There is an infinite number of up and coming artists, and so many of them go unnoticed. Between Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music, people only listen to their own playlists and music they’re already familiar with. Most radio stations only play the most popular hits, exposing people to just a tiny portion of today’s music.

Most of these new and underrated artists start out on Youtube. Once they start gaining popularity, they draw the attention of producers. However, most of these producers are already preoccupied with their other clients, many of whom are huge music artists. The less popular artists have a hard time starting out, but if they’re lucky, they’ll get the chance to record a song. Through that song, they can work their way up and establish a larger fan base. It’s a complicated process, and musicians can remain obscure for years before they become popular.

Artists such as Grimes, Maren Morris, Lewis Watson, and Allie X are all artists who are, for the most part, unknown. They have amazing voices, and some of them have even been on The Voice or America’s Got Talent. These shows act as the artists’ stepping stones to greatness, landing them with record labels and jobs. In many cases, however, it’s just not enough. Their music isn’t played on the radio, and most people don’t have the time or patience to scour Youtube for underrated artists.

Not all underrated artists are from America or the UK. Jessie Reyez, for example, is a Toronto-based Colombian artist who has two songs on Spotify. She has been described as similar to Rihanna but with a little more edge. These foreign artists along with American artists, have used Spotify and Pandora to expand their popularity. Radio stations often look on these apps and on the Internet to see lesser-known artists’ most popular songs.

Although these artists don’t have millions of fans, they do have a number of dedicated people who love their music.  Starting small gives musicians the opportunity to improve and slowly become famous.