Top Five Vastly Underrated Rock Bands

[Scandal 2000]

First the rules:

1) List five bands that you consider vastly underrated bands.

2) The bands must be considered rock bands (any genre of rock will qualify)

3) The Band Must Have Been Around At Least 20 Years

4) The Band must have had limited or no commercial success. In other words, you might claim the last four Metallica albums are underrated, but they would not qualify because they have had tremendous success. I will allow bands that perhaps were one hit wonders or had a limited run of successful albums.

5) Here is the kicker. If someone respectfully disagrees with one of your picks, you have the right to request the person (let's have fun with this) to  "defend their thesis." The person defending will have to explain why the band is underrated, but the person who has requested your pick to be justfied must also explain why he/she disagrees with the band being underrated.

For example, let's say I list one of my favorite bands "Uriah Heep." To me, they are vastly underrated with a ton of good albums and good songs. Someone may disagree with me and their argument could be "Their recent albums may be underrated, but they had a fair share of hits and successful albums in the 70's so they had their moment in the sun." I would then have to counter with my justification.

My List:

5) The Spooky Tooth

4) Overkill

3) Junkyard

2) Doro Pesch

1) Rose Tattoo

[Mike Mills]

Actually, I do!

[Niels (Mod)]

Check out a "band" called "Bad News", then. You'll love them!!

[Mike Mills]

Alright, I will!

[Scandal 2000]

I think the pick is fine. Spinal Tap was definitely not taken seriously as a band though they were actually pretty good musicians. I can't say that I was a huge fan (though I loved the movie) but I think you could make a strong case for them being underrated simply for the fact no one actually talks about their musicial ability.

[Mike Mills]

New list Alert!

5. Zebra

4. Giuffria

3. Vandenberg

2. Saga

1. Aldo Nova

[Scandal 2000]

Mike, that is a stellar list. I think I agree with all of those. Outside of the song "Fantasy" most people would be at a loss to name another Aldo Nova song. Zebra had one decent selling album, but most people couldn't name anything off of the rest of their albums.

[Jon]

UPDATED!!!

5. Galactic Cowboys

4. Lillian Axe

3. Wishbone Ash

2. Savatage

1. King's X

[Scandal 2000]

Love it! The Galactic Cowboys definitely are a good call. LOL-You are definitely devoted to Wishbone Ash. You are as loyal to them as I am to Alice Cooper. I couldn't find a way to sneak him into this category, I debated putting Vincent Furnier on my Top 5 list to see if I could sneak it by, lol

[Jon]

I've known about Wishbone Ash for awhile, had one studio album plus a couple greatest hits discs. Something drove me to pick up a crapload of WA this year and so far I've picked up 13 albums. Now I'm more of a fan and trying to get everyone elese to jump on the bandwagon. Figure if I keep mentioning them folks will just give up and take the ride. 

[Jon]

You know, that Vincent Furnier would have been funny. To me at least, I would have recognized the name and been punding my head trying to figure out where I heard it before.

Then I would have googled it and you would have been busted. Ha!

[Will I AM]

5. Saga

4. Smithereens

3. Europe

2. Aldo Nova

1. Midnight Oil

[Scandal 2000]

Alright everyone I am going to start tabulating on Monday of next week and then the voting will offically stop on Tuesday. We have had some great discussion and some good debate on what qualifies and what doesn't, which makes a statement on what underrated really means. There are a few bands that have been showing up regularly but most of our lists are all over the place which is great. If anyone wants to make a revision or resubmit this weekend go for it.