Music You Should Listen to if You Like Lorde

Like Lorde with "Royals," Sweden's Elliphant seemed to come out of nowhere with "Down On Life," and like "Royals", it's one of those songs that slowly seeps into mainstream consciousness—it even got her noticed by Diplo. But beyond that, Elliphant is interested in more than just pop. She dabbles with electronic, hip-hop, and reggae, and these elements all give her a unique sound that make her stand out in the pop soundscape and have us very interested in where her music will end up in the future.

Tove Lo's "Habits" hasn't popped in a major way yet, but we'll be surprised if it doesn't get its big break eventually. Shit, give this one the right TV or movie placement and it will take off. Like "Royals," the song features a sing-along of a chorus that makes it an obvious hit, but the lyrics—which include talk of getting high and going to sex clubs—feel like a deviation from the norm in modern mainstream pop.

Lorde's a pop artist, and so is Charli XCX, but they stand out among the mix of sweet-sounding female pop artists because they have an edge about them. These are pop artists who grew up listening to hip-hop, not pop artists who grew up in the Mickey Mouse Club. Not that there's anything wrong with clean-cut pop music, but a little badassness in pop music can be a beautiful thing.

The Neighbourhood doesn't have the female vocals, and they're not quite as sweet, but like Lorde, the California rockers have an appreciation for hip-hop, immediate songwriting, and the kind of production that works best with the windows down. If you like to sing along but also want to nod your head instead of practice choreographed dance in the mirror, Lorde and The Neighbourhood are both good options.

Another New Zealand native, Hollie Smith's "Bathe in the River" was included on the soundtrack to the NZ film No. 2, and it instantly became a Kiwi favorite, spending over 20 weeks in the top 10. The song is more traditional than most of Lorde's work, but on tracks like "Swingin Party," Lorde has shown a maturity that makes it easy to imagine her performing over soulful, acoustic tracks like "Bathe in the River" in the future.

It's hard to believe that Lorde is only 16. Part of that is because of her look and the way she carries herself, but a lot of it is the voice. As Guru once wisely said, "It's mostly the voice," and it doesn't just apply to rapping. Having a powerful, distinct voice can go a long way in any type of music, and Marina Lambrini Diamandis, aka Marina and the Diamonds, is another artist whose vocals are instantly recognizable and whose songs are better because of it.

Sweden's got a different take on pop. They've given us ABBA and Ace Of Base, proof that the country can spawn great, straightforward pop music, but in the past decade they've become known for balancing that uncomplicated approach with an experimental touch. This doesn't mean it's all weird, inaccessible art-pop, but there are little flurries of sounds, textures, and styles. Lykke Li is an obvious example, but Stockholm's NONONO is doing it too, and doing it well. Lorde's home country, New Zealand, is also becoming known for this delicate balancing act, and if you like Lorde because of the subtle production and vocal deviations from the norm, check out NONONO.

The Blow has a knack for creating—for lack of a better word—"cute" melodies, but there's something else about The Blow that you might love and not even realize you're loving: the empty space. Instead of over-producing their songs into big, layered masterpieces, they cut things down to the bare minimum. Lorde's "Royals" is a massive pop song, but one of the things that makes it so interesting is that it's got room to breathe. The Blow's music doesn't feel as grand or ambitious as Lorde's, but beautifully simplified songs like "True Affection" or "Parentheses" are just as addictive.

Do you like Lorde simply because she's from New Zealand? Okay, listen to Auckland's The Naked and Famous then. In fact, we've got a whole post on music you should know from New Zealand, but out of all the recommendations, The Naked and Famous are the most consistently catchy, with big choruses and memorable melodies. Their style is a little more electronically driven and rock-leaning, but if you can appreciate a New Zealand act with a knack for massive hooks, Lorde and The Naked and Famous are both for you.

Some Lorde songs sound nothing like AlunaGeorge's music, but that is because the young New Zealand singer exhibits such great variety on her debut album. Alongside the more traditional ballads, a lot of the songs on Pure Heroine have interesting, bassy production that, while not as explicitly influenced by dance music as AlunaGeorge's music, still wouldn't sound that out of place at a club. Songs like "Team" even have pitched down vocals, a trick AlunaGeorge employ a number of times on their debut album Body Music.

Danish singer MØ has already proved adept at both anthemic, synth based pop songs and slower-paced tracks, but their is a real "fuck you" attitude and sense of personality that runs through all her music that we've heard so far. And that is one of the most exciting, magnetic things about Lorde—she may only be 16, but she has a confident, self-assured, pretty damn kick-ass attitude that comes across in both her interviews and her debut album.