Musicians are inextricably linked to where they're from. Whether it's Outkast with Atlanta, Natalie MacMaster with Cape Breton or Drake with The 6 Toronto, a region helps build an artist's identity and vice versa. 

Newfoundland & Labrador has had a wide collection of popular artists in its history who helped form its roots in traditional music and even more who have broken away and changed what "Newfoundland music" can sound like. For those new to the province, they might need a crash course on where to start so they will be able to sing along with seasoned Newfoundlanders in no time. 

First, some criteria: We're going with one song per artist/band here, otherwise we might as well just share Great Big Sea's entire discography. Secondly, the songs shared might not necessarily be the artist's best or even most popular, but the best place to start for newcomers. Lastly, we're limiting the list to 7 songs for now, but we'd love to hear your suggestions in the comments!

The Great Big Sea- Ordinary Day

This was tough. Arguably Newfoundland's most popular band, Great Big Sea have a wide array of songs necessary to Newfoundland's culture. But their most popular song,  Ordinary Day gets the nod because of there's a good chance you'll end up singing along to it after just one listen. 

The Fables- Heave Away

This one is an obvious choice. If you've ever attended a hockey game on the East Coast of Canada, you've heard this song on repeat. So if you're bound for old St. John's, get your duds in order and give this a listen.

Amelia Curran- Devils 

Amelia Curran has been a force on the Newfoundland & Labrador music scene since 2000 and has also been an active voice for mental health awareness in the province. Her lengthy discography has a long list of acclaimed cuts to choose from, but Devils is a small, subdued track that encapsulates Curran's musical talent and knack for writing. 

Ron Hynes- Sonny's Dream 

The late Ron Hynes also has a long list of songs that could have made the list, but his most popular song is also his most essential. Sonny's Dream earned a tribute by a collection of musicians at 2016's East Coast Music Awards in Sydney following Hynes' passing last year.

Hey Rosetta!- Seeds 

This supergroup from St. John's may have brought in a lot of hardware at the 2016 East Coast Music Awards for their fourth studio album, Second Sight, but it's the titular track from their previous album that makes the list. Listening to Seeds is like watching a classic Quentin Tarantino movie,  it's the small moments that make it great but the explosive climax pays off in a big way. 

Various- "Ode to Newfoundland" 

If the provincial anthem isn't part of a quintessential playlist, especially when large groups of people sing it like the CBC video below, then it's not much of a playlist. 

Various- The Night Pat (Paddy) Murphy Died

This is how we'll show our respect for Paddy Murphy. This classic Newfoundland folk song has been covered by various artists such as Great Big Sea and is something probably you'll end up singing along to at a bar somewhere in Atlantic Canada. We're also *kind of* cheating by using Great Big Sea again but oh well. 

There's surely some obvious choices that we missed, so please let us know in the comments!