Deneen’s vocals pack a reverb-kissed punch on top of an infectious groove that captivates from the opening bell. All in all, it’s a fun modern rock offering!

Artist: Ren Richards
Song: Myself With You
Genre: Indie Rock/Alternative
Why You Should Hear It: Built on a foundation of turn-of-the-Milliennium alternative sensibility, and made all the more enchanting with clever dashes of indie pop and Americana influence throughout, “Myself With You” appeals to listeners across a variety of tastes — and to anybody who finds themselves learning to love again.

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

Songs You Should Hear: Familiar Faces All Around

Posted on November 10, 2023 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

Our first week back in action has led to a cascade of support — and of course, that means a steady flow of new music submissions.

It was nice to see so many familiar faces jump in to let us know what they’ve been up to, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight a handful of them. Welcome to the return of Songs You Should Hear!

Artist: DaChri

Song: Moving Day
Genre: Pop/Rock/Funk
Why You Should Hear It: There’s a certain, McCartney-esque whimsy to the steady-marching rhythms and shimmering vocal layers on “Moving Day.” These uplifting properties support the song’s deeper meaning; to move past what isn’t working, so we can find what is.

“The song is about a literal Moving Day, but also about moving on and growing through things that aren’t working,” DaChri said. “It’s about getting out of your own way to make the changes necessary. It’s about not living for other people.”

Artist: Fame & Fiction
Song: Famous
Genre: Pop/Rock
Why You Should Hear It: This rollicking alt-rock anthem — imagine a sonic cross-section between Walk the Moon and Paramore — features dreamy guitars, crisp vocal harmonies, deftly-layered keys, and fast-paced, intricately groovy work from the rhythm section. “Famous” — written by keyboardist Mary Jennings alongside collaborator Coley O’Toole — delivers tongue-in-cheek commentary on the pitfalls of fame, and the lengths some people will go to attain it, while offering a subtle reminder of the importance of authenticity in the digital age.

“I admittedly struggled figuring out where ‘Famous’ fit in my solo catalog, but once I brought it to the band, we all realized pretty quickly that it was always meant to be a Fame & Fiction song,” Jennings said. “As the newest member of this group, contributing this track really strengthens my sense of belonging in the band, and I absolutely love the way it turned out.”

Artist: Goodnite Robicheaux
Song: Pinewood
Genre: Soul/Hip Hop
Why You Should Hear It: This slickly-produced, modern meld of soul, hip hop, funk, and jazz pops off from the opening keyboard progression. Powerful horn accents, bumping bass, and a memorable hook team up with the song’s message — about persevering through life’s challenges — to get us ready to face the day.

“‘Pinewood’ speaks heavily on the bands younger days, and the trials a young musician goes through trying to break into the business,” the band said. “The message of Pinewood is to not let those trials stop you. You must always ‘keep your head up.'”

Got something you think we should hear? What are you waiting for?! Shoot it our way, and you might just be featured in an upcoming edition of Songs You Should Hear!

Songs You Should Hear: From Modern to Retro (and Back Again)

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Gerard Longo Leave a comment

Hold it right there!

Did you know that you can support Underground Music Collective, any time of year? By making a tax-deductible donation to UMC via The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, you ensure that we can keep sharing songs and stories from independent creatives everywhere, for years to come. Click here to get started!

Anyway, onto this week’s Songs You Should Hear…