Isn’t it kind of strange that, no matter where an artist is from, he or she usually does not sing with an accent? There are many thoughts and ideas as to why this is, which are further discussed in articles from Mental Floss and Today I Found Out, but a quick summary of this phenomena has to do with: 1) phonetics, 2) the pace of the singer, and 3) the air pressure of the vocal chords. Singers sound American because, according to professionals, the generic American accent is relatively neutral. I suggest reading the articles if you want to know more about this phenomenon.
With these facts in mind, I set out to find music in my personal library where the singer sings in a different accent than American. Here are my results (which you can listen to on 8Tracks):
1. “Did You Wrong” by The Clik ClikThe Clik Clik was a West London-based indie group that was very active on Myspace. Though they broke up in 2008, the songs the band produced have a timeless, fun feel to them, and their accents are pretty obvious!
2. “Chocolate” by The 1975Based out of Manchester, The 1975 is an alternative rock group who came to fame in 2013 with “Chocolate.” I suggest looking up the lyrics for this one so you can follow along.
3. “Longer Than Your Love” by Calum FoadCalum Foad is from Reading, England. He’s quite talented for an 18 year old!
4. “Backfire at the Disco” by The WombatsFounded in Liverpool, The Wombats have been active since 2003. “Backfire at the Disco” was their third single, released in 2007 and again in 2008.
5. “West Coast Kids” by Antonio PaulAntonio Paul consists of two twenty-two year olds from Western Australia. “West Coast Kids” was released in 2010 on their first EP, Treasures.
6. “I Hate Seagulls” by Kate NashLondon-based Kate Nash won Best Female Artist at the BRIT Awards in 2008. She has released three albums and acted in three movies thus far. “I Hate Seagulls” was featured on her second album, My Best Friend Is You.
7. “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning” by We Were Promised JetpacksWe Were Promised Jetpacks was formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2003. “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning” was released in 2009.
8. “Everything’s Just Wonderful” by Lily AllenControversial Lily Allen was born in London in 1985. She has written and performed songs referencing her brother smoking marijuana, George W. Bush, and Robin Thicke’s chart-topper, “Blurred Lines,” among other successful songs.
9. “Baggy Trousers” by MadnessMadness, from London, was a band most prominent in the late-1970s and early-1980s. They had 15 singles reach the UK top ten. They reunited in 1992 and have since then gone on nine tours and released four new albums.
Artists with accents tend to stand out due to their individuality and limited quantities. Try to make your own playlist of songs performed by artists with accents—it’s mindboggling how few there are. Also, don’t forget about the Her Campus Pitt 8Tracks!
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