Your list does not fit the category. All those acts are very popular.
Five Bands/Acts that weren't hugely popular but should have been
- Thread starter Nitt1300
- Start date
Nailed it.
As soon as I heard “All Over You” where he blurts “our love is... like whuttd-UHHHH“ i laughed out loud and threw the disc right out the car window... #effinposeur
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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The issue wasn't the band or it's lyrics - it was just that era of music was only going to last so long. Their follow ups to Throwing Copper were really good records (and Ed was always a spiritual guy). But, Britney Spears and N'SYNC killed them off, much like Nirvana did to hair bands. With the possible exception of Pearl Jam, there aren't many grunge era bands still going strong.
in the 90s pop-punk rock got popular with band such as Green Day and Blink 182. I was always surprised that NOFX was not bigger than these bands. They were better, although everyone involved in that genre of music seemed like a lowlife
Live wasn't really a grunge band. They could have had some staying power
Here are the lyrics for two of their bigger hits. Decide for yourself if the lyrics may have been off-putting. Not exactly sing-along
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/live/sellingthedrama.html
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/live/lightningcrashes.html
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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Off putting? I don't know - I get the gist/symbolism of their stuff. Doesn't bother me. I guess I can see how others might find them not their cup of tea.
As for 'grunge era', I really meant 'alternative rock'. Bands like Live, Jane's Addiction, Weezer, Radiohead, etc. Not grunge per se but a product of the rock movement during that time.
Actually I think that was their best song by a mile, and they kept making singles like that they could have been huge. The other stuff was freaking weird
The Tubes
Warren Zevon
Blue Oyster Cult
The Smiths - they got a few mentions on this thread so maybe not underrated but I always thought they should have been bigger
Warren Zevon
Blue Oyster Cult
The Smiths - they got a few mentions on this thread so maybe not underrated but I always thought they should have been bigger
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Yeah I get it but the topic is why weren't these bands hugely popular. When your single starts off with a bald guy singing about placentas, that's why you aren't hugely popular
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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Buuuuuuut....that song was popular. Hit #12 on the Billboard 100. Topped both the Billboard Rock Tracks chart for 10 weeks and the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for 9 weeks. Throwing Copper was #1 on the Billboard 200 and went 8x platinum. It wasn't their lyrics. It was the end of an era.
Their two follow up albums debuted at #1 and #4 respectively (those were from 1997-2000). After that, they didn't release new music until 2005 and by then it was too late. Ed left in 2009 and I guess recently returned to the band in 2016. Not much appetite for that kind of music anymore for the most part.
Uncle Tupelo - Split into two great bands: Wilco and Son Volt
Ryan Adams - Whether with the Cardinals, Whiskeytown or by himself I've always felt that this guy was an under-recognized musician, particularly his songwriting talent.
Blue Rodeo - Probably nothing amazing about this band, but they have been around a long time and I would consider them to be one of the better country music acts of the past few decades. Their popularity in the U.S. is probably limited to a degree since they are a Canadian band.
Todd Snider - Already mentioned, but I agree. He's not going to blow you away with his instrumental ability, but his songwriting is awesome and sometimes downright hilarious. If you do not have a sense of humor, don't bother listening to Todd Snider.
Avett Brothers - I feel like these guys are starting to finally get some of the commercial recognition that they deserve. Great musicians and solid songwriters.
John Hiatt - Already mentioned, but I'm not sure if I would consider him "under the radar" or not. I think he's gotten a decent amount of recognition, particularly for his songwriting, but I could be wrong. I enjoy him as both a songwriter and a musician. I saw him few years ago with Lyle Lovett and those guys were great together.
J Mascis - Someone already mentioned Dinosaur Jr. which I would not have listed in this group; however, J Mascis, in my opinion, is an excellent guitar player, and perhaps under-recognized as a musician.
Jason Isbell - This guy has been around for awhile. Made some great music with the Drive-By Truckers before he was booted out of the band. He continues to make great music on his own and with his band the 400 Unit.
Conor Oberst - Some of his music I love, some of it I hate. Great songwriter though. Made a bunch of music with his band Bright Eyes but has been doing his own thing for awhile and is still making some good music.
John Prine - Another great songwriter in the country genre that's been around forever. He's sort of his generation's version of Todd Snider.
Ryan Adams - Whether with the Cardinals, Whiskeytown or by himself I've always felt that this guy was an under-recognized musician, particularly his songwriting talent.
Blue Rodeo - Probably nothing amazing about this band, but they have been around a long time and I would consider them to be one of the better country music acts of the past few decades. Their popularity in the U.S. is probably limited to a degree since they are a Canadian band.
Todd Snider - Already mentioned, but I agree. He's not going to blow you away with his instrumental ability, but his songwriting is awesome and sometimes downright hilarious. If you do not have a sense of humor, don't bother listening to Todd Snider.
Avett Brothers - I feel like these guys are starting to finally get some of the commercial recognition that they deserve. Great musicians and solid songwriters.
John Hiatt - Already mentioned, but I'm not sure if I would consider him "under the radar" or not. I think he's gotten a decent amount of recognition, particularly for his songwriting, but I could be wrong. I enjoy him as both a songwriter and a musician. I saw him few years ago with Lyle Lovett and those guys were great together.
J Mascis - Someone already mentioned Dinosaur Jr. which I would not have listed in this group; however, J Mascis, in my opinion, is an excellent guitar player, and perhaps under-recognized as a musician.
Jason Isbell - This guy has been around for awhile. Made some great music with the Drive-By Truckers before he was booted out of the band. He continues to make great music on his own and with his band the 400 Unit.
Conor Oberst - Some of his music I love, some of it I hate. Great songwriter though. Made a bunch of music with his band Bright Eyes but has been doing his own thing for awhile and is still making some good music.
John Prine - Another great songwriter in the country genre that's been around forever. He's sort of his generation's version of Todd Snider.
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Tom Waits. Hugely influential and popular in the industry, but little to no main stream popularity. Of course he’s not a band, but still. Shame more people don’t know his music. Best thing I’ve heard said about Tom Waits is that he’s a pint of Guinness in a Bud-Light world.
Cowboy Junkies
Seven Nations (not Seven Nations Army)
Morphine
Patty Smyth (both with Scandal and her solo career)
Chi Coltrane (one-hit wonder but made some other really good music)
Sanford Townsend Band (so much more than just "Smoke From a Distant Fire")
Seven Nations (not Seven Nations Army)
Morphine
Patty Smyth (both with Scandal and her solo career)
Chi Coltrane (one-hit wonder but made some other really good music)
Sanford Townsend Band (so much more than just "Smoke From a Distant Fire")
yep, remember them well- as well as Kings and Queens, who played a lot of the same places
Agree -- I have 2 of their albums I bought at Arboria.
How about Jon Buthcher Axis. they opened for J. Geils when thy played Rec Hall in the early 80's.
I love John Hiatt, but this song always pops into my head . . .
I agree with lots of the ones already named but to say someone different I'm gonna go with Marshall Crenshaw. I've read that he is somewhat of an odd guy and not crazy about some aspects of fame so maybe that explains why he isn't more popular. He writes/performs some good songs though.
A guy I mentioned on the related thread was Graham Parker. He appeared with his original backup band, The Rumor, in the film This is Forty and appeared on David Letterman from time to time. He tended to get lumped in with “ New Wave “ acts ( not the same category ) and compared with fellow Brit Elvis Costello ( he is rather different ). He described his own music once as “ Plutonium Pop “.
Los Lobos. One of the great guitar rock bands there is.
I saw “Live” 2 years ago for the throwing copper 20tj anniversary. It was Ed doing his thing, and a kid who played all the solos and a variety of other instruments. Drum track played from the computer. It was just 2 guys. They did a meet and greet after the show, which was cool. I complimented the other guy on his skills at all the different instruments and Ed says kind of condescendingly, “it’s not like he ****ing went to Juilliard.” It was a really weird interaction.
I don’t know what you guys define as hugely popular, but they sold out arenas in their hey day. That’s hugely popular. We were in a rinky dink shop in the middle of Australia last summer and the owner asked where we were from and we said PA. He says his favorite band is from Pa, a town called York. That doesn’t happen with other bands.
Silverchair had album of the year several times and the highest selling song of the year at least twice.
Like the Material Issue refeference.
I'll add James. Much bigger overseas and do an incredible live show.
I'll add James. Much bigger overseas and do an incredible live show.
Not in America. Other than Frogstomp, most of their releases have made little more than a blip on national radar.
