The Beat section often covers the most popular artists and most popular songs. Now’s the chance for some well-deserved artists to receive some recognition. Most of the Liberty student body says that an artist with less than 150,000 monthly listeners counts as underground. So, as recommended by you all, here are six underground artists deserving of some recognition, and a place in the Beat section.

Strawberry Army – 1,542 monthly listeners

“Strawberry Army makes classic riot girl punk music, and I feel like we need a larger female-led punk band revival,” senior Amira Turner said. 

The band is described as “indie rock surf punk.” Based on the genre description, you can tell that their music can be listened to in a variety of situations.

Cōrt – 15,252 monthly listeners

Cōrt’s Color Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense is triggered by another. Imagine hearing a guitar and seeing a blend of oranges floating in your vision. Cōrt’s most popular song, “Yesterday”, was released in 2020 and is an indie blend of their guitar, lyrics, and colors.

Juniper – 93,408 monthly listeners

“I found Juniper a few months ago and I immediately fell in love. I love discovering new indie bands, and I listened to ‘Angelina’ on repeat this summer,” senior Emma Decasa said.

“Angelina” is part of Juniper’s most recent album “Distance Keeps Me Distance,” which consists of a 10-song independent genre discography.

Gregory and the Hawk – 147,080 monthly listeners

“I love the acoustic and stripped-down vibe. Lots of artists use production and autotune, but Gregory and the Hawk doesn’t. It’s really refreshing,” senior Hannah Kim said.

Gregory and the Hawk’s name was created by the true artist behind the music: Meredith Godreau. She did so in an effort to escape stereotypes that come with being a woman in the music industry.

saturn 17 – 66,134 monthly listeners

“One of my friends sent me her album ‘could this be love’ because she knows I’m into a lot of indie-pop and rock,” senior Ella Williamsen said. “I really liked it. saturn 17 doesn’t have a lot out right now, but so far it’s all really good.”

saturn 17 has one released single: “could this be love?” which is a mix of 

Emanuel – 54,271 monthly listeners

“His voice is so angelic. For anyone who knows Frank Ocean, he sounds similar to him,” sophomore Lillian Meeks said. “Personally, my favorite song by him would be ‘I Thought It’d Be Easy.’ I highly recommended Emanuel if you like R&B.”

Honorable Mentions:

Oublaire – 110,320 monthly listeners

Tera Melos – 37,545 monthly listeners

Nick Wagen – 39,265 monthly listeners

Sunrise Skater Kids – 128,640 monthly listeners