By Doug D. Sims
I recently (today) picked up two albums from two of my favorite groups, Earth, Wind & Fire and Cameo, during a stop at Della Soul Records in Grand Rapids. For some people, that might just sound like another record purchase. For me, it’s a reminder of why I fell in love with music in the first place.
I’ve always believed that the best songs aren’t necessarily the ones that receive the most radio play. Don’t get me wrong—I love a hit record. But some of the greatest musical moments are hidden deep within an album, waiting for listeners willing to go beyond the singles.
One of my favorite quotes appears on the back of The S.O.S. Band’s album S.O.S. III. Attributed to Flyte Time, the legendary production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, it reads: “The earth has music for those who listen.”
That quote has stayed with me for years because it perfectly captures how I experience music. The world is full of incredible songs that never make the charts, never become viral sensations, and never get added to heavy radio rotation. Yet those songs often become the soundtrack to our lives. They’re the songs that move us, inspire us, and keep us coming back to an album decades later.
That’s one reason I love groups like Earth, Wind & Fire and Cameo. Their catalogs are filled with well-known classics, but the real treasures are often the album cuts—the songs tucked away between the hits that reveal the depth, creativity, and musicianship of the artists.
Places like Della Soul Records, located at 1220 Kalamazoo Ave. SE in Grand Rapids, help keep that discovery alive. In a world built on playlists and algorithms, there’s still something special about flipping through records, finding an album you’ve been searching for, and uncovering songs you may have overlooked years ago.
Music isn’t just about what’s popular. It’s about listening closely enough to find the songs that speak directly to you. And sometimes, those songs are nowhere near the top of the charts.
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