12 Underrated Songs By Well Known Artists

Even the most popular artists make less known songs. Normally, these are B-sides on the album that never get performances, radio play, and which they may not even perform at concerts. The songs may have also been for a specific purpose such as for a movie, video game, or charity project. Still, it is surprising at times to come across these songs and realize they had an amazing song that flew under the radar.

#1: The Lighthouse Keeper by Sam Smith

Sam Smith has had multiple hits over the past few years. "Unholy" with Kim Petras is his latest chart-topper. His stunning vocals can handle everything from pop ballads to sultry duets.

Released as an extended play single, this subtle Christmas song was released in 2020. It features a more traditional folk sound and focuses on the reunification of two lovers. The song draws inspiration from several sources including 1940s ballads and the more story-based lyrics of folk and traditional songs.

This song is absolutely gorgeous to me and I think it deserves much more love than it gets. Of course, I know it may not appeal to the main pop market, but I certainly think it could open more people up to exploring more traditional styles of music.

#2: Blow Your Mind (Mwah) by Dua Lipa

A quintessential Dua Lipa song, "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)" has a strong feminine vibe with sexual undertones. I think the main reason this song did not make it big is because it was released before her breakthrough hit, "New Rules."

Otherwise, I think it is arguable that this song could've been another decent hit for Dua. This song did do decently outside of the United States, but considering her global fame now, it does feel slightly unfair that this song didn't get the chance to make it big.

#3: Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

As a long time fan of Ed Sheeran, I remember when this song was released and going absolutely crazy for it. Another story-based song that had so much potential, but probably wasn't right for the broader market. Still, this song has beautiful lyrics and an adorable music video.

Taylor and Ed have since worked on other (more popular) songs. However, this remains one of my collaborations between the two.

#4: Only Angel by Harry Styles

From Harry Styles' first solo album, "Only Angel" stands out to me as an experimental, rock-pop driven song. Years later, this remains my most listened to song from the album. I totally understand why this song was never released as a single, but I do think it deserves a bit more of a cult following than it currently has.

#5: Rose-Colored Boy by Paramore

For diehard fans of Paramore, "Rose-Colored Boy" may not seem like an underrated single. However, when compared to their other releases and the lead single of the album, I am surprised this song did not see as much success.

A clever play on the saying "rose-colored glasses" this song offers almost a cathartic release for people who have felt we are dealing with someone who cannot see true reality. Perhaps, it has even been ourselves at times.

#6: Roman Holiday by Halsey

Halsey's album, "Badlands" kickstarted her career, particular the singles "New Americana" and "Colors." However, the entire album is full of beautiful and artistic songs. As a diehard fan of Halsey, "Roman Holiday" is one my favorites of her early songs.

Now, I may be somewhat biased considering Roman Holiday is one of my favorite movies, but this song perfectly illustrates a short-lived love. The imagery is absolutely stunning and shows that Halsey is truly a master songwriter.

#7: Empty Cups by Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth releases a lot of singles. Usually, from one album, he will release three to four songs. Thus, the last song from his album, "Voicenotes" is an unspoken gem. While Charlie has several songs that could make this list, I chose this one as it is the most similar to other songs Charlie has seen success with.

It has a distinctly pop sound while also sounding like a Charlie Puth song. I think if released, this song would've done well. Perhaps the concept of the song or the title did not seem like single material.

#8: everytime by Ariana Grande

"everytime" is one of the few songs from "Sweetner" that I do not see being universally praised. The song feels like the perfect bridge between Ariana's new sound and her old one. This song kept coming up on my playlist--as I had also not given it much attention when the album was first released--but I found that I kept listening to it and it became an underrated fave.

#9: Background Music by Thomas Rhett

Thomas Rhett is one of the biggest names in country music. He also has done a lot of crossover music and I believe often brings people who may not normally like or listen to country to the genre. His song "Background Music" is a great example of this.

Combining country with some electronic music elements, this song is exceptionally unique. This would have never made it on country or pop radio, but it is an experimental and fun song nonetheless.

#10: All Night by BTS & Juice WRLD

Honestly, it hurts me how good this song is, and how it gets almost no attention outside of the fandom. Of course, part of this is because it was made specifically for the BTS World game. Still, the combination of RM, Suga, and Juice WRLD was both unexpected and absolutely seamless.

This song is a bit different from what would usually be released under the BTS name (this song sounds more like something that would be on a solo album). However, this song is one of the sexiest in BTS' discography.

#11: Take Yourself Home by Troye Sivan

I have put this song on the list because of the technical and artistic elements of the song. It definitely is not right for radio play, but I think Troye and the producers knew that going into this song. "Take Yourself Home" is very experimental and seemingly changes from a slow, near ballad to an electronic, upbeat banger. Therefore, it is underrated purely due to the production and concept of the song.

#12: Do To Me by H.E.R.

"Do To Me" was my summer song of 2020. This low key and subtly sexy song has tones of reggae and traditional music mixed into a slow pop sound. The lyrics of this song are also infectious and well conceptualized. It is a great song for putting in the background and while it was released as a single, it deserved more attention, in my opinion.