Koryn wrote:
Punk rock has a wide array of bands that were kinda awesome, but no one's ever heard of (unless they're just really into punk rock specifically). TSOL and Social Distortion, among others

I'm fond of Clutch, but no one ever knows who I'm talking about when I mention them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFSm9vfwtNw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ABpbxIPFI

To be completely honest, none of my favorite bands have ever really received any mainstream recognition. I guess Mastodon would the closest to a well-known band that I really, really love.

They used to be really good about 20 years ago. They sound kinda ridiculous when they put out that song 10 years ago that I can't even remember the name of now. I LOVED Spacegrass though.

I'd have to nominate three bands here. 1. The National. I hate that hipsters love them now. I've been listening to them forever.

2. Bobaflex. No one knows who they are unless you live in West Virginia or Ohio even though they headline big shows all the time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b99O1eaZylo

3. Down. One of the best metal bands ever which have been together for 25 years. Somewhat of a "supergroup" I guess even though they were together before Pantera was famous. Their first 3 albums were perfect. Not one bad song on them. There aren't many bands you can say that about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrBI0ADonA0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWsP6aXRi6Y

Lovely Day Media wrote:
When I think of underrated, I often wonder if they're only underrated in my mind because it seems most people I know haven't heard of them, they're a foreign band so they didn't cross over very well here or they really are underrated.  Whatever the case, a band that I thought was absolutely AWESOME but most that I know have never heard of ... The Little River Band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voQWlL-jj5Q

Then there were groups that were Philadelphia legends that it seems most in the rest of the country have never heard of. One is Pieces Of A Dream.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_jpoo_-X0

Then there is the incomparable Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gyhGxQOWfk

Little River Band had some pretty solid commercial success -- played on the radio and everything

Even on AM --

"The Little River Band is the first Australian rock group to see commercial success in the US, generating 25 million records sold and scoring 13 American Top 40 hits."

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=17680

KungPaoChic wrote:
Little River Band had some pretty solid commercial success -- played on the radio and everything

Even on AM --

"The Little River Band is the first Australian rock group to see commercial success in the US, generating 25 million records sold and scoring 13 American Top 40 hits."

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=17680

There is no doubt they had some commercial success. If they hadn't played on the radio, I likely would've never heard of them, either. My thinking, though, is that if someone asked you to name the top 100 great rock bands of the 80's (for instance), would The Little River Band appear on that list? I'm thinking that for most people, the answer would be no where I say absolutely and in the top 50 ... maybe even 25 or 20.

I don't hear much of their music on the radio anymore, though. I hear stuff by the Beatles, Heart and Foreigner all the time. I think it would be great to hear more stuff by TLRB, too. So ... I just play it for myself.

Reflected wrote:
Although The Shirts never quite escaped the long shadow cast by Blondie, they did produce one terrific album

I actually thought their second album "Street Light Shine" was their best.

You are right, though. Great underrated group.

Vintagevista wrote:
October Project is on that list - great range and musical talent and fronted by one of the most exceptional female voices around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aT9E0MkvZo

+1

This is the first group I thought of when I saw this thread. Their first CD was wonderful. Great songs. Intelligent lyrics, and Mary Fahl's voice is a gift from God. However, what is in many times the case, the music didn't fit any genre, so the record company didn't know how to promote them. They weren't rock. They weren't pop. They weren't adult contemporary. They defied labels. Second CD tried to be edgier. Record company lost interest. Done. They are still trying to reinvent themselves, but without Mary Fahl (whom the main songwriters, Emil and Julie, wouldn't include her in the songwriting process, so quit the band), they are doomed to fail. Shame.

GK photo wrote:
another one from the way back machine.

the move. roy wood was a musical genius. and this is where jeff lynne got his start, for better or worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzW4NQXl3T8

Roy's take on "Polythene Pam" is one of my all-time fave Beatles covers.

And of course, there's Wizzard, who were just so very Wizzard 

LensFlair wrote:

+1

This is the first group I thought of when I saw this thread. Their first CD was wonderful. Great songs. Intelligent lyrics, and Mary Fahl's voice is a gift from God. However, what is in many times the case, the music didn't fit any genre, so the record company didn't know how to promote them. They weren't rock. They weren't pop. They weren't adult contemporary. They defied labels. Second CD tried to be edgier. Record company lost interest. Done. They are still trying to reinvent themselves, but without Mary Fahl (whom the main songwriters, Emil and Julie, wouldn't include her in the songwriting process, so quit the band), they are doomed to fail. Shame.

+1 to everything you wrote - Thank goodness that Mary Fahl is still performing -  Songs like "Dawning of the Day" can cause grown assed toughguys to blubber into their beards.

Cherrystone wrote:
Robert C Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQEDwjhaDE

Robert Cray is well known and very respected by other musicians. He was prominent at Clapton's 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival. He was a featured act, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4W2R6TOW0  as well as performing together at the festival with Clapton, the late great BB King, Jimmie Vaughn, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, and many others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4BWM7-Diek

A great talent!