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

[Scandal 2000]

I am fine with Europe being listed. I think the average rock fan knows "The Final Countdown" but I would venture to guess many people know the song but not necessarily who the artist was. Outside of "The Final Countdown" album, I think don't most of their other works are that well-known. They may be in Europe but I wouldn't say they are that known globally.

[Jon]

Well, let me throw another wrench in the works...no Thin Lizzy, no Nazareth so I don't think there should be UFO (and I have them on my list, which obviously needs to be redone).

[Niels (Mod)]

I second that.

[Scandal 2000]

Once again, I must agree with your challenge (now you are catching on, lol), we are eliminating UFO from consideration. They are a great band who have had many overlooked albums, but they did have a three or four album run where they had their moment in the sun. UFO is now out of consideration.

[RJhog (Admin)]

C'mon now.  You guys are going about this the wrong way.  You are true classic rock music fans.  These 3 bands are huge and not underrated at all to you.  But not to the general public.  Pick out 5 random people in your age range tomorrow and ask them about all 3 of those bands.  See how many folks say, "yes, I love that band".  And if one of them says that, ask them to name 3 songs by that band.  Report back.  None of those bands had global appeal of the masses.

[Jon]

It's Scandal's decision. He is the law. He is Judge Dredd.

[Bren Jones]

I am digging this discussion so much debate so I am going to give mine. I have to agree on Thin Lizzy and Nazareth being eliminated. To me they are household names for true fans of classic rock. Love Hurts and Hair of the Dog were so massively huge I think they are underrated but to the level some of the other bands are. Mine:

5-Sonic Youth (overshadowed by the Nirvanas and Soundgardens of the time)

4-The Velvet Underground

3-Blue Cheer

2-Captain Beefheart

1-Budgie

[Scandal 2000]

Budgie is a great pick. I always liked the song "Bread Fan". Blue Cheer is an interesting pick because some have argued they were the first metal band (though that honor goes to Sabbath in my opinion) but outside of a few tracks, I am not sure most rock fans (certainly not anyone born in the mid 70's or early 80's and beyond) could tell you much of anything about them unless they are diehards like we are.

[Niels (Mod)]

What about bands, that haven't released new Music the past 20 years. Are they okay?

If so, This is my new list:

5. Magnum
4. Frank Zappa (does he qualify?)
3. King's X
2. The Boomtown Rats
1. City Boy

[Scandal 2000]

Zappa definitely qualifies. A band doesn't have to have released any new music in the last twenty years. I debated listing King's X in my list. Your first two definitely are underrated.

[Mike Mills]

Okay, curious of your opinion on Spinal Tap. Talk about underrated, the were second bill to a puppet show! Yeah, the band is a parody band, much like Tenacious D & it's intended as comedy, but they do write & perform their own music. Comedians, Michael McKeon, Christopher Guest & Harry Shearer, sing & play their own instruments & write songs with the help of Rob Reiner. Because they are comedians & most of their history is ficticious, they're not taken serious as a band. Therefore, they're very underrated from that standpoint alone.

 

 

[Niels (Mod)]

But...........do you really like their music?? "Big Bottom" aso. They are probably overrated.